Tag Archives: hardcore punk

ALBUM REVIEW: Propaghandi – At Peace

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On album number eight, long-running Canadian punk rockers Propaghandi continue to perfect their craft on At Peace (Epitaph Records) in a manner their peers can not keep up with. They self-identify as a progressive thrash band, which is a point driven home on several songs, but at the album’s core beats their rebellious punk hearts. Perhaps it’s because they are from Canada, but the political edge to their lyrics has always hit differently. They remain thoughtful and self-reflective, with this brooding carrying over into the metallic edge, coloring this album, which must be listened to through headphones, if possible, as it makes the guitar pop more than computer speakers.Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Niis – Niis World

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Los Angeles-based hardcore punk group Niis released their debut full-length album, Niis World, via Get Better Records. After signing on with the label last year they released the single “Lovesick” in November 2024, conveying a grungier new era for Niis. At the beginning of this year, the band announced that their inaugural LP, Niis World, would soon arrive.Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Jivebomb – Ethereal

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Baltimore-based hardcore punk group Jivebomb released their debut full-length record Ethereal via Flatspot Records. Clocking in at just 15 minutes, the group’s inaugural LP is a heavy-hitting, unrelenting body of work that cements the group as one of the genre’s most brutal and poetic up-and-coming acts. Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Combust – Belly of the Beast

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New York Hardcore is one of the most stand-out hardcore scenes, and it has a who’s who list of hardcore bands. Combust is a fast-rising group in that scene that eats, sleeps, and breathes New York Hardcore, and their latest album, Belly of the Beast (Triple B Records), is another big step forward. Between the guest appearances and the memorable riffs, each track has its own story to tell and energy to expel.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Stress Test – Stress Test

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The more uncertain the times, the more violent the reaction. A point proven in the eighties with the explosion of Hardcore and Thrash, and this self-titled debut by Oregon act Stress Test is like taking a step back into that time. A time when everyday existence meant the fear of war, disease and hate; a time when religion and politics were even more corrupt and depraved than certain types of criminals. The sad thing is though, you only have to spend thirty seconds watching the TV or doomscrolling through your news feed to see history repeating itself, only worse and often in more insidious ways.Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Mugger – Luck Forever

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Rising from Austin, Texas, Mugger are turning heads with their familiar yet fresh brand of Hardcore Punk. The four-piece band makes a promising first impression with their debut album Luck Forever (Quiet Panic Records).Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Common Wounds – All Night Blood

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Formed in 2018 under the Dead History moniker, Phoenix, Arizona’s Common Wounds’ respective members are drawn from the likes of Run With the Hunted, Landmine Marathon, Suicide Nation, Seas Will Rise, and War Tongue while All Night Blood their first full-length release follows on from last year’s S/T debut EP. Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Wolfbrigade – Life Knife Death

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Sweden’s Wolfbrigade occupies a very specific place in hard-core. The band’s 11th album Life Knife Death might be their first for Metal Blade Records, but it does not venture far from the sonic ground they covered on the previous ten albums. This aligns them closely to Motorhead in a few ways, the first being they are steadfast in their dedication to burly hardcore champs. It charges at you with all the Punk and rocking fury you might expect from this band who infuses Entombed’s dense guitar tone with Motorhead’s reckless energy. The raw-throated vocals are more Lemmy-influenced than metal. There is a scant trace of the stomping sections you might expect from hardcore, though this is way heavier than punk, thus making it hardcore. Ten albums in they know what they are doing.Continue reading →


ALBUM REVIEW: Peeling Flesh – The G Code

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One of the most exciting bands in the brutal/slam death metal genre today, Peeling Flesh, continue on their way up from the underground in Oklahoma with their latest release, The G Code (Unique Leader Records). In under a half hour, the slams and rap interludes will have your head spinning out of control, smashing into the walls of your room. What’s more, there are quite a few guests on the record to further cement how far Peeling Flesh have come and how much the scene respects them.Continue reading →


CONCERT REVIEW: OTTTO – Bastardane Live at The House of Blues Chicago

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On August 10th OTTTO and Bastardane – both prominent groups within the modern hard rock scene – came to Chicago in light of their current Reconquest Tour. The two rock outfits are no strangers to touring together, as both bands played together the previous summer as well. The Reconquest Tour sees both Bastardane and OTTTO in new fashions, but when it comes to each group’s signature sound, talent and onstage energy – those matters remain the same.Continue reading →