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
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
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
