2024 Year End Top Tens, Part Two
And now, stay tuned for more 2024 Year End Top Tens!
Part one is here, part three to follow next week.
Ana Armengod
Ana Armengod is a Philly-based artist, filmmaker, and vocalist in DE RODILLAS.
My favorite things in 2024 in no particular order:
THE DARK – Sinking Into Madness LP (Toxic State)
GUERRA FINAL – Purgatorio EP (Desolate)
PEACE TALKS – Progress LP (Peterwalkee)
Best show I played in 2024: SLANT + DE RODILLAS + EKGs – West Penn Rec Center
PAPRIKA – Unblinking Eye EP (Iron Lung)
ELECTRIKA – Maquina Destruye Sueños EP (11 PM)
DOLLHOUSE – I Hate You Don’t Leave Me EP (Toxic State)
ZENOCIDE – Ashes Asylum CD (Daymare)
FUERA DE SEKTOR – Juegos Prohibidos LP (La Vida Es Un Mus)
ALAMBRADA – Rios de Sangre LP (Autsajder Produckcija / Fuerza Ingobernable / Unlawful Assembly)
BEN MARSHALL
Ben Marshall is a reviewer for MRR. A herbert with a heart of gold, and a short-haired rock’n’roller, and part-time lager (top) lout.
Alright, shaggers? That was the year that was and with it came a tranche of decent records in spite of everything. Let’s be honest, it’s been a shite one for reasons innumerate and apparent, and I need not re-litigate them here. Instead, enjoy these few moments of respite from the overwhelming misery, donate to solidarity funds, get a tory in a headlock, don’t drink Brewdog beers and get a haircut, you need one.
- ALVILDA – C’est Déjà L’heure LP (Static Shock)
Patisserie-sweet power pop Parisienne with hooks for days and tunes for the ages. If they could bottle this, I’d want a prescription.
- NEUTRALS – New Town Dream LP (Slumberland / Static Shock)
What if Alan Bennett got in a scrap with Paul Heaton in the taxi rank over a spilled kebab after a TELEVISION PERSONALITIES gig in a Wetherspoons?
- CŒUR À L’INDEX – Adieu Minette LP (La Vida Es Un Mus)
There’s something in the water across the channel in the mainland, as we’re treated to another superlative European C86-flavoured power pop gem in a calendar year. Monsieur, with these tunes, you’re spoiling us.
- FULMINE – Randagio EP (La Vida Es Un Mus)
Granite-tough loving homage to the glory days of Italian Oi! from a transatlantic troupe of miscreants. Songs to make you bark at the moon.
- RIXE – Tir Groupé EP (La Vida Es Un Mus)
French Oi! megastars’ long overdue return having had a rummage through their record boxes and finding a drum machine to kick it up a gear, speedwise.
- BIG DOG – In the Yard EP (Mendeku Diskak)
Can you run with the big dogs? Extremely fun debut from VIOLENT WAY alumni taking aim at cleanshirts and poseurs who need a wash and a haircut.
- VAXINE – Frontal Lobotomy LP (Discos Enfermos / Toxic State)
If this is the VAXINE, then call me Chris Whitty, because this is the real deal. A snotty nostalgia trip through UK82 with a NY streetpunk sneer.
- SIKM – Sikm demo cassette (Designated Moshers Unit / Mendeku Diskak)
Extremely promising demo from these Atlanta roughnecks; to hear them is to have spilled their pint, full of menace. The soundtrack to having your head kicked in at closing time.
- THE DOGS – Total Dog Shit LP (Mendeku Diskak / Under The Gun)
Drum-machine-powered Cardiffian canine brutality. Earworm riffs meet furious barked missives and manifestos delivered by a manic street preacher. One not to miss.
- THE SLADS – Tough Times cassette (Oi! the Boat)
Philly rockers serve up a healthy slice of Oi!-flavoured USHC for the rockers.Take your brain out and boot it out the gaff. Very fun.
Bill Chamberlain
Bill Chamberlain has been actively involved with punk in one way or another since the ’80s. He’s run record labels, recorded bands, booked shows, owned a record shop, and played in quite a few bands in that time. Currently, he plays guitar in the PIST, the BROOD, and the DISSIDENTS.
This was a great year to be into punk! The punks really stepped up and did their best to help the victims of the genocide in Palestine, giving us a bunch of benefit compilations to raise money to help people in Gaza. I would have had the No Genocide comp on my top ten list if I hadn’t been involved in many aspects of putting it out—it is something I am extremely proud to have been involved with, and all the bands were totally behind the project. In a time when a lot of people feel helpless to do anything and hopeless that they can make a difference, the punks have made a difference in many lives in Gaza. Free Palestine!
YELLOWCAKE – A Fragmented Truth EP (Not For The Weak / Total Peace)
This record is a late addition for me—I am writing this on the due date for my top ten list. This record is just so intense that I had to put it on my list. This is an incredibly powerful record. Every part of it is brilliant.
ALEMENT – Banished Sphere LP (Desolate)
Another late entry, but definitely deserving of a spot on my list. They are from Philadelphia, but sound like they are influenced by all the best UK crust bands. Great record by a great band.
CAVE SEX – Cave Sex 12” (Symphony of Destruction)
Dark and powerful post-punk in the KILLING JOKE style. From Singapore, and playing dark and driving powerful music. Disturbing and beautiful at the same time. Lyrically, they could fit in with a lot of anarcho and crust punk bands. I love this record.
KRIEGSHÖG – Love & Revenge LP (La Vida Es Un Mus)
This is tight, aggressive, musical Japanese hardcore. I get the same kind of feeling from this as I do when I listen to BASTARD’sWind of Pain or LIP CREAM’s self-titled LP. It is a great album.
SUBDUED – Abattoir LP (La Vida Es Un Mus)
SUBDUED is from London, and they have put together an album of anarcho-punk that is influenced by many of the past UK anarcho-punk bands, but they definitely have their own unique sound.
GUERRA FINAL – Purgatorio EP (Desolate)
D-beat hardcore with some serious hooks. This record is powerful, musical, and passionate. This is a great record. How about an LP next? Great band, great people, a lot of fun to see live. I saw them four or five times in four days on the way to and at Skull Fest a couple of years ago, and they were my favorite band of the entire fest.
INDUSTRY – A Self Portrait at the Stage of Totalitarian Domination of All Aspects of Human Life LP (Static Age)
The title is a mouthful, but the record is great. A modern take on classic driving anarcho-punk. This is powerful and moving, and I feel like I want to bounce all over when I listen to it. Another great record.
CHAIN CULT – Harm Reduction LP (La Vida Es Un Mus)
This band sure can write a catchy punk song. They also write inspiring lyrics. In my youth, I always had a band that I would listen to that was more musical to give me a break from hardcore, D-beat, crust, etc. Back then, it was ZOUNDS, but nowadays, it’s CHAIN CULT. I love this record.
VAMPIRE – What Seems Forever Can Be Broken LP (Televised Suicide)
One website calls them the best anarcho-punk band currently going, and I believe their Bandcamp page says they are the best anarcho band ever. Who am I to argue?
GEFYR / RAT CAGE – split EP (Bunker Punks / Flyktsoda)
RAT CAGE lays down some terrific hardcore punk rock while making the genre their own. This is truly top-notch UK hardcore punk. GEFYR plays some ripping Swedish hardcore, making me think of the mid to late ’80s and early ’90s. A great match of bands that fit well together.
Bobby Cole
Bobby Cole is an occasional MRR record reviewer based in Leeds, United Kingdom. He runs Brainrotter Records, plays in the bands TOTAL CON, the APPARITION, the ANNIHILATED, and PLEASURE.
CICADA – Wicked Dream EP (Unlawful Assembly)
What a year! So much great stuff came out this year and this list isn’t in a particular order, but CICADA’s Wicked Dream EP is probably my favourite. A perfect follow-up to the three-song teaser that came out last year. Each song on here flows perfectly and effortlessly into the next, creating a unique, unnerving listening experience—you can just pick and choose on this one. It’s gotta be both sides all the way. Everything about this slab is sick, twisted, demented. No thrills here, just pure darkness. A must-listen.
INVERTEBRATES – Sick to Survive LP (Beach Impediment)
Building upon the framework laid out by their two previous tapes, INVERTEBRATES re-record most of the material on those, and give those tunes a beefier sound. The new tunes are the standouts here, though. Classic HC punk aggression!
YANKEE BASTARD – Fucking USA cassette (Sex Fiend Abomination)
Only got around to listening to this one when I started writing this and I just had to put it on here. Blazing, fast, raw hardcore. Super snotty, going straight for the jugular. Seven tunes, six minutes. I’m gonna have this one on repeat for quite a while longer I suspect.
STRAW MAN ARMY – Earthworks LP (D4MT Labs / La Vida Es Un Mus)
I suspect that this one will make more best-of lists than any other punk record this year, and for very good reason. All of their previous material is incredible, but Earthworks is STRAW MAN ARMY’s magnum opus. This is a band that seemingly effortlessly keeps on managing to best themselves with each consecutive release. Many moments on this record are incredibly moving and heartbreaking. The 40-odd minutes just fly by. People are raving about this one for great reason, it’s a masterpiece.
INNUENDO – Peace & Love 12” (Roachleg / Unlawful Assembly)
Balls-out, riffy punk rock’n’roll. Taking equal influence from hardcore punk and riff-driven ’70s rock, INNUENDO delivers a sound that is hard to come by in this day and age (at least in a competent manner). These righteous tunes will get drilled into your head right on the first listen.
ARMOR – Afraid of What’s to Come 12” (11 PM)
The long-awaited follow-up to 2019’s internet-famous Some Kind of War EP. At times, this record has a distinctly Oi!-tinged sound alongside the D-beat tendencies, but don’t be mistaken, this is still blazing hardcore punk. Absolutely raging stuff. Also, “Proper Treatment” is one of the very few hardcore songs that truly does warrant being over three minutes long.
HELLSCAPE – Cujo EP (Advanced Perspective / Donor)
HELLSCAPE comes busting straight out of the gate with this debut and it rocks. Gothic-flavoured hardcore punk inspired by the likes of T.S.O.L., CHRISTIAN DEATH, and RUDIMENTARY PENI. Tortured vocals wailing over chorus-driven, discordant melodies. The atmosphere on this one is palpable.
PUBLIC ACID – Deadly Struggle LP (Beach Impediment)
It is so tantalisingly easy for bands to just stick with the winning formula—if ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? Well, PUBLIC ACID (known as PUB ASS to its friends) says “fuck that.” On top of their patented D-beat destruction, Deadly Struggle adds healthy doses of extreme metal and harsh noise into the mix. The result may be their best record yet and one of the best of the year.
YOUTH IN ASIA – Nuclear Waste Abomination cassette (Unlawful Assembly)
Trashy, thrashy, and oh so nasty. I racked up many listens of this toxic sludge this year—this was at the top of my most-listened-to on YouTube Music this year. Unhinged shit, fast and loud, dumb and proud. Awesome shit.
BLACK BUTTON – Internal Life 12” (Dynastic Yellow Star)
After last year’s triumphant Rejoice LP, BLACK BUTTON follows it up with a very worthy successor. Internal Life is everything a lot of hardcore today isn’t: angular, unpredictable, experimental, unconventional. This band has no concerns for the rules; the “mosh part” is very clearly not a top priority for this band and that is such a breath of fresh air. I gushed over Rejoice last year, and I could gush over this til the cows come home as well, but I’ll wrap it up here. Just make sure you check it out—leave all of your expectations of what a modern hardcore band is at the door.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
MIRAGE – Legato Alla Rovina LP (Roachleg)
CRUCIFORM – Cruciform cassette (Toxic State)
DESINTEGRACIÓN VIOLENTA – La Bestia EP (Roachleg / Static Age / Unlawful Assembly)
SEXPILL – In Dust We Trust LP (Beach Impediment)
REEK MINDS – Malignant Existence LP (Iron Lung)
NECRON 9 – Flower Children cassette (Unlawful Assembly)
HEAVEN – 4-Track EP (Iron Lung)
MALIGNANT ORDER – This is Mankind? demo cassette (La Vida Es Un Mus)
MUTATED VOID – Tarnished EP (Unlawful Assembly)
SAVAGE PLEASURE – Savage Pleasure LP (Toxic State)
Dani Alvarez
I’m just a homosexual who loves punk and still lives in a horrible city in Mexico called Monterrey. I play in a few bands like CREMALLERAS, ARPONERAS, and my solo project D.E.A.R.
FUERA DE SEKTOR – Juegos Prohibidos LP (La Vida Es Un Mus)
My favorite release of this year! As soon as I saw the band’s name, I was very curious since they share the same name as a song by LOS VIOLADORES, and, well, I listened to this album non-stop as soon as it was released. They’re a band with very ’80s sounds and a voice that perfectly complements the rest of the music. The lyrics are incredible, and I love that each song tells a story that can make you think of very specific moments. My favorite track f
rom the first listen was “Necesito Combustible.”
EXO – Exo demo cassette (Roachleg)
This release blew my mind within its first 30 seconds. It’s everything I love in a band: fast and simple drums, dreamy synthesizers, hardcore guitars, perfectly blended vocal melodies, great song titles and lyrics about insects, incredible cover art—everything. It’s probably the most impressive thing I’ve heard all year. There isn’t a single bad moment. It makes it hard to pick a favorite song, but if pressed, I would choose “Butterfly.” I could listen to it forever.
MEGAROLLO – Canarias digital single (Cuerdas Fuera / Flexidiscos / 1 Minuto de Gloria)
“Canarias” is the first song from what will be MEGAROLLO’s debut, and it’s definitely among my favorite things this year. I was fortunate enough to meet and see them live while my band was touring Madrid. They are a group of talented, incredible people who write the catchiest, funniest songs. If you like punk, pop, or Spanish bands from the ’90s like FRESONES REBELDES, TCR, JUNIPER MOON, or COLA JET SET, you’ll surely love this band too.
DE RODILLAS – Implacable EP (Cruel Noise / Dirt Cult)
Implacable is an EP full of incredibly powerful songs. Ana’s brutal vocals make you feel every word she screams. The release maintains an amazing level of punk and hardore intensity throughout until it breaks spectacularly with closer ”Quiero ser Buena,” my favorite song on the record.
STRAW MAN ARMY – Earthworks LP (D4MT Labs / La Vida Es Un Mus)
I feel quite silly for only discovering STRAW MAN ARMY at the beginning of this year, but I’m grateful to have found them. Earthworks is another incredible album. Their way of creating melodies is genius to me. It reminds me of the ‘80s anarcho-punk I adore, while also sounding quite unique. “Rope Burn” is the most interesting song on the album for me.
OOVA – El Demo Que Nunca Fue EP (self-released)
OOVA is a relatively new band from CDMX. I haven’t had the chance to see them live yet, but they’re a band that many friends have talked about this year. After listening to their demo, I understand why. I really like it when punk bands get straight to the point: primitive, raw sounds, dirty recording, straightforward and unfiltered lyrics—tupa tupa the way it should be.
KODOMO GUN – No Te Quiero Ver digital single (self-released)
KODOMO GUN is a band from Monterrey, the city where I have lived my whole life and where, a couple of years ago, not many things caught my attention. Finding this band was a breath of fresh air. “No Te Quiero Ver” is the first single from what will be their new album, and as expected, it’s an incredible song where you can notice their influences from iconic Japanese punk bands like KYAH, the COMES, or SWANKYS. The vocals and the lyrics are also what make the band quite special, as you can suddenly hear screams in Spanish, other parts in Japanese, and the super unique screams of the vocalist Luna.
S.O.H. – Cost to Live LP (No Norms / Shitkicker)
Another one of the most brutal releases of 2024. Every member of this band does an incredible job, but there’s something about the bassist that I think gives this album a special power when paired with some surprising, constantly changing vocals. It’s one of those albums that doesn’t give you a break: there’s always power, speed, and fury in the instruments and lyrics. After several listens, “Annihilate” became my favorite song.
ALVILDA – C’est Déjà L’heure LP (Static Shock)
I rarely listen to this type of music these days, but I’m very happy to have checked out ALVILDA. It’s an album full of gorgeous power pop, rock’n’roll guitars, and something that fills me with a sense of nostalgia. Certain songs remind me of LES CALAMITÉS, which I find lovely because not many bands nowadays have their knack for this type of melody. “Téléphone” is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard this year.
MERIENDA – 1234 cassette (self-released)
Just as I was wrapping up my top ten list, this album came out. I instantly knew I had to include it here. It’s no secret I’m quite a fan of what Violeta does; over the years, I’ve seen her in various projects. She never fails to amaze me. There’s something so special about the way she crafts her vocal melodies. Merienda is a band that formed in just a few weeks in Berlin, and they recorded this demo: four incredible RAMONES-y tracks with a little touch of Christina Billote, especially on “Pared,” which was my favorite. It reminds me a lot of QUIX*O*TIC, one of my all-time favorite bands. It’s a short demo that takes less than ten minutes to enjoy, just the way I love it.
Eric Anderson
Eric Anderson is a Chicago-based music writer.
This year I reverted back to my high school self and took a full jump back into record collecting. Maybe it’s because things in my life have settled down a bit, maybe it’s a coping mechanism, who knows. Either way, these ten records and so many more made this year infinitely more tolerable. To all the bands and labels getting this music out there, thank you for providing an escape, even if it’s only a fifteen or twenty-minute burst of noise at a time.
- THE DARK – Sinking Into Madness LP (Toxic State)
A moody and heavy mix of ’80s metal, thrash, punk, and deathrock, the DARK’s Sinking Into Madness is a white-hot ripper with a cold and menacing sheen. The gloomy lyrics are delivered with a uniquely melodic voice that matches the sound perfectly, making for a satisfyingly gothic listen.
- SUFFOCATING MADNESS – Unrelenting Forced Psychosis LP (Toxic State)
Pure unadulterated hardcore punk that is equally inspired by UK titans like the VARUKERS and Swedish heavy hitters like ANTI-CIMEX. Unrelenting Forced Psychosis is straightforward and brutal; a perfect example of a tried and true sound being perfectly executed.
- SAVAGE PLEASURE – Savage Pleasure LP (Toxic State)
One of the most satisfying releases this year, SAVAGE PLEASURE’s self-titled LP is an unholy beast of crusty, medieval blackened metal punk straight from the dungeon. Wretched vocals, blistering drums, and hellish riffs are accompanied by synth and acoustic flourishes making for a fully realized listen.
- SUBDUED – Abattoir LP (La Vida Es Un Mus)
Delivering a cold, clear-eyed perspective of modern life in the West, SUBDUED is carrying on the tradition of anarcho-punk bands with a powerful and concise message. On Abattoir, they play with clinical precision, creating a dense listen that demands repeated listens.
- BOOTLICKER – 1000 Yard Stare LP (Neon Taste / Static Shock)
Easily one of the hardest-sounding bands in recent memory, BOOTLICKER’s brand of D-beaten UK82 is like a kick in the teeth. 1000 Yard Stare sees everything cranked up and pushed to the red, most notably in the lyrical content and the crushing rhythm section. A brutal critique of colonialism that is essential.
- BAD BREEDING – Contempt LP (Iron Lung)
At this point, BAD BREEDING essentially stands alone in regard to their sound and style. Contempt saw the band raising their own bar with an all-encompassing experience of a record, one that is as cinematic in style as it is intense in substance. Each song here could stand alone, but this collection is best heard all at once and with full attention.
- VAMPIRE – What Seems Forever Can Be Broken LP (Televised Suicide)
One of Australia’s finest, VAMPIRE’s What Seems Forever Can Be Broken was one of the year’s most talked-about records, and for good reason. Intelligent, stark, and confrontational, VAMPIRE calls back to peace punk greats while sounding fresh and urgent. Brilliant album, brilliant band, brilliant message.
- KRIEGSHOG – Love & Revenge LP (La Vida Es Un Mus)
KRIEGSHOG has carved out a unique spot for themselves in the crowded world of hardcore with Love & Revenge, pumping the brakes on the speed and doubling down on the deeply hypnotic bass lines. The stoner/desert rock influence pays off in spades, drawing comparisons to bands you don’t typically hear discussed in this genre like KYUSS and SLEEP. It’s an exciting direction and hopefully one the band continues to explore.
- PUBLIC ACID – Deadly Struggle LP (Beach Impediment)
A total assault on the senses, PUBLIC ACID’s Deadly Struggle is a powerhouse of a record that sounds increasingly better as you turn up the volume. Each track featured is a blistering blend of hardcore and metal that maintains its nuances while overwhelming you with its wall of noise production. A masterclass of the style that sounds even better live.
- S.H.I.T. – For A Better World 12” (Iron Lung / La Vida Es Un Mus)
No other album’s release this year felt as much like an event as For A Better World. As each single was rolled out, it became clear that S.H.I.T. had something special on their hands, and when it finally dropped, it did not disappoint. Every box is ticked, from the massively catchy riffs, the scathingly delivered vocals, the monstrous drums, and the creeping electronics. The run-time is perfect for a punk record, the artwork is minimal and stark, and the lyrical message is clear: before change happens in the world at large, it has to start from within.
Honorable Mentions:
S.O.H. – Cost to Live LP (No Norms / Shitkicker)
LIFE / DESTRUCT – To Stop the Conflict LP (Desolate)
MURO – Nuevo Dogma LP (Fuerza Ingobernable)
V/A – Peace of Mind in a Troubled World cassette (Peace of Mind)
POLLUTE – EP. cassette (Peace Over Profit)
V/A – No Genocide: A Benefit for Mutual Aid in Gaza cassette (self-released / Symphony of Destruction)
V/A – No Occupation: Another Benefit for Mutual Aid in Gaza cassette (self-released / Symphony of Destruction)
V/A – Yes Liberation: A Benefit for Mutual Aid in Gaza cassette (self-released / Symphony of Destruction)
ERICK BRADSHAW
Erick Bradshaw makes music with CYANIDE TOOTH, BLANK ACCOUNT, ROGUE CHROMOSOME, and MAXIMUM ERNST, and occasionally hosts Spin Age Blasters with Creamo Coyl on WFMU. He’s also written a bunch of shit for Bandcamp, and has spent some time in an Anonymous Cave. Check out his short story while he continues working on his book We’re Not Crazy, an oral history of the 1980s/90s NYC underground.
2024 was a bit of a fuckstorm for yours truly. Whatever. Here’s some cool punk records and whatnot (in alphabetical order).
NEW
DAS NEST – The Nest cassette (Future Shock)
What’s this for? For concocting plans and stalking shadows, these Berliners answer. Punk that is mean but melodic, dark but reflective, despairing but undeterred.
DIE VERLIERER – Notausgang LP (Mangel)
I already told you about this band, so I’m just circling back to see if you’ve had a chance to look at my pitch. I promise I’ll beat the deadline, like a snare drum, like a brat, like a heart, like a path to your door.
NAG – Fear cassette (Black Hole / Future Shock / Urticaria)
My adoration of NAG is well-documented. Fear does nothing to dissuade me from my rabid fandom. What’s your excuse for not joining me out on this limb, friend? Band fucking rules. They might even catch you when you fall.
NEBEL3000 – Frankenstein Freakout digital (self-released)
Very cool and unruly new wave splutter by some old heads from STEREO TOTAL and DADA SWING. There is a ’90s-style genre mash-up vibe going on, but it’s dominated by noisy guitar and sounds urgent as all heck. When egg-punk finally hatches, it might sound like this. As one track says, “Let’s get interrupted.”
PANIKATAX – A Sudden and Unpleasant Change cassette (self-released)
Awesome, menacing noise rock swagger and throb from the Emerald Isle. You can spot “contemporary” influences from MCLUSKY, 10”-era LIARS (iykyk) and GIRL BAND. “Hand in Hand” is a smashing good time.
PORK BELLY – I’m Okay, You’re Okay, Everything Is Okay 12” (Popular Affliction)
This is how you strangle a guitar. PORK BELLY is fast n’ bulbous, like a hardcore punk POLVO or TFUL 282 on fistfuls of Adderall. Fantastic scrape and clangor that does San Fran proud.
REHASH – Aktion Reaktion! 12” (Mangel)
As they tell you in the final song, REHASH is from “the city of Antwerp.” This Belgian group’s post-punk scratches all the itches, then finds a few you didn’t even know you had and scratches those ‘til they bleed.
THE SHEAVES – A Salve for Institution LP (Dot Dash Sounds / SDZ)
I told you these desert rats had the juice. They confirm such suppositions on the problematic “sophomoric” album. A watering hole for the dry wits out there.
SHOP REGULARS – Shop Regulars LP (Merrie Melodies)
Chunky, vaguely New Zealand-ish angular strum evincing a Möbius strip-like approach to punk. Also, damn fine lyrics! The complete package from this Portland conglomerate.
STRAW MAN ARMY – Earthworks LP (D4MT Labs / La Vida Es Un Mus)
These guys should run for higher office. After they win in a landslide, they can abolish government and begin the long rebuilding process.
OLD
AFTERIMAGE – Faces to Hide 2xLP (Independent Project)
This is what I’m talking about. I want to hear all the L.A. bands from the early ‘80s who loved JOY DIVISION and MISSION OF BURMA.
THE BRIDES – Suburban Vermin: 1996–98 LP (HoZac)
Fuck your big pants, this is the real soul of the ‘90s. Just pure loathing all the way down. Fucking glorious.
CHILDREN’S CRUSADE – A Duty-Dance With Death LP (Splendid Research)
Incredible Clevo death-punk/jangle from 1984 that has remained hidden far too long. Brought to you by a young Doug Gillard (GUIDED BY VOICES).
THE DISHRAGS – Four LP (Supreme Echo)
Ten years after Three, Supreme Echo adds to the DISHRAGS legacy with another collection of killer punk sourced from demos and a self-released 7”, all from 1980. You can hear hardcore’s influence on these songs, but these ladies destroy all comers with unrelenting class and rock’n’roll attitude.
L.G. RECORDS
Cheating like a bastard on this one, but L.G. put out a swarm of sick archival digs this year. VILE CHERUBS and CIRCUS LUPUS are D.C. all-timers (tho CL was in Madison, WI for these recordings), plus ‘90s Olympia hardcore like WORST CASE SCENARIO and YOUNG GINNS is icing on the cake, the road, take your pick.
RED CROSS – 1981-1982 No Message LP (Beach Impediment)
I love to think about these RVA no-counts tearing around the Fan (best neighborhood). There’s so much rock’n’roll in this hardcore that half of it sounds like Crypt garage punk from a decade later. RED CROSS turned into WHITE CROSS, which is cool, but this early rawness just kicks, and the radio spot is amazing.
ROZZ REZABEK – 1979 Pop Session LP (HoZac)
Mr. Narrator, this is BLACK FLAG to me. I’ve waxed poetic about this previously CD-only slab before, misattributed as it was for years to a line-up of NEGATIVE TREND (Rozz was their first singer). A retroactive American punk classic, and now you have no excuse not to bathe in its snot.
SPRUNG AUS DEN WOLKEN – 1981 – West Berlin LP reissue (Bureau B)
S.Y.P.H. – Pure Freude Singles LP (Tapete)
S.Y.P.H. – S.Y.P.H. LP reissue (Tapete)
Another cheat cuz I’m a naughty boy, but it’s nice to see these classics of Deutsch post-punk get the “treatment.”
V/A – Groucho Marxist Record Co:Operative LP (Sealed)
This one had stiff competition from the TWELVE CUBIC FEET reissue put out by the same label. But it’s hard for one band, no matter how deep, to compete with eight, so this collection of 7”s on the Groucho Marxist label takes it. From the real Paisley (Scotland) underground, here lies multiple strains of punk executed to perfection.
WE MARCH – The Dirty Curty Selections LP (Good Times Rock N Roll Club)
The definition of barnburning, tell you what. Could soundtrack a bon voyage soiree, a prison riot, or one of those gender reveals that starts a forest fire and ends up torching 6000 acres. Either way, someone’s disappearing.
ERIN YANKE
Erin Yanke publishes the review zine Chasing the Night, plays drums in NOXEEMA, and is currently editing a book on POISON GIRLS to be released by PM Press in 2025. Long ago, she reviewed demos for MRR.
State violence, genocide, cancer, all the hits and more. The unpredictable nature of the details of our future as we navigate this shit buffet brings me a deep appreciation for the punks. The storytelling and legend making, the culture and organizing, and no bullshit—leaning into all that for the future. This list is the songs that got me through another year with humor and rage. Now Songs for Now Times. I didn’t include reissues in this list, but if I did, HANS-A-PLAST, LOS SAICOS, and the most recent Peel Sessions by the FALL would be included. Also, records are great but live music is where it’s at. Alphabetical order.
ADD/C – Ordinary Souls LP (Let’s Pretend)
Tender and defiant. A catchy record that’s not overproduced, slick, or in any way dishonest. “Ghost Ship” is easily the song of the year, a real soundtrack to how we live and how some of us died. ADD/C writes songs about real life and I love hearing my experiences and thoughts reflected this well.
ANTENNA – Antenna cassette (Urge)
I was listening to the Cherry Blossom Clinic, the best show on WFMU, and Terre T played “Lost.” Nothing like hearing an amazing song on the radio for the first time. Straightforward punk music and soulful, painful vocals. An attention-grabber. This record hasn’t let go all year.
ATOMIC PREY – Atomic Prey 12” (Iron Lung)
This record is great, ferocious, raw, lean—true hardcore. It’s a reverse garbage disposal of a sound, where all the shit they try to shove down our throats is spewed up and exploded. Perfect catharsis.
BLACK BUTTON – Internal Life 12” (Dynastic Yellow Star)
I love the ranty and aggressive vocals (maybe at us, maybe with us), with unpredictable riffs and rhythms. They scratch the same itch as NOMEANSNO, but the straightforward parts are meaner and grosser. It’s a meaner and grosser time, and I appreciate their reflection of our society.
CANAL IRREAL – Someone Else’s Dance LP (Beach Impediment)
Sonically, there’s a lot to tap into here. The energy and catharsis of the best punk with moments when you can just groove. It’s like the show when you’re engaged with the people around you, not just the people on stage. The perfect record to feel less lonely.
THE CIRCULATORS – Insufficient Fun LP (Total Punk)
A perfect mix of garage and power pop that makes me forget all responsibilities! I love this catchy and energetic record that builds in the best way. They’re not afraid to insult or flirt, blow us off, or blow us away. Wired over this record!
V/A – Copy Wright cassette compilation series (Escape)
I think we got tapes thirteen through sixteen this year. My fave was the one dedicated to MINOR THREAT versus ROBERT JOHNSON. Pat played their songs back-to-back and took callers discussing the various merits of each. No spoilers here, you gotta listen. This tape series is the ongoing memorial of Pat Wright made out of the raw material he left behind of a life lived deep and well, recorded on radio shows and answering machine messages mostly, but other sources are present, too.
MARCEL WAVE – Something Looming LP (Feel It / Upset! the Rhythm)
Swaying mid pop music that fakes you out with the coating of twee affectation to keep out the squares and people who don’t listen. The pop hooks are more like barbed wire. Talking and singing, sharp and edgy.
NEGATIVE GEARS – Moraliser LP (Static Shock / Urge)
Sly and side-eye post-punk that’s got energy and attitude. It’s sonically thick and dynamic, a soundtrack that may motivate you to break windows and yell at strangers. This record is the sound of fighting on, even though giving up makes so much sense.
V/A – No Occupation: Another Benefit for Mutual Aid in Gaza cassette (self-released / Symphony of Destruction)
This sixteen-band international benefit compilation benefits Gaza Soup Kitchen. All in for providing support to help the people survive war profiteering and genocide. Also, the music is great! It’s a strong comp all the way through, with the variation and flow of a good radio show, and I’m thankful that I was introduced many good bands (BLESSURE and TIIKERI) and proud of some of my faves (MISS ESPANA, COLLATE, INTERROBANG).
JENNIFER NEEDHAM
Jennifer has been contributing to MRR Radio since 2021. She works as a librarian and archivist at a public library in a small city in New Hampshire.
If anything good came out of 2024, it’s all the great music that was created. So, a huge thank you to all the musicians who are committed to DIY. My top ten is in alphabetical order and dedicated to Rosalita, my new snake child.
ARTIFICIAL GO – Hopscotch Fever LP (Feel It)
I hope that Cincinnati’s ARTIFICIAL GO are proud of what they’ve created because every song is a keeper. It is so evidently reminiscent of ’70s and ’80s art-punk, but so all their own, and so much fun to listen to.
BAD IDEA USA – Home cassette (self-released)|
This album delivers melodic perfection that gives me all the warm and fuzzies needed to get through these cold winter months. There is hope.
GIMIC – We Are Making a New World EP (Crew Cuts)
GIMIC is one of my current favorite bands. They made my top ten last year with their Defer to Hate EP, and returned this year with We Are Making A New World. This 7” is seven minutes of pure fury and absolute indignation toward this fucked-up world whose bullshit we somehow trudge through each day. Luckily though, we have GIMIC to help us do it.
HEATHER THE JERK – not very motorcycle cassette (self-released)
I planned to include HEATHER THE JERK’S four song cassette Surreal Good Fun Exciting, released January 2024, in my top ten. That is until the eight-song cassette not very motorcycle came out in early December, which included content from the January release. In other words, the new cassette is double the greatness! Consistently catchy and lyrically lovely, these eight songs are just little ear candy gems.
IT THING – Spirit Level cassette (self-released)
When you know, you know, and as soon as I heard Charlotte Gigi’s hypnotizing vocals, I was hooked. IT THING is yet another example of the greatness that comes out of Melbourne. There’s something powerful about this album that I can’t quite put my finger on. It is sparkly darkness.
MONTAÑA – Montaña LP (Andalucía Über Alles / Discos MDA)
Take a little post-punk and some new wave and layer it with in-your-face rhythm guitar and pleading vocal perfection and punch and you have MONTAÑA. If I had to make a top five, they would be included. This album is perfect.
NEUTRALS – New Town Dream LP (Slumberland / Static Shock)
It wouldn’t be a proper top ten without including something from NEUTRALS. They continue to create absolutely stellar albums that I know I’ll still be throwing on the turntable decades from now.
PSYCHBIKE – Psychbike cassette (Tetryon Tapes)
Phew, those later-in-the-year releases sometimes sneak by, but thankfully this found its way to me just in time. This album is pure organized chaos that tips a hat at all of our favorite post-punky and darkwave-y bands before them.
VIRVON VARVON – Four Bars of Hate cassette (Girlsville)
VIRVON VARVON is another band that made my top ten last year with their Voices cassette. Their 2024 release Four Bars of Hate includes songs from that previous release, including four additional little treats that just further demonstrate their dedication to a fundamental punk sound, but there is something about Hanne’s vocals that set this band apart.
WITCH PISS – Tape 2 cassette (self-released)
WITCH PISS did it again. They put together another crazed collection of punk rock bangers. Before you have a chance to figure out what is happening, it’s time for the next song and by the time the album ends, you’re craving more. Maybe 2026 will bring a full-length? Please.
NICK ODORIZZI
Nick Odorizzi is a writer, teacher, and dad from Charlotte.
What role does punk music play in a year as devastatingly violent and politically unstable as 2024? It seems almost trivial and privileged to talk about music, but if art can be a balm or a vehicle to channel anger and inspire change, there are many great releases that came out this year. Here are my favorites. Check them out if you are interested, and please let me know anything cool I overlooked. Thanks for reading. I hope you are doing well and staying safe. Free Palestine. Fuck fascism.
DOLLHOUSE – I Hate You Don’t Leave Me EP (Toxic State)
Third killer release in a row from this NYC band after a near-perfect demo and EP. Just as abrasive and raw as before, with guitar hooks that bury deep and lyrics as poetic as they are unnerving. And the title track? A damn anthem. I don’t want to tempt fate, but is it maybe time for a full-length? Please?
HOSPITAL TERRORIZER – Before You I Have No Other Justification for Myself Than an Animal Caught Growling in a Trap cassette (Knuckles on Stun)
Bewildering mix of neon blastbeats, chiptunes, and vibrating punk energy that is one wild ride through a hyperactive wastescape. Treasures await for adventurous listeners.
HYPER GAL – Pure CD (Skin Graft)
Experimental no wave pop from Osaka that blends harsh electronic textures, lo-fi drum cadences, and melodic vocals, drawing out shimmering beauty in the process. Futuristic bubblegum noise that looks forward through a sugar-coated kaleidoscope.
MUSCLE BEACH – Muscle Beach cassette (self-released)
I can only imagine the amount of art school student debt this L.A. band must have. Take a drop of TEENAGE JESUS AND THE JERKS with a hint of BODY/HEAD and add several scoops of free improvisation and spoken word poetry for a no wave experiment in tension and repetition.
NEUTRALS – New Town Dream LP (Slumberland / Static Shock)
Melodic C86 jangle pop from Oakland with observational songwriting that evokes a very specific time and place (’70s Glaswegian New Town housing estates). Charming songs that made me tap my foot and renew my distaste for Margaret Thatcher.
NO KNOCK – Imagine a World Without Landlord$ EP (Peace of Mind)
Furious hardcore with raw vocals forged from exasperation at economic injustice and bleak futures. Probably the best live set I saw this year. I propose we start a throat lozenge drive for their singer.
RUDIMENTARY PENI – Pope Adrian 37th Psychristiatric LP reissue (Sealed
You can read about the album’s lore elsewhere, but this is the “difficult” record from the storied band. Ideas repeat and repeat and repeat, either entrancing or distancing the listener, and those slippery bass lines are absolute perfection. Just try to get “Pogo Pope” out of your head. Also, I read Nick Blinko’s novel The Primal Screamer this year, and recommend it for a mix of Lovecraftian horror and anarchist punk memoir.
SISSY SPACEK – Diaphanous LP (To Live a Lie)
Extremely extreme audio assault in the form of 28 ultra-grind landmines in 12 minutes. There are some dynamic shifts and momentary noise breaks, but it’s mostly full-tilt blasting to cleanse your mental palate. In a year when I never felt angrier at the world, Diaphanous made sense.
STRAW MAN ARMY – Earthworks LP (D4MT Labs / La Vida Es Un Mus)
Intelligently written anarcho-punk meets post-hardcore that sounds like if CRASS had been on Dischord, or maybe SLINT with a punk beat. Knotted guitar lines intertwine over lyrics that observe the last gasps of late-stage capitalism. A perfect soundtrack for the upcoming final season of US democracy.
Z-Pak – 15 Minutes With Z-PAK cassette (11 PM)
Top-tier weirdo hardcore that sounds like a CRUCIFUCKS/SACCHARINE TRUST mashup in the best way. I missed them on their last tour and feel really dumb about it.
Best live shows: JUNK, MUTANT STRAIN, NO KNOCK, PHYSIQUE, RIXE, TOTAL NADA.
SETH MCBURNEY
Seth McBurney is a multimedia artist who works full-time in a metal fabrication shop in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Seth has been an MRR shitworker for the past few years, but grew up within the pages of Maximum Rocknroll while listening to local punk and hardcore.
2024: I spent more time in hospitals this year than I did at punk shows. I can count on my fingers the number of bands I experienced live this year. However, we (the rocker types) preserve through the strength provided within badass hardcore, punk, motherfucking rock. My YETT is not in any sort of order as there is no number one.
CHAOS OK – Chaos OK demo cassette (Sorry State)
I opened my 2023 YETT with a demo, and I’m continuing the annual tradition by telling you that the CHAOS OK demo cassette does more with hardcore in five songs than some bands could do in their entire catalog. The first two songs are blistering raw hardcore punk played at a velocity that risks ripping it all into pure noise. The following three songs are more mid-paced, but still call to mind things like CRUCIFIX, POISON IDEA, BLACK FLAG, and even ROLLINS BAND. If you can catch the lyrics within the melee, you’ll find witticisms and low-brow wisdom. In all, hardcore is dead and CHAOS OK killed it.
CHAIN CULT – Harm Reduction LP (La Vida Es Un Mus)
Compelling, gravelly vocals and driving post-punk make CHAIN CULT such a great band to play endlessly. Harm Reduction is eight songs that flow effortlessly together, and while each on its own is a sonic journey, in union they become a punk rock epic. Harm Reduction is one of those albums that maintains its strength to the last note, with the closer “Concrete Wind” being an anthemic, fist-pumping sing-along.
LAL – Ugly Princess cassette (self-released)
LAL is one of my favorite finds of 2024. The amalgamation of chest-pounding beats, spectral synth punk, pop, and absolutely screaming guitars make the Ugly Princess cassette by LAL an energizing listen. Zayn Shaikh’s vocals range from warm and fuzzy to aggressive and defiant, from spoken word to tunesome sweetness to agitated punk snarl.
NOX NOVACULA – Feed the Fire LP (Artofact)
Feed the Fire is this year’s full-length release from NOX NOVACULA and is packed with anthemic deathrock-inspired punk. The combination of gothic rock and energetic strength makes this full length a great album to put on when you need that little extra to get you through the day. “No Forgiveness” is one of those songs when the chorus makes you want to smash it up.
HELLSCAPE – Cujo EP (Advanced Perspective / Donor)
If gun to head, I had to pick an absolute favorite for this year, then it would probably be HELLSCAPE’s Cujo EP. Cujo is hardcore for the cemetery sect, with brutally honest lyrics that are full-on macabre. A sense of morbid humor: perpetually laughing in the face of death whilst creating an absolute whirlwind of hardcore, breakdowns included.
LUCTA – Eterna Lotta LP (Static Shock)
Dirty distortion, shifting rhythms, and gnarly guitar work are just a few touchstones on this hardcore full-length by Italian band LUCTA. A true rollercoaster of hardcore that also explores occult themes, contains raging vocals in Italian, and is created by self described “outcasts, freaks, queers, and punks.” Yes, please sign me up.
NIGHT COURT – $hit Machine LP (Recess)
Not since Guitar Romantic by the EXPLODING HEARTS has my punk sweet-tooth craved jangly guitar riffs that brim with power pop. NIGHT COURT brings seventeen songs on this latest release, and each one is a glimmering snack of rock’n’roll sugar.
SOOKS – Moral Decay LP (Permanent Residence)
SOOKS are from Perth and play hardcore punk that expresses a vast range of influences. There are guitar riffs that sound like AXEGRINDER, there are vocal moments that are reminiscent of anarcho-punk à la ANNIE ANXIETY or EVE LIBERTINE. Everything comes together though into this wonderful new school hardcore anarcho-punk.
BUSTED HEAD RACKET – Go! Go! Go! LP (Erste Theke Tonträger)
Noisy, synth-driven power pop that contains enough self-deprecating humor to qualify it into the egg-punk camp. BUSTED HEAD RACKET creates a racket, but it’s in the way the BUZZCOCKS sang “Noise Annoys,” albeit with some actual noise. Prepare yourself to have these ten rambunctious tunes earworm on loop for hours.
GYLT – I Will Commit a Holy Crime cassette (Popular Affliction)
In February of this year, GYLT released the two-track Shoved / Spiral cassette which made me take notice of what this California band is brewing. A few months later, they released the six-song I Will Commit a Holy Crime cassette, which is full of even more full-on ferocity. If Shoved / Spiral was the amuse-bouche, then I Will Commit a Holy Crime is the knuckle-sandwich entree. GYLT is my favorite new band of 2024.
Honorable Mentions:
DEATH CULTURE DEPRIVATION – Past EP (Phobia)
This 7” is probably my most-played this year. I received it in a shipment from Maximum early in the year, and it stayed on my turntable until September.
PORTAL TOMB – Last Frost demo cassette (Sore Mind)
Heavy doesn’t even begin to describe PORTAL TOMB’s sound. It’s more like standing out in the open and having an icy wind rush by your ears while BOLT THROWER covering CELTIC FROST plays a meter away.
CAUGHT DEAD – Caught Dead digital (self-released)
This seven-track album available currently as a digital release on Bandcamp came out a little too late to be included in my top ten, but it at least deserves a strong mention. Local (to me) crusty hardcore that exudes Rust Region punk essence. I’m here for this.
TIM JANCHAR
Tim Janchar runs Hovercraft Records out of Astoria, Oregon and plays bass in the DUMPIES.
BILL SASSENBERGER – Toxic Shock Records: Assassin of Mediocrity book (Fluke Publishing)
The amazing life story of Sassenberger, and how he and his partner-in-crime/wife/soulmate Julia Towns started Toxic Shock Records and ran it through many iterations and offshoot labels. This is the hardworking DIY spirit that brought us records by RAW POWER, DAYGLO ABORTIONS, the STOOPIDS, and SLOPPY SECONDS.
DE RODILLAS – Implacable EP (Dirt Cult)
Scrappy and rough-knuckle Pittsburgh punk fronted by the multi-talented illustrator and filmmaker Ana Armengod.
DIRTY ASS – Manifes EP (Demajors)
From Tangerang, Indonesia, one of the most entertaining and high-energy bands I’ve seen live. This tight four-song EP is a follow-up to their equally ripping one released last year on Slovenly.
FAULTY COGNITIONS – Somehow Here We Are LP (Cruel Noise / Dirt Cult)
San Antonio’s balm to the world’s anger and angst.
ITCHY AND THE NITS – The Worst of LP (Total Punk)
Catchy and irreverent tunes that would have been right at home on Sympathy for the Record Industry’s Alright, This Time Just the Girls compilation albums.
MURRAY BOWLES – Hail Murray! The Punk Photography of Murray Bowles, 1982–1995 book (Last Gasp)
Pre-internet, back before everyone held their phones up at shows instead of listening and dancing, photographers like Murray Bowles were crucial to documenting the punk scene with black-and-white film cameras. Bowles captured the nascent Bay Area punk scene from venues like Mabuhay Gardens and Gilman Street, as well as basement and warehouse shows. This book collects some of his most iconic images from the ’80s to mid-’90s.
NEUTRALS – New Town Dream LP (Slumberland / Static Shock)
The second full-length from the Bay Area’s Flying Nun-adjacent band mixes sounds of TELEVISION PERSONALITIES and SWELL MAPS to create their unique, nostalgic, but forward-sounding energy.
NIGHT COURT – $hit Machine LP (Recess)
Latest album by these Vancouver, BC punks. Seventeen hooky, thrashy, quirky, poignant tunes in twenty-six minutes.
SMOOTH BRAIN – Demoted EP (Just Because)
Swift, raw, old school punk from Cleveland’s SMOOTH BRAIN, who put out their first release in almost a decade. Not a step lost, with five songs packed into this 7” inspired by the SPITS and hometown heroes DEAD BOYS.
TAXI GIRLS – Rainey / The Lion’s Share 7” (Dirt Cult / Wild Honey)
Late-year release from Montreal’s TAXI GIRLS, with two great DISTILLERS-inspired tracks.
TREMENDO GARAJE
Far from getting better, the world is going to shit, accelerating every second. The only “good” thing about all of this is that, as people get more and more pissed-off, they’ll continue to make fucking awesome punk!
DRY ERASE – Decay Model LP (Phantom)
This collective with members from acts like BEEKEEPERS, BLUES LAWYER, EXIT GROUP, NAKED ROOMMATE, and STRATOCASTORS has been blowing my mind for over ten years with their unique, dissonant, and oblique way of manufacturing sound. A peculiar avant-garde, dub, synth-wave, punk mantra that caught us totally off-guard with their brilliant Fatal Glitch four years ago, and although now alert, it has blown my brain again with what is a cum laude sophomore album. Introduced with one of the best stop-motion videos you have ever seen, which had been waiting four years in a drawer to be shared at last with the release of this album and is highlighted in my “honorable mentions” below.
STRAW MAN ARMY – Earthworks LP (D4MT Labs / La Vida Es Un Mus)
As a shameful junkie for new stuff who often only sits through a few seconds of a track before moving on, I hear so much, but I listen to so little. Fortunately, the third album from this New York two-piece with its unique, honest and raw approach to anarcho-punk demands your attention. Not only is it impossible to skip any of it, but it’s the only thing I want to listen to when it’s on.
DIODE – 2 LP (Under The Gun)
Full of sharp edges and acute angles—a masterpiece of impossible architecture from a parallel post-punk universe. DIODE’s fascinating sound has evolved since their 2020 debut, pushing it to once-unknown synthetic limits you can no longer live without now! A frenetic no wave-y synth punk extravaganza that keeps us totally shocked!
E.T. EXPLORE ME – Drug Me LP (Voodoo Rhythm)
The sound of an Ace Tone resounds like a drilling cannon, supported by a raw and tribal reiterative drum’n’bass rhythm, while a multitude of sci-fi effects shoot everywhere with sharp effectiveness, giving this magnificent and angular psych-punk a futuristic touch that makes it ultra-catchy and stubbornly danceable! No mistakes in fourteen tracks, including one of the most amazing post-punk tracks of the year, “Punch.”
PORK BELLY – I’m Okay, You’re Okay, Everything Is Okay 12” (Popular Affliction)
If you’ve liked this angular San Francisco act’s stuff as much as we have, then you’ll be happy to learn that this cassette sees Pork Belly continuing with their attractive oblique style. You’d primarily tag them as post-punk, but the tunes are sprinkled with a crunchy variety of art-punk and ’80s post-noise weird details
CHANDELIER – Chandelier LP (self-released)
An instant classic, reminding me at times of many things I love, from the New York noise of the early ’80s, to the fabulously ungainly and disdainful sound of early GIRLS AGAINST BOYS recordings, or that arty PAVEMENT style, and the oblique nooks and crannies of LITHICS. An absolute “all killer, no filler” with another of our favorite 2024 tracks, “Enemy.”
TOMMY COSSACK & THE DEGENERATORS – Agitator 12” (Swish Swash)
One of the most killer solo projects born during the pandemic has now become a full band. Vibrant, aggressive, and unleashing energy at full throttle, without losing any of its lo-fi charm, nor its deep DIY character. These eighteen tracks are torn between abrasive post-punk and rough rock’n’roll garage, adding some timely synthetic touches that make the whole thing get cooler and cooler. Not “egg-punk” anymore.
NAKED ROOMMATE – Pass the Loofah LP (Trouble in Mind)
True specialists of “Crazy Ivan” maneuvers and Leo Messi’s dribbling. The members of this sextet, who fulfill to the letter the saying “birds of a feather flock together,” have it in their genes to make this mind-blowing post-punk/new wave shamelessly dancefloor-oriented, which, with a profuse West Coast accent, is imparted with skronky and funky touches that will make you dance until you drop.
PEACE DE RÉSISTANCE – Lullaby for the Debris LP (La Vida Es Un Mus / Peace de)
If the singular frontman of the iconic INSTITUTE wanted to recriminate his current New York habitat, he has certainly created the ideal album for it. I must confess that talking from a very personal point of view, if the first album of PEACE DE RÉSISTANCE needed more than one listening on my end, this cool piece of “glamour” and particular arty-rock with tremendous ‘70s leanings has left me speechless at first listen.
ARTIFICIAL GO – Hopscotch Fever LP (Feel It)Economical, groovy new wave where every note is essential. There are so many other ingredients to their magical recipe that we are not able to describe, but we are sure that if a time machine would have been able to match SCOTT JOPLIN with the New York mid-‘70s TALKING HEADS, giving them the push to become as oblique as LITHICS, the result would have been similar to this.
Honorable Mentions
DRY ERASE – “Thought Captive” video
From one of the best albums of the year: one of the best videos you will ever see. Winner of countless awards in the best short-animation film contests the world over.
SHAFRAH – بنات المدينه Bnat El Medinah LP (Saalepower 2)
Imagine something like JUDY AND THE JERKS if they had been born in Germany doing punk in Arabic. Awesome!
CITRIC DUMMIES – Trapped in a Parking Garage EP (Feel It / Saalepower 2)
In this world, there are two types of people: those who love CITRIC DUMMIES, and those who are not worth it. Which type are you?
PURPUR SPYTT – Scavenges, Time-Travels, and Scrapbooks LP (Mini Distro Label)
Our heroine Charlotte Mermoud’s solo project. The golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s fantastic world.
THE HAHAS AND THE BLABLAS – “Andy Kaufman Is Not My Dad” video
Probably the band I would take with me to a desert island. In a weird world, these Croatian weirdos take the cake.
WILLIS SCHENK
Willis Schenk lives in the central mountains of Vermont, plays music with old friends, and writes reviews for MRR.
Another good year trying to keep up with review deadlines, seeing some great live music, and trying to convince myself that maybe, finally, I’ll be okay. Thanks to all the people involved in the following projects for giving me an excellent soundtrack with which to walk through these strange and dire times.
EXEDO – The Body Remembers LP (Dirt Cult)
This debut came to me for review, and I immediately fell in love. Christine Wolf’s soaring vocals over the band’s deathrock-tinged post-punk is something I can’t pass up. An easy make for my list.
SPECTRES – Presence LP (Artoffact)
I first heard the SPECTRES when I reviewed their 2021 Hindsight LP, and have been keeping an eye out for a new release since then. Presence lands more on the melodic and melancholic side of their sound, and I guess I’m never far from seeking that out.
MARBLED EYE – Read the Air LP (Digital Regress / Summer Shade)
Chris Natividad’s vocals really drew me into this release—they are droning yet smooth, giving contrast to the turbulent rhythms beneath. And these dudes skate? Super cool.
MARCEL WAVE – Something Looming LP (Feel It / Upset! The Rhythm)
I love this record. From the cover art to the buzzy synths to the spoken word and simple melodies. It’s jittery and dissonant at times, smooth and pleasing at others. “Peg” is definitely on my list for top songs of the year.
NONTOXIC – Intoxicated LP (Aufnahme + Wiedergabe)
Reviewing this LP had me down a fairly deep rabbit hole of the East German music scene before the Berlin Wall dropped. While they found inspiration from groups like the CURE, NONTOXIC almost wore the sound better than their English predecessors. Revisiting this record on an ink-black, rainy evening in December feels just right.
WHY BOTHER? – Serenading Unwanted Ballads LP (Feel It)
Another year, and another WHY BOTHER release makes my list. While I wanted to save room for other new discoveries, I just couldn’t. Some of my favorite current post-punk I’ve heard to date. “Come on Inside” is right near the top of my favorite song of the year. And they put out another LP this year?! These Mason City maniacs cannot be stopped.
THINE RETAIL SIMPS – Strike Gold, Strike Back, Strike Out LP (Total Punk)
A little late to the party, I arrived at THINE RETAIL SIMPS here on their third LP, and boy do I eat this right up. It’s garage-y candor from the opening track: “We’re a garage band / We come from garage land” sets the mood, and the folksy, fun-loving, everybody-gets-a-shout-in-the-mic collective feels like what everyone wants out of a band when they first pick up an instrument—joy and simplicity in pure form.
DÉCIMA VÍCTIMA – Décima Víctima LP reissue (Munster)
Sneaking in last-minute to my list is this album I just reviewed, the short-lived yet well-hailed DÉCIMA VÍCTIMA. Out of Madrid, early ’80s, this reissue brings the original arrangement to life again. Darkwave gold.
LAMBRINI GIRLS – August 5, Higher Ground, S. Burlington, VT
I wasn’t prepared for the cacophony of noise emitted by the bass player alone in LAMBRINI GIRLS—whatever manic fuzz and distortion she was implementing really set the tone for the rest of the show and was the backdrop for lead singer Phoebe Lunny’s seething anger on the social and political state of the world. The crowd seemed to be genuinely engaged, listening to the commentary between songs, everyone fucking up the patriarchy one “Big Dick Energy” and “Boys in the Band” at a time.
DEATH & ROUGH FRANCIS – May 4, Waking Windows, Winooski, VT
Pretty fucking legendary seeing two generations of Hackneys play together. Beyond the general turbulence of the crowd—pulsing, pushing, laughing—there was a certain awe and emotion in seeing Julian and Urian Hackney up there with their dad Bobby and uncle Dannis, playing through the length of …For the Whole World to See. I don’t have a lot to say, it was beautiful. I wouldn’t have traded that night for anything.
YONI KROLL
Yoni is a freelance music reporter, college radio DJ, and Philadelphia-based punk ne’er-do-well.
I have a big love for Philly and all the people who make punk happen here, so I always use this space to highlight the great music coming out of our city. This year has been an exceptional one. So, without further ado: let’s get into it!
Here are ten releases that broke my brain in the best way possible, plus some bonus stuff because the hits keep coming.
THE BERSERK – Demo 2024 cassette (self-released)
Absolutely pummeling hardcore from a bunch of Philly newcomers, including members of MALE NURSES, BLOODKROW BUTCHER, PLOMO, and PHLEGM. The fact that this is a demo makes me even more pumped for what’s next!
THE BROOD – For the Dark LP (Armageddon)
Throughout their decade-plus as a band, the BROOD have always been good. You just can’t go wrong with crusty, D-beat hardcore by a bunch of folks who were in WITCH HUNT, ENDLESS NIGHTMARE, and other ’00s stalwarts. Then they added Bill from the PIST and AUS ROTTEN on second-guitar! I’ve been waiting for this LP ever since. It does not disappoint.
DRILL – Permanent LP (Abandon Everything)
One of the finest bands to come out of Philly, DRILL played glitchy, weird, synth-forward dance punk with an equally playful and pissed-off attitude. Permanent is their first and, unfortunately, final LP. But don’t despair! One of the members is now in ERASER, who are continuing this same kinda sound. Assuming the world doesn’t end, look for them in next year’s top ten!
FALSE TRACKS – Hymn for Terror LP (Strange Mono)
I’ve always been a fan of FALSE TRACKS, but this LP is some next-level shit. It’s FEELIES, it’s KINKS, it’s post-punk, it’s jangly, it’s just so much of what I want in an album. That its members played in legendary ’90s-era acts the ROPERS and LILYS is both very cool and makes a ton of musical sense.
GEN GAP – Hanging Out with Gen Gap EP (MF)
This ticks all the hardcore boxes: pissed-off, ridiculously fun, and just infectious as all get out. Nine tracks in just under ten minutes! Yer moshing.
POSITRONIX – Chrome Heart LP (self-released)
Punk as hell, beautifully weird and off-kilter, with some really fantastic, aggressive playing that’ll make you shake your ass. A true ripper of an album!
THE SHIELD – 24 digital (self-released)
I know including a three-song demo on my list is a bit of a bold move, but hear me out: this is really, really good. Mid-tempo, bouncy post-punk that reminds me of WIRE and so many other bands from history, but would also fit perfectly alongside COLLATE or SWEEPING PROMISES on your next mixtape.
34 TROLLEY – Relaxation 12” (Feel The Four)
SCREAMING FEMALES’ break-up was a huge bummer, but if this record by that band’s Jarrett Dougherty is a sign of things to come, I think we’ll be okay. Smashing together mutant disco—think ESG and LIQUID LIQUID—with post-punk, Dougherty and pals have crafted a perfect 12” that’s ready for both your next party or DJ night!
WRITHING SQUARES – Mythology LP (Trouble In Mind)
Equal parts krauty rock, skronky post-punk, HAWKWIND psych, and STOOGES brashness, Mythology feels like a breakthrough record for WRITHING SQUARES, who have been making some of the city’s coolest music for more than a decade. They expanded from a drum machine duo to a live drummer three-piece before recording this album. I am really, really into it. Not like I wasn’t into what they were doing before, ’cause I was, but there’s something about a real drummer that makes their sound hit even harder.
ZORN – Endless Funeral 12” (Sorry State)
Of course I have the new ZORN on my list. I mean, do you expect them to put out a bad record?! No, you expect them to fucking shred. And that’s exactly what they do on Endless Funeral, which appropriately enough came out right around Halloween. What I love about this band is how effortlessly they bounce from death metal to crust to D-beat and back again, sometimes in the same song. It’s so sick and fun in a way that really reminds me of watching bands like DISFEAR and WOLFBRIGADE absolutely destroy twenty years ago. More of that please!
Z-PAK – 15 Minutes with Z-Pak cassette (11 PM)
It’s tempting to use a word like “unhinged” to describe Z-PAK, ’cause just seconds into this tape, you can tell that these people are disgusting freaks. But what makes this hardcore punk band so good is their ability to walk the line between complete chaos and some of the tightest, meanest riffs you’ve ever heard.
Bonus:
ALEMENT – Banished Sphere LP (Desolate)
Philly’s finest crusters have done it again. I was thinking of leaving this one out just ’cause it’s just the physical release of something that was available digitally in late 2023, but it’s too good not to include. AMEBIX-style stenchcore mixed with the punkest parts of early KILLING JOKE, some SABBATH-y riffs, and so much more.
BODY WORLD – Demo 24’ cassette (MF)
This new hardcore band includes a bunch of familiar Philly faces—members of RASKOL, SOUL GLO, plus the aforementioned GEN GAP and Z-PAK—and one Nick G., a St. Louis transplant who was in the great POSTURE and FREON. The songs on this five-track demo are the sum of those parts, and just incredibly catchy and fun.
DIURETIC – Zero Days Without Incident EP (Strange Mono)
Workplace accidents aren’t funny but…okay, maybe they can be a little bit funny. On Zero Days Without Incident, grinders DIURETIC expound on such topics as dead HR reps, being forklift-certified, and the joys of putting metal in a microwave.
MINEFIELD – Minefield cassette (self-released)
When I saw MINEFIELD over the summer, the singer put down the mic every single time there was an instrumental part and started moshing hard. It was sick! Caveman riffs, dive bombs, and plenty of commentary about society being a total cesspool. What more do you really need?!