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Electric Masochist / Smog: Split 12" (Burning Anger Records) Burning Anger Records brings together Macedonia’s Smog and Berlin’s Electric Masochist for this international hardcore split 12". Both bands sound inspired by Disclose, but put their own spin on things. Smog has the relentless d-beating drums and fried guitars, but their vocals are unique for the style, a higher-pitched howl that sounds more like primitive early black metal than Kawakami. The production is drenched in noise and reminds me of Paranoid’s harshest material, but the vocals give this one a fiendish atmosphere all its own. As for Electric Masochist, I saw them play in Berlin a few years ago and I remember thinking, “wow, they sound EXACTLY like Disclose.” On these four tracks they still sound quite a lot like Disclose, but their voice comes through a little more. This is true of the first two tracks, which have more complex, swingier riffs that aren’t as straight Discharge-inspired. I also really like the lyrical approach on the track “Out of My Way!,” which takes the impressionistic Discharge lyrical style and turns its focus on a treacherous night out in Berlin. Both bands give fans of the genre everything they’d want plus a little extra, and I just love the textured fold-over sleeve. Any d-beat maniac will be mighty pleased with this one.

Fine Equipe: Moral D’Acier 10" (Offside Records) Fine Equipe is a new studio project from some folks in Syndrome 81, and just as their Mentalité 81 project turned their attention toward early 80s US-style hardcore, Fine Equipe puts the classic late 80s straight edge / youth crew sound through these musicians’ distinctive filter. As with Mentalité 81, all the genre’s aesthetic signifiers are there—dynamic arrangements with instruments constantly dropping out and careening back in, big breakdowns, and gang vocals—but the French language and these musicians’ peculiar aesthetic sensibilities make this feel like more than a mere retread. I think the folks on the 185 Miles South podcast hit the nail on the head when they compared this to the late 90s Boston band In My Eyes. Like In My Eyes, Fine Equipe has a very classic take on the youth crew sound that minimizes the aggro and heaviness and flirts with Gorilla Biscuits-style melody (especially when the guitarist plays around in the upper octaves) without sounding poppy or wimpy. While the Mentalité 81 release was frustratingly short, we get 9 whole minutes of music on this 10” EP. For folks whose tastes encompass both the Syndrome 81 cinematic universe and the Revelation Records classics, this may well blow your mind. For those of you who find yourselves in one of those camps but not the other, this is so spot on that I think you’ll at least like it, if not full-on love it.

Wet Specimens: Dying in a Dream 7" (No Norms Records / Brain Slash Records) Dying in a Dream is the latest dispatch from this Albany, New York band who has been very active, releasing a spate of material over the past several years. I haven’t checked in with their recordings in a while, but Dying in a Dream caught my ear when I checked it out, with a sound that’s undeniably hardcore punk, but doesn’t sound like anyone else I can think of. The first track, “Dying in a Dream,” is built around this tense, skittering drumbeat that has a tension I associate with anarcho-punk, but the harsher textures also make me think of S.H.I.T., another master of building tension. The next track, “Curtain Call,” is another slow burn, with the addition of horror movie synth helping to evoke the feeling of wandering alone in some creepy-ass woods. Then the two tracks on the b-side turn the focus to charging d-beat, but keeping the progressive tinge you hear on the a-side and climaxing with the stretched-out mid-tempo part that ends the record. Dying in a Dream is heavy, raw, and aggressive just like you want DIY hardcore to be, but Wet Specimens push way past the established formulas that bog down so many other groups.

Impotentie: Zonder Titel Deze Keer 12" (Roachleg Records) Roachleg Records brings us the 3rd release from these punks who are based in Canada, but of Belgian heritage, singing in Dutch and turning their lyrical attention toward Belgium’s history and politics. I’d strongly recommend reading the label’s description for this release, as it succinctly outlines the political and social impetus behind each of Impotentie’s releases so far. They say that Zonder Titel Deze Keer focuses on themes of bleakness and hopelessness, but fortunately the music doesn’t sound dour. In fact, Impotentie’s songwriting chops have only improved, with Zonder Titel Deze Keer rich with interesting sounds, compelling melodies, and inventive arrangements. A cursory first listen might leave you thinking “this sounds a lot like Rixe” thanks to the similarly fuzzy guitar sound and penchant for catchy gang choruses, but the similarities end there, and there’s a lot more to this record than a cool guitar sound and catchy choruses. The guitarist has a real way with a melody (“Nat Vuile Land” almost sounds like early Blink 182 until the gruff vocals kick in), and there are a ton of unique moments like the monk-ish backing vocals in “In De Koolmijn” or the way “Wijken” has this woozy sound to it like the tape is dragging or something. Each song feels rich and substantial, and that Impotentie doesn’t beat you over the head with the same ideas for the entirety of Zonder Titel Deze Keer means that as soon as it finishes playing, you just want to hear it again. Anyone into raw and catchy international punk really needs to hear this.

Dream World: demo cassette (self-released) 5-song demo cassette from this new band from Richmond, Virginia. For Sorry State’s readers, “Richmond” is virtually synonymous with “ripping hardcore,” but Dream World is a little different (though still very punk). I got to see Dream World live before I heard the recording, and my main takeaway was how their music conveyed a tension I rarely hear in today’s hardcore punk. Rather than playing all-out fast and hard, their songs tend to ride along at this dramatic three-quarters tempo, just at the precipice of full-on explosion, but not really falling off the cliff until the final track, “Blood Philanthropist.” Part of that tension comes from the drumming, which I just love. The songs are based around these eerie pulses, but the drummer constantly interjects all these little fills and accents within the pulse, like he’s just itching to go off, straining against the songs’ measured tempos. I’ve heard people mention Icons of Filth as a comparison point for Dream World, but I think these songs sound like no one but themselves. Fans of contemporary punk in the anarcho mold should definitely give this a listen, but I think there’s something here that rises above the “recommended if you like” formula.

Various: Vending Machine: Live at ABC cassette (Archfiend Records) Vending Machine is a compilation featuring nine punk groups from Los Angeles, and it’s one of the most thought-through and well-executed compilations I’ve heard in some time. The projects on the tape are deeply connected; all of them are affiliated with the ABC rehearsal studios and House of Tomothy venue / record label / recording studio, and many of them share members. The standardized recording style provides further cohesion, with each band recording their contributions live-in-the-studio, Peel Sessions-style, during one of four marathon recording sessions. Most bands get three songs to show us what they’ve got, though Big Shot and Advoids get four tracks, and Sacred Bathers provide electronic interludes during the transitions between songs. Thanks to all, this, Vending Machine listens differently than most compilations... it’s almost like each band kind of bleeds into one another, as you might hear the same synth player or bassist on two consecutive bands’ tracks. In terms of style, most of the bands on Vending Machine fall broadly within the arty DIY punk spectrum... think bands like Uranium Club, Spread Joy, Shopping... bands that aren’t inaccessible, but definitely left of center. The only band I was familiar with was Rearranged Face, and while their three tracks sound great, they’re only one of many highlights on this substantial 32-track collection. The tape also comes with a booklet insert with artwork from the bands and some information about the project, much of which I’ve summarized here. Since Vending Machine isn’t streaming and it’s so embedded in its own peculiar world, in all likelihood, not many people are destined to hear it. If it sounds interesting to you, though, I strongly recommend making the extra effort it takes to get a physical copy.

Betrayer: demo cassette (self-released) Crossover-tinged hardcore from this new band from Portland. These three songs fall on the more hardcore side of the crossover equation, with metallic riffing that reminds me of Attitude Adjustment or DRI and a barking singer who sounds kind of NYHC. A lot of bands like this go for short, simple songs, but Betrayer’s songs are longer with a lot more parts a la mid-period Poison Idea, and while the singer’s range keeps things pretty straightforward, they also have an ear for a hook. The production is the perfect amount of lo-fi for me, very 80s sounding, but proficient in all the right ways. With another layer of polish, I could see Betrayer catching on with a bigger crowd, but personally I hope they stay on the raw and nasty path.

Self Defense: 12 Track EP 7” (Slow Death Records) This British Columbian band crams twelve tracks of primitive but hooky hardcore on their vinyl debut. Sonically, Self Defense is firmly grounded in the early Dischord / Touch & Go aesthetic, with songs primarily taking the form of 30- to 50-second blasts of aggro. One place Self Defense excels is in their arrangements. They have a Negative Approach-ish knack for doing these tightly executed drop-outs and trade-offs that make the songs really dynamic, and with twelve songs it’s great that they don’t repeat the same patterns over and over. As with the Betrayer demo we also looked at this week, the production has that perfect early 80s patina, though the vocals could have been allowed to shine a little more I think, as a charismatic performance could have really pushed this over the top. As it stands, though, this is a ripping slice of retro 80s hardcore punk.

Breech Boys: Greetings from Paradise 7” (Slow Death Records) Slow Death Records brings us another new band from their neck of the woods in western Canada, with Breech Boys’ first vinyl release after a few digital releases. The Black Flag and Beach Boys references in the band name and artwork had me expecting something taking inspiration from southern California, but Breech Boys aren’t so easily pinned down. When they pair a woozy-sounding riff to a big pogo beat, they remind me of Glue, but the presentation is much different. The guitars are loud and thick, with a recording that’s raw and punchy but not trying to sound old, and the band likes to ride the edge of chaos as much as they like to lay down those groovy pogo parts that make the kids move. The vocalist is particularly chaotic, making all types of wild noises, though it’s mixed with distortion and frequently drown out by the waves of guitar. The energy level is high too, with the band sounding inspired and explosive throughout these five tracks.

Slevy: Vol. 1 12" (Petruska Records) Slevy is a one-man project from Basque Country and Vol. 1 collects a bunch of recordings made around 2005. According to the liner notes, most of these tracks were released across two EPs and a few compilations, but when I search the names of those EPs and compilations nothing comes up… have they been scrubbed from history or did they exist in the first place? Who knows? I’m not doubtful that the tracks on Vol. 1 come from different sources and sessions, though, as the recording and songwriting styles change from track to track. The quality is uneven, but fucking hell some of these songs are scorchers! While the label’s description references Eastern European punk as a key influence on Slevy, I hear a lot of classic Spanish punk in the sound. Perhaps it’s a side effect of the lyrics being in Spanish, but I hear some of the trademark Clash-isms of early Spanish punk in Slevy’s sound, albeit with many other influences mixed in. “Hadas En El Infierno,” creeps along at a menacing Q: Are We Not Men? tempo before erupting into one of those anthemic, Clash-y choruses. “Pesaje a Utramar,” on the other hand, has a bigger, Buzzcocks-influenced sound. With over 40 minutes of music spread across these fourteen tracks, there’s the feeling that you’re sifting through a lot, but the highs here are undeniably high, and the last handful of tracks where they really lean on the pop melody are worth sticking around for. If Slevy buckles down and puts out a wall-to-wall banger a la Blood Visions, I could see Vol. 1 becoming a very desirable record. For now, though, it’s one of those great little secrets we lovers of international punk can’t get enough of.

Consec: Biohackers 7” (11PM Records) Putting out a 7” with only three minutes of music is a bold move, but I’ll take new Consec material any way they’re willing to serve it up. We last heard from Consec on 2023’s Wheel of Pain, and while I loved that record, Biohackers’ higher concentration makes it even more potent. Hailing from Atlanta, Consec isn’t too far from Koro’s stomping grounds, and I feel like that influence is all over the title track, which crams an insane amount of twists and turns into its furious 31 seconds. “Coward” and “Misanthrope” stretch out a little more with broader riffs, the latter even featuring a tempo-change, but the whole record is still over long before you can find your footing. Pundits may debate the pros and cons of this having a physical release on 7”, but the minimal DJ-style packaging (which reminds me of Urban Blight’s More Reality) doesn’t oversell what’s here, and one would be hard-pressed to identify a single second of filler.

Faux Départ: S/T 7” (Disques Mutant) We’ve been following France’s Faux Départ for years here at Sorry State, and now they’re back with a new 4-song EP. The first two tracks lean toward the poppier side of Faux Départ’s sound, with upbeat tempos, jangly guitars, and plaintive melodies that remind me of Ebba Grön (and, by extension, the Vicious and Masshysteri), but also have enough near-twee melody to slot in next to Neutrals’ neo-Television Personalities style. The songwriting is great, and when that burst of lead guitar erupts toward the end of “Drone,” it’s a magical moment. The two songs on the b-side are faster and more jittery, and while the Marked Men are an obvious comparison thanks to the blistering hi-hat work, “Toujours Là” is a catchy enough song to warrant it. I think this band might fly under the radar of many people in the US, but if you’re into well-constructed melodic punk, they’re not to be missed.

SOH: Cost to Live 12” (No Norms Records) Los Angeles’s SOH follow up 2022’s Life in Edge EP with their first full-length record, showcasing their musical chops and forging a path that’s totally punk but also fully unique. SOH doesn’t sound like anyone else out there, and while you can hear antecedents in their galloping d-beat rhythms, metallic riffing, and charismatic vocals, it all comes together into the band’s distinctive sound. Part of what defines that sound is its eclecticism. You never know what SOH is going to throw at you next, and each song offers something new, whether it’s a different rhythm from the drummer, a new style of riffing, some bubbly bass lines, or a new vocal technique that you haven’t heard on a previous track. It feels like SOH took pains to make sure they weren’t just writing the same song over and over, with each one adding something distinct to the band’s oeuvre. This means the record is full of highlights, and if you get hooked, for instance, by the crazy demon vocals on the second verse of “Walang Paglaya” or the reverbed-out East Bay Ray guitar stylings in “Annihilate,” the band won’t beat you to death with that idea for the rest of the record. SOH’s vocalist is a total chameleon, using everything from shouts to screams to grunts to speak-singing to keep every moment on Cost to Live fresh and exciting. Much like the record’s eye-catching artwork, Cost to Live is fully thought-through but not belabored, holding itself to a high standard of originality and execution without losing the rawness and personality you want from underground punk.

Traume: Wrzask 12” (Quality Control HQ Records) Quality Control HQ brings us the debut LP from this Polish punk band who fuses their country’s tradition of intricate yet hooky punk with the stripped-down drive of contemporary hardcore. Those of us who have spent time appreciating classic Polish punk bands like Dezerter, Siekiera, and Post Regiment will certainly hear the through line in Traume’s music, particularly in the guitarist’s dense, intricate riffing style, the rhythm section’s blistering yet agile grooves, and the singer’s ability to balance hooks and aggression. Of the classic Polish bands I know, Post Regiment is the most obvious point of comparison for Traume (they even cover the Post Regiment song “Wstyd,” which is a vinyl-only bonus track on Wrzask), since their singer sounds a lot like Dominika from Post Regiment in places. Traume also share Post Regiment’s rhythmic precision and density, but the way they can also bludgeon you with simple and fast pogo rhythms and driving, down-stroked riffs in the S.H.I.T. school feels totally modern. And as with Siekiera and Dezerter, the guitarist has a way of taking angular post-punk-inspired riffing and squeezing it into hardcore’s faster, more charging rhythms, which (as with those older bands) is a thrilling combination. The songs themselves are sturdy, well-constructed, and engaging, and will keep you listening whether or not you appreciate the influences Traume’s sound draws from.

Atomic Prey: S/T 12” (Iron Lung Records) Iron Lung Records brings us the debut release from this new Portland band, which they aptly describe as “a total psychedelic d-beat smasher.” While the phased-out noise guitar and heavy delay on the vocals are definitely giving psych, to me what feels more psychedelic about Atomic Prey is the way this EP takes you on this crazy journey. It’s very brief—six songs in 14 minutes—but Atomic Prey touches on a lot of hardcore punk sub-styles here, from full-on crasher crust pounding to brooding and organic anarcho rhythms, to driving pogo-punk, galloping d-beat, ENT-influenced chaos, and beyond. While Atomic Prey is pretty much always in full-bore attack mode, these subtle variations keep things from falling into a rut, making it feel as though the energy level is constantly spiking. On the surface, there seem to be no dynamics here at all because it’s all so harsh and noisy, but there’s so much happening in these songs in terms of tempo, rhythm, and atmosphere that each one feels like it contributes something unique to the record. A real scorcher.

Human Trophy: Primary Instinct 12” (Iron Lung Records) Iron Lung Records brings us the second album from this grimy, noisy death rock band. Their first album came out on Drunken Sailor in 2021, and while we actually still have a couple copies in stock at Sorry State, I don’t think I listened to the band closely until now. Perhaps it’s that I approached Human Trophy at the right time of year—fall seems like the perfect time for death rock—but Primary Instinct has really been hitting the spot. Rather than “goth” or “post-punk,” “death rock” seems like the most appropriate genre tag for Primary Instinct because it’s so heavy and driving, and while the baritone vocals have shades of Ian Curtis, the more direct musical influences are in the Christian Death / Samhain school. As with those bands, there’s a sense of restraint to Human Trophy’s sound that imbues their music with ever-escalating tension that they rarely release. The first three songs on Primary Instinct feature ever-slowing tempos, and when they finally break out into something like a hardcore rhythm on “Devotion,” it feels like the first gasp of air after you’ve been holding your breath for a long time. One benefit of weaving this tension through Human Trophy’s music is that is focuses the listener’s attention, and when there’s a hook like the slightly bluesy, Cult-ish chorus in “Only a Knife” or the big guitar hook in “The Cabin,” it sinks in much deeper. The back half of Primary Instinct also offers some unique moments like the (comparatively) upbeat, sunny rhythm of “Serpentine Grin” (which reminds me a little of “I’ll Melt with You” by Modern English) and the shoegaze-y “Bright Like Perspex.” The murky sound and muted rhythms of Primary Instinct may take you a few listens to warm up to, but once it hits you, this record’s dense atmosphere and ambitious songwriting will keep you absorbed

Closetalkers: Path to Peace 7” (Neon Taste Records) Neon Taste brings us the debut vinyl from this three-piece hardcore band from Calgary, Canada. While the label describes Closetalkers as d-beat, I don’t hear much Discharge in their sound, except in the roaring maximalism of the production and the sense of menace that pervades these six tracks, which also makes me think of creepy mid-80s Japanese bands. The riffs are catchy (just on the verge of melodic, in fact), relying primarily on furious downstrokes that make me think of S.H.I.T. or Blazing Eye. Closetalkers’ secret weapon, though, is their drummer. The guitarist’s furious downstrokes hold down the driving rhythm, freeing the drummer to pack these songs full of inventive rhythms, creative fills, and unexpected accents. Closetalkers are ripping enough to grab you within a few seconds, but as these songs sink in, you’ll realize there’s a lot more going on than you might notice at first.

Guiding Light: S/T cassette (Down South Tapes) The cassette label Stucco (and its many sub-labels like Impotent Fetus and Down South Tapes) has been bringing us some of the most creative and exciting music from the hardcore-adjacent underground for the past several years, and their latest from Texas’s Guiding Light is one of my favorite releases yet on what has become one of my favorite current labels. Guiding Light’s sound is difficult to pin down. Broadly, I’d put them in the tradition of forward-thinking, progressive hardcore bands like the early Meat Puppets and Saccharine Trust, but if you come to these five songs looking for an homage to a certain band or era, you’ll be disappointed. Instead, Guiding Light has firmly established their own voice, built around furious hardcore drumming, propulsive bass playing that isn’t afraid of melody, distant, mannered vocals that alternate between German (I think?) and English, and a brilliant guitarist who sounds like Johnny Marr trying to squeeze himself into an early 80s Midwest hardcore band. While the overall sound is definitely hardcore, it’s a brand of hardcore I’ve never heard before, and one that belongs entirely to Guiding Light. Even more impressive is the way Guiding Light explores their sound over these five tracks, showing how fertile their peculiar chemistry can be. While the opening track, “Sterb Doch,” leans into an artsy aggression that makes me think of Essential Logic, mellower moments in “Lost in Voices” and “Simmen” have a sun-bleached , Southwestern vibe that actually sounds a bit like the Meat Puppets. These adventurous songs—particularly with their rough, analog-sounding production—remind me of the creative explosion of UKDIY, but the more aggressive aspects are bound to alienate the modern iteration of that scene. On the other hand, Guiding Light is a fucking weird hardcore band; like the bands I mentioned at the top of this description, though their music sounds like hardcore, they do not feel like a hardcore band, but a band whose different paths intersect with hardcore’s extremes of tempo and volume. But for someone like me who loves the Raincoats and Mecht Mensch in equal measure, this tape is pure gold.

Bottled Violent: No Rules 7” (No Norms Records) No Norms Records brings us the vinyl debut from this hardcore band from Bandung, Indonesia. While Bottled Violent is from Southeast Asia, their sound draws most explicitly from early 80s US hardcore, with hyperactive rhythms, shouted vocals, and a thin and scratchy guitar sound that marks them as sonic allies of 2000s bands like Regulations, Social Circkle, and School Jerks. Like those bands, Bottled Violent’s decision to keep the distortion in check prevents their simple and catchy riffs from getting subsumed into an inchoate roar, but my favorite part of No Rules is how youthful it sounds. The riffs are dead simple, the band is slightly sloppy, and the production isn’t 100% dialed in, but while it’s easy to dismiss these things as shortcomings, it’s precisely these aspects that communicate Bottled Violent’s infectious enthusiasm… they’re just so stoked on hardcore that they’re making it happen and not sweating the details too much. And in a scene full of 30- and 40-something bands who are so good at what they do and so self-aware as to sound sterile, No Rules sounds refreshingly like a hardcore punk record and not a simulacrum of one.

Alambrada: Ríos De Sangre 12” (Unlawful Assembly Records) Ríos de Sangre, the debut LP from Bogotá, Colombia’s Alambrada, arrived earlier this summer in a small edition that disappeared instantly, and now that we have a restock in-house, I wanted to hip anyone who might have missed out on this monster record the first go-round. While displaying the trademark intensity we expect from the contemporary Bogotá hardcore scene, Ríos de Sangre fits with a particular strain of hardcore I’ve often championed at Sorry State. I don’t think there’s a name for this sub-scene, but I think of it as true psycho shit, bands that play at ridiculously fast tempos, cramming their songs to overflowing with musical ideas and whose unbalanced, evil-sounding vibe borrows from the outsider hardcore canon of Cheetah Chrome Motherfuckers, Spike in Vain, and Septic Death. Allergic to safety of convention, this is music that keeps the listener off-balance through a carpet-bomb deployment of odd rhythms and whiplash tempo changes. Incredibly, Alambrada keeps up the intensity across this record’s entire 20 minutes, not only abandoning hardcore’s genre-wide conventions, but rigorously avoiding repeating themselves or falling into their own patterns that might deaden the impact of their constant jump scares. It would take longer to catalog Alambrada’s seemingly endless bag of tricks than it would to actually listen to Ríos de Sangre, but even the final quarter of the album feels full of surprises, like the exceptional Buzzcocks-esque guitar solo in “Silencio Sepulcral” or when the drummer finally does a full-on blast on “Rabia.” It’s a wild ride, and like similarly over-the-top recent records from Psico Galera and Idiota Civilizzato, these twelve tracks will crank your heart up to hummingbird tempo and not let you rest until they hit the last note.

EXO: demo cassette (Roachleg Records) This cassette is the debut release from New York’s EXO, out on their hometown label Roachleg Records. While Roachleg’s primary focus is the more abrasive end of hardcore, EXO isn’t afraid of melody, trimming their antsy pogo beats with breathy, ethereal vocals and touches of what sounds to me like xylophone. It still sounds raw and punk, but there’s also an artsy, introverted feeling that creates a unique tension. The latter qualities also manifest in the lyrics, which focus on the lives of insects. The songs are all a little different from one another: “Mantis” is the most ferocious, while “Figwasp” has an upbeat, garage-punk feel and the closing “Plastic” foregrounds the vocal melody and has more of a C86 feel. Yet it all sounds like New York punk, albeit of the more enigmatic variety. Fans of artier New York bands like Nandas, Pinocchio, and Dollhouse will certainly enjoy this, as will folks who love bands like Zounds, the Mob, and others who pulled pop and art-punk tendencies into rawer punk aesthetics.

Grimly Forming / Rolex: Split 12” (11PM Records) 11PM Records brings us a split from these two perfectly matched LA punk bands. While Grimly Forming and Rolex sound pretty different when you describe them—the former plays weird hardcore with black metal touches, while the latter plays arty proto-hardcore—their music has a similar overall tone and feel: fast, minimalistic, agitated, and progressive. Rolex—a band we’ve been following for many years at Sorry State—delivers their most compelling material yet with a set of skronky, bass-led numbers that sound like the moments in the early Minutemen and Saccharine Trust catalogs most influenced by Wire’s Pink Flag. Here Rolex also reminds me of Texas’s Blue Dolphin in the way they embrace both the freewheeling, anything-goes hippie mentality and intense musical chops (see: the crazy drumming on “Destination Moon”) that characterized the early SST set. As for Grimly Forming, their sound is similarly thin and arty, but their vocals are nastier and more guttural and their drummer incorporates blasting techniques that remind me of Norwegian black metal, particularly those moments that feel eerie and weightless. While that’s a big part of Grimly Forming’s sound, they also have a knack for writing killer mid-paced riffs, which you hear on “Killing Spree,” “Passing Cars,” and the climactic “The Mirror,” whose riff approaches Warthog levels of battering ram catchiness. The split record is kind of a dying art, but this one knocks it out of the park with a full helping of grade-A material from two bands who are well-matched but different enough to complement one another.

Heaven: 4-track EP 7” (Iron Lung Records) Iron Lung Records brings us the second EP from this hardcore band from Texas. As the label’s description notes, these four tracks have a crustier sound than the band’s more straightforward debut, with low, guttural vocals and a monolithic, wall-of-sound production informed by masters like Framtid and Physique. The first track, “Stagnant Dream,” is a full-bore bruiser, but other songs conjure eerier and more demented sounds, like the demonic interval in “S.C.U.M.” and the closing “Peace Lies,” which winds itself up into a real frenzy. The band writes that “The inspiration for this record is the hopelessness we often feel in our survival as the cogs in a vile and inhumane machine of capitalism,” and that rings true when I listen… these four songs feel vital in a way mere genre exercises don’t.

Taifun: Kaiju Power 7” (Black Water Records) I listened to these two tracks several times without the thought even crossing my mind that this band wasn’t Japanese, then I sit down to write this description and find out they’re from Germany. Who woulda thunk it? Taifun features at least one member from Burial, though, so they have years of experience looking to the east for hardcore inspiration. One reason it never occurred to me that Taifun wasn’t Japanese is that these songs are so idiosyncratic. Typically, when a band looks to a far-away scene for inspiration, they are careful to include touchstones everyone accepts as markers of that style, but Taifun doesn’t. I can’t pinpoint moments where I’m like “that’s a Death Side move,” yet it’s clear Taifun takes inspiration from the grandiose quality of so much Burning Spirits hardcore… they just summon that quality in their own way. I particularly like how they stretch out motifs, like the extended outro for the a-side song and the way the b-side track pounds on those epic punches at the end until they achieve a hypnotic effect. I’m sure folks who are interested in contemporary bands in the Burning Spirits style will enjoy this, but I think what Taifun does here is interesting and unique, and worth the time of anyone who likes progressive hardcore punk.

Gen Gap: Hanging Out with Gen Gap 7” (MF Records) MF Records—the record label arm of the Delco MFs rock and roll group—brings us the debut 9-song (!!!) EP from this new Philadelphia band featuring 3 members of the current MFs lineup along with two other Philly punkers. As you might expect from a 9-song EP, this is hardcore punk, but hardcore punk of the snotty and hooky variety. Tracks like “First Gen” and “Used Up” blaze at hyper-fast, near Delco MFs speeds, but “Fuckshit” and “Scumbag” are punkier, with chunky, major-key riffs and the occasional burst of lead guitar providing an extra bit of hook-age. A couple mid-paced sections like the breakdown in “Strut” and the stomping “Five” keep the pit moving, while the vocals are fast and snotty, occasionally rising above the din with a memorable line or phrase. Hanging Out with Gen Gap presents itself as no-frills, but airtight song construction and blistering performances ensure this is a cut well above. Limited to just 300 copies too, so scoop one quick.

Fulmine: Randagio 7” (La Vida Es Un Mus) According to the label’s description, Fulmine came together as a band and recorded these six tracks in a mere six hours without a single rehearsal. Amazing! Maybe it’s because they kept things so loose, but Fulmine ended up with a unique modern oi! record here. The recording is raw and nasty, the bass sound blown to shit and vocals so guttural as to sound almost demonic (I think Nick who sang for Arms Race also sings in Fulmine). Especially with the Italian vocals, you can’t help but think of those grimy Italian classics from the 80s. However, while the songs and performance are raw and direct, there are all these details in the recording that give Fulmine a unique sound, whether it’s the Camera Silens-esque sax that pops up now and again, the ethereal backing vocals in “Vita Di Sudore,” or the layers of noise in “Puro Odio” and “Insurrezione,” whose origins I can only guess at. The bruising street punk on this record pulls you right in, but those more idiosyncratic touches really separate Randagio from the modern oi! pack.

Excess Blood: self-titled cassette (Impotent Fetus) Excess Blood is a new death rock band featuring members of Electric Chair, and their debut cassette comes to us courtesy Impotent Fetus, a sub-label of Stucco, who originally introduced Electric Chair to the world with their Public Apology EP (which we need in print on vinyl, by the way!) back in 2018. I think death rock is a tough style to do well, but I loved this tape from the minute I heard it. Part of that is that it’s definitely hardcore adjacent, more like the gloomy hardcore of TSOL, False Confession, first LP Christian Death, and other hardcore bands who you might catch sporting all back and maybe even some eyeliner. As with Electric Chair, the music is all excitement and the playing is top-notch, and these songs’ breathable tempos allow the hooks to shine through even more. There’s also a touch of camp, which I think is an often overlooked ingredient in this stew... there are some straight up Dracula vocals, and I’m totally here for it. I’m curious to see where this project goes, but even if this tape is just a one-off, you really need to hear it.

Assistert Sjølmord: S/T 7" (Static Shock Records) Seven-song debut EP from this Norwegian hardcore punk band featuring members of Draümar and Indre Krig (among many others, I’m sure). Assistert Sjølmord’s style is the kind of 80s hardcore throwback we love at Sorry State, and while there’s some of the combination of hooks and speed that makes 80s Norwegian hardcore so special, I have to think there’s a strong 2000s Danish / Swedish influence at work here too. Maybe it’s that scratchy guitar sound, but these songs make me think of Regulations, Amde Petersen’s Armé, UX Vileheads, and the like, taking the big hooks of early west coast punk and melding them to DC-style rippage. “Toxicity,” on the other hand, is all UK-82 with its pounding 1-2 beat and cheeky police siren guitar intro. Fans of everything from Government Warning to Chain Whip should definitely check this out.

Bad Breeding: Contempt 12" (Iron Lung Records) One thing I really love about collecting old anarcho-punk records (and some well-done reissues) is how intensely local to particular times and places they can be. Sometimes reading those dense, text-heavy inserts and poster sleeves can feel like flipping through yesterday’s newspapers, and while that might seem like a bad thing on the surface, I love it. By contrast, in today’s increasingly globalized punk scene, even the most political bands tend to focus on concerns that are more abstract and universal, reflecting the more homogenous, globalized world most of us inhabit. Bad Breeding has always been an exception to this rule. While their anarchist, anti-capitalist philosophy might be abstract, they’ve always pushed their music and the materials that accompany their records to find the point where the rubber meets the road and these ideals get put into practice. For instance, there’s an essay in Contempt’s insert about badger culling in the UK. It just so happens that I have a habit of tuning in to BBC4 as I’m going to sleep, which often falls at precisely the time the program Farming Today airs. So I am (improbably) familiar with badger culling, which many farmers support in order to curb the spread of bovine tuberculosis. I’ve listened to a few stories about the topic, but none of them even hinted at animal rights activists’ efforts to disrupt these culls. The essay in Contempt is from the perspective of one of these activists, writing vividly and concretely about the work they do, often in dangerous circumstances. While badger culling might seem like a niche interest for a North Carolinian punk, I love that Bad Breeding has taken me out of my world and transported me somewhere completely different, giving me the opportunity to reflect on those differences. While different camps within Bad Breeding’s fanbase might get more or less out of the political element of their output, their music continues to grow and evolve. In some ways, Bad Breeding is the quintessential Iron Lung Records band, a near-personification of the label’s aesthetic of thoughtful, forward-thinking (but still maximally intense) hardcore punk. Another thing I’ve always loved about Bad Breeding (this is their fifth 12" record by the way, and I have loved them all) is that they aren’t constrained by the retro sensibilities that limit so many bands inspired by the politics and the aesthetics of 80s UK anarcho-punk. While there are a lot of sounds on Contempt that fit that mold, there are a lot more that don’t, including the scorching metal guitar solos (a new wrinkle on Contempt), the harsh industrial / power electronics production choices (Ben Greenberg from Uniform recorded and mixed Contempt, and there’s a lot of “studio-as-instrument” stuff going on), surprising flashes of melody, and plenty more. I’ve always thought many anarcho-punk bands took musical inspiration from Killing Joke’s early records, and Contempt makes it sound like Bad Breeding took the whole journey with Killing Joke, with the more bombastic moments recalling that band’s self-titled record from 2003 with Dave Grohl on drums. As with every Bad Breeding record, there’s so much here, from the music to the politics to the production to the lyrics to the supplementary materials, and it’s all thoughtful, exciting, and bitingly relevant in 2024. It can be fun to flip through yesterday’s newspapers, but it’s even more gratifying to get real insight into what’s happening in the here and now.

Thought Control: Sick and Tired of the Talking Heads 7" (Crew Cuts Records) The UK label Crew Cuts Records brings us the 3rd EP from this New Jersey band, and these eight new tracks continue along the same pummeling path as their earlier records. This is basically hardcore punk with a slight street punk influence, along the lines of S.O.A., Negative Approach, Negative FX, and all the bands they inspired. Thought Control particularly reminds me of the bands from the No Way Years who leaned into those influences: Dead Stop, Violent Minds, 86 Mentality, etc. Like those bands, Thought Control has the aesthetic down pat, from the songs to the performance to the perfectly gritty recording. I particularly love the anthemic title track, the mid-paced banger that really leans into the oi! / UK82 influences. It’s a timeless sound, and Thought Control does it proud here.

The Drin: Elude the Torch 12" (Feel It Records) Feel It Records brings us the fourth record in as many years from this great band from Cincinnati. The Drin had a distinctive sound right from the jump, weaving post-Velvet Underground art rock together with dub reggae, noise and electronic music, and god knows what other influences, and they’ve both honed and expanded their sound with each subsequent release. The Drin is currently operating as a sextet, and as you might expect the sound here is dense, reminding me of the Jesus and Mary Chain’s “Phil Spector through a transistor radio” aesthetic, but shot through with American indie rock like Pavement, Guided by Voices, and all their associated influences like Krautrock, psych, Kiwi pop, etc. It’s a whole damn wild world of sound, and the Drin wanders through it all over the course of Elude the Torch’s 46-minute runtime (which, to be honest, goes by way too quickly). Any art rocker will appreciate this iteration of the Drin, but it’s even better if you’re here for the band’s whole journey, so god bless Feel It Records for supporting prolific yet consistently brilliant bands like Class, Why Bother?, the Cowboys, and the Drin.

Faucheuse: Rêve Électrique 12" (Symphony of Destruction Records) We carried an earlier cassette from this French hardcore band and while I really liked it, Faucheuse has created something special with their debut vinyl. You could describe it simply as käng hardcore with melodic vocals, but that would imply Faucheuse is a one-trick pony, which is definitely not the case. Maybe a better way to describe Rêve Électrique is hardcore punk that’s not afraid of melody, and there’s definitely something that warrants a Paintbox reference in the way Faucheuse opens up hardcore’s traditionally narrow boundaries. And as with Paintbox, you really don’t know what the next track is going to bring. I love the brief electronic interludes, for instance, but the songs are adventurous on their own, the band often nimbly changing up grooves in ways that make these songs develop in surprising ways. I worry I’m describing this as pretentious, but really it’s just hardcore punk that’s not boxed in by the rules of any microgenre, happy to pull from the best aspects of several of them. The label’s description sums it perfectly: “who said d-beat hardcore was bound to be unoriginal?”

Paranoid Maniac: Garden Plot cassette (self-released) Second cassette EP from this killer Raleigh hardcore band. In case you were wondering whatever happened to Sorry State’s Das Drip and/or you’re curious about how Paranoid Maniac fits into the Raleigh hardcore family tree, this band is basically the final lineup of Das Drip with the vocalist swapped out for Jeff from Essex Muro and DE()T and longtime staple of the Triangle noise scene Alex Swing on second guitar. While Paranoid Manic definitely takes up where Das Drip left off, there are a lot of differences too. Paranoid Maniac takes a lot of influence from gnarly 80s Japanese metal-punk, and while that’s something I might not have picked up on if I was coming to this recording cold, when you compare the more pulled back rhythms here to Das Drip’s nervous energy, the difference is pretty clear. Paranoid Maniac is also way more maximalist than Das Drip was, their sound a cacophony of musical ideas producing constant unexpected collisions. The bass, vocals, and the two guitars often pull in different directions, and if that wasn’t enough, it sounds like they’ve added some additional harsh noise elements to the recording just to make things even dirtier and crazier. The dense but clear recording makes sure everything hits, and the packaging on the physical tape is a real object d’art in the way so many cool small-run noise releases are. While this isn’t retro enough that someone who gets excited at the mention of 80s Japanese punk should rush out and grab it immediately, those of us who see rooting through the past as an ideal way to springboard toward new musical horizons should definitely check out Garden Plot.

Light Metal Age: self-titled cassette (self-released) Light Metal Age is a new project featuring Ian from the sadly departed Gen Pop, and fans of that band should definitely be interested. My favorite moments in Gen Pop’s music recalled the icy, serene pop of Wire’s second and third records, and Light Metal Age leans even further into that, but it’s a long way from homage as there are a lot of different sounds on this hefty 7-track EP. “What He’s Done” and “Weathervane,” for instance, have some of the stoned jangle of the first few Pavement albums, while “Oakland 2017” is a nine-minute Eno-esque synth meditation that carries so much feeling it almost feels religious. It’s clear, though, that Light Metal Age isn’t about sound and style so much as the songs themselves, and the promotional blurb for the tape focuses on the psychological and therapeutic motivations for these songs rather than the musical influences. Gen Pop fans should be sure not to miss this, but anyone with a taste for the arty underground sounds on labels like Post Present Medium and Cleta-Petra could be a potential fan.

N.E.O.: S/T 12" (Media Nox) Debut record from this band from Helsinki, Finland, and it is a total ripper. While N.E.O. definitely sounds like a contemporary band, the way they synthesize many of the most interesting strains in the worldwide punk scene reminds me of how so many of the classic Finnish bands from the 80s did the same thing. The foundation here is energetic, stripped down hardcore punk, with dashes of other sounds keeping things interesting, like the crossover-ish intro to “Kulutusjuhla” and the cool, post-punky guitar lead that ends the final track, “Kukan Ei Vastaa.” The recording is crisp and clear, and the playing is incredibly tight and powerful... in those respects, they remind me of Kohti Tuhoa, and I think fans of that band will find a lot to like here (speaking of which, Ville Valavuo from Kohti Tuhoa mixed and mastered this record). Even if you aren’t familiar with the contemporary Finnish scene, these airtight songs and the commanding vocals will win you over. I don’t think too many people in the US are hip to N.E.O. yet, so check ‘em out and get on the train before this record is impossible to find.

Traumatizer: S/T 7" (Neon Taste Records) While I associate Neon Taste Records with the punkier sounds of bands like Chain Whip and the Imploders, they have a pretty solid sideline in gnarlier sounds, of which this debut 7" from the Dutch band Traumatizer is a fine example. The core of Traumatizer’s sound is rampaging, everything-in-the-red d-beat, with at least a toe in the corner of this sound where it meets tougher, graffiti-letter type hardcore. The pedal is on the floor for the entire first two tracks, but when they get to their theme song “Traumatizer,” the style widens with a cool, John Carpenter-through-a-fuzzbox synth intro and some Death Side-esque lead guitar histrionics. The straightforward parts will peel paint, but it’s the subtler moments in these six rippers that really catch my ear.

Gimic: We Are Making a New World 7" (Crew Cuts Records) This is the second EP from this scorching and unique band from Bristol, England. If you haven’t heard Gimic yet, I’d put them in the category of bands like the Minutemen and NoMeansNo who clearly pull a lot of inspiration from the abstract qualities of energy and intensity that are a hallmark of hardcore punk, but who are indifferent—maybe even hostile—to the other formal conventions of the genre. In other words, they make a kind of boundary-less hardcore punk, largely avoiding d-beats, power chords, and breakdowns in favor of a sound that’s all their own. And like the Minutemen and NoMeansNo, the level of musicality is super high, rhythmically and melodically inventive, but never in a show off-y or virtuosic way... it’s more like these are just punks forcing themselves to develop the unique aspects of their playing as far as they can. The lyrics and vocals are similarly impassioned, trying desperately to wrench sense from the decaying environment we all live in. Gimic might not be for everyone, but if you have a taste for progressive and passionate punk, I think they’re one of the best bands going, and these three songs are their most powerful statement yet. Let’s hope they keep ‘em coming.

Disarm: Existence Demo 1985 12" (Beach Impediment Records) True Sorry State heads know that, while we’re strongly associated with North Carolina (and rightly so!), I actually grew up in eastern Virginia and only moved to North Carolina in my early 20s. So I feel more than a twinge of hometown pride when I listen to Virginia Beach’s Disarm, whose 1985 demo Beach Impediment just lovingly re-released on vinyl. Honestly, though, I’d be into Disarm no matter where they came from, as their influences and aesthetic are like catnip for me. Their sound is a kind of Americanized take on peace punk, reminding me a lot of California’s Final Conflict and Richmond’s Unseen Force, and while most of the lyrics deal with the kinds of social issues you might expect, there’s a healthy side of skateboarding too... three of the band’s members were hardcore skaters, and their drummer Mike Crescini eventually went pro for Vision. Disarm also had strong connections to the 80s Raleigh scene, as their bass player Bryan S was from Raleigh and had previously played in UNICEF, and many of Disarm’s out-of-town shows were in North Carolina. In the booklet, Disarm also lists the No Core compilation as one of their most important influences, alongside European hardcore bands like Wretched and Anti-Cimex and, of course, your standard punk and early hardcore classics. Speaking of the booklet, it’s beautifully done, up to the standard of top-shelf reissues on Radio Raheem (which makes sense, since that label’s co-owner Chris Minicucci handled the layout), compiling a bunch of archival material along with a detailed interview conducted by hardcore historian Tony Rettman. The music here is great, and the packaging is killer. If you have a personal connection to Disarm’s story like I do, this release is essential, but anyone with a taste for obscure 80s hardcore archival releases will get a lot of enjoyment from this.

Industry: A Self Portrait… 12” (Static Age Musik) The full title of this debut record from Berlin’s industry is A Self Portrait At The Stage Of Totalitarian Domination Of All Aspects Of Human Life, which gives you an indication of where this group is coming from both politically and aesthetically. Industry has a lot to say about why the world is fucked up, and their songs take the ranting vocal style of Crass and meld it to a mid-paced, churning sound in the vein of Exit Stance or early Amebix. While the sound is heavy and chunky, Industry doesn’t sound like metal, but instead like a new shoot from the Killing Joke branch of punk’s family tree. “Industry” is a great name for the band, as their music sounds a bit industrial, particularly given the cold, slightly shrill recording, which makes the songs sound like they’re echoing through the rubble of a bombed-out factory. A Self Portrait... seethes for its entire 20-minute runtime, and like the society it critiques, it constantly threatens to boil over, yet remains in a tense, uneasy equilibrium. A gripping listen.

Marcel Wave: Something Looming 12” (Feel It Records) Marcel Wave is a new UK group featuring a couple of folks from Sauna Youth and a couple of other folks from Cold Pumas backing up lyricist and vocalist Maike Hale-Jones. A quick Google tells me Hale-Jones is a screenwriter for their day job, which makes sense as Marcel Wave’s songs have a writerly flair, with a vividness to the lyrics that’s a cut well above your standard DIY punk fare. The lyrics are striking whether they’re character studies like “Peg” or “Elsie,” social critiques like “Great British High Street,” or more traditional-ish tales of misspent youth like “Something Looming” and “Linoleum Floor.” Something Looming also has a strong sense of setting, its cover artwork perfectly capturing the tar-stained pub back room ambience that runs through the entire album. As for the music, it borrows some of its aesthetic from the early Rough Trade catalog, with layers of simple melodies coalescing into a psychedelic swirl, but the recording is crisp, bright, and modern, which suits the ongoing dialog between past and present that is a recurring motif in the lyrics. And fans of the Fall’s early records are gonna hear a lot they love in those great organ lines. Something Looming is a really fantastic album, and while it’s bound to catch the ear of anyone into contemporary post-punk-influenced music, its distinctive lyrics make it stand out from a crowded field of very good bands.

Osbo: S/T 7” (Blow Blood Records) We carried a demo tape from this Sydney, Australia band a while back, and now they’re back with their debut EP on Blow Blood Records. Osbo’s brand of hardcore is noisy, dark, and desperate, their loose and unpredictable style (as well as their snotty vocals) bringing to mind Cleveland classics like the H100’s and Gordon Solie Motherfuckers, but with a touch of Saccharine Trust-esque artiness rather than a full dirtbag aesthetic. The twin guitar lines give these songs an extra layer of interesting texture, particularly on the dirge “Time,” a No Trend-esque deconstruction that gives the musicians space to wander off the main groove and conjure some really interesting sounds. Recommended for those who like their hardcore raw, dark, and weird.

Mirage: Legato Alla Rovina 12” (Roach Leg Records) Debut vinyl from this New York group who sings in Italian and whose music takes a lot of inspiration from 80s Italian hardcore. While the label’s description mentions Nerorgasmo and Upset Noise as points of comparison, the one my mind keeps jumping to is Cheetah Chrome Motherfuckers. Mirage’s vocalist has a similarly biting tone to CCM’s vocalist, and like CCM at their best, Mirage has a way of moving between frantic, clipped rhythms and spacier parts where the lead guitar takes center stage with intriguingly off-kilter melodies. The weird-but-intense vibe also reminds me of Die Kreuzen in places, but then again, so does CCM. Like Idiota Civilizzato, Mirage really seems to have cracked the code on how this gloriously strange and intense strain of Italian hardcore works, but rather than produce mere pastiche, they’re able to infuse their music with energy, power, and progressive spirit.

Dishrags: Four 12” (Supreme Echo Records) Supreme Echo Records brings us a second archival compilation from Vancouver’s the Dishrags, North America’s first all-woman punk band. While the earlier release Three compiled material by the band’s three-piece iteration, Four chronicles the expanded lineup, including their 1980 EP Death in the Family, a nine-song studio demo, and some excellent sounding soundboard recordings. Like the material on Three, Four finds the Dishrags sounding very much of a piece with what was happening across the world as punk shot its tendrils across oceans and continents, which is certainly not a bad thing, as these tracks are imbued with the revolutionary spirit of the times. The music is three-chord punk that frequently accelerates to hardcore tempos, much like Dangerhouse bands such as the Dils and Rhino 39 were doing at the same time further down the west coast. Where Four really distinguishes itself, though, is in the vocal arrangements, with back-ups and trade-offs making these songs come alive, like on the standout opener “Quiet Little Table.” While the production on most of these tracks is bare-bones, one senses there was enough raw material here that the Dishrags could have made a classic punk album. Had that happened, the Dishrags’ place in history might have been different, but as things stand, both their compilation LPs are full of gems.

Vidro: Upp Till Dans 7” (Beach Impediment Records) Stockholm, Sweden’s Vidro follows up their 2023 full-length Glöd with a brand new 4-song EP on Beach Impediment Records. The title track, “Upp Till Dans,” is first, and I think it’s one of Vidro’s best songs. The main riff is different for them, a chunky fist-pumper that really comes alive in the second verse when they throw in these super cool accents on the off beats. It’s a bit like Judas Priest’s “Breakin’ the Law,” and just as infectious. The second track, “Allt Brinner,” is one of Vidro’s most brutal and straightforward songs, feeling super lean at 71 seconds long, but still making room for a bunch of dramatic rhythmic accents. The two tracks on the b-side spread out a little more, the rhythm section laying down heavy grooves while the vocals jab and dodge and the guitars waft, melodies lilting like an untethered balloon. It’s over in a flash, but there’s so much to hear that you can’t resist starting it again from the top. A brief but vital missive from one of today’s most distinctive and exciting bands.

Gefyr / Rat Cage: Split 7" (Bunker Punks Discs & Tapes) If you’ve been following the Bunker Punks Discs & Tapes discography so far (and you should be... Jeff and Usman from Sorry State and Scarecrow run the label), you’ll know exactly what to expect from this split: ripping, riff-soaked hardcore punk. Sweden’s Gefyr is first up. Gefyr is from the same city as Totalitär, and how similar they sound makes you wonder if there’s something in the Hudiksvall water supply. The riffs are totally dialed, the light-on-distortion guitar sound (don’t worry, there’s plenty on the bass) highlighting how hooky they are. The vocals are just incredible, shredded similarly to Poffen from Totalitär’s, but with their own personality. As for Rat Cage, it’s their second appearance on a Bunker Punks release after the Screaming Death compilation, but surely you’re familiar with them already. These three tracks continue the emphasis on hooky vocals we’ve heard on the past several Rat Cage releases, and as on those records, they explore their roots in late 70s / early 80s UK punk without compromising the intensity of their earlier material. You gotta love the “aaaah-ah” vocal part on “Thatcher’s Back,” particularly when it’s laid over a paint-peeling No Security-style riff and leads into a gnarly breakdown. Each band contributes three tracks, and it’d take a real stick in the mud not to walk away satisfied.

Norms: 100% Hazaarulas 12" (11PM Records) It looks like 100% Hazaarulas is the 3rd LP from this wild hardcore band from Budapest, Hungary, but their first for a US label, 11PM Records. While it sounds like Norms take a lot of inspiration from early 80s Italian groups like Negazione, Wretched, and CCM, their take on raw and fast hardcore has full-on avant-garde touches. The off-time riff in “Magyarmagyarmagyar,” for instance, wouldn’t be out of place on a John Zorn or Boredoms record, but it also sounds more like Die Kreuzen than those bands ever did. I also hear some resemblance to projects like Cicada, Closet Christ, and Cryin’ Hand, particularly the Neos-esque drumming and the artfully lo-fi recording. As with some of my favorite Italian records, it can take a couple of listens to hear past the brick-wall intensity, but the music is so dense with original ideas and truly face-melting musicianship that 100% Hazaarulas totally rewards that extra time investment.

Diode: 2 12" (Under the Gun Records) I thought this LA band’s first LP was killer, and so far I like 2 just as much. The lo-fi aesthetic, synths, and jittery rhythms are gonna make some people think egg punk (I notice the label’s description studiously avoids the term), but this feels like it’s part of a longer tradition of punk music with synths. Diode alternates between stiff rhythms that might make you think of early Devo or the Deadbeats and moments of pure pop that recall more mainstream 80s sounds. Now that I think about it, it’s like the mix of tones on Devo’s Freedom of Choice, which is an excellent album to model yours after. It’s not really retro, though, as “Card Dealer” and “Fear” both sound very modern, like music that couldn’t have been made before now (Powerplant gives me a similar feeling). I also like that while the first album was a short burst, Diode takes their time on 2, sitting with parts a little longer and making room for experiments like the unique-sounding intro.

Alienator: Time to Die 7" (Unlawful Assembly Records) I’ve been a big fan of all Alienator’s previous material, and this new 5-song EP continues to tread the same bruising path. Maybe it’s just me, but every Alienator release seems a little more over the top than the last, and it certainly doesn’t feel like the band is holding back on Time to Die, from the countless dive bombs to the gratuitous breakdowns to the killer cover illustration. It’s all way over the top, but at the same time Time to Die delivers riff after riff, the band generating punishingly heavy rhythms. The last time I saw Alienator they covered “Lifestyles,” and Kings of Punk is a solid reference point for the brawniness of their sound on Time to Die. There’s also a nod to Sick of it All on the cover, and there are moments here that wouldn’t be out of place on Blood, Sweat, and No Tears either. A killer, punishing hardcore record.

Parsnip: Behold 12" (Upset the Rhythm) It’s been a few years since we heard from this Melbourne band whom I’ve always really liked. Even before I listened to Behold, its artwork (particularly when taken alongside the long gap between releases) seemed to hint at a shift in direction, with its earthy color palette and fisheye cover photo bringing to mind The Left Banke’s Too. I don’t know if Parsnip meant the artwork to be a signal that they’ve gone baroque pop, but Behold is certainly poppy and there’s a hell of a lot going on. The music is densely layered, diving fully into psychedelia with “Duality,” but at other moments more in the vein of the Fall / early the Clean-influenced clatter that’s been a through-line in Aussie punk of the last decade or two. Interestingly, while Behold seems like an ambitious album to me—its thirteen songs and 34-minute running time feel epic by today’s standards—its release has been fairly low-key, with only a UK pressing on Upset the Rhythm so far. Behold’s length and density mean I’m going to need to sit with for a while to fully appreciate it, and my fellow stateside fans should nail down a copy while they can.

Despertá: demo cassette (self-released) 8-song demo cassette from this band that’s based in Newfoundland in the far northeast of Canada, but whose members come from across the Americas. While the presentation is raw, heavy, and hardcore, Despertá’s music isn’t monochromatic in the way so much hardcore is. Many parts are pretty and haunting with a post-punk / death rock influence, some parts that are fast and intense, and other parts are heavy and bruising. The band makes all these sounds their own, particularly given their drummer’s distinctive stuttering rhythms, which carry through all the tones and styles on the tape. The vocals are cool too, high-pitched yelling that makes me think of Sad Boys. Recommended if you like sounds from out-of-the-way places that couldn’t have come together anywhere else.

Jalang / Unsanitary Napkin: Split 12” (Bad Habit Records) (So-called) Australia’s Jalang and Aotearoa’s (New Zealand’s) Unsanitary Napkin make a well-matched pair on this split 12”. Many of you are familiar with Unsanitary Napkin from their 2022 full-length All Billionaires Are Bastards, and their 6 songs continue in that bulldozer style, combining metallic riffing with a street-punk-ish knack for hooky melodies. The vocals are mile-a-minute political tirades in the tradition of MDC, with the heavy delay effect creating this woozy, swirling effect when the syllables wind around one another. It’s catchy, high-energy, and doesn’t sound like anyone else, so if you enjoyed the previous LP, don’t miss this one. As for Jalang, their vocalist has a similar sound to Unsanitary Napkin’s, but even more shredded-sounding. Jalang also keeps the energy level just as manic as Unsanitary Napkin, though their nods to Discharge and Cimex are more straightforward than Unsanitary Napkin’s sub-genre-obliterating racket. Interestingly, while each band covers one of the other’s songs here, both covers fit perfectly on their respective sides. A powerhouse record from two bands who were made for one another.

Rearranged Face: Far Green Arcade 12” (House of Tomothy) I really enjoyed this LA band’s 2021 LP, A Rare Caged Fern (which is still in stock!), and this new album is an excellent follow-up. While I probably reference turn-of-the-80s art rock / new wave bands like Suburban Lawns, Talking Heads, and the B-52’s in descriptions of contemporary bands relatively often, few of them evoke that vibe as strongly as Rearranged Face. Perhaps it’s Rearranged Face’s crisp production style, which is a marked contrast to the lo-fi egg punk bands who share a similar set of influences (particularly Devo, whose criss-crossing robotic rhythms are all over Far Green Arcade). Uranium Club is a contemporary band that does something similar to Rearranged Face, but whereas Uranium Club’s music often stretches to psychedelic lengths, Rearranged Face’s songs are snappy and dense with ideas. I’m a sucker for bands like this who wrap toe-tapping melodies in an arty and slightly obtuse aesthetic, and Far Green Arcade definitely scratches that itch.

Direct Threat: Endless Siege 7” (Iron Lung Records) You might remember this Denver band’s 2021 demo (which Iron Lung put to vinyl), and three years later we have their proper debut EP, a co-release between Iron Lung Records in the US and Quality Control HQ in the UK. Three years seems like a long gap between a demo and a first EP, but the extra time in the oven paid off with this batch of tunes. At first glance, Direct Threat sounds a lot like other oi!-infused hardcore bands of recent years, with their fuzzy, analog-sounding production and barked, 86 Mentality-style vocals. But behind the primitivist production are interesting and even subtle songs. I love the Negative Approach-esque drum parts on “The Violent Dawn,” which sound so classic, but the most striking moment is “Hammer of Reality,” a song built around this unique, bouncy rhythm that might seem like a slight stylistic detour, but I think it really works. Endless Siege is full of moments like that, and it’s worth a listen even if you’re feeling a bit worn out by all the new jack oi! boys.

Sin Tax: Abnegation 7” (Miracle Cortex Records) Debut EP from this dark and punishing hardcore band from Melbourne, Australia. I’ve seen Sin Tax compared to several outsider-y 80s hardcore bands, but the comparison that keeps coming to my mind is Septic Death. The guitar player is mega-speedcore fast, playing in a death metal-ish style on the fast parts, but the drumming is pure hardcore, with simple and punishing beats and a rhythmic restlessness. While Sin Tax’s music can feel manic when there are a lot of fast parts in a row (and there often are), the band settles into heavy grooves on the mid-paced parts, notably “Faces of Death,” whose intro touches on some supremely Flag’d out Eye for an Eye-isms. Abnegation has an introverted, artsy feel that takes a minute to warm up to, but the band’s ambition pays off in tunes packed with compelling musicality.

Prisão: EP 2 7” (11PM Records) Denmark’s Adult Crash Records released the first EP from this Swedish hardcore band in 2022, and now they’re back with their second, which fortunately has a North American pressing on 11PM Records. There are a couple of things you need to know about Prisão if you aren’t familiar with them already. First, while they’re a Swedish band, their singer is Brazilian and sings in Portuguese, and I’m guessing the band also works to channel the raw and ugly side of early South American hardcore. Second, said Brazilian singer is Lucas who plays guitar in Vidro, and while I don’t know how much he contributed to riff-writing on this EP, if you’re a fan of Vidro’s hooky, groovy hardcore, you should definitely check out Prisão. The heavy, mid-paced grooves that make me want to smash my head through a wall also make me think of Golpe, particularly since Prisão lets these great riffs and grooves breathe, their songs taking time to unfold, which stands in contrast to the compressed, manic vibe of so much similarly ugly hardcore. Of course I like the fastest song the best, as “Foda-se” rips with a catchy, Minor Threat-ish main riff. A top-notch hardcore punk EP.

Cartoon: Nyuck Nyuck Boing! 12” (Human Headstone Presents) This Philadelphia avant-punk band delivers their first vinyl after dropping a demo tape (also on Human Headstone) back in 2022. Cartoon’s songs are mostly instrumental (though vocals with fractured, imagistic lyrics pop up a few times over the course of the record), drawing from diverse strands of instrument-focused (rather than vocal-focused) music like jazz fusion, post-rock, and Krautrock. But while the compositions sound like they’re based on influences from outside punk and hardcore, Cartoon plays like a punk band, keeping the intensity high and the tempos up, leaning hard into the grooves that form the backbone of these seven tracks. Nyuck Nyuck Boing! isn’t going to be for the majority of people reading the Sorry State newsletter, but if you hang with the post-Paganicons Saccharine Trust material, you’re gonna love this. If you enjoy Jaco Pastorius, 70s Miles Davis, and 80s King Crimson, you’re even better suited for this wild musical journey.

Mower: II 12” (Audacious Madness Records) II is the appropriately titled second album from this d-beat rock and roll group from Pittsburgh, and while I liked their first album a lot, II is even more scorching. Mower isn’t shy about their inspirations—their aesthetic is grounded firmly in Motorhead and Inepsy—but their music is far from formulaic, the style serving as a framework rather than a set of constraints. The band is on fire here too, the raw and live sound showcasing their power as players and the blistering tempos—Mower is fast!—keeping the energy level through the roof. While the punkier parts are straightforward, loud, and fast, Mower frequently slides into extended instrumental breaks that give them the opportunity to go further out, with blistering guitar solos, complex bass runs, and deft instrumental interplay serving as the perfect foil to the straightforward rippage. I’ve heard plenty of bands in this style that can wear thin after a track or two, but II is a smartly sequenced record that changes up the tempos, structures, and feel from song to song to keep everything super lively. Excellent stuff.

X: Hate City 7” (Dirt Cult Records) Dominic wrote about X-Aspirations, the classic debut album from this 70s Australian punk group (not to be confused with Los Angeles’s X) in his staff pick a few weeks ago, but the four tracks on Hate City capture an earlier four-piece version of the band that splintered before they released anything. This version of X is more straightforwardly punk, these tracks buzzing with loose energy and built around simple and memorable hooks. “Good on Ya Baby” (which also appeared on X-Aspirations) and “Cabaret Roll” remind me of the gruff sound of the Chosen Few, while the title track’s classic-sounding rock and roll riff and call and response chorus approach the amphetamine-fueled transcendentalism of the Saints. My favorite of the four tracks, though, is “Home Is Where the Floor Is,” another high-energy rocker with a super melodic chorus that fans of the early Scientists records will love. These four tracks are an important piece of the early Aussie punk puzzle, and while I wish this lineup had recorded more, I’m stoked to have a hard copy of these four lost classics.

Pleasants: Rocanrol in Mono 12” (Under the Gun Records) Debut release from yet another lo-fi Aussie garage-punk group, and while I’d love to tell you this scene has run out of steam, Rocanrol in Mono is very much worth your time. While Pleasants don’t come off as a Ramones-worship group like the Riverdales, the Ramones are a clear influence here, with some vocals adopting a Joey-esque accent (“Takeout Dinner”), lots of blistering 16th notes on the cymbals, and chunky major key riffs (“Home Alone” sounds a lot like the Ramones’ “Pinhead”). Like I said, though, there’s more to Pleasants than that, with mid-paced tracks like “Dead to the World” having a 70s glam feel and poppier songs like “Rubix Cube” reminding me of Cherry Cheeks. The vocals are distorted and buried, leaving most of the big hooks to the instruments, with lead guitar and bubblegummy synth lines vying for the spotlight across the LP. It’s catchy, high-energy music that might appeal to fans of anything from ’77 classics to the 90s Lookout! Records scene to contemporary egg punk, without fitting squarely into any of those styles. Rockanrol in Mono’s emphasis on high energy and big hooks means it’ll appeal to anyone with a pop sweet tooth, and its stylistic range will keep it on the turntable for many plays.

JJ & the A’s: Eyeballer 7” (La Vida Es Un Mus) Eyeballer is the second 7” from this Copenhagen-based band on La Vida Es Un Mus, giving us four more blasts of their abrasive but tuneful synth-punk. While Eyeballer keeps the energy level just as high as the debut and is still bathed in sheets of fuzz, I think the melodies shine through even more memorably here than on the first JJ & the A’s record. “Generation” has a dreamy quality that reminds me of their label-mates Rata Negra, but the rhythm section’s full-bore intensity cuts that sweetness with bucketfuls of grit. The underwater effect on the vocals can’t drown out the catchiness of the chorus to “Eyeballer,” and the 60s organ sound from the synth elevate both the title track and closer “The Runner.” “Counterstrike,” on the other hand, lays into the Ramones influence with its super fast drumming and heavy chord changes. I also love the artwork on this record. The graffiti lettering (a theme that carries over from the first EP) seems like an odd fit, but that weird little punk mutant on the front and the cool primary color accents are to die for.

Added Dimensions: Time Suck / Hellbent 7” (Domestic Departure Records) The title of this debut from Richmond’s Added Dimensions might give you the impression it’s a two-song single, but it actually serves up 5 tracks of the UKDIY-inspired indie/punk we expect from Domestic Departure Records. While the 4-track-ish production on Time Suck / Hellbent gives it a unified sound, the music covers a lot of ground, from the more driving and angular “Impulsive” to the Shop Assistants-y pop of “In the System” to the artier, Wire-ish “Wound Up.” (Yes, I’m using all the same comparisons as the label’s description… they’re very apt.) I particularly like when Added Dimensions’ melodies pile on top of one another, as in “Interruption” and “Compartmentalize,” which feature criss-crossing lines that intersect with one another in unexpected ways, sometimes producing interestingly dissonant harmonies. That arty sensibility combined with an uncomplicated appreciation of pop melody propels some of my favorite music ever, and that same chemistry makes Added Dimensions sound timeless and compelling.

Legion of Parasites: Undesirable Guests 12” (General Speech Records) General Speech Records brings us a well-done official reissue of this 80s UK hardcore gem. Legion of Parasites—particularly on Undesirable Guests—always reminded me of Ultra Violent in the way their music is based on a UK82 foundation, but the band clearly aims to match the intensity and speed of the most energetic US-style hardcore. The vocals rely on simple and memorable melodies and chanted choruses, and the music is bruising, with rhythms and tempos that remind me of Germany’s Inferno on “Party Time” and “Hypocrite.” You also can’t talk about Legion of Parasites without mentioning the wild drumming. The drummer seems way more interested in doing crazy fills than holding down a steady beat (much like Jerry’s kids), and the looseness of the fast parts also reminds me of Life Sentence. The speed and rippage factors place this in the company of the fastest European and American hardcore bands of the time, yet the echoes of those older UK punk sounds give Undesirable Guests its own unique flavor. It’s also worth saying that rather than the deluxe treatment most reissues receive nowadays, General Speech opted for packaging that more closely resembles the original pressing, with a punk price to match. Indeed, Undesirable Guests doesn’t need any bells and whistles to sell it… it just rips.

Welly Artcore: Nefarious Artists book (Earth Island Book) In this reference-style book, Welly from Artcore fanzine examines “the evolution and art of the punk rock, post-punk, new wave, hardcore punk and alternative rock compilation record.” Rather than a narrative history of the compilation, Nefarious Artists examines each compilation one by one, devoting half a page of description and analysis to each, letting the larger story of the compilation record—and the genres they cover—emerge through that lens. Theoretically, much of the information in this book is available on Discogs, but the consistency and thoroughness of Welly’s approach reveals the limitations of crowd-sourcing information, which applies attention very unevenly across large data sets like this. Cover art is a great example. Images of cover artwork are all over the place on Discogs; while major records probably have pretty good ones, once you get into the weeds you’ll find plenty of blurry, cropped, low-res, or otherwise substandard images on Discogs. For Nefarious Artists, however, Welly has meticulously scanned each compilation’s cover art himself, and while the images in the book are small, they’re of uniformly high quality. The same with the half-page descriptions of each compilation. Welly always provides a list of bands on the compilation and a brief description of what the record and bands sound like, as well as a short analysis of its artwork and packaging. Nefarious Artists will be a valuable reference tool for punk nerds, but there are freaks like me who will read it from beginning to end like it’s a novel (I did the same with the Flex discography books). If you do this, you will learn a TON, no matter how much of an expert you are. I’ve learned about dozens of compilations I’d never heard of, plus a mountain of other factoids. For instance, I learned about a band featuring a young Frankie Stubbs from Leatherface that released a single track on a regional compilation in 1981 (you’ll have to get the book to find the name of the band and the record). After searching the internet in an attempt to learn more, this information appears to exist only in Welly’s book and in the brains of old punks like him, so cheers to him for getting so much of this down. If you’re as big a nerd as I am, you’ll love going through Nefarious Artists systematically like this, listening to things on YouTube where possible and watching your want list swell. For me, there’s no higher praise for a book about punk rock than that.

Ultimate Disaster: Demo 2024 cassette (Acute Noise Manufacture) Debut 5-song demo from this new raw punk band from Richmond. This came out a few months ago, but our first batch of copies sold out instantly. Thankfully, Acute Noise Manufacture pressed more for the band’s recent tour with Deletär, which not only gives you a second chance to pick it up but also gives me an opportunity to tell you how much I like it. Disclose seems like an obvious reference point for Ultimate Disaster’s sound because they play in the Discharge style and the singer’s vocal inflections have a hint of Kawakami, but I really think they have their own thing going on. Unlike a lot of recordings by bands who draw inspiration from Disclose, the production here isn’t super fried. Instead, it’s rich and clear, unafraid to show the band’s powerful playing in the clear light of day. And god damn, are they powerful players… the drumming is heavy and driving, the bass playing is locked into the groove rather than a chaotic mess, and the riffs are broad and classic-sounding, the elements melding together into a unified roar. While their songs are dynamic and full of exciting crescendos, I love that Ultimate Disaster lets you get a good head-bang going, riding riffs and grooves long enough for you to sink into them. Critics will say there’s nothing new here, but I like that Ultimate Disaster doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, offering us a self-assured sound from a band who clearly knows who they are.

Cicada: S/T 7” flexi (Total Peace Records) Here’s another repress of a Richmond band’s demo that sold out instantly the first time around, thankfully upgraded to a red vinyl flexi courtesy of Total Peace Records. While there are fewer than 4 minutes of music on this disc, Cicada packs a lot in a small space. Starting with the buzz of the band’s namesake insect, feedback swells and the full band enters with a mid-paced stomp, the tempo building until a dramatic pause, the guitar player quickly signaling the riff before the full band throws you in the meat grinder. Cicada’s brand of hardcore is sinister and moody, the vocals in the demonic United Mutation school while the riffs dance around dark, complex chords that give Cicada a richly textured sound. The rhythms, often frantic, are similarly ornate, weaving a couple nods to Poison Idea into their darting lunges. Then you’re out before you know it, the band leaving us with a brief outro that sounds like a 4-track version of Goblin. There’s so much here that I’d love to see Cicada expand on, but there’s something magical about everything that’s captured in this brief tornado of sound.

Slender: Learn to Die 12” (Digital Regress Records) After two records on La Vida Es Un Mus, this New York project moves to Digital Regress Records for their second album. It seems like an appropriate move given the defiantly eclectic and experimental direction they’re moving in, which seems to have as much to say to the worlds of chamber music and fine art as DIY punk shows and limited edition 7”s. I could spend a couple thousand words touching on all the different styles and sounds Slender tackles over the course of Learn to Die and still come nowhere near doing it justice. Suffice to say there’s a lot of music here, and you never know what the next moment—much less the next song—will hold, with drastic changes in genre, tone, production methods, and just about everything else keeping Learn to Die in constant flux. Yet it doesn’t sound scattered. The label’s lengthy but evocative description puts it really well when they note it has a “polyvocal quality,” like it was created by a village full of artists rather than just a small group. Fans of strange and eclectic albums like Comus’s First Utterance, Cathedral’s Forest of Equilibrium, or Royal Trux’s Twin Infinitives will get the most out of this dense and demanding but exciting musical journey.

Lysol: Down the Street 7” (Feel It Records) New 4-song EP from this long-running hardcore punk band from Seattle. If you’ve checked out Lysol’s previous releases, you know broadly what to expect… hardcore with a seedy rock and roll edge that leans into the Iggy-isms that informed the Germs and early Black Flag. It’s a sound that’s strongly associated with the Pacific Northwest, with the Lewd, Poison Idea, and Mudhoney all cooking with a similar recipe. After the straightforward punker “Sonic Thrill,” Lysol lays down a slinky, vaguely Stones-y riff in “Grease Paint.” The b-side shows the band pulling at the edges of their sound, with the slide guitar (I think?) and loose guitar work in “15mg” drawing from 60s garage, only for “Padded Cell” to close record with a fast and tightly arranged hardcore tune that could slot right into the middle of Group Sex. If your cup of tea is actually a warm PBR, there’s a good chance you’re gonna like this.

Ikhras: Jahanam Btistana cassette (Quality Control HQ) Quality Control HQ brings us the debut cassette from this new UK band whose lyrics move seamlessly between Arabic and English. I think there’s a strong interest in the punk scene right now in hearing voices from Arabic-speaking and Muslim communities, and Ikhras melds that perspective to some walloping music. Ikhras is on the tougher side of the hardcore we cover at Sorry State, with a sound that’s inventive and eclectic, the powerful drummer seamlessly weaving together Cro-Mags gallop, Victim in Pain-inspired thrash, groovy I Against I-influenced parts, a touch of d-beat, and the all-important huge mosh parts. The lyrics shift between Arabic and English—not just from song to song, but sometimes line to line—and they’re super memorable, with “Enlighten Me” calling out people who wear liberal / leftist values like a cloak that hides their self-centeredness. The last track, “El Nahr,” is a climactic end to the tape, culminating in this part where the singer shouts “from the river to the sea for you I bleed” before the band drops into a huge mosh part. It’s easy to imagine a packed room full of sweaty hardcore kids all screaming that line in unison. While Ikhras’ music is a little outside Sorry State’s wheelhouse, their perspective and message make them interesting to more than just people who follow their particular style of music. I’m stoked that not only is Ikhras sharing their world with the rest of the punk scene, but that punk rock is alive and vital enough that it’s bringing new people under its tent, with those people inspired to contribute to punk’s social, aesthetic, and musical evolution.