Reviews

For review and radio play consideration:

Please send one copy of vinyl (preferred), CD, or cassette releases to MRR, PO Box 3852, Oakland, CA 94609, USA.

Maximum Rocknroll wants to review everything that comes out in the world of underground punk rock, hardcore, garage, post-punk, thrash, etc. No major labels or labels exclusively distributed by major-owned distributors, no reviews of test pressings or promo CDs without final artwork. We reserve the right to reject releases on the basis of content. Music without vocals or drums will not be considered. All music submitted for review must have been released (or reissued) within the last two years. Please include contact information and let us know where your band is from!

24/24 / Strage Di Stato split EP

Quick, no-bullshit hit of raw D-beat straight from the DIY gutter on this total ripper split from 24/24 and STRAGE DI STATO. Tracks are over before you catch your breath, blasting by in under a minute each with nothing but stripped-down rage. 24/24 from Brno play super fast crust, beginning the chaos with an unrelenting assault of blown-out distortion, tight riffing, and drums that keep a steady path of destruction. STRAGE DI STATO, blistering punks from Kisújszállás, answer back with the same fast-paced ugly attack, almost sounding like a grindcore band without blastbeats and full of dissonance. No reinvention here, just pure execution. Loud, short, and savage. Exactly how it should be.

Apéro Cold Drinks, Cool Snacks cassette

Contrary to what you’d imagine given the band’s name, it’s straight to the main course as soon as you push play on this debut APÉRO cassette. Thumping, revved-up drum machine beats paired with tasty synth lines that seem to perfectly emulate the NACHTHEXEN tone push this kooky German/French egg-punk band forward. To look at the song titles, you may be a little confused if it’s just going to be total nonsense time or a tribute record to the strangest amalgamation of things, but the jokes seem to stop with the song titles. This is eleven songs of non-stop, synth-heavy, head-bopping mayhem with no shortage of catchy riffs. The tape culminates with an absolutely killer cover of “Safe Neighborhood (Shit on the Ground)” by MADONNA with her early group the BREAKFAST CLUB. I have always wanted to cover that song, but never followed through on it. Congrats, APÉRO, you win this round. If you’ve been paying attention to cassette releases over the past handful of years you certainly must recognize the label XTRO for their continually consistent scrambled output. Easily one of the big names to be mentioned when discussing modern synth and egg-punk releases, and APÉRO fits in nicely with the label’s output. As always though, wildly limited release numbers—only 25 of these exist, and I’ve already got one of them. Get on it if you want one.

Betrayer Betrayer cassette

Straight-up POISON IDEA worship from, you guessed it, Portland.  I mean, really, it is uncanny how much this sounds like them, down to the Jerry A vocal stylings. I don’t hate it, the tunes themselves are good, but you wouldn’t be wrong for calling this derivative.

Bludgeoned Pigs Live at the Smilin’ Buddha, 1980 EP

BLUDGEONED PIGS were a blink-and-gone Vancouver band from the late ’70s/early ’80s who never managed to put out a proper record during their brief run. This six-track EP, rescued by Supreme Echo from a 1980 set at the legendary Smilin’ Buddha Cabaret, is probably the closest we’ll get. And look, the sound is rough. The performance is sloppy. The singer is picking fights with the audience like it’s his actual job. The audio drops out entirely more than once, possibly because someone unplugged a microphone. But the SEX PISTOLS were clearly this band’s north star, and fidelity was never the point. For anyone who was in that room, or in any room with BLUDGEONED PIGS during their short window, this is probably a priceless piece of their youth. For the rest of us, it’s a short scrappy document of a band that existed mostly in the memories of the people who were there.

Catastrophe Cries From the Gutter LP

London-based champions of anarcho hardcore CATASTROPHE have returned with a full-length, and you’re going to want to check it out. Nine blistering tracks of rage-filled dissent rip by in short order and will demand a replay. Inspiration seems to be drawn from CONCRETE SOX, DISCHARGE, and the body of crust, which gives CATASTROPHE a vast catalog of noises to use as fodder. As the album title implies, much of the lyrical content surrounds the theme of poverty and the turmoils caused by capitalism.

The Dumpies Lub Dub LP

I would put this somewhere between BLATZ and the FLESHIES, but with a finer ear for melody. Surprisingly catchy punk more on the lo-fi end of the spectrum, with a bass-forward mix that keeps the songs from sounding thin. As the record unfolded, it made me think of  CRIMPSHRINE, maybe more in feel than in sound. Punk rock/queer lyrics, focused and interesting songwriting, and shit that will make you sing along and circle-pit in your heart. Standout tracks “Work Song” and “Life in Hell” will be staying with me for a long, long time. This one’s a banger, strongly recommended.

Durs Coeurs Crise Cardiaque LP

DURS COEURS have booted down a door (and perhaps a wall) to fuse proto-metal, post-punk, and street rock. Melodic without being overtly pop-influenced, gritty and tough yet not impenetrable. The instrumentation across these eight cuts is impressively tasteful. They keep things wound tight and in the pocket when it counts, and sprinkle in the right amount of flourish when called for. As the opening track foreshadows, there’s a surfy twang splashed across the album that adds a buoyancy that lifts DURS COEURS to level beyond many of their peers. Fans of CAMERA SILENS in particular will want to take note.

Greg Wheeler and the Poly Mall Cops Slimephone Surveilance LP

With their goofy name and Rod Farva-esque drummer, GREG WHEELER AND THE POLY MALL COPS could easily have been another wacky garage knockoff. Instead, these innovative Iowans use the chicanery as a fun front for their layered and entertaining music, and this second LP demonstrates a smooth evolution to their subtly surfy sci-fi sound. It’s got a winning combination of classic candy riffs, buzzing energy, and infectious melody, but there’s also a tinge of chill early 2010s style like JACUZZI BOYS and WAVVES, which is another agreeable flavor. By the time we reach the closing “Your Quiet Charm,” the tide has turned entirely, leaving us with a sickly-sweet synth/acoustic indie ballad as a final surprise.

Highway Patrol In Tears cassette

This is the third full-length release from Germany’s HIGHWAY PATROL. Recorded live to tape, this somehow ended up sounding more produced than a majority of the recordings I get sent to write about. While that aspect is certainly impressive, beyond that, I’ll admit it, I just don’t get it. A self-proclaimed “country” and “wild rhythm ’n’ vodoo [sic] blues” band, a made-up genre name so bizarre it even comes with a glaring typo. Twelve tracks of sleepy, sing-song meandering with the occasional fuzzed-out solo. There is a very real possibility that I am just not the target audience for this music, although I do consider myself pretty versatile in my knowledge and tastes. If this band were a patrolled highway, I imagine the many crash reports would indicate “fell asleep at the wheel” as the cause for the crash, with the drivers having been lulled off to sleep by the lullabies found within.

Kalle Hygien Mount Meru LP

Reviewing records can be super rewarding and fun; getting exposed to new stuff, getting to be effusive of your favorite artists, maybe even turning some people on to a brand new thing. And in the past, it even felt the tiniest bit “important” because if you wanted to check out an artist, you probably had to buy the entire record/CD/tape, so a review could help you decide how you’d spend your hard-earned bucks. I don’t have to worry about imploring you to save said hard-earned bucks by avoiding spending them on this record. You should not buy this record. But in 2026, you could easily listen to it without much cost besides your time, I suppose. This is not good. But maybe you get your rocks off on that stuff? I’m not going to say “don’t listen to this” because it’s, well, it’s something. If those indie bands of the late 2000s that tried too hard to show they were weird (THEY SHOOT HORSES DON’T THEY, MAN MAN, later OF MONTREAL) tried to ape GORILLAZ beats, it might sound something like this? Maybe? Either way, I listened to it so you don’t have to.

Lovebomb Chainmail & Gagball cassette

Mannheim’s solo egg-punk extravaganza LOVEBOMB absolutely stuns with their super lo-fi shenanigans and claustrophobic quirkiness. Seemingly recorded between a dungeon’s sweating walls with nothing but a dusty multitrack recorded looted off of a low-level warlock, Chainmail & Gagball is the perfect record to scratch your early POWERPLANT itch. Vibes are truly immense on this one.

Mental Slaughter Feedback // Warfare cassette

Members of GAOLED and NO FUTURE infrequently play together as MENTAL SLAUGHTER, a raw, munitions-grade, LANGUID-worshipping D-beat band. Screaming guitar leads sweep over a rumbling and banging rhythm section that supports the gnashing and disgusted vocal delivery. Noisy and distortion-laden, MENTAL SLAUGHTER offers eight songs on this initial cassette, and if you’re into the D-beat that gets your fist pumping and head banging, then this is for you.

The Normals Anorexia Nervosa / Monkey Out of Me 7″

Not the KBD degenerate NORMALS from New Orleans, but rather one of the earliest punk bands to form in Wellington, New Zealand, making their first appearance on vinyl here almost a half-century after they broke up. Kiwi DIY enthusiasts should immediately pick up on some clues in these songs, recorded in 1979 shortly before the band splintered, that help situate the NORMALS within a very specific, time-fixed regional context—right off the bat, the lyrically direct, personal/political femme-punk of A-side “Anorexia Nervosa” effectively foreshadows Wellington’s late ’70s/early ’80s Terrace scene as documented on the essential **** (Four Stars) comp, in particular LIFE IN THE FRIDGE EXISTS and the WALLSOCKETS (see the latter’s “Euthanasia” for some clear musical and thematic parallels). B-side “Bananas” (alternately referred to as “Monkey Out of Me”) is far more lighthearted, a no-frills, pogo-primed and pop-minded first wave rush like a North Island counterpart to TOY LOVE, complete with a big, dumb (positive) “Going tutti frutti!” chanted hook from vocalist Dazee Day. Go ape for both of them!

Offend Your Friends Almost Didn’t Make It CD

From Fond Du Lac, WI, we get the punk/ska/hardcore/Oi! of OFFEND YOUR FRIENDS, who have been smashing the state since George W. Bush was in office. I really don’t know what to make of this. The song topics range from being upset about things to eating poop. Spanning the aggressive, melodic ranges of punk, ska and hardcore, Almost Didn’t Make It is globbed full of sing-along choruses and adorable saxophone solos. I can’t single out what specifically makes this so appealing, but overall, it’s the entire bundle of everything they are throwing at me. I bet they bounce off the walls live, play way too long, and everyone in the room loves every second of it. Popping with the energy of firecrackers tossed under a picnic table, the jokes timed with power and purity make this album more than just a passing glance. The twelve songs start to run out of steam around track ten. This is going to resonate with someone somewhere, and that person is going to go on to do something miraculous and attribute it to these fucked-up punk/ska songs outta Fond Du Lac. Also, the exact opposite might happen, where something horrible occurs and the manifesto references this release. Look, you don’t come here for fortune-telling services, but you could still check out this album and maybe be the person you’ve always wanted to become.

Pisssniffers Pisssniffers LP

You know what? I am very pleased that I got assigned this LP for review, not just because I actually already own and love the thing, but because I find the prospect of wearing a PISSSNIFFERS top during a job interview hilarious. Unless you want the job, of course. Greece has no shortage of ace hardcore bands these days with acts like ΠΥΡ ΚΑΤΑ ΒΟΥΛΗΣΗ or ΠΛΕΚΤΑΝΗ delivering the goods. I am a sucker for Greek punk and I find the language works with every punk subgenre, and PISSSNIFFERS, unsurprisingly, indulge in shitlicking käng hardcore punk, a style I am fond of indeed. Our sniffers don’t necessarily aim for a perfect replica of Sweden though, and I am reminded more of other Scandi-inspired but non-Scandinavian bands such as TOTÄLICKERS, PISSCHRÏST, and other bands who dick around with umlauts. The songwriting is simple but effective, and the energy certainly makes up for the relative typicalness of the music (which I monomaniacally don’t mind, personally), and production-wise, it sounds perfect—studs-oriented, pummeling, and still raw with angry vocals. Nothing new under the nuclear sunrise, but PISSSNIFFERS have that je ne sais quoi that makes their classic dispunk recipe stand out. And don’t forget that wearing a shirt can also make your parents mad if you are still fifteen.

PLQMRX Upside Yer Head 12″

This record sucks so profoundly that I don’t have the words to express how pissed I am that I wasted 22 minutes of my finite lifetime listening to it. Look at the cover for some clues: we have two guys in gaudy vintage suits, clown sculptures, and a font from the Man’s Ruin Records design bible. If time stopped for you in 1995 and these dudes look like a chill time, go ahead and order the “Crackhead’s Bundle” of records, shirts, and shit from their Bandcamp. Crank it up and bond with your favorite estranged uncles over this overworked, overblown casserole of psych, funk, doom riffs, and noise rock. And please understand that they wear wacky costumes when playing live. I wish I could do a citizen’s arrest on guitarist (let me check the notes) Midnight Moses—that’s right, the members have goofy pseudonyms like vocalist Cleetus Alreetus Alrightus and drummer Vinniehana, rumored to be Vincent Signorelli of UNSANE—for egregious wah pedal abuse with intent to harm. The songs, from the bombastic opener “Us vs. Them” to the deeply stupid “Hundred Dollar Hot Dog,” are an unceasing blast of psyched-up wah soloing, distorted bass grooves, and groaning, growling vocals. It’s loud and unyielding, but in the most annoying way possible, like a guy on a bus screaming his best Jim Carrey impersonation in your face. They namecheck FLIPPER, BUTTHOLE SURFERS, and FUNKADELIC as influences, and sure, whatever, this shit kind of sounds like those bands, with touches of LAUGHING HYENAS, RED FANG, and COWS. But much, much worse. Reptilian has released some great records, but this is not one of them. I would honestly rather sit in silence than play this again.

Problem Addict Timmy is a Monster cassette

Aggro, spooky garage rock that’s over in a blink. Seriously, I threw this on without paying heed to the track lengths and was shocked when the record came to a sudden end! Lots of fun, melodic tracks that don’t run over two-and-a-half minutes each. If you love BOBBY “BORIS” PICKETT and the QUEERS, then this will most likely be your new favorite band. I think this band has a dedicated sampler, which I would love to see in more punk bands.

Red Devil Ryders Is It Love? LP

Very cool sounds coming out of Cleveland here. Lots going on, not easy to pin down, track times ranging from two minutes to over seven, half a dozen genres listed on their Bandcamp page—and yet, it all seems to work pretty well. There are plenty of other sounds you’ll find yourself thinking of throughout these thirteen tracks, and they’ll keep changing as you go along. The Ohio connection jumps out right away with GUIDED BY VOICES, but then you might think of the GIZMOS, or a more contemporary SMARTHEARTS, and then maybe ROYAL HEADACHE on the standout track “Rude Awakening.” The vast sounds and references make for a less than singular, cohesive collection, but it never really veers into feeling too disjointed at any point. A fun collection that will draw you in and out throughout its runtime.

Savage Beat Bright Lights, Tall Shadows LP

SAVAGE BEAT’s Bright Lights, Tall Shadows is the latest from this Amsterdam five-piece, now a decade into their run of TURBONEGRO- and DEAD BOYS-worship filtered through glam and pub rock. The ingredients are all here: gang vocals, rock’n’roll keys, big choruses, and a general air of leather jacket celebration. The band clearly knows how to work this lane, the playing is tight, the vocals fit the material, and you can hear the fun in it. Where it loses me is that the songs started running together after a few listens. If you’re already sold on this style, nothing here will offend you. The problem is that almost nothing here will surprise you, either. The record as a whole could use a few more sharp turns, but if you’re already deep into this style and want another slab of it, SAVAGE BEAT delivers exactly what’s on the label.

Skelett Skelett cassette

This self-titled release from SKELETT sticks to a pretty minimal formula that works: wiry guitars, tight but slightly loose-feeling drums, and explosive vocals. It leans into that in-between space of punk that isn’t fully hardcore but not quite post-punk either, just kind of hovering in its own grey zone. Tracks like “Electric Sledgehammer” and “Blut” have a nice forward motion without going overboard on speed. They’re direct, but not overly frantic. There’s a bit more room to sit with the riffs, which gives the whole thing a colder, more controlled feel compared to other hardcore demos. A lot of the record works on repetition and tone rather than big moments. “Digital Dumpster” and “Allergic Reaction” especially feel locked into a groove with their simple structures. By the time “Rot” closes things out, it feels more consistent than anything else. A solid run of songs that stick to their lane.

Soji / Urban Waste DCxPC Live Presents, Vol. 38 split LP

Killer split LP featuring Queens legends URBAN WASTE and Philadelphia’s SOJI. The URBAN WASTE songs are exactly what you’d expect; technical, fast, and brutal NYHC. There’s something to be said for a band 40 years into their career and still laying it down like this, respect! The SOJI side keeps the energy and takes things in an entirely different direction. It’s hardcore that pairs chugging metal riffs against these groovy and melodic passages. It’s not my thing, but the execution is excellent and it’s fucking cool to see bands taking things into their own hands and doing it their way. Lyrically, it’s confrontational and subversive. They are speaking about the shit that needs to be talked about and I love to hear it. Oh yeah, this is only available on LP through the label and limited to 200 hand-numbered copies, you can’t stream it! Community over corporations, motherfuckers!

Static Friction Static Friction 12″

Absolutely smitten with this 12”. Melodic hardcore out of Boston that combines all the best elements of the genre: yelping vocals, soaring power chords, and catchy riffs that go on for days. Very reminiscent of KID DYNAMITE, NONE MORE BLACK, and ARMALITE. Insane to me that this is their debut recording; sounds like they’ve been playing together for decades. The songs are masterly crafted and are super-tight. They wrap the whole thing up with a classic AFI cover, which is just pure perfection. This is an exceptionally solid slab and I require you to listen to it. Do it now!

Tremors Love is War Now LP

This is what I mean when I tell people I listen to pop punk—catchy, energetic pop songs played with grit and hollered ‘til you’re hoarse. More RAMONES than BLINK-182, and the genuine article. These Germans sit in that sweet seat at the table alongside Dirtnap Records-type garage revival revival with non-stop hooks and guitars you can sink your teeth into. You can tell they know what they’ve got and how to use it, too, because there are nine tracks here and not one is over three minutes long. Verse/chorus/verse/chorus perfection, makes a splash and politely leaves before outstaying its welcome. I love it!

Tri Groše Koniec Jednej Epizody LP

Very ’90s-coded melodic punk here. Musically, this album hits like a less street-sounding version of the SWINGIN’ UTTERS, with accordion-like keys sprinkled throughout and plenty of Eastern European-influenced beats (even a couple that push out so far that it’s basically ska). The production is a little too clean for me and the vocals aren’t my favorite (they have a “dad at the pub” vibe to them), but generally the songs are fun, if maybe forgettable, little exercises.

Xray Xeroxx Art Rock! cassette

XRAY XEROXX brings medium-fi garage punk that is stylistically all over the place. The first two tracks revel in thick, fuzzy chord progressions with catchy, gruff vocals, resulting in grunge-meets-garage Warped Tour fodder—essentially NOFX with a Big Muff pedal, which is probably a cup of tea quite a few people enjoy. The second half sucks in a different way. Not to weaponize the band name, but “Art Rock!” and “1.21 Jiggawatts” sound like cheap, bad copies of quirky egg-punk bands without the nervous weirdo energy and rawness that make the microgenre tolerable. The tracks feel calculated and inauthentic, and while snappy with their squiggly synths and jerky vocals, smack of forgettable genre tourism. Lyrics to “Art Rock!” say, “Is this new wave or no wave? / Who’s to say? / Is this grunge, is it shoegaze? / Is it cliche? / Is this new wave or no wave? / Who’s to say either way? / But would I listen to it? / No way!” Yeah, same.

V/A Notes From the Northeast EP

With every compilation I have ever listened to, I always look for a few distinct things. First, did these bands give their best, or did they submit throwaway tracks? Second, do I get the feeling that I’d want to stop into their hometown for lunch and record shopping? Third, and most importantly, do I want to seek out music from bands I’ve never heard before? Here we have four bands stretching from Staten Island, NY to Philadelphia, PA, each showing off their brand of hardcore. All are tight and premier for what they do. It is clear from the first go-round and round (see what I did there) that there is no filler. Oh my golly, there are no weak links on this little spinner. The only reason that I gotta call the CABLE CAR THEORY song my favorite track is because they start with a movie quote from The Golden Child. So, do I wanna grab lunch in their town(s)? Yes. Regions of the country that have bands that sound like this most definitely have good eats around. Lastly, do I want to seek out other tunes by these bands? Yes. Coming into this, I knew GREY C.E.L.L. and would have picked this up in the wild just knowing their name alone, only to find that they keep good company. If you are in the market for a tight, solidly interesting plastic slab of ’90s–’20s melodic hardcore, screamo, and post-hardcore, then look no further. And guess what, it has five or so vinyl colors to choose from, and an eight-page booklet printed at Kinko’s with stolen copy cards that were later purchased for pennies at Michigan Fest.

Arüspex The Death Instinct LP

ARÜSPEX is a relatively new band from Northern California, and I was not familiar with their work until this review. Their name refers to the priests who practiced divination through the inspection of sacrificed animals’ entrails in ancient Rome, and although for all we know, they may have been a bunch of merry lads, this choice for a band’s name does signal grim bleakness rather than upbeat optimism. Fittingly, ARÜSPEX plays what is often referred to as “blackened crust,” and if the term tends to be used improperly, I think it is relevant here. The post-HIS HERO IS GONE neocrust of the ’00s (EKKAIA, AMBULANCE, or FALL OF EFRAFA of this world) is definitely summoned, but the black metal influence is also very strong here. It sounds quite versatile, with epic, melodic D-beat crust moments, full-on black metal blastbeats, and mid-paced atmospheric bits working together to tell an overall good cohesive story. The extreme vocals reek of anger and despair, and the production matches the genre’s prerequisites. I’d be lying to claim I’m an ecstatic fan of the blackened crust genre, but ARÜSPEX does it very well, and I can imagine them being praised quite highly by the certified amateurs.

Bleakness Blurred Visions LP

Gothic death-punk with a tinge of orgcore coming to you straight from ol’ Paris, as if PAINT IT BLACK collaborated with the DISPOSSESSED to bring you a melodic hardcore version of the CURE. Fantastic production; the natural distortion on the guitar is absolutely classic and clean, while the bass is punchy and crisp. For a trio, these folks pack a huge punch. It doesn’t sound like they did a lot of overdubbing either, so I’d have to assume this is a pretty faithful recreation of how they sound live. Everything feels huge and soaring—vocals, guitars, and hell, even the drums. Really solid slab and well worth checking out.

Bumbo’s Tinto Brass Band V.3 LP

BUMBO’S TINTO BRASS BAND cranks up the weirdness and delivers ten songs to annoy your neighbours with. Yes, “everything sounds slightly off” is definitely a trope in the art-rock side of the post-punk spectrum, but it’s not an easy one to nail at all. One might think it’s about tuning your instruments a bit weird or playing slightly off-beat, but I believe it’s more of a headspace that you can either get into or not…and it sounds like they were born there. I really enjoyed how unapologetically amorphous this record is, and I’m sure you will as well. Bonus points for the vocalist who sounds like D. Boon.

Coachez Sonic Thumpers cassette

The opening track “Hot Shooter” is the best thing here. It sounds like NICK CAVE fronting AC/DC, and that’s the best thing I can say about it. Overall, this sounds like a group of people who have played their instruments for years and decided to finally start their first band. The riffs are decent, and while the musicianship is on point, the songs are too long and couldn’t hold my attention. “Longsnapper” tops the seven-minute mark, and the whole EP is only twenty minutes! The biggest standout to me is the vocals, and that’s because they are a complete mismatch for this band. There’s a croony, deranged quality to them that I could see working well with the right music, but here they fall flat against the sonic dumpers the band is cranking out.

Cult Objects Amulet LP

I was not especially “wowed” at first. To me, the lyricism stood out the most, as it felt quite poignant, especially in the track “Natural Death.” Some of the first couple tracks blended together as they were similar tempos and styles, but they were immediately disrupted by the absolutely funky, groovy piece that is “Diamond Dust.” That caught my attention and got me hooked again for the next couple tracks.

D. Sablu Righteous Light EP

This honestly kicks some serious arse. Coming across like an unholy union betwixt the ferocity of DISCHARGE and the riffier end of POISON IDEA, Mr. Sabludowsky’s singular wail cuts through the ensuing melee like a banshee, making for an exhilarating eight minutes or so. Very few releases are good enough to warrant an immediate replay, but I was wheeling this one up within seconds of completion. Good gear.

Dräumar Draümar LP

Here an extraordinarily powerful debut from what has to be Oslo’s preeminent hardcore outfit. The riffs on this sucker are mind-melting. There’s some noodling that has me convinced their guitarist has an extra digit or two on their fretting hand, but it’s the foundation of riffage that I keep coming back to. Check out “Blodigler” or “Parasitt” as examples of how absolutely raging this band is even when the shredding is held at bay. Through and through, this shit just kills. Pissed-off vocals, intricate basslines, fantastic drumming…even the interludes are rad. Grip this or die sad, punk.

Eristetyt Meri EP

The Finnish punk scene has done so much to influence and shape extreme music that it’s hard to believe it gets often overlooked. ERISTETYT is a Finnish hardcore punk band born in 1989, rooted in the raw, D-beat-driven tradition of the country’s classic scene. They draw clear influence from early pioneers like RIISTETYT or MELLAKKA—both urgent and shamelessly primitive, emphasizing aggressive, fast-paced songs and a stripped-down, metallic aesthetic typical of Finnish hardcore. After an extensive catalog of noise, splits with the likes of AGATHOCLES, and assorted compilation appearances, ERISTETYT delivers Meri via Terminal Records, recorded in 2021. The songs are simple but effective, locking into relentless rhythms while the drums push everything forward with a pounding, almost militaristic intensity. It carries that classic harsh delivery, more about attitude and force than clarity. Meri has an essential hardcore quality: direct, aggressive, and immediately repeatable.

Freak Phone Demo 2025 cassette

When I picked up this tape and saw the name FREAK PHONE and the artwork of someone crudely tonguing the handset of a landline telephone, I assumed I was in store for a world of novelty art-punk nonsense. Thankfully, what I received when the tape kicked in was bare-bones, no-frills, RAMONES-core rock’n’roll from Portland, Maine. What might feel overly simplistic to some comes across as a breath of fresh air. In today’s world, modern-day RAMONES-worship bands often seem to be scared to just…be RAMONES. There’s always a fresh take or some artistic flourish added to the tried-and-true formula. What the hell are these acts thinking? You can’t smarten up good old-fashioned, glue-sniffing, moron mutant rock’n’roll! Based solely on the demo, FREAK PHONE doesn’t seem to fall into that trap. Here’s hoping there isn’t some novelty aspect to the band that would cheapen their sincerity in some way. This five-song cassette delivers pure, unpretentious rock’n’roll, including an awesome take on “I Want to See The Bright Lights Tonight” by RICHARD AND LINDA THOMPSON. It’s simple, it’s catchy, and it doesn’t need a damn gimmick.

Gamma Subconscious cassette

Six cuts of ripping hardcore from across the pond, GAMMA’s Subconscious is tightly wound up and bristling with early ’80s USHC goodness. This is right up my alley; not many frills, pissed-off, fast, and loud. Overall, they remind me of Nashville’s G.U.N. Great stuff, highly recommended.

Head Wound / Soft Exit split cassette

Fucking rad split release from two innovative projects out of Kuwait. I love hearing bands from underrepresented regions, and this one smokes. HEAD WOUND presents a four-track stylistic buffet of modern punk that genre hops and never loses a sense of frenzied energy. “D.B.V.T.Y.” glides effortlessly between heavily produced and melodic NINE INCH NAILS-style alt/industrial into blitzes of full-volume, full-mayhem cyber grind. The next song, “Evel Knievel,” pairs dissonant post-punk with stuttering, effusive vocals, sounding like BLACK EYES for a minute before touching on metallic sludge and remixed egg-punk. Is it unfocused? Sure, but the intensity runs so high that it functions as a unified piece. SOFT EXIT might stretch the bounds of some MRR expectations with their experimental junk IDM, but the four tracks here work as a counterpoint to Side One. Think of a dumpster dive behind the Warp Records warehouse while an Arabic chant narrates your digging. Skittery drums and warm synths play hopscotch with massive black hole club beats and field-recorded speech samples. It is bewildering and head-bobbing. Check it out!

King Slender There is Your Image in Light LP

The kids these days have done a really solid job categorizing the different eras of emocore, and while I’m not really sure which generation this sound falls into, I am a sucker for the proto-screamo, dissonant chord, artsy form of the genre like BOYS LIFE, CAR VS. DRIVER, and INDIAN SUMMER. KING SLENDER also scratches that itch, sounding very much like early PIEBALD before they started incorporating melody into their music. I know that the Midwestern noodly emo sound has held the spotlight for quite some time at this point, but this style has always been the “true” emo in my opinion. This is a fantastic record, and you need to check it out if you’re into the aforementioned bands.

Life Expectancy Sold cassette

To say that this is a noisy recording is an understatement, and this is coming from a fan of crasher crust who owns the full ZYANOSE discography. I had not heard of LIFE EXPECTANCY, but after reading the “crasher” tag and seeing they were from Liverpool, I was curious to say the least. And what a listen it proves to be. This band is certainly not for those of us who like tunes in their punk. Sold makes most contemporary crust bands sound like the EAGLES. I have to admit that I struggled to complete the first round, but once I understood what LIFE EXPECTANCY was up to, looking to crank up the noise and indeed push it to the limit, I started to appreciate them more. The band clearly strives to experiment with the traditional formula with more rough noise, a hypnotic atmosphere with a seemingly endless D-beat, evil possessed vocals, and overall more challenge for the listener in an already challenging genre. So yeah, probably not the ideal Christmas gift for you nephew. Beside the usual suspects, I am reminded of Japanese bands like DEATH DUST EXTRACTOR, late ABRAHAM CROSS, or late TRUTH OF ARISE, because they experimented with and added to the Japanese crust blueprints in their own way. Maybe vintage ANTISECT moving to Kyushu in the mid-’80s and also getting into satanism? This sort of thing. I salute the daring wall of noise that I personally get and enjoy, but I believe few will.

Medicinal Buildings Abandoned LP

Hardcore and/or hardcore punk out of Long Island that can’t quite decide if it wants to be the former or the latter. The vocal stylings are fairly unique and interesting, but the music is far too predictable and solid-state to rise to anything particularly engaging. I really found myself distracted by the general sound and production here. While they may find success when their friends show up to the South Shore VFWs, this sound can’t afford the bridge or tunnel fare to get much further.

Omen Negation Omen Negation demo cassette

OMEN NEGATION is a three-piece punk band from Portland, Maine. It’s a long trip from one Portland to the other, where their significant WIPERS influence comes from. This tape certainly has plenty of driving guitar riffs in that style, but somewhere along the cross-country trek, it seems to have picked up a hitchhiker, adding a touch of early 2000s folk-inspired indie rock/pop punk to the mix. That aspect is mostly noticeable in the singing. Vocals feel intentionally off-time, with the singer attempting a kooky, off-kilter style, reminiscent of the HOLD STEADY and similar indie rock acts. Backing vocals pepper the tape with strained, yelling harmonies, which are probably the clearest nod to that 2000s folk-leaning pop punk sound. An eight-track demo, recorded very crisp, clear, and professionally. Some of the guitar licks are real head-bobbers, but the vocal delivery leaves the songs feeling like head-scratchers.

Psico Galera Memorie Di Occhi Grigi 12″

It is hard to quantify a proper reaction to a record like this for the simple fact that it’s rare to encounter a band that breaks through the trappings of trend and convention. Listening to this album is like looking at a map that includes a weird new territory that didn’t previously exist. There are the contours of the punk we know, but every song fucking explodes out into an extra-dimensional shape with insane modulated guitar shredding, trance-inducing vocal refrains, and pummeling death beat drumming. If it weren’t so infectious and raging, it would be truly unsettling. Experimental, cosmic, bizarro hardcore for the real freaks. I’ve enjoyed all of PSICO GALERA’s output, but this is lightyears beyond their preceding material. If you catch yourself feeling bored with punk, give this a spin and try to keep your brains inside yer gourd.

Public Figures Figure It Out! 12″

Debut EP from this young Melbourne band that has a sonic depth and insight beyond their years. There’s a swagger and attitude as if JOAN JETT and PATTI SMITH had been in the original lineup of HOLE. Lyrically, there’s a strong identity of female power and resistance with a fresh honesty. Bonus info, band member Evie creates all their music videos, which are an amazing reinforcement of their energy and essence.

R.D.A. Brave United in Trust LP

If you ever wanted proof that punk didn’t just explode in the same old places and burned just as violently in Southeast Asia, dig into R.D.A., short for REFORMED DESTRUCTION FOR ACTION, and their feral debut Brave United in Trust. Released in 1987 on Twisted Red Cross, the original cassette dropped straight into a scene already boiling with bands like the WUDS and DEAD ENDS. There’s a looseness here with their MINOR THREAT/UNIFORM CHOICE type of hardcore that modern bands spend years trying (and failing) to fake. And like so many releases from that era of Filipino DIY punk, Brave United in Trust didn’t travel much as it stayed trapped on cassette, circulating hand-to-hand, until now. In 2025, the record finally made its way onto vinyl for the first time, nearly four decades late, but right on time for anyone still chasing the real thing.

Spooky Visions Unraveled cassette

Is bedroom synth punk a thing? Because this sounds like bedroom synth punk. KRAFTWERK via punks with Casios is the vibe here—it works best on the more propulsive tracks, but the cold, robotic vibe is nice and thick throughout. Two original tracks and two covers (WALL OF VOODOO and ROKY ERICKSON), the latter of which gives a glimpse into a more expanded, full-band sound that could be in the project’s future. Solid, quick listen.

Storm Boy Beast Machine Theory CD

This is a pretty perfect example of a band that’s not doing anything wrong, but just doesn’t bring any novelty to the genre of melodic late ’90s/early ’00s punk. This is worn-out Chucks music that is played competently, recorded reasonably, and presented without fuss or pomp. That said, it doesn’t keep my attention, and sits squarely in a space of music that is inoffensive and impossible to quantify. I truly think these folks have a blast playing these tunes, and I hope they continue to do so for as long as they can. I’ll cheers to them for getting up there and doing the thing, but I just cannot see myself returning to these songs.

Strängt Förbjudet Lyxfällan EP

You came here looking for some CHUCK BERRY-esque punk rocking from Sweden, and now you’ve found it. Four whole songs of it, on one 7” record, no less. No frills, no pretense, and no words that I really recognize except “Anticimex.” Recommended for fans of the KIDS.

Stres / Svobodný Slovo Pohled Ven!! / 333 Stříbrných Kokotů split LP

This is a raw and valuable snapshot of early Czech hardcore punk, issued in 2026 by Papagájův Hlasatel Records. Bringing together 30 tracks from the late ’80s and early ’90s, the record captures two closely connected Sokolov bands at their most urgent, STRES and SVOBODNÝ SLOVO. Musically, it’s fast, aggressive HC punk with a distinctly underground feel. SVOBODNÝ SLOVO (“freedom of speech”) delivers short, hard-hitting songs rooted in the faster side of hardcore, giving off a UKHC vibe, while STRES (you guessed it, it means “stress”) leans into a rough but controlled USHC-type mood. The recording quality may be unpolished, but that only adds to its authenticity. More than just a collection of songs, this split works as an important document of the early Czech hardcore movement, imperfect, loud, and full of angst.

Sweet Reaper Still Nothing LP

SWEET REAPER’s Still Nothing is their fourth LP since 2015, and this Ventura three-piece continues to operate in the same waters as the Denton, Texas power pop/punk axis—think MIND SPIDERS, MARKED MEN, RADIOACTIVITY—so it tracks that Jeff Burke mastered the album. But these beach rats aren’t coasting on the comparison. They bring a distinctly Southern Californian sweetness to the formula, at times layering some tight vocal harmonies over the buzz and drive, with tracks like “Zero Candles” and “Meemees” adding a ’60s pop warmth. Seth Pettersen’s vocals sit in a familiar upper register, but at times he adds a Billie Joe Armstrong-esque nasal whine. Lyrically, the album lives in a state of exhaustion without surrender: relationships crumbling, systems failing, but still just enough gas in the tank to keep moving. This is fucking good! Eleven songs and not a dud in the bunch. Also available on cassette from the band’s Naked Time Tapes.

Totälickers Totälickers LP reissue

In celebration of its twentieth anniversary, a reissue of TOTÄLICKERS inaugural LP has been released. It seems like just a little bit ago that these Barcelonian punks were hitting the scene with their street-level punk crudo, but here we are twenty years on. Honestly, nothing much has changed in the past two decades of punk, as the LP still sounds fresh if you’re uninitiated. A barrage of D-beat, lyrics en español, buzzsaw guitars grinding out lightspeed melodies, a punk classic and yours to be had.