Staff top tens of 2018: Nate Worrall

Full-Length LPs

1. Nothing – Dance On The Blacktop

What more can I say on this record? Glorious third LP from Philly’s finest grunge-gazers.

Check out: Us/We/Are, You Wind Me Up, Zero Day

FFO: My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Ride, Cloakroom

2. Vein – Errorzone

Debut full-length from Boston quintet. Insane mix of metalcore, mathcore and nu-metal. Saw them in Philly; they were heavy AF and the crowd went bananas.

Check out: Virus://Vibrance, Errorzone, Doomtech

FFO: Sanction, Converge, Slipknot, Disembodied

3. Dark Thoughts – At Work

Ramones inspired punk rock from Philly. I listened to this record so much thanks to Tony’s recommendation.

Check out: Gimme Soda, I Hate This Song, Anything II

FFO: Ramones, The Marked Men, Teenage Bottlerocket

4. Alkaline Trio – Is This Thing Cursed?

Eighth studio album from one of my all-time favourite bands. Hands down the best thing they’ve released since Good Mourning.

Check out: Blackbird, Little Help?, Heart Attacks

FFO: Bayside, Hot Water Music, Face To Face

5. Shame – Songs Of Praise

Debut LP from London post-punkers Shame. I was very late to the party with this one, so thanks to my buddy Justin for introducing me to this!

Check out: Lampoon, One Rizla, Concrete

FFO: Idles, Iceage, Joy Division

6. American Nightmare – American Nightmare

First full length in 15 years from the Boston legends, and one of my favourite bands to boot. Did not disappoint.

Check out: The World Is Blue, Gloom Forever, Crisis Of Faith

FFO: Horror Show, Panic, The Hope Conspiracy, True Love

7. Suede – The Blue Hour

Dark final piece of their recent trilogy of albums. This band are still as relevant now as they were 30 years ago. Forever one of my all-time favourites.

Check out: Wastelands, Life Is Golden, Cold Hands

FFO: Blur, Pulp, Manic Street Preachers

8. True Love – The Pact

Michigan’s True Love come at us with their own style of early noughties hardcore. Insert “I’ve liked them since the Demo” comment here (thanks Lauren!). Finally caught them live at This Is Hardcore, and they killed it. Even had a little mosh.

Check out: The Pact, Outside Of Outsiders, Care Of Cell

FFO: Count Me Out, American Nightmare, Carry On

9. Mindforce – Excalibur

Leeway worship from New York. Killer debut full-length released on Triple B. Expect big things from this lot.

Check out: Destroyer, Senseless Act, Fangs Of Time

FFO: Leeway, Dead Heat, Higher Power

10. Jesus Piece – Only Self

Crushing debut LP from the Philly metalcore five-piece, released on Southern Lord. Another heavy AF band with a big stage presence.

Check out: Lucid, Punish, Curse Of The Serpent

FFO: Vein, Year Of The Knife, Xibalba, Disembodied

7in & EPs

1. Consumed – A Decade Of No

Nottingham’s finest back with a ripping 6 track EP. So glad these dudes are back.

Check out: Wake Up Warning, What Would Cliff Burton Do?

FFO: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2, 88 Fingers Louie, Ten Foot Pole

2. Pain Strikes – As Days Pass

Noughties influenced hardcore from Reading, PA. Members of Jesus Piece and Struck Nerve. This decade’s Carry On for sure.

Check out: Blizzard Of ’06, Exhale

FFO: Carry On, Floorpunch, Right Brigade, Frostbite

3. Raw Force – Demo 2018

New band out of Philly from the ashes of Timebomb and Ten Ton Hammer. Very riff heavy, and this demo shreds.

Check out: Watch You Die, Uncrossed

FFO: Mental, RZL DZL, Black Sabbath

4. Year Of The Knife – First State Aggression

Delaware straight edge crew’s latest EP. Heavy AF.

Check out: Blue Lies, J.R.M.

FFO: Jesus Piece, Trail Of Lies, Left Behind

5. Beach Rats – Wasted Time

Melodic hardcore supergroup, featuring members of Lifetime, Bouncing Souls and the legendary Brian Baker.

Check out: Stay All Night, Wasted Time

FFO: Lifetime, Shook Ones, Kid Dynamite

6. The Get Up Kids – Kicker

Latest EP from long-standing emo heroes. Couldn’t get enough of this EP this year, and it’s their first new material in 8 years.

Check out: Maybe, Better This Way

FFO: Piebald, Saves The Day, The Promise Ring

7. Spiritual Cramp – Police State

Post-punk vibes from San Francisco. Another band that my buddy Justin turned me onto.

Check out: I Feel Bad Bein’ Me, Bloodclot

FFO: Mil-Spec, Creative Adult, Fiddlehead

8. Raw Brigade – Kicking Your Face

Straight edge hardcore from Columbia. Saw these guys play in Philly and they killed it.

Check out: Open Your Eyes, Terrorist

FFO: Drug Control, Mindset, Floorpunch

9. Ex Youth – Oakland Intervention

Straight-edge hardcore from Oakland, CA. Features Anthony from Ceremony on vocals.

Check out: Mute, Second Stone From The Sun

FFO: Mil-Spec, Line Of Sight, Abuse Of Power

10. Typecaste – Creature Of Habit

Heavy hardcore from Boston, Massachusetts. I expect this band to blow up any time now.

Check out: Seasons Change, No Reaction

FFO: Vein, Vamachara, Sanction

Honourable mentions: Spanish Love Songs, Fucked Up, Fiddlehead, Trail Of Lies, Candy, Sanction, Safe And Sound, Drug Church, Gouge Away, Night Birds, The Interrupters, Shook Ones, Vamachara, No Fun At All, Satanic Surfers, Superchunk, A Vulture Wake, Gloves Off, Dying For It, Antagonize, Ecostrike, Fair Dos, Swingin’ Utters, Ogikubo Station, Shipwrecked, Mil-Spec, Berthold City, Fixation, The Dividing Line, Regulate, Supercrush

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