QUICK HITS:

NY’s INCENDIARY will be releasing “Change The Way You Think About Pain” on May 26th via Closed Casket Activities. The first single up is “Bite The Hook” which can be heard on multiple platforms by clicking HERE with pre-orders and new merch available through Closed Casket. 

"Much of the content of the record deals with the idea of pain, specifically pain avoidance," says the band’s frontman, Brendan Garrone. “Bite the Hook” is about the struggles one faces when letting something fester and go unresolved. The song's aggression and vibe sets the tone for the rest of the record." 

Guitarist Brian Audley adds, "The goal with this album was to refine our songwriting and deliver it more aggressively. The expectation for a hardcore band on their fourth LP may be to start sanding the edges off and becoming more polished and anthemic. We wanted to go the complete opposite direction and make them sharper."

Will Putney of Graphic Nature Audio (Knocked Loose, Every Time I Die, Vein.fm) engineered, mixed and mastered “Change The Way You Think About Pain”, the band’s first release since 2017’s “Thousand Mile Stare”.

ACHE "INNER DIALOGUE" OUT APRIL 20TH

In mid-February we had some early details on the upcoming KINGS NEVER DIE album which now has the working title of “All The Rats”. The 10 song, 30 plus minute album will be released on May 26th through German label Metalville Records. The first single/video is for the track “Make Them Anymore” which was shot at their February 12th show at the Bowery Electric in NYC by Raised Fist Propaganda. Click HERE to check it out. The second single (and video) for the track “Stay True” will be arriving in about 2 weeks and was directed and shot by Dave Causa known for previous video work with Madball and Wisdom In Chains. Pre-order info, June dates as well as a July 14th-30th Northeast Tour for KND will be announced shortly. Kings Never Die pictured at left. 

Hamilton, New Zealand’s DROP OFF POINT are gearing up for the follow up to their June 2022 EP with another 5 song EP set to be released this spring. The band has a new singer in Mikey Walker and drummer in Fu Ferreira. Wisdom In Chains’ “Mad Joe” makes a guest vocal spot on the track “People Die” (not a WIC cover) and Madball’s Hoya Roc drops a spoken word intro to the track “Rat Race”. The EP contains 4 originals and a cover of “Hamtown Smackdown” by old-school NZHC band Vendetta. Find out more about Drop Off Point and New Zealand hardcore by reading this October 2022 piece we did with their bass player Garreth Steiner. 

FIRST GREY AREA LIVE PERFORMANCE SINCE 2015. PHOTO BY: MATT VIEL

Those who were in attendance for the TAKE MY CHANCES record release show in Amityville, NY on March 31st were treated to the first GREY AREA live performance since September of 2015. The band played 6 originals and a cover of Black Sabbath’s “Symptom Of The Universe”. Original members Ernie Parada (vocals) and Jason Lehrhoff (guitar) were joined by bassist Alex Volonino (who was in a later version of Grey Area). The rest of this sets lineup was rounded out by Take My Chances’ guitarist (Hugo Fitz) and drummer (Quinn Dynamite) with Dave Wagenschutz (Lifetime, Kid Dynamite, Good Riddance, Crossed Keys) and Raeph Glicken (Kill Your Idols, Black Anvil) each taking turns to play a few songs on drums. 

Buffalo, NY’s SPACED will be releasing 2 new songs titled “Boomerang” and “Cycle Killer” on April 7th. The digital/cassette release will be put out by New Morality Zine who also released their “Spaced Jams” 12” last summer. Spaced is currently on a short Northeast US run with MD’s Pinkshift and BLK Vapor which runs from March 1st through the 8th. Spaced will head to the UK/Europe for a 22 date tour that starts in Newcastle on June 26th and circles back to Leeds to end things up on July 18th. Orders for the new 2 song cassette will go live on April 7th as well as repress info for their “Spaced Jams” 12” which has been sold out for some time now.

News from our favorite publisher SHINING LIFE PRESS includes the newly released “Bullshit Monthly Fanzine Anthology”...  

“Bullshit Monthly was a fanzine that chronicled the New York Hardcore scene from 1984 through 1991. Beyond interviews and record reviews, every bit of news that could be written down was crammed into its pages, mostly hand written with grainy photos, and sold at hardcore shows for 25–50 cents. With this collection, gathering all of the issues together for the first time, your depth of knowledge and understanding about what was really going on in the 1980’s New York Hardcore scene will dramatically deepen. Also includes a bonus section full of unreleased content along with issues #26-30 from 2013.

"Bullshit Monthly played just as much of a major role as the bands making that scene." - Roger Miret, Agnostic Front

"Hand-drawn, hand-printed, typed, clipped, cut, pasted... look up ZINE in the encyclopedia of punk... you'll see a picture of it right there." - Mykel Board, Author

"Bullshit Monthly presented a comprehensive and thorough depiction of what WAS the NYHC scene of 1984-1991." - Gary Goldstein, Tse Tse Fly Fanzine

"It had a personality and like its creator it was pure New York. It was responsible for more than one great NYHC group coming together." - Sean Murphy, Collapse

"Reading it was like overhearing 1000 conversations outside CBGB's at once." - Brett Beach, Hardware Zine

CLICK HERE TO ORDER BULLSHIT MONTHLY FANZINE ANTHOLOGY FROM SHINING LIFE PRESS

Shining Life Press also now has copies of the 3rd edition of the “Urban Styles: Graffiti in New York Hardcore” book which originally came out in 2017 and has been sold out. Urban Styles is a chronicle of the intersection of graffiti art and the NYHC scene of the 80s and 90s. Over 370 pages with many full-color photos and 40 interviews with legendary writers and artists like Mackie Jayson, REVS, MQ, Lukie Luke, LORD EZEC, STAK TFP, Chaka Malik, SANE SMITH and many more. Urban Styles author Freddy Alva has since gone on to create the New Breed Black Book which is a 44-page zine featuring tributes by graffiti artists/visual artists to the New Breed Compilation Tape from 1989. Shining Life Press has copies of both the book and fanzine which can also be bundled together at a discounted price. 

PHOTO BELOW TAKEN FROM "NEW BREED BLACK BOOK". CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO

REVOLUTION FEST 2023 will be held in Eindhoven in The Netherlands on November 25th and will have 3 stages. Exclusive 2023 EU appearances by SIDE BY SIDE (first show since 1988), KILL YOUR IDOLS, WISDOM IN CHAINS, DEATH THREAT and 7 SECONDS are backed with appearances by COCK SPARRER, NO TURNING BACK, BISHOPS GREEN and GEL with more names yet to be announced. Info and tickets can be found HERE. 

THIS IS HARDCORE FEST has dropped a few names for their August 4th, 5th and 6th dates which will be held at Underground Arts and Franklin Music Hall in Philadelphia. Included so far are BANE, GORILLA BISCUITS, INTEGRITY, EARTH CRISIS, PRAYER FOR CLEANSING, SILENT MAJORITY, NO PRESSURE, VEIN, MINDFORCE, GRIDIRON, UNDYING & SPEED. Stay locked in HERE for more info as it becomes available. 

DOZED are a new band from Jakarta, Indonesia who recently put out a single for their track “Option” which will be on their upcoming Salvation Records cassette EP due out this April. The band cites Violent Reaction, Minor Threat and Poison Idea as influences… hard to go wrong with that foundation. Check out “Option” by clicking HERE. 

Brooklyn, NY’s CONFUSION formed in the early 1990’s combining hardcore and death metal for a short run that ended with their initial breakup in 1994. The band recently announced that they will be teaming up with Daze and Generation Records to release “Storm The Walls: 1990-1994”. The compilation, which will be available on CD and vinyl this summer is the complete recorded discography of the band, remastered by Mark Dann. The packaging features liner notes from members of Indecision, All Out War, Starkweather, Next Step Up, Darkside NYC and more. Combining the brutality of Obituary and Deicide with the groove and street smarts of Biohazard and Breakdown, Confusion is often credited for creating the original “deathcore” sound. Confusion have released a newly remastered version of the single “Storm The Walls” which originally appeared on Back Ta Basics Records’ “A Call For Unity: East Coast Hardcore Compilation”. Pre-orders will be available closer to the release date however there are “Storm The Walls” Confusion shirts available for purchase through the Daze website. 

Back on March 1st Savannah, GA’s DEFIANT PATH put out a 2 song “Spring Promo” which is worthy of some more attention. Back in December the band signed with North Carolina’s Force Of Reckoning Records and immediately starting writing for a full length which they hope to have out this fall. Look for an interview with Defiant Path’s singer Ethan Youth to be hitting In Effect Hardcore in the coming weeks… but in the meantime make sure to check out their new “Spring Promo” by clicking HERE. 

DRAGONS AT NOON are a new band from the NY area who recently released their debut album titled “Give And Take”. Singer Lee tells us that Dragons At Noon was inspired by jamming with his 3 year old daughter and 5 year old son after taking a musical break after his last band None Above All broke up. Started in November of 2022 Lee recorded some demos and sent them out to local musicians he was a fan of. Soon after Fred Delacruz of Silence Equals Death joined on lead guitar, Mike Kaufman (Examine, Sai-Nam) joined on bass and Moe Watson from Shai Hulud is on drums with Lee playing second guitar and singing. Lee described Dragons At Noon’s sound to be “loosely, Bane meets Weezer”. Judge for yourself by checking out their music HERE. 

Veteran German band RYKERS recently released the new track “Man Of War” which features Darkside NYC singer Rich O’Brien on guest vocals. The press release that came with this single made it clear that this is a humorous “homage” to a “special band” that was not named but is obviously Manowar. Click HERE to check it out. No Balls Records is releasing this as a limited edition (300 pressed) 7”. Details on how to get one are in the previous link. 

QUICK HITS: 

Santa Cruz, CA’s SCOWL will be releasing their upcoming 5 song EP titled “Psychic Dance Routine” on April 7th via Flatspot Records. “Opening Night” is the first single (and video) and can be seen HERE.

The EP finds Scowl continuing to push the boundaries of their sound and artistic presence, now laying somewhere between hardcore and alternative. Lead single “Opening Night” is a perfect example, marrying edgy melodies with dynamic riffs. Vocalist Kat Moss’ delivery sounds more fiery than ever, singing on most of the track before heading into a frenzied growl. The video for the song, directed by guitarist Malachi Greene, sets the EP’s thematic stage, driven by a mystifying performance.

Speaking on writing “Opening Night”, Kat stated:

“Opening Night’ is a song I’m particularly excited about because I really worked on this song’s structure with the boys in the band. I felt inspired by early 2000’s indie rock songs written by bands like The Strokes and Vampire Weekend. Lyrically this song takes a pretty literal stab at my experience of feeling jolted from stage to van, and back again, every single night. I also had experiences on tour where I was seeing faces in the crowd that belonged to people from my past, and it was pretty shocking”.

Scowl is currently on tour across the United States and Canada with Show Me The Body, Jesus Piece, Zulu, and TRiPP JONES. This Spring they’ll make their Coachella debut and perform at an array of festivals including Flatspot World, Bamboozle, and Sick New World. Their current 36 date run of shows ends on March 24th at Brooklyn Steel in NYC with future show dates that run all the way through September. Pre-orders for “Psychic Dance Routine” can be found via Flatspot Records. 

FURY OF FIVE TO RELEASE "HALF PASSED REVENGE" ON MARCH 3RD

Detroit’s ILLMATIC will be releasing the 9 song “Watching The World Burn” on February 24th also via Upstate Records.

“Formed in the summer of 2021, Illmatic combine crossover hip-hop and hardcore reminiscent of Rage Against The Machine, Downset and Biohazard by blending heavy groovy riffs with a strong rhythm bass and drum foundation. Illmatic imparts the right balance for lyrical flows that weaves between a traditional hip-hop and heavy hardcore delivery that culminates in an unrelenting, aggressive head bob from start to finish”.

Three singles have been released ahead of the release date including the latest; “Rat Traps” which comes with an accompanying music video that features guest vocals by Aztek The Barfly. Click HERE to check out “Rat Traps” and HERE to head over to Illmatic’s Spotify where you can catch the other new singles. Compact disc pre-orders for “Watching The World Burn” can be found via Upstate Records. 

Just a few days back Upstate Records also announced that they have signed Arizona’s LOCKED DOWN who formed in 2021 and released their debut album “Twenty Two” last year. More recently the band released a music video for the track “Sold Out” which you can watch HERE. Details for their Upstate debut are still in the works but in the meantime you can check out their album by visiting the Locked Down website. 

Santa Cruz, CA's DRAIN will make their Epitaph Records debut on May 5th with the release of the 10 song “Living Proof” album which will be available on CD and 12” vinyl. “Evil Finds Light” is the debut single and music video which features a show stealing performance by Colin Young of Gods Hate. In addition to the usual merch attached to a new release like shirts and hoodies Drain has a very eclectic lineup of swag including Drain beach shorts, surf caps, tote bags, wall flags, coffee mugs and beach balls. Click HERE for all things Drain including info on their upcoming Rebellion Tour dates with Madball, H2O and more kicking off on March 1st in Saarbrucken Germany and running through March 12th in Berlin. 

NY’s URBAN WASTE will release their first new full length record in over a decade this April with the 11 song “What Else Is New?!” album. The new release will be released on 12” vinyl on UW’s Wasteland Productions label with a first pressing of 200 copies. Digital downloads will become available at a later date. Urban Waste has an 8 date tour of the East Coast set up for late April and a 3 day weekend of Midwest dates set for September. The new album was recorded and engineered by Will Harris at Sabella Studios on Long Island. Guitarist Johnny Waste tells us that the new songs are “faster, heavier, louder and still kicking the old ’82 spirit”. Last year Urban Waste and Mob Clash Records released the “More Wasted Years” 12” which is a collection of songs from past and current lineups. Click HERE to check it out. 

NY's CHUMHUFFER have announced that their next release will be titled "Orgy Of Hate" and will be available on April 21st. The self-released 7 song CD will also be available as a limited run lathe-cut 7" and on all the usual digital locations for download. The first single titled "Wasting Away" comes to us with an accompanying music video as well. "Orgy Of Hate was produced by ChumHuffer and Glen Lorieo (Billy Club Sandwich & No Redeeming Social Value) and features artwork by Mick Lambrou. When asked about where the title of the album, and song by the same name, came from lead singer Shawn Refuse recollects...

“Well, I came up with this great song about how hate breeds hate and it’s a vicious circle that needs to be broken by us as a society. It was called “Hate Will Breed Hate”. I brought it into practice and Matt was like ‘That’s no fun, why don’t we call it something that everyone likes? Orgies are fun, everyone loves orgies. Let’s call it Orgy Of Hate’.”

"Orgy Of Hate" album release shows are planned for the Midway Cafe in MA on April 22nd and at the Bowery Electric in NYC on April 30th. Pre-orders for the new ChumHuffer can be found HERE. 

KINGS NEVER DIE are hard at work on their upcoming 10 song debut album which is scheduled to be released on May 26th. The first single off the upcoming album is called “Make Them Anymore” and is planned to be made into a music video on February 12th when KND share the stage with Shutdown, Incendiary Device, End of Hope and Indeyevid at The Bowery Electric in NYC with plans for the video to be released on March 31st. New song titles include “Stay True”, “Make Them Anymore” and “This One’s For You” along with new versions of previously released tracks “Side By Side” and “The Juice”. Evan Ivkowich from Wisdom In Chains has recently joined the band as their new bass player joining Biohazard drummer Danny Schuler as the bands’ newest members. The rest of KND’s 2023 lineup is made up by Dylan Gadino on vocals, Dan Nastasi (Dog Eat Dog) on guitar and Larry The Hunter on guitar. Expect an announcement of the album’s title and label in the next few weeks.    

Long Island NY’s BITTERS AND DISTRACTIONS (who define themselves as an “acoustic punk duo”) recently released a music video for the track “Existentialism in a Car” off of their “Make Each Day’s Purpose What You Can Recall” EP that came out in April of 2022. For a change of pace while still being “punk adjacent” give their new video and EP a shot.

On February 17th Brooklyn NY’s REBELMATIC will release a stand-alone single for a new track called “Amnesia”. The new track comes 5 days before they set out on a 9 date Southeast US tour with North Carolina’s Weedeater. On May 27th Rebelmatic will be in NYC’s infamous Tompkins Square Park alongside Leeway, Butterbrain and Winterwolf. Stay locked in to all things Rebelmatic by clicking HERE

NJ's KIRKBY KISS have released a new track in "Move" which is also featured on the "Autonomy Now!" cassette compilation put out by Sex and Glue Zine (which is also a soon to be defunct record label). The 37 song comp will have all proceeds go to The Brigid Alliance. Kirkby Kiss will also be featured on a recently announced compilation titled "Stronger Together Vol 1" that will benefit Global Fund For Women. This 16 track CD will feature bands that have female members from around the world and is a joint release with Women Of The Pit and Upstate Records. Estimated release is Spring 2023. . 

QUICK HITS: 

NY's DIG MY GRAVE RECORDS will be releasing a digital benefit compilation of mostly unreleased tracks featuring bands from Long Island, NYC and Vermont to benefit Sweet Briar Nature Center in Smithtown, NY. The lineup for this release will have: Power Lies, The Stress, Mad Mulligans, Devotchkas, Lethal, Controlled Substance, War Babies, Jones Crusher, Charged For Battle, The Krottie Boys, Project Scum, Two Man Advantage, Urban Waste, The Path, Yum Yuckers, Ennui, Gang Way, Bitch Switch, Terror Eyes, Too Many Voices (who cover 7 Seconds' "Satyagraha") and The Great Lie (who cover “Deny Everything” by the Circle Jerks). When people buy/download the compilation they will be mailed a zine that includes info on all the bands as well as the Sweet Briar Nature Center. Make sure to follow Dig My Grave Records for future updates on this release which should be out before Spring 2023. <<< Photo by: Matt Viel. 

Make sure to check out the 41 minute NEW YORK UNITED TOUR 2022 video put together by Donny from Force 5 Records. In this You Tube video Donny documents the Fall 2022 New York United Tour that took place across the United States with Agnostic Front, Sick Of It All and Crown Of Thornz. Click HERE to check it out! 

NOT LIKE YOU RECORDS (and zine!) recently released “Skate Ratz Vol 1 featuring a bunch of cool bands. Check out the description: “An homage to the old Thrasher Magazine Skate Rock comp LP’s of the 80’s, Volume 1 features 9 of today’s hardest working skate rock bands. A soundtrack to your next skate session or a nice introduction to some of the finest skate rock bands. Featuring Too Many Voices, Fastplants, Since We Were Kids, Good Touch, The Hacks, Slashers, Rabid Assault, Disco Assault and Bing Krosby (featuring Chuck Treece of McRad) Includes a 12 page booklet and cover art by artist Bobbydrawsskullz”. Click HERE to grab a copy! 

Buffalo NY’s EXHIBITION are gearing up for the release of their new 10 song album titled “The Last Laugh” due out on or around February 17th through Triple B Records. Four of the new tracks can already be found on Bandcamp or Spotify and includes a cover of Iron Cross’ “Crucified”. Pre-orders on 12” vinyl with a few fancy color options can be found HERE. 

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE LYRIC VIDEO FOR "SPIRIT REMAINS" BY KING LY CHEE

Back in 2016 Hong Kong’s KING LY CHEE made their first trip to the East Coast of the United States and made many new fans by opening up for Sick Of It All on their 30th anniversary run. I rarely make these quick hits pieces personal but it was on this run that I met their frontman Riz Farooqi and invited him, his wife and young daughter to hang out with myself and my young son for an afternoon on Coney Island’s boardwalk where the two kids gelled immediately as if they were best friends or classmates for years. Meeting people you know through the hardcore scene who live on the opposite side of the world is not an everyday event. Meeting someone from around the world who has almost the exact same hobby as you do (check out UniteAsia.org) and clicking with them is a true bonding moment. When I recently checked out the new King Ly Chee track I had to hit up Riz for a quote to get an update on KLC’s new track and this is what he had to say…

“King Ly Chee broke up in 2017 after which I started a band called Dagger for a number of years. About mid-2021 the "classic" lineup of King Ly Chee decided to get back in a practice room to jam through some songs etc. This lineup is considered "classic" here in Hong Kong because this era was the most widely respected and celebrated version of the band in our 20+ year history. After coming back together we didn't want to just play songs of that era but also start writing new stuff. This song "Spirit Remains" is the product of a bunch of dudes coming together and rehashing the type of music that we love. It's heavy, it's got groove, has some metal, even threw in a cello. We just don't give a fuck who gets it, who doesn't, what the tastemakers think, we're just doing this for us from now on”.

MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT THESE NEWLY 

ADDED MUSIC VIDEOS! 

END IT: “FAMILIA FINITO”

DEAD BLOW HAMMER: “ROLLER”

END OF HOPE: “ARC OF MOVEMENT”

NO OPTION: “302”

JIVEBOMB "DITZ"

LAST ORDERS HC:

“CHICKEN NUGGETS, CHIPS ‘N BEANS”

AGGROS ANNOUNCE DETAILS ON "RISE OF THE AGGROS" DEBUT ALBUM DUE OUT MARCH 1ST

In more turning back the clock news FAHRENHEIT 451 will have their “The Thought Of It” 7 song CD (1996) released for the very first time on 12” vinyl via Light The Fuse Records out of the Netherlands. Remastered with new artwork/layout by Orlando from Stillsuit/Orange 9MM, this new release is available now for pre-order and will be released on January 1st with wider distribution including the United States still in the works. Stay tuned. F451 have been active over the last couple of months playing some shows as well as writing new music with an eye on releasing a new 2 song 7” in 2023.

Sticking with the Fahrenheit 451 theme guitarist Lenny Bednarz and bassist Kevin Smith have been busy with their latest band called CRAZY EDDIE who got their start in late 2017. To date they have had 3 “proper” releases along with a couple of singles along the way. Crazy Eddie will be heading into the studio in January to record a 5 song 7” titled “Eddie Puts Out A 7 Inch” to be released by Rockin’ Rex Records. For those who might not know, Rockin’ Rex was one of the best NY area record stores for underground punk and hardcore music located in Yonkers in Westchester County and closed well over 20 years ago. Stay tuned in to Crazy Eddie news by clicking on those blue hyperlinks, in the meantime you can check out their latest release “Eddie Ruins Fun” which came out this past June by clicking HERE. 

FLATSPOT RECORDS will be releasing “The Extermination Volume IV” compilation on January 27th. Like the previous compilations under the “Extermination” flag Flatspot will bring us “exclusive tracks from artists on their roster and some of their favorite rising bands in the hardcore scene”. Bands to be included on this new compilation are: SPEED, THE CHISEL, BUGGIN, SECTION H8, RAW BRIGADE, JIVEBOMB, END IT, SPY, LAW OF POWER, MUTUALLY ASSURED DESTRUCTION and CHOICE TO MAKE. Speed’s track “One Blood We Bleed” has already made its debut with a music video which you can check out HERE with pre-orders available now through Flatspot. Speaking more on the compilation’s message and history Flatspot had this to add… “This compilation was started to provide a snapshot of the current state of hardcore. Every song is exclusive to the series, and we love to see bands take pride in giving us some of their best songs for this compilation. With Volume 4, we present the next wave of hardcore from our perspective. For this volume, every single band gave 110% raw power and pure energy. This is a true representation of hardcore in its purest form.”

Milwaukee, WI’s BIG LAUGH will be releasing their debut full length titled “Consume Me” on February 10th via Revelation Records. The lead single “Mask” comes with an accompanying music video which you can check out HERE. More from the press release… “Recorded with producer Matt Russell at Altered States studio in Chicago, “Consume Me” bends genres and refuses to stick to tired formulas, taking nods from other Midwest greats like Husker Du and Die Kreuzen. Self-described “punks who listen to Judge,” Big Laugh work in a wide array of influences - from the blazing speed and harsh noises of Japanese rippers like Gauze and Bastard to the mosh-ready impact of NYHC bands like Burn and Alone In A Crowd, and even some melodic sensibilities akin to the aforementioned Husker Du. The album's lyrics hit close to home for the band, holding personal notions while still feeling outwardly relatable. It follows the band's 2020 EP, “Manic Revision” (11PM Records), which Revelation has also announced a vinyl reissue for.”  Big Laugh will kick off a 15 date Midwest/Southeast US tour with Gel starting on January 20th in Milwaukee at X-Ray Arcade with things wrapping up on February 5th at Comet Ping Pong in Washington DC. For full tour dates check out In Effect’s Show Flyers page and stay tuned for “Consume me” pre-orders which have not yet been announced. 

RIOT STARES out of Charleston, SC will have their new 10 song CD “Sounds Of Acceleration” out on January 20th through Daze. About a month back they released a video for the track “Relief Technique” and now comes a new video for the track “Trip Chain”. The band has previously released EP’s in both 2016 and 2017. Unfortunately though, following the passing of guitarist Issy Varoumas, Riot Stares has stated that this will be their final release. You can pre-order “Sounds Of Acceleration” HERE. 

xMASx who are made up in part by members of Don’t Sleep and Calling Hours have released a cover of the Christmas classic “Jingle Bells” with the twist being that they got all of their kids in on it as well! Check it out HERE. 

QUICK HITS: 

BLOODCLOT will be releasing a 7 song LP titled “Souls” this December through Upstate Records, Pitchfork Hardwear & Germany’s Coretex Records. Bloodclot 2022 features John Joseph of Cro-Mags fame on vocals, Sick Of It All’s Craig Setari on bass, Tom Capone (Beyond, Shelter, Quicksand) on guitar and Darren Morganthaler (Maximum Penalty) on drums. The new album will also include a cover of the Bad Brains’ “How Low Can A Punk Get”. The title track “Souls” will be the first single off of the new album and will go public this Friday September 9th.

In the in case ‘ya missed it department MINDFORCE will release their second full length album titled “New Lords” on September 16th on Triple B Records. “Survival Is Vengeance” is the single out in circulation and you can check it out HERE. For pre-orders please check out the Triple B Records website. 

New York’s REGULATE have released two music videos in “Why Can’t We?” and “In The Moment” ahead of the release of their new 10 song self-titled album due out on September 30th on Flatspot Records. Pre-orders for this release can be found HERE. Check out some of the press release below…

"Produced, engineered, mixed and mastered by Jon Markson (Drug Church, Soul Blind), Regulate takes the band to another level, teetering between a traditional hardcore sound and something more striking, pulling additional inspiration from Latin music and R&B. Regulate has always been an outlet for vulnerability - the band’s previous album In the Promise of Another Tomorrow (2018) shined with commentary on identity and power structure complimented by explosive musicianship. This time, Paba (vocals) presents some of his most personal lyrics to date, pushing forth thoughts on serious topics like genocide against indigenous peoples and more light-hearted notes of just loving making music." 

Flatspot Records continues to run wild as of late with the announcement that they will be releasing the “Primitive Desires” EP from Baltimore’s JIVEBOMB on October 7th. A music video for the title track can be found HERE and pre-orders for this sub 5 minute release can be found HERE. Jivebomb’s previous release came out in September of 2021 and can be found HERE. 

SHUTDOWN IN NYC OCTOBER 2021. PHOTO BY: JC PHOTO MEDIA

Brooklyn’s NOBODY’S PERFECT whose history dates back to 1989 will be releasing their first new music in over 30 years with a new 6 song digital EP titled “Arrival” due out on September 23rd. The band had two releases before breaking up in 1994 and got back together last year to work on new music. Nobody’s Perfect recently released a music video for the track “U-Turn” that features Paulie Nugent.

Click HERE to check it out. 

Sweden’s NOWHERES have released a new single for the track “Breaking” which will be on their upcoming 7 song EP titled “Last Dance First’ due out this Fall. “Breaking” is the second single off of the upcoming release and follows

“Don’t Look Down” which was made public back in April. Nowheres are a quarantine era born band that recently played their first ever live show opening for Cro-Mags in Stockholm. Back in June of 2021 we featured them in an article dubbed “Hardcore Explorer” which you can check out HERE. FFO Be Well, Praise and One Step Closer.

Long Island’s TAKE MY CHANCES are finishing up their newest release which will be a 4 song EP tentatively titled “Fostex Fever”. This is their first release since their 2006 “Down Here With Us” 10 song CD. Look for this release to come out this fall digitally along with a limited run of lathe cut 7” vinyl with artwork done by Token Entry/Grey Area’s Ernie Parada. 

NY’s CRAZY EDDIE are back with a brand new 3 song EP that came out on June 24th. “Eddie Ruins Fun” is currently available to be streamed HERE and features a guest vocal appearance by Fahrenheit 451’s Armando Bordas on the track “No Time To Waste”.

Buffalo’s SPACED have a new single out titled “Prove You Wrong”. Go HERE to check it out. Spaced kick off a 14 date UK/Euro tour on August 1st in Bristol with things wrapping up in Berlin on August 17th. 

Richmond VA’s CONTACT have teamed up with our friends at Patient Zero Records with a 12” EP coming out this September. “Groove oriented hardcore” FFO Shelter and Magnitude… the latest single is titled “Silence” and you can check it out HERE.

DEVIATED STATE out of Los Angeles dropped a new single “All Bite No Bark” way back on May 27th. We appreciate this band and didn’t want it to go unnoticed as we have not had a “quick hits” update since its release. Click HERE to give it a listen. 

By the time many of you read this the debut PEMBROKE album will have been released. Titled “All The Brightest Pictures” will have 13 tracks including preview tracks “Final Day” and “Bloodrats”. With an impressive pedigree of NYC veteran musicians, PEMBROKE’s energetic debut is brimming with melodic punk riffs, galloping hardcore, mosh-inducing breakdowns, a tightly wound rhythm section, and a pinch of DC post-hardcore flavor. Think SICK OF IT ALL covering RITES OF SPRING or vice versa. Pembroke features members who have been in: Supertouch, Saetia, Off Minor, Lytic and Guns Don’t Run. Handstand Records is handling the release of the debut Pembroke album... click HERE to find out more. 

KINGS NEVER DIE out of NY/NJ have a new 4 song EP out titled “Good Times And The Bad” through Fast Break! Records. “Side By Side” is one of the new tracks and comes with an accompanying music video. 

NO REDEEMING SOCIAL VALUE will be performing live for the first time since 2019 at this year’s Black N Blue Bowl being held at The Monarch in Brooklyn, NY on May 14th and 15th along with a ton of other heavy hitters. This will also be the first time fans will be able to see NRSV play songs off of their latest album "Wasted For Life" which came out in August of 2020. Old footage from NRSV's last BNB appearance (when it was still called the "Super Bowl Of Hardcore") has resurfaced in the form of a live video for the song "No Regrets". Click HERE to check out NRSV circa 2005 and check out the BNB 2022 flyer to the left to get more info on this year's extravaganza including how to get tickets! In other No Redeeming news their "Wasted For Life" album will be released on picture disc by Dead City Records later this year, stay tuned for more info!

Germany's RYKERS have finished working on their new 10 song album titled "Ours Was A Noble Cause" and have a release date of August 3rd with BDHW Records. This is their first new release with their original singer Kid D since he left the band back in 2014. The band just finished up a 9 date Euro tour that started on April 29th and also released the new track (and video) for "Bread And Circuses" which will be on the new album.

NY's WINTER WOLF recently released the new track "Blue Lights" which will be on their upcoming 4 song EP titled "Unwell" due out on July 2nd. Academic Punk Records is a new DIY label who plan on releasing CD and vinyl versions of the new Winter Wolf as well. Click HERE to check out “Blue Lights”. 

Belgium's REDEMPTION DENIED will be releasing a new 11 song album titled "Where Dead Ends Meet" on May 13th through Berlin's Isolation Records. To date there have been 3 singles made public ahead of the release date including the tracks "Testament", "Where Dead Ends Meet" (lyric video) and "Another Victim" which  also comes at us with an accompanying music video. Bjorn Dossche of Rise & Fall and Chain Reaction appears on the track "Testament" and had this to say about his fellow Belgians...  

"Somehow, longevity is a rare thing in hardcore. Consider yourself lucky if your favourite band made it past the 3 year mark. What's even rarer is a band that pushes on - despite line-up changes, personal careers and the pressure of "adult" life - to deliver their first ever full length album almost a decade after their debut EP. But, that's exactly what Redemption Denied did. And the damn thing hits like a sledgehammer. Granted, the subtle approach was never theirs, but on this album the vigor, determination and sheer power can be felt in every single song, every single riff and every single word singer Kasper spits. It's clear that while "Where Dead Ends Meet" was being written, Redemption Denied sharpened their skills and made sure their all-out assault didn't lose the dynamics needed to keep everyone's attention, all of the time. Their 90's CTHC (Hatebreed, Death Threat) meets Upstate NY (All Out War, Stigmata) sound has never hit harder, not in the least by the increased death metal influence that tips "Where Dead Ends Meet" over the edge of what's socially acceptable in terms of heaviness. The destructive aggression their music possesses is more than matched by the apocalyptic, socio-political lyrics that strike a precarious balance between embittered and empowering. It's their testament, written in blood". 

"Where Dead Ends Meet" was recorded at Jupiter Studios in their native Belgium, mixed to perfection by Taylor Young (Nails, Twitching Tongues, Xibalba, God's Hate) and mastered by Brad Boatright (Ringworm, Never Ending Game, Integrity), and boasts incredible cover art by Ridge Rhine (Terror, Knocked Loose, Judiciary). To top things off, it also features guest vocals by Tyler Mullen (Year Of The Knife) and Bjorn Dossche (Chain Reaction, Rise And Fall). Click HERE for various ways to check the new music as well as pre-order physical copies. 

Oakland's POWERHOUSE will have their first new record out in nearly 20 years on June 17th with the release of the 6 song "Renegades" EP. The band took nearly a 2 decade hiatus after their bassist and founding member Ernie Cortez passed away and return with 4 members who have played a significant role in the band's history in addition to scene veteran Casey Watson on bass who many may know from The Old Firm Casuals and Look Back And Laugh. The new EP was produced by Rancid's Lars Frederickson and will be a joint release with Pitchfork and Upstate Records. Check out the new tracks "Outlast" and "It's Been A Minute" by clicking on the blue hyperlinks.  

Last summer we brought you a feature called Hardcore Explorer which included the band NOWHERES from Sweden. Nowheres recently released a new single for the track "Don't Look Down" which will be on an upcoming 7 song 12" EP titled "Last Dance First". The new release will have all 7 songs on one side with a screen printed B side. Genet Records from Belgium and Svensk Hardcorekultur will put this out as a joint release which should be out this fall. Click HERE to check out the Hardcore Explorer article and HERE for "Don't Look Down". 

Long Island NY's WAREHOUSE just released a new 2 song flexi-7" with Street Fight Records. The band formed in 2014 and released a 4 song demo in late 2015 with an 8 song EP titled "Image" being their last release in 2016. Warehouse played out a lot locally and were gaining momentum but numerous lineup changes pushed them towards a hiatus which started in 2018 with some of their members moving on to bands like Hangman, Private Mind and Stand Still. Stream the two new tracks on Bandcamp or Spotify or snag a flexi-7" through Street Fight Records. 

URBAN WASTE have officially released their latest album titled "More Wasted Years" which is being released on vinyl (Mob Clash Records) and CD (Faster And Louder). The 17 song release contains 9 brand new tracks as well as 8 re-recorded tracks from their 2010 "Recycled" album which featured their old singer (Kenny Ahrens, RIP). Guests on this new release include Agnostic Front Godfathers Vinnie Stigma on the track "Problems" and Roger Miret on the track "Hypocrisy". You can stream the new Urban Waste on You Tube or Spotify and grab a CD through Faster And Louder. Urban Waste will be selling the vinyl copies at all of their upcoming shows which include stops in Brooklyn, Allentown, PA and Philadelphia. In addition Urban Waste will start recording their next album this July and also are working on a 40th anniversary record which will be coming out later this year that will include original Urban Waste demos (with their original singer Billy Phillips), a live 1983 CBGB’s set, unreleased songs from the early 80’s and the original Urban Waste 7” from 1982. 

QUICK HITS: 

TERROR have announced that they will be releasing their 8th full-length album titled “Pain Into Power” on May 6th through Pure Noise Records. For this record the band has reunited with founding guitarist Todd Jones (also currently in Nails) who is also the new album’s producer. “Pain Into Power” contains 11 tracks including “Can’t Help But Hate” that features Cannibal Corpse frontman George “Corpsegrinder” Fisher. Click HERE to listen to the new track as well as find out more about pre-orders which include 3 different vinyl variants, CD’s, hoodies, t-shirts, stickers, a wall flag, posters and hats.

On working with his old bandmate Todd Jones and the new “Can’t Help But Hate” track Terror vocalist Scott Vogel had this to say: "Todd is super intense and focused and analyzes all angles of songs and band situations. Sometimes I think he might know more about Terror than I do! Watching him create songs is inspiring because he was so invested in this album. And that was what we needed because Terror has done this so many times. This song is a fusion of Jordan and Todd Jones' riffs. Pushed forward by possibly the fastest drumming Terror has ever had. Lyrics that everyone can easily relate to while living in a world crashing deeper into insanity day after day. And of course the addition of Corpsegrinder's vocals makes this minute and twenty six second track super unique for Terror's eighth LP."

BE WELL will be releasing a new 6 song EP titled “Hello Sun” on May 20th on Revelation Records (and End Hits Records in Europe). “Hello Sun” is the follow up to their  2020 full length “The Weight And The Cost”. There is a music video out now for the new track “Treadless” which you can watch now by clicking HERE. To support the EP release, the band has an extensive touring schedule coming up this year, including shows with Hot Water Music, Strike Anywhere, Earth Crisis, Snapcase, Strife, New Found Glory, Four Year Strong, BoySetsFire, and Samiam with dates stretched out between late March and mid-October that includes extensive US dates and a European run as well. Click Be Well’s link tree to find out how to pre-order the upcoming EP, buy tickets to their upcoming shows and more. 

New York’s COMBUST will be releasing a new 11 song album titled “Another Life” through Cash Only Records with the digital release and vinyl pre-sales going live on March 18th. The new track “The Knife” can be found on You Tube and Spotify. Another new track titled “Devil In Me” was released via the Axe To Grind Podcast on March 1st and can be heard by clicking the blue hyperlink. “Devil In Me” is played within the first minute of the episode and is not hard to find. Back in August of last year Combust released the track “Pull The Hammer” as part of the Triple B Records compilation “America’s Hardcore Volume 5”. You can also check out In Effect’s 2019 interview with Combust frontman Andrew Vacante by clicking HERE. 

RECENTLY ADDED MUSIC VIDEOS:

KOYO “TEN DIGITS AWAY” 

SKARHEAD “DEFIANCE”

IGNITE “THIS DAY”

DRUG CHURCH “TIRESOME”

INCLINATION "THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS"

BILLY BIO “BLACK OUT”

DEATH LENS “DAEMON”  

TOXIC YOUTH “DOUBLE ICE CREAM”

ILL MATIC “DOWNFALL” 

MOONRAKER “CRICKETS” 

BACK ON COURSE "ETERNIDAD"

VISIT OUR VIDEOS PAGE FOR 100'S MORE! 

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CRAZY EDDIE are teaming up with BRIDGE AND TUNNEL BREWERY in Queens, NY to put out their very own beer called "Crazy Eddie Ruins College". The Coquito Cream Ale will be unveiled on February 19th at the brewery located at 1535 Decatur Street in Ridgewood. At this event Crazy Eddie will play with Dead Blow Hammer and Idol Existence to coincide with the beers release which will be offered up on tap as well as in 4 pack cans. The free show is also a fund raiser for Music 4 Veterans. Check in with the Crazy Eddie Instagram page to see their guitarist Lenny taking part in the making of this new beer. In other Crazy Eddie news they have a couple of new songs in the works that could end up being part of a split 7" with another (still to be determined) NY punk band. "Eddie Goes To Night School" is the band’s latest EP which came out in March of 2020. Click HERE to check it out.

In our last update we told you about a new REBELMATIC track due out in late February/early March that is part of an upcoming 4 song EP titled “Mourning Dove”. “Walk On Water” came out ahead of our last reported time frame and can be heard now by clicking HERE. Look for that new 4 song EP this April to be released on limited edition CD’s as well as on all streaming platforms.  

ROTTING OUT have released a cover of Nirvana’s “Even In His Youth” which was on the Nirvana “Hormoaning” EP that came out in 1992. Click HERE to check it out. Rotting Out are scheduled to hit the road with Rise Against and Pennywise for 10 dates this April with things kicking off on April 9th in Worcester, MA. 

London's STEP BELOW have released the track "Walk Away" which is off their upcoming self-released "S.B.H.C." five song EP which will be coming out on all streaming platforms on March 4th. The band formed in 2020 and released two demo tapes in their first year. Click HERE to listen to "Walk Away".