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!

Kimono Draggin’ I Can’t Believe It’s Not Music LP

Jokey, punk-adjacent rock for fans of unserious bands like DEAD MILKMEN, CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN, and maybe WEEN. Musically proficient, the lyrics are the line in the sand here, with references to all manner of dorky shit like The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, video games, pro wrestling, and Scooby Doo, sometimes in the same song. The band sounds like they are having fun, volleying inside jokes back and forth to each other over fuzzy riffs, but it quickly becomes tedious. One track has someone in the background repeatedly saying “fatality” in the Mortal Kombat voice, while another track pulls the same shtick but with the word “suplex,” ending with “These lyrics are suplex.” Maybe the members have some kind of pre-pubescent vocal tics. More likely, they’re the type of dudes who collect Funko Pops and speak only in Family Guy lines. If you like goofy rock and the pop culture of the ’80s and ’90s, oh my god, you’re going to love this. I don’t see anyone outside that niche audience making it through a full listen.

Last Thread Balance EP

Really solid four-song slab here. Catchy as hell; one of those albums that put me in a great mood the moment it started spinning. This is your typical pop punk affair, with power chords and speedy Fat Wreck-esque drums—however, the singer is absolutely marvelous. My mind immediately went to TILT, but I think there’s a little more substance here. Fantastic vocal control with what I can best describe as melancholy melodies. The rest of the band spends most of the time in the pocket, and it helps strengthen the vocalist’s power. A heavy lyrical vehicle, this gives me J CHURCH vibes but sounds much more like SUGAR STEMS. I’ll be adding this to my springtime Bandcamp playlist. Check this one out.

Maldita Un Mundo en Demencia cassette

Latina-fronted hardcore from Toronto. These punks have been cranking out aggressive, anarcho-inspired releases since 2018. Their brand of dead-ahead, driving punk has a raw edge that keeps things interesting despite being somewhat repetitive. Their real character cuts through on tracks like “Odio,” where the backing vocals inject an element of the unexpected. I gravitate mostly to the faster tracks like “Perdida” and “Memorias,” but this is sheerly a matter of personal preference. MALDITA pulls from the stripped-down side of UK82, so the quicker tempo amplifies the impact.

Plastique Pigs 2025 Demo cassette

PLASTIQUE PIGS play meaty yet agile hardcore, bringing you some suitable new slam material out of Raleigh. It’s a solid demo debut, and songs like “Run. Duck. Hide.” and “Soldier of Misfortune” hint at the kind of expressive character that makes this type of band stand out even when they’re closely following the blueprints.

Pura Mania La Band Es La Ley 12″

After a tranche of EPs, these gothic punkers have released a cracker of a debut 12”. An unmistakable punk sneer and snarl pulsates throughout the vocals, barely contained by a sleek deathrock shimmer. However, it’s a genre-defying beast—there are beautiful post-punk elements with at least one tune sounding like a CHAMELEONS off cut, and a swaggering mid-tempo glammy stomper which wouldn’t be out of place as a SLADE B-side. Worth the wait.

Render. Greyscale / Static on the Airwaves 7″

RENDER. is a Southeast UK band with their emotional hardcore influences, bands like INDIAN SUMMER, JULIA, and POLICY OF THREE, pinned right over their hearts. Their two-track lathe-cut 7″, limited to 50 copies with hand-stamped sleeves that could’ve been pulled straight from the ’90s, makes no apologies for any of it. Ten seconds into “Greyscale” and I was checking the calendar. “Static on the Airwaves” opens with atmospheric bass and single-string guitar picking over jazzy drums before the vocals show up around the 1:40 mark. On both tracks, the singing toggles between a Revolution Summer-style yelp of suffering and a screeching attack reminiscent of Chris Fogel from REVERSAL OF MAN, with the music swinging between pretty/dark and discordant mid-tempo hardcore. Look, this style was never my scene and it still isn’t, but the recording is solid, the musicianship is there, and those screeching vocals genuinely deliver. They’re not reinventing the genre, but if returning to the emo dream of ’95 sounds like a good Saturday to you, RENDER. is the sad boy party that you’ve been looking for.

Station Model Violence Station Model Violence LP

Debut LP from Australian stalwarts by way of Sydney. With some crossover with R.M.F.C. and DEN, this group is stacked with musicians in bands too numerous to name, the talent and detail of which is on gleaming display here. Frontman Daniel Stewart has a long write-up on their Bandcamp page explaining the evolution of the group, and it’s worth a read to learn just how much time, movement, and energy went into this thing, with part of the inspiration coming from a scene out of a BBC Krautrock documentary wherein IGGY POP opens coconuts and expounds on the NEU! sound (don’t act like you’re not intrigued).  All ten tracks are dense, dynamic, and rich—they build and develop emotions that make you want to look into the wind; they fall away, leaving a lonely guitar riff in the corner of your ear. “Heat” is particularly potent in this way, clocking in at over eight minutes, with plenty of space for mood changes.  Part of Stewart’s write-up describes the inspiration of CRISIS, and you can definitely hear that cloud-covered post-punk pulsing throughout the album. Overall, this feels like an epic drama, something big; elegant yet forceful, and completely enthralling. A masterpiece of 2026. I’d take note, get in line, tell your friends—climb the crow’s nest and look for them on the horizon.

Tormented Imp Punishment EP

Searing tunes from Leeds-based TORMENTED IMP, combining POISON IDEA-indebted attitude and vocals (and band name), Motör-charged riffs and drums, and Burning Spirits-style guitar leads for an exceptional 7” that requires repeated listens to catch all of the little details the band has laid down here. Final track “Out to Dry” is particularly awesome, mixing everything to love about hardcore punk into a 2:45 pummeling. Highly recommended.

Vipers Way Out EP

There must be something in the water in Buffalo, and whatever it is, it’s responsible for some of the best hardcore in recent years—this is no exception. VIPERS feature members of COKE BUST, SCIENCE MAN, and BROWN SUGAR, and I am stoked to say they sound nothing like any of those bands! It’s menacing hardcore punk delivered at breakneck speed with intense vocals and a dash of straight-up rock’n’roll guitar-playing. “Preferia” sounds like SOA colliding with early SEPULTURA, topped off with a guitar solo that would make Wayne Kramer proud. “Coxinha Motherfuckers” is a standout for me, blending CIRCLE JERKS-style riffage under a savage scream of “I have no patience / Coxinha Motherfuckers / You’re driving me insannnne.” I thought he was talking about chicken! Absolutely bonkers. Play it loud!

Whitepicketfence Regret. EP

Sonically undulating, turbulent at times, calm at times, with a changing pace, width, and depth reflecting the Delaware River. Each of the single-word song titles cast a quiet, brooding sorrow that mirrors the melancholy desperation of the songs that, at times, stab through the blanket of ache they’ve created to disrupt the whole feel from dull sorrow to jarring heat. I don’t think I’ve ever said this (ever, at all, ever-never-ever), but I think the songs could be five-to-seven minutes longer. This is a fucking great record if this is the kinda thing you are into. I really dig it.

Abyecta Inténtalo o Muere / Amo y Esclavo 7″

This highly anticipated return of ABYECTA is pure punk perfection. Two premium cuts that take the formula they’ve developed over the years and max it the fuck out. I hear more of the NWOBHM influences cutting through here, and the band is clearly embracing the Japanese hardcore in a more blatant manner as well. This is all to great effect. Each of the two songs take the listener on a sonic journey that has been crafted with precision and intentionality. Both tracks exceed the four-minute mark, with “Inténtalo o Muere,” the topside ripper, clocking in at over five-and-a-half minutes. Despite the expansiveness, nothing here comes across as extraneous or ornamental. They are just fully dialed-in, and have worked the material into its most potent form. This amounts to heavy, but also deft compositions that defy the apprehension that such an endeavor could induce. Carolina’s vocals are as powerful as ever, and this latest iteration of the lineup is so locked-in that it’s crazy. Absolutely killer.

Bränd Sjuk Stad 12″

BRÄND out of Gothenburg, Sweden released the Sjuk Stad 12″, their second recording, late in 2025, with six punk rock tracks that blend classic elements with quick refreshes. The variation in the vocal takes is really what makes this record intriguing, jumping rapidly from dual vocals to gang vocals to solo vocals, from megaphone to guttural howl. In all, Sjuk Stad is dystopian and down-tuned accordingly, but is still a really fun listen.

Burial Plot Architectural Hostility cassette

The New Wave of British Hardcore is a few years out by now, but it continues to stamp its spirit onto a lot of the bands coming out of the British Isles these days. BURIAL PLOT sounds as if you took bands like HOUNDS OF HATE or ARMS RACE, gave them a requisite level of pogo punk per tune, and they overdelivered every time. This tape will make your brain circle-pit for hours, and the basically vomited vocals might put the fear of life in you. This vocalist could easily front an OG death metal band, but puts every bit of that skillset towards elevating the tunes here. A ten-out-of-ten effort from these guys.

Cruelle Cruelle demo cassette

Demo from Montreal’s CRUELLE, out on Florida’s XTRO label. Four tracks of darkwave, synth-heavy, femme-fronted punk. I’m an absolute sucker for this type of thing, and can’t seem to get enough of an up-tempo, dancy beat mixed with gloomy synths and strained vocals, and in this case, a tame amount of aggression and a bit of distortion. Easy sell for me. This reminds me of PHANTASIA who I reviewed a while back, and it probably owes a fair amount to XMAL DEUTSCHLAND. Hopefully they keep up after it, CRUELLE rips!

Depressionista Tools for Survival cassette

Thought this was going to be another run-of-the-mill powerviolence release, but that changed as soon as the singer started rapping. Been a long time since I’ve heard a band bring back that old slamcore sound, and it’s got me curious—is this popular again? Tools for Survival seemed fresh at first, but sadly has diminishing returns. This is that East Coast “real tough guy” shit, and it sounded great during my first listen through, but each time I doubled back, I noticed how sloppy everything is together. The lead singer tries to cram as much as he can into each bar and it sounds rushed. It also contrasts with the often fluctuating tempo from the band and kills the flow. There were a couple lines that stuck out to me that I thought were clever, but one that made me laugh was from the track “East Side,” where the singer says “Pop punk is not punk / I’m not old, I’m not unc,” which, depending on who you ask, could very well be something an unc would say. DEPRESSIONISTA has a good base and I’m excited to see how they grow over the next few years. If my research is correct, they’ve only been doing the hip hop thing for over a year now, and I assume this is the first time the band has had to write music catering to that structure. But what do I know?

The Freak Accident The Midnight Show Tales of Toil and Frustration CD

The FREAK ACCIDENT is the inside-out brain of Frank Spight (VICTIMS FAMILY, HELLWORMS, JELLO BIAFRA AND THE GUANTANAMO SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, etc.), coming in blazing with what you’d come to expect from someone who’s served time in those bands. Here we have mid-tempo, weirdo, sometimes circus-like instrumentation layered just under politically poetic dystopian lyrical themes that don’t charge you up as much as they open the doors for sorrow. However, blended in with the darkness is a bit of humor, as evidenced by the lyrics “Ask me how I’m doing / I’ll tell you that I’m fine / I can be your toilet / Let’s make toilet wine”—I somehow find that pure of heart and a bit romantic. If you are a fan of a lot of the bands and releases on the Alternative Tentacles label, then you’ll prolly dig this, too.

Glitter Tortura Mental EP

GLITTER’s Tortura Mental lives up to its name with a suffocating, feedback-drenched hardcore attack that feels designed to erode rather than energize. The production is deliberately claustrophobic—guitars smear into a toxic haze while the drums pound like they’re trapped in a concrete box. There’s a raw, almost sadistic repetition in the structures, hammering the same phrases until they lose shape and become pure pressure. Vocals cut through as distorted commands, more texture than language. It’s not about hooks or memorability; it’s about impact and abrasion sustained past comfort. Tortura Mental doesn’t invite you in, it locks the door behind you and lets the walls close.

Tortura Mental de GLITTER hace honor a su nombre con un ataque hardcore sofocante y saturado de feedback, diseñado más para erosionar que para energizar. La producción es claustrofóbica: las guitarras se deshacen en una neblina tóxica mientras la batería golpea como encerrada en cemento. Hay una repetición casi sádica que martilla ideas hasta volverlas pura presión. Las voces atraviesan como órdenes distorsionadas. No hay ganchos ni concesiones: solo impacto sostenido. El EP no invita a entrar; te encierra y deja que las paredes se acerquen.

Heather the Jerk Scroll If You Love Devil cassette

At first pass, HEATHER THE JERK comes across as standard budget rock fare—crude and direct, with a blown-out sound and song titles like “My Dumb Brain.” But, leaning in a little closer, there’s a bit more heart and soul to be found within these ten tunes. Hell, she even manages to make her cover of LOLI & THE CHONES “I Hate Your Guts” somehow sound sweet. And she’s a “one-lady band,” single-handedly covering almost all musical duties here. This one is highly recommended for fans of PEACH KELLI POP and other cute rockers who have chosen to use their keen punk songwriting prowess to immortalize feline friends.

K9 Thrills LP

Now this is what I’m talking about. This band could be your life, or at least your latest obsession. Richmond’s K-9 offers their first LP with the aptly-named Thrills, a collection of songs that seems to pull from DINOSAUR JR., MISSION OF BURMA, LEMONHEADS, and other exciting sounds of the ’80s and ’90s. There are breezy, slacker indie tracks (“The Island” nails this feeling), and there are sub-two-minute blasts of energy (“95x”), but they work really well together, keeping the listener engaged and excited. My only gripe isn’t really a gripe at all: some of the shorter tracks are so infectious that I don’t want to see them leave (“A Race”), but there’s plenty of solace in knowing that the next song will pull you right back in for different reasons.

Los Revolucionarios / Myteri split LP

Is it just me, or are there more split records being released for the past few years? I have always enjoyed this old school format that reached its apex during the ’90s, especially when the pairing makes sense (geographically, stylistically, or thematically, pick your favourite adverb). The curation here clearly lies on the stylistic side of things: this is a neocrust tag-team. MYTERI is from Göteborg, Sweden, while LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS are from Saltillo, Mexico. Had this LP been released in 2005, at the peak of the trend and back when hair loss was still an abstraction, I would undeniably have overplayed it, but how does it fare twenty years later, now that I am more jaded? Both bands have been going for more than ten years each, so it is fair to say that not only do they enjoy what they do, but that they do it very well. MYTERI has that distinct thick, metallic Swedish sound and is certainly impactful, but the almost constant melodic epic guitar leads feel a bit exhausting. Bands like EKKAIA come to mind, but MYTERI is more straightforward, keeping the classic heavy käng pace with harsh vocals, not unlike SKITSYSTEM, I guess. Well done, but would primarily appeal to the most loyal neocrust fans. On the other side, LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS are not as slickly produced and also revolve around the neocrust galaxy, but display more tricks than their Scandinavian brothers. The ’00s vibe is massive here, and I am reminded of bands like ETACARINAE or ANTIMASTER or maybe even AMBULANCE, and, again, EKKAIA (arguably the masters of the genre). A fine work all in all that will come highly recommendable to the neocrust faithful.

Magasin Malentendido / Re Cuerdo cassette

Two-song Dutch delight applying De Stijl forms to minimalist post-punk—all clean, straight lines, primary color (and non-color) blocks, and shapes carved out at deliberate 90 degree angles. Pinpoint single-note guitar lines intersect with metronomic bass/drum machine rhythms looping in place like an overcaffeinated YOUNG MARBLE GIANTS to set up the perfect canvas for Lola Diaz Cantoni’s bluntly conversational vocals, with occasional keyed-up trills and wordless near-onomatopoeias (those cat-like purrs in “Re Cuerdo”) carefully placed in bolder strokes. A true musical Mondrian; very curious to hear what comes next.

No Time Comply or Die EP

One of my records of last year for sure; I’ve been so grateful for this NO TIME remontada. Having spent years wishing for a follow-up  to their blistering debut, they’ve become a lot more active, ploughing their particularly furious furrow of groovy boot-boy stompers. Railing at all the right targets—coppers, ICE, fascists (general)—it’s the perfect record to get angry to. Fans of the CHISEL and MESS will not be disappointed.

Pisuar Szkodliwy Niż Znad Polski EP

Skanking out of dodgy, piss-stained back alleys in Warsaw, PISUAR reeks of hate and bad decisions. Uncanny, weird, and mysterious hardcore creepy-crawling through the pit with chains in hand in the same manner as GAG and other three-letter-word bands like BIB or SPY. Early GLUE and HOAX could also be names that draw some people to this EP as influences. Strange, folk-ish interludes run parallel to bursts of snot-covered, pogo-inducing punk to perfection, leaving you with a feeling of being hungover on hard drugs. For the punks that like to get freaky.

Protocültura Mutantes Maníacos EP

Minimalist synth punk/pop duo singing about mutants, robots and war. The sound is very early ’80s (a midpoint between KRAFTWERK and MISSING PERSONS, perhaps?), and the vibe is very sci-fi B-movie, which is very much a “you got peanut butter in my chocolate” situation. It works quite well. I enjoyed all the songs, but the last tune on the record, “Bomba Nuclear,” is probably the catchiest and danciest on the record (and thus my favorite). This makes sense considering the song being about nuclear holocaust and all. While the more sparse tunes had a great robotic, punky vibe, the more layered melodic elements on the EP closer show a direction I’m hoping the band will explore more in future releases. The 7″ is under nine minutes, just the right length to not overstay its welcome, which is something that is easy for bands with these kinds of gimmicks to do. Overall a pleasant, concise listen.

Right On Warriors Still Standing LP

Mid-tempo, melodic punk/alternative/college rock earnestness that can maybe best be categorized by saying this sounds like it came from Pennsylvania or New Jersey in the 1990s, as it sonically has a Pennsylvanian and New Jerseyan quality—I mean this in the best and most perfect way. The songs are head-bouncing and instantly relatable in their vagueness, vulnerability, and pop humbleness. I can completely see this as being a record that I put on when I wanna open all the windows, water plants, and grab my dog Jilly by the paws and make her dance with me, or something. What is interesting to me about this record is that it has a very real chance of becoming one of my favorite releases, and I really have no idea why. I’m reminded of being on tour when Sean Barney asked Alan Bainbridge to pinpoint something and Alan said “it doesn’t matter where you point the pin, it’s everywhere,” and that’s the same reason I like this, all the reasons.

Sayon Sayon demo cassette

From the first second of this tape, we are greeted by an unsettling intro of synths and drums that instantly reminds one of No Sanctuary. If you’re talking about an AMEBIX-type sound, you’re talking about the sound of civilization collapsing in slow motion, and SAYON nails this feeling very well. SAYON drags things through the dirt. The guitars crawl, grind, and loom, thick with distortion and gloom. Every chord feels heavy with the weight of metalpunk guitar work, taking hints from HELLBASTARD to VENOM. There’s space in their sound, but it’s suffocating, in the best way possible. The bass is massive, almost oppressive, sitting right up front like a war drum echoing through ruins, and the drums are tribal, deliberately pounding in a trance-like way. Then there are the vocals, an apocalyptic bark, like they’re being delivered from the last person standing at the end of the world. What really defines the SAYON sound is that fusion—punk stripped of the speed obsession, mixed with the weight of early metal and a sense of atmosphere that feels post-apocalyptic. It’s bleak, very bleak.

Straight Arrows Middle Man / Do the Sloth 7″

An absolute killer double-sided slab of garage rock, with both sides guaranteed to get you moving. The A-side is a barnburner, and the B-side is the effortlessly cool instrumental. This is the kind of stuff that DANZIG would have lost his mind over as a teenager but just, ya know, like fifty years later. Goodbye Boozy is always churning out a broad swath of punk tunes, ranging from curiosities to classics; STRAIGHT ARROWS said “why not both?”

Suburban Slag Matter of Fact EP

Calgary legends SUBURBAN SLAG get their long-overdue wax debut, and it’s a real revelation. Showcasing previously unreleased recordings from 1980, the seven selections on this EP collection provide a good glimpse at this sharp and short-lived group. Stringing smart melody and a touch of working class rock into their brash compositions, there’s enough promise in these rough takes to make you wonder what a proper record from these early “prairie punkers” may have sounded like. It’s strong stuff, and if this hot little 7” wets your whistle, there may be more SLAG material to be had out there. There might even be a 35-song compilation of raw recordings like this floating around the web and awaiting your download somewhere. Allegedly.

Thee Headcoats The Sherlock Holmes Rhythm ‘n’ Beat Vernacular LP

THEE HEADCOATS return with The Sherlock Holmes Rhythm ‘n’ Beat Vernacular, their first full-length since the surprise comeback of 2023’s Irregularis, and it’s a significant step up. Twelve tracks recorded in 2024 and released in sync with THEE HEADCOATEES’ Man-Trap album, this one hits harder and more consistently than its predecessor, with the whole thing sounding sharper and more assured without losing any of that analog haze that keeps one foot planted firmly in 1964. If you’ve ever wondered what so many garage revival acts are reaching for when they pick up a guitar, this is the answer, with the difference being that THEE HEADCOATS actually get there while everyone else is still perfecting their moptop. The album opens with the charging “And the Band Played Johnny B. Goode,” an unhinged new recording of “Sally Sensation” is a highlight, and the magnificently titled “The Friends of the Buff Midway Fanciers Association” sounds like a party that started without you. Is there a more emblematic band in this whole scene? Genuinely hard to argue otherwise.

There There LP

Sprawling, lush experimental rock from Providence, RI that skillfully meshes elements of dissonant noise punk with layered shoegaze. “Disposable Head” loops a noisy guitar hook against a counterpoint of tense, rising chords to create a textured cloud of arty menace that manages to feel grounded and rich. It’s a kind of anti-shoegaze that is compelling in its power to pull the listener in with catchy, repeated rock band motifs without relinquishing their spirit of atonal experimentation. The nine-minute “Dirtbreather” similarly mixes the sonic vocabulary of aggression and warmth, recalling bands like NOTHING and the more melodic moments of CHAT PILE. Most importantly, at nine minutes, it doesn’t drag for a second, and the same goes for the thirteen-minute, psych-heavy closer, “The Famous Handsome Actor.” THERE wrestles the power of skronk into fresh forms of beauty.

V/A Future Left Behind LP

A diverse overview of D.C.’s current hardcore/punk/alternative scene that works better on paper than in practice. User mileage will vary, and while there’s a lot of good stuff to be found here (BRAIN TOURNIQUET, GRAND SCEME, LAUGHING CORPSE, and PRAY TO BE SAVED amongst others), there’s also some not-so-good stuff. I appreciate giving space to a variety of styles, but unfortunately, this one’s a little too uneven.

AG-3 Covert Strike cassette

Norway’s finest modern export AG-3 takes an anti-finesse hardcore approach and pushes it into something uglier and more unhinged. They put the FRAMTID in SVART FRAMTID, like a tape dubbed three times over and given to you by your older friend who put you on to every sick record in your collection. AG-3 dials their hardcore past the point of control: guitars sound like chainsaws, drums are locked-in and ready to fire, and vocals belch primitively. The songs move fast but not in a clean D-beat clone way; they keep you off balance and curious. There’s a real sense of chaos here without drifting into full noise territory, more like hardcore that’s been chewed up and spat back out. The recording is raw as all hell, but that just adds to the extreme sonic violence. Six songs, all necessary.

Bastard Idol Demo 2025 cassette

BASTARD IDOL plays four tracks of bombardment-grade D-beat raw punk on their 2025 demo tape. Frequency-shredding guitars blast aggro psych atop a precision rhythm barrage, while deep, full-throat vocals deliver raging rebukes. At time of writing, there are only two copies available through Broken Skull (with proceeds going to Solidarity Across Borders), so hurry and scoop one.

Belgrado El Encuentro 12″

El Encuentro finds BELGRADO swerving further away from their colder, guitar-driven brutalist roots of XMAL DEUTSCHLAND/SIGLO XX-influenced post-punk and into something more bright and synth-and-pulse-heavy, much like when JOY DIVISION morphed into NEW ORDER. This natural progression is still done from a very underground lens, just rerouted through drum machines and flickering lights instead of blown speakers and basement sweat. Melodious and purposeful like a late-afternoon haze somewhere between a club and a factory floor, this EP continues the journey that started with the Intra Apogeum LP. The bass still carries that familiar post-punk tension, now snapped into a Movida-like rhythm, while the drums and synths cut in and out in a very new wave way. Patrcyja Proniewska’s vocals drift above it all, distant and otherworldly, adding to the overall sense of retro modernism. Sure, the “more synths equals less punk” crowd will roll their eyes, but that argument’s tired. BELGRADO is reshaping their sound, like it or not, and they don’t seem to care about anyone else’s opinion—that makes this EP more punk than most, because they don’t conform to expectations. Neither should you!

Comedy L.A. Perfume / Hate Machine 7″

COMEDY puts out their first 7”, with a rock-heavy alternative sound out of Melbourne. I hear influences from ELVIS COSTELLO, the REPLACEMENTS, and maybe, in gruffer moments, the vocals of Jeffrey Lee Pierce. It’s melancholic, yet full of so much rock’n’roll vigor that it’s gratifying and energetic. These two tracks grew on me—at first, the croons on the chorus of “L.A. Perfume” were off-putting, and the squeaky-clean production didn’t leave any room for grit. But repeated listens had me hooked. Hearing the guitar work on “Hate Machine” made me think of ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN, and the same sentimental feeling of the lyrics that at first gave me a bad taste began to draw me in, wondering what other feelings this 7” is capable of cultivating. While this isn’t something I’m used to hearing out of Melbourne, I like the direction, and I’ll be interested to see what they do next.

Dead Heart Burning From Within CD

DEAD HEART comes out like a mid ’80s NY/NJ funny hardcore band like ADRENALIN O.D. or BUGOUT SOCIETY with a touch of TWO MAN ADVANTAGE, but they are from Columbus, Ohio, so who knows. Parts of this are bouncy and not completely unlike the WORLD INFERNO FRIENDSHIP/SOCIETY. I bet they put on one hell of a show, and if they ever play Michigan, I’ll prolly go see ‘em. This record has an interesting crosscurrent of “I ain’t gonna take your fucking shit” aggression that’s hitting the target dead center right now. Look, this isn’t a CD I would listen to often, but when I do want to hear it, I’d crank it to eleven to drown out my own singing along. This is a super strong release and I’m excited for what’s next.

Dispo Idüll cassette

German three-piece DISPO’s Idüll brings together proto-punk’s straightforward attitude and post-punk’s abstractive stylings…so, does it just kind of even out to regular punk? Look bud, I’m no punk rock quantum physicist. All I know is that this album kicks ass. Tasteful bass lines, energetic drums, grimy guitar riffs, and multiple distinctively characteristic vocals make Idüll an absolute joy to listen through. That playful and unpolished sound definitely adds to the experience as well. Highly recommended!

Final Gulp Future Undone cassette

FINAL GULP’s Future Undone is the third tape from this German powerviolence/fastcore act, and if you’ve been sleeping on them since their 2020 debut, wake up. Eleven tracks, most clocking in around thirty seconds, a couple pushing close to a minute, every one of them a tempo-shifting, white-knuckle ride that’s hard not to measure against SPAZZ. The vocals alternate between a bark that brings a young Billy Milano to mind and a shredding attack that sounds equally great, though whether that’s Sven stretching his range or a guest remains unclear. I guess it doesn’t matter. Their lyrics take on climate collapse, anti-fascist resistance, technocratic dystopia, and the case for mutual aid as a way out, which, given the state of things, feels less like a political stance and more like a survival guide. They played their first live show in January with more dates on the way, and if this release is any indication, those rooms are going to get wrecked. This tape rules.

Flathead Flathead LP

This is pretty, jangly pop music from Marseille. It’s mid-tempo and catchy and also a little melancholic. I really like the recording and the production, where everybody gets a seat at the table and it’s not overly focused on one thing (which is typically either the vocals or the guitar). I don’t always like pretty music, but I’m digging this.

Game Set Match Hang Out With You EP

At this point, I’d be surprised to hear any garage punk or rock’n’roll from Australia that isn’t killer, and this is no exception. GAME SET MATCH is Will Cooke from CAMMY CAUTIOUS AND THE WRESTLERS. This 7” features four tracks of fuzzy, rough-and-tumble rock’n’roll delivered via Goodbye Boozy, who have a history of putting out killer garage punk from across the globe. This isn’t groundbreaking or genre-defining, but it’s not trying to be, either. It’s just four killer cuts of rock’n’roll. While all the songs have a similar quality to them, they each have a great chorus and fun energy that I really enjoy. Each one would feel right at home blaring through the speakers at your local pub’s $1 beer night, or on your next mixtape or playlist.

Hope? Hell on Planet Earth LP

Bleak, D-beat-driven barrage that leans fully into crust’s apocalyptic worldview without diluting its immediacy. The guitar tone is raw but cutting, slicing through a relentless rhythmic assault that rarely lets up. There’s a sense of forward momentum that feels less like progression and more like forced march, unyielding and grim. Vocals are delivered with hoarse conviction, sitting right on top of the mix like a warning siren. What keeps the record engaging is its balance between speed and weight, shifting just enough to avoid monotony while maintaining pressure. It’s a harsh listen, but a purposeful one.

Descarga D-beat devastadora que abraza la visión apocalíptica del crust sin perder inmediatez. El tono de guitarra es crudo pero filoso, cortando sobre un ataque rítmico implacable. La sensación es más de marcha forzada que de avance: rígida y sombría. Las voces llegan con convicción gastada, como una sirena de alerta constante. El disco mantiene interés equilibrando velocidad y peso, sin soltar presión. Es áspero, pero con dirección clara.

Institute The Shooter EP

INSTITUTE proves yet again why they are a standard-bearer of effective, tense, subtle yet confrontational post-punk. And yeah, that sentence contains a bunch of qualifiers, but it’s less narrowing down their sound than it is the inability to not be verbose and effusive when describing it. This three-song EP was pressed to coincide with their first-ever Australian tour, so thanks for existing, Australia. The opening title track is a perfect sample size of what makes INSTITUTE so great and seemingly singular. And while the next track seems to exist in the same lane, the closing track changes it up just enough for the listener to take notice. “Why Are These Men Still Alive?” takes the musical tension of the first two tracks and shifts it over to the lyrics, questioning why we are forever trying to lift the boots off our necks when the legs in said boots are so feeble that they can barely stand as it is. The track is a bit longer, allowing both exploration and repetition, a krautrock-esque decision that really lets the listener get lost towards the end, picturing these powerful men with their colostomy bags running down their legs.

Kaput I LP

Debut LP from Chicago-based KAPUT. The group is comprised of Nadia Garofalo (HEAVY FEELINGS), Brian Fox, and M. Sord (JON SPENCER AND THE HIT MAKERS), and offers a dark, brooding take on no wave.  Songs range from strange, slow, and uneasy on “Teal” to full noise on “Sucker,” loud with distorted synth and bass, uptempo drums, and gripping vocals, as Garofalo asks “What about me?” In between are songs that travel this range, making me uncomfortable, almost paranoid, and completely hooked to keep listening through this exploration of self. Garofalo comments, “I think we live in a world that (especially if you’re feminine) tells you to hide or ignore your anger. I wanted to explore its facets; it’s not always negative, sometimes it can show you things, it can teach you so much if you listen.” Amazing debut. For the perturbed and repressed, have a listen—let it out.

Küken Palermo EP

From the sounds of things, it appears that someone slipped up and allowed one of the most formidable garage punks outfits of our era onto the beautiful beaches of Sicily. Infected by the cleansing surf and sun, the band’s signature rolling grooves are endowed with a new degree of head-bobbing smoothness. But, don’t be deceived—their subdued ferocity lurks just beneath the surface of these tranquil waters. Swim at your own risk.

Laughing Corpse Beyond Recognition EP

Easily my favorite hardcore release so far this year. A lot of bands claim an ’80s hardcore sound, but LAUGHING CORPSE delivers that and more. The VOID and BLACK FLAG comparisons are inevitable; just listen to the breakdown riff of “Nothing” and try to argue otherwise. But that’s how they get you. You’re a couple tracks in, it rips, you dig it. You think you’re in safe and familiar territory, and then bam! They blindside you with a cacophony of noisy guitar solos and drum fills that puncture your jugular and rip it wide open. What I really love about this record is that it feels dangerous. It twists and turns, it follows you in the dark, and it laughs as you bleed out. If I were a kid, I’d be scared to death to see them live, and that is a compliment of the highest order.

Möney Hegemony EP

Another egg-punk act, however this one has the clear distinction of sounding like the MUMMIES on meth—much more sinister vibes as the EP progresses, though. This has a gothy shoegaze quality to it that’s really amplified by the chorus effect the guitarist is running their axe through. It is absolutely drenched with chorus, mate. Of course, there’s a surfy element to it as well, but that’s to be expected with these poultry punks at this point. The whole thing wraps up with a very cool noise piece that ties everything together in a barbed-wire bow. A solid addition to the nerdy phenomenon that’s gripped the mid 2020s.

Nervous Twitch The Day Job Gets in the Way LP

NERVOUS TWITCH has been churning out quality punk/wave, mod revival rock’n’roll, ’70s singable punk records for around thirteen years, and with each release, they continue to distill their sound and become more catchy. The Day Job Gets in the Way, their newest LP, rockets down that road of playful, hummable, sardonic wit and catchy songwriting. Erin Hyde’s vocals capture the mood perfectly, and she seamlessly glides from carefree to pissed-off to bored, which in its totality creates a full record of engrossing songs. Any of these NERVOUS TWITCH songs could have as easily been found on one of those 20 of Another Kind or English Waves early punk compilations, all while remaining fresh and interesting.

Piss Rules Repissues cassette

This is my favorite release of the year so far. Seriously. Six tracks of warped, full-treble egg-punk from Bristol that collects two digital-only releases onto one tape. Take your BILLIAM or ERIK NERVOUS DEVO-core and laser focus it on clever, story-telling songwriting with snotty vocals that register somewhere between KY Ellie of GOOD THROB and Poly Styrene of X-RAY SPEX. Strong words, I know, but there is an inescapable charm, sense of fun, and catchy musicality that begs for repeat listens. And they go punk, as in traditionally fast and angry, on the blistering “Nietzsche Preacher” and “Senile Delinquent.” Sly references abound, like the Mario coin samples on the subversively dirty “Gameboy 4 Xmas” and the PULP-aping “Common Person.” Check it out—PISS RULES rules.

Power of Dusk What We Deserve EP

What we deserve? A bloody firm handshake and a knowing nod for a job well done. Positively fizzing with indignity at how the world is currently operated, righteous anger permeates the whole record. Heavy-sounding hardcore, with the speed and crackle of punk. If you are looking to fill a HOAX- or BIB-shaped hole in your life, they might just be the ones to fill it.

Rata Negra Hawai LP

RATA NEGRA is back with another absolute banger. They keep progressing, and this time around, they’ve added more color and texture to their sound, dipping into the ’80s/’90s Spanish new wave/pop influences, which was something I fucking adored on their “Problemas No” cover on an earlier 7″. I’m hearing more moments that call back to stuff like DUN CAN DUH or even HOMBRES G (and I mean this as a big-ass compliment), mixed in with some propulsive punk rock on some tunes and SMITHS-esque jangly guitars on others. Lyrically, the band is still razor-sharp in commenting about the unbearable weight of modern life and the minefield of social interaction in the worst possible timeline. This is catchy, rocking, insightful songwriting that is executed with passion and joy; another home-run for this killer band.