Sex Dwarf - Påhittad Värld (2025)

Starting an album with a six-minute-long instrumental track isn't something crust punks usually do. But Sex Dwarf isn't your usual crust punk band, and they know better. Starting Påhittad Värld like this was an excellent move. The track is as ferocious as can be, no less than the shorter songs that follow. Super aggro noise punk from beginning to end. Highly recommended!

 

The BC page. 

 

Soft Play - Heavy Jelly (2024)

SOFT PLAY, who used to be called SLAVES, is an English punk duo. Heavy Jelly is their firts album since they changed their name, and it's soon obvious they didn't get softer! And they are still great at channeling the original spirit and energy of punk, but without trying to replicate a sound or a formula over and over, they are not just another d-beat or Oi! clone, nor basic streetpunk. On some soungs they get heavier and darker, and close to nu-metal, while the closing track sound a bit like a Oasis hit played by angry punks. Straight-forward but never boring, diverse but always intense. they changed their name, but not their habit of delivering excellent punk albums. 

 

Their website. 

 

La Dispute - No One Was Driving The Car (2025)

I'm still not that much into post-hardcore and emo, but I always pay attention when La Dispute release another album. No One Was Driving The Car is another nice piece in their discography and like usual the vocals really shines, sometimes screamed, sometimes spoken, or half-spoken half-screamed. Recommended!

 

The BC page. 

 

 

UNDER 45 - Stonewalled (2024)

I discovered UNDER 45 (from Lyon, France, but with an English singer) while they were opening for another band at Les Passagers du Zinc in Besançon and they were excellent. I also recommend their latest album, Stonewalled (released last year). They play some post-punk with a drum machine, a kind of post-punk that have a good melodic feel (great riffs and basslines), but still sounds actually punk. And the excellent vocals and lyrics is the cherry on the top.

The Bandcamp page. 

 

 

Amyl and the Sniffers - Cartoon Darkness (2024)

Cartoon Darkness, the third album from Amyl and the Sniffers, released last year, manages to be as good as the previous one, also full of catchy songs full of energy, and with sarcastic, fun and smart lyrics, and again great vocals from Amyl. I'm telling you, maybe you don't know it yet, but you need Amyl and the Sniffers music in your life.

 

The BC page. 

 

Green Beret - Standing At The Mouth Of Hell (2016)

Green Beret latest album was released in 2016 so I guess they're not active anymore, but that's a pity since Standing At The Mouth Of Hell is an outstanding piece of old school hardcore in a Madball, AF or Terror vein, and is as good as most albums these bands have released. They're really a band you need to know if you're into that kind of stuff, and I guarentee you would enjoy this album. Recommended!

The BC page.

 

 

Squid Pisser - Vaporize A Tadpole (2024)

Vaporize A Tadpole is the first of the two albums Squid Pisser released this year (I have to catch up witht he one thy released in June...), after a first one last year.  The Californian duo (Tommy Meehan & Seth Carolina) play what could be described as "alien chaotic hardcore" with some noise and samples added for more weirdness. Over the top intensity through and through. To complete the picture I can also say it's been released on the label of The Locust frontman and theere's a featuring by Malt banana singer. Rarely chaos is so pleasing.

The BC page.

 

Blacklisters - Fantastic Man (2020)

Hardcore? Yes, kind of. Noise rock and post-punk, definitely. Blacklisters from Leeds (UK) is all that. But maybe the best way to describe their latest album Fantasic Man (released in 2020, due time for another one guys!) is that the band it reminds me the most is Nirvana, not bad isn't it? Check it!

The BC page.

 

Ultra Razzia - Jusqu'au bout de la nuit (2022)

I'm not usually interested a lot in the street/oi! side of punk, but Jusqu'au bout de la nuit from Ultra Razzia grabbed my attention and I really like it. The band from Montréal (they sing in French) manage to bring extra dimensions to oi!/street punk by mixing it with speed rock/metal (Motörhead comes to mind, especially with the powerfull and catchy basslines) and a post-punk feel (the darker atmosphere and, again, the basslines). Give it a try!

 

The BC page. 

 

Pissed Jeans - Half Divorced (2024)

Seven years after their previous one, Pissed Jeans are back with their sixth one, Half Divorced. This time the songs are shorter, faster, more straightforward and punkier, even bordering to oi! at times. Probably won't be my favourite Pissed Jeans to be frank, but I really enjoy it anyway, and good point to them for not doing the same thing over and over. And fortunately they kept their usual noise rock guitar play, the smart, fun and acerbic lyrics and the excellent vocals going from spoken words to screaming. So, while quite different from the rest of their discography, it still definitely sounds like Pissed Jeans. Recommended!

The Bandcamp page.

Sister Fucker - God's Work (2010)

Sister Fucker were active in Oakland, CA, in the beginning of the 2010'. It's a duo with Vanessa Harris playing guitar and singing/screaming and Erin Allen playing drums. On their 2010 cassette God's Work they delivered some savage, raw and primitive punkish noise rock. I love it!

The BC page.

 

Paranoid / 偏執症者 - S.C.U.M. (2023)

Contrary to what you may guess Paranoid is not a Japanese band but a Swedish one. But while they do share with some Japanese raw punk / hardcore bands the same vibrant feel of urgency and danger the roots of their music is neither Japanese nor Swedish but British, D-beat being their main influence. This 6 tracks EP called S.C.U.M. is their latest release, and a bit noisier/rawer than their latest album Cursed, with less neo-crust style melodies. In any case they keep on being consistently good at what they do.

The BC page.

Systemik Viølence - Negative Mangel Attitude (2023)

Great to have Systemik Viølence back! They deliver their second album, Negative Mangel Attitude, after five years of discographic silence, and they're sharp as ever! Raw and fast D-beat with elements of speed/thrash metal, and they make the best of this cool mix. Think Discharge, Venom, Midnight and Impaled Nazarene. Excellent stuff!

The BC page.

 

 

Psychic Graveyard / USA Nails - Split (2022)

This is a great split album (11 songs) with two experimented and excellent noise rock / post-punk bands. While Psychic Graveyard are doing a somewhat weird/kraut kind of noise rock/post punk, USA Nails are more traditional and rocking. High quality stuff from both bands. Recommended!

The BC page.

 

Cancer Bats - Psychic Jail Break (2022)

When I reviewed Cancer Bats first accoustic release two years ago (I recommend it again, it's awesome!) I wrote that I've never been interested in their usual releases. Well... I should have paid more attention. I gave a chance to their new album Psychic Jail Break and actually enjoyed it, tried again their older stuff, and enjoyed it. They're not just another metal hardcore band after all. Helped by the versatility of their excellent singer and of their songwrting/riffing that can go from Minor Threat, to Black Sabbath, to Black Flag, they manage to transcend the genre (in a way that reminds me what Vision of Disorder did) and breath fresh air into it. Psychic Jail Break is a cool album exuding positive energy.

Their website.

Gets Worse - Teen Wolf (2022)

You can always rely on Gets Worse for some good powerviolence, and their new release Teen Wolfe (9 tracks, one long and most of the others around a minute long) is no exception. You'll get your blistering fast paced powerviolence punctuated at times by slower hardcore or sludge moments. Enjoy!

The BC page.

Ho99o9 - Skin (2022)

Skin is another wild ride of an album from trap/punk/nu-metal duo Ho99o9 (who teamed on this album with Travis Barker on drums and production. Are also featured Saul Williams, Corey Taylor and Bun-B). Like their first one (United States of Horror)Skin is a very fun and enjoyable album and confirms that they are among the very best "trap metal" bands.

Their website.

Amyl and the Sniffers - Comfort to me (2021)

Terrible cover art, isn't it? Fortunately, that's the only thing that is wrong about Comfort to Me, the second album from Amy and the Sniffers. Better this way than the other way round... I discovered their singer Amy with their featurings on the new Viagra Boys and Sleaford Mods albums where she's awesome. This album is another proof she's excellent and special as a vocalist (and for writing good and memorable lyrics as well), and the band and the songs doesn't disappoint either, basic punk rock but done just with a right attitude and feeling. Fun, full of energy and really enjoyable. Highly recommended not just for people into punk music but also to anyone into any kind of rock'n'roll.  

The BC page.

 

The Bronx - Bronx VI (2021)

As you can guess, Bronx VI is the sixth album from The Bronx, who, as you cannot guess, are from Los Angeles. Like their previous albums, this is really well-crafted rocking and positive punk-hardcore, in a vein that is really their own. Recommended!

Their BC page.

Fuck On The Beach / Endless Swarm - split 7'' (2020)

This split 7'' bring together two good powerviolence/grind band, the Japanese Fuck On The Beach whom I discover, with pleasure, and Endless Swarm from Scotland whom I follow since some years now (I reviewed their latest album HERE). This is old school and relentless goodness, no surprise it's been released (last year) by To Live A Lie Records. 

The BC page.