Aether by Moon Machine drifts in like a hazy transmission from another time, soaked in analog warmth and a loose, psychedelic pulse. There is something beautifully unpolished in the way it breathes, as if the room itself is part of the recording. The vocals feel slightly detached, floating above the instrumentation with a sense of quiet surrender. Guitars shimmer and dissolve, never fully settling, creating that soft disorientation the track leans into.
It feels less like a song and more like a state of mind, where ego fades and something more distant takes over.
Tales from Deep Space by kmAndras unfolds like a slow drift through memory and cosmos at the same time. The analog synths glow with a warm, nostalgic tone, evoking that quiet sense of wonder tied to early space explorations. Nothing rushes here, the progression is patient, almost weightless, allowing each layer to expand naturally. It feels contemplative, like staring into something vast and unknowable while remaining grounded in feeling. There is a gentle sincerity in its retro approach.
A meditative, cosmic piece that captures curiosity, stillness, and a soft, enduring sense of awe.
So ever since my friend Jay Castro and I tandem-posted on our favorite records of 1996, I’ve been on a huge ’90s punk rock kick. I got to thinking about how much punk rock meant to me circa 1995-2000. And then I wondered if this was just some kind of “you had to be there” type situation or if the music I loved so much back then genuinely holds up today. So I pitched another tandem post to Jay: if a visitor from another planet approached you and asked you to explain why you loved punk rock in the ’90s so much, which bands would you tell them to listen to? If you were trying to enlighten younger fans of punk music on some ’90s bands to add to their music collections, which ones would you deem the most essential? And so here we are!
I know some people consider listicles to be the lowest form of online publishing, but Jay and I are not doing this for the purposes of generating clicks with hot takes. We wanted to reflect on some bands we’ve been listening to for 25-35 years that you might A) fondly remember, B) vaguely remember, or C) never have heard before. I’m not saying these are my ten favorite or the ten “greatest” or the ten most influential ’90s punk bands. But these are the bands I’d tell you to check out first if you wanted to know why the punk rock music of that decade was so important to me. And I hope that some of you will check out some of these bands and like what you hear. I’m purposely leaving out certain bands like The Humpers, Beat Angels, and Bobbyteens that I would not become huge fans of until the early 2000s. I really wanted to focus on the bands I was digging in real time in the ’90s.
Given that the combined number of extraterrestrials and Gen Z punk rock enthusiasts who read this blog is probably not much larger than zero, it’s likely that this article is mainly an exercise in preaching to the choir. But, hey! Anything I can do to get people thinking and talking about ’90s punk rock is a worthy endeavor.
Here we go (in no particular order)!
The Stitches
Jay and I have not revealed any of our selections to each other, but I know The Stitches will be on his list as well. If you were into throwback old school punk rock any time from the mid-to-late ’90s, a new Stitches release was always a major, highly celebrated event. At the time, The Stitches may have been dismissed by some as ’77 punk copyists. But to me, they helped define a new era of punk rock — one that took inspiration from the past but still felt like something new and different. The Stitches were a force of nature, and I’d put Michael Lohrman up there with the greatest punk vocalists of any era. By the time they finally got a proper album out the door in 2002, they had changed quite a bit stylistically. But their singles (later compiled on the Unzip My Baby LP) and their 8 x 12 EP are rightfully the stuff of legend. All those classic tracks still explode out of the speakers!
The Prostitutes
Obviously this is a band I’ve been championing from day one. After The Prostitutes imploded in 1998, Kevin McGovern rebooted the band numerous times with numerous different lineups in numerous locations, finally retiring the brand in 2022 with the release of the “last two” digital single. For the purposes of this feature, I’m focusing on the original iteration of The Prostitutes, which released the singles “Get Me Sick,” “Living Wreck,” and “Twenty-Two” plus the full-length album Can’t Teach Kids Responsibility. When it comes to snotty punk rock with a genuine air of danger and post-adolescent rage, it simply doesn’t get any better than this band. If you could buy only one punk collection from the ’90s, I would urge you to go with The Prostitutes’ Complete Recordings 1995-98.
Loli and the Chones
If I could name the single most essential punk rock album of the ’90s, it would be P.S. We Hate You by Loli and the Chones. That record is punk rock perfection. Marrying the Angry Samoans and the Ramones to the budget rock ethos of the times, this trio took the idea of snotty, hate-fueled punk and somehow made it catchier and more fun than ever. A follow-up titled Total Fucking Genocide was pretty great as well and certainly lived up to its title!
Moral Crux
Like a lot of people, I first heard Moral Crux on the Lookout! Records Punk USA compilation. The band had been going strong since the ’80s but seemed to really hit its stride in the ’90s with the albums …And Nothing But The Truth, I Was a Teenage Teenager, and Something More Dangerous. I cannot emphasize enough how important this band was to me — not just because of its urgent, politically-minded punk-pop anthems but also because of its influence on my punk rock education. Moral Crux was one of a couple of bands (along with Boris the Sprinkler) that was my gateway to first wave punk — to this day, my favorite music of my entire life. Some people may have found it odd that a band that a band so closely tied to the ’90s pop-punk scene was writing songs about revolution, resistance, and the rejection of the status quo. But the magic of this band was that it demonstrated that punk music could have a message and melody. Political punk rock could make you think and inspire you to act and still be enjoyable to listen to. Seriously: why bother writing anthems if they’re not going to be catchy?
The Muffs
Whether or not The Muffs qualified as a “punk” band is a matter of debate for the sort of people who love to debate about musical genres. I am not that sort of person. The Muffs were punk rock to me and also on my personal Mt. Rushmore of bands. Hearing them for the first time after their first album came out was a game-changer for me. If not a “pop-punk” band per se, they were certainly poppy and punky and the absolute antithesis of the miserable, overly serious rock music that was all the rage in the ’90s. I loved their first two major label releases and could never figure out how why weren’t massive commercial successes. But as I’ve re-explored their catalog this year, I’ve found that the less polished, more simply produced Happy Birthday To Me and Alert Today Alive Tomorrow sound even better to me now than they did back then. Kim Shattuck is remembered as perhaps the greatest screamer in all of rock ‘n’ roll, and that she was. But she was also a superb songwriter with a remarkable ear for melody and quite a flair for smart, often hilariously scathing lyrics. The world is far less awesome without her in it.
Dimestore Haloes
If you go way back with me, you know this was my band in the ’90s. I took some flack (and deservedly so) for how fervently I sang this band’s praises. Restraint was certainly not my forte in those days. But when I go back and listen to all those records and ask myself if I still love them, the answer is a resounding yes. Here was a band throwing the best parts of ’77-style punk and early American rock ‘n’ roll into a blender with a splash of glam culture and a dash of beat literature. You still can’t convince me that Thrill City Crime Control wasn’t one of the best punk rock albums of the ’90s. I still frequently blast the hell out of Revolt Into Style and Long Ride To Nowhere. Didn’t I once predict I’d still be listening to these records 25 years later? Ha, I was low on my estimate!
Stiletto Boys
The Stiletto Boys were something remarkable in their day — a band with the edge and the snarl of the Dead Boys, the furious power of Radio Birdman, and the pure melodic joy of The Dickies. Their first EP 8-Track was one of the best 7-inch records of the decade. And from the raw attack of that debut, the band continued to refine its craft without ever going soft. The full-length albums Rockets And Bombs (1999) and Buzzbomb Sounds (aka A Company Of Wolves) (2000) still hit as hard as ever and serve as shining examples of what killer melodic punk rock ought to sound like. I would recommend starting with the compilation album When Wolves Emergeand working your way through the catalog, taking it all the way through 2013’s overlooked masterpiece Liberator. RIP Sean Wolfe.
The Beltones
While their recorded output was limited to just a few releases, The Beltones in my book rate as a legendary punk rock band. Bill McFadden was absolutely the most underrated and underappreciated punk rock songwriter of his generation. He went deeper than almost all his peers, writing about things like battling trauma and wrestling with personal demons with a wisdom and honesty that was truly extraordinary for such a young man. Reviewers frequently likened The Beltones to Stiff Little Fingers, but that was really only a small part of the band’s appeal. This was gritty, real music with heart and guts, and for my money, “My Old Man” b/w “Fuck You Anyway” (Just Add Water Records) was the best punk rock single of the ’90s. With TKO Records, the band would go on to release the classic mini-album On Deaf Earsand the superb full-length Cheap Trinkets. While The Beltones have remained active as a live band, they have not released music in 25 years. TKO recently gave Cheap Trinkets the reissue treatment, so this might be a good time to revisit The Beltones.
The Dead End Cruisers
How could I do a recollection of ’90s punk rock and NOT talk aboutDeep Six Holiday, the fantastic debut album by Austin, Texas’s mighty Dead End Cruisers? The Cruisers, a ’77-style punk band with a real-deal British vocalist, added a touch of glam and straight-up rock ‘n’ roll influence into the mix. They were also amazing live. While this band was short-lived, its legacy was profound. Friday Nights, the EP that preceded Deep Six Holiday, was a classic in its own right. Neil Curran was a brilliant lyricist and immensely underrated songwriter, and it always bummed me out that this band didn’t stick around longer.
Jake and the Stiffs
I often talk of bands deserving more attention, but the lack of recognition for Jake and the Stiffs was downright criminal. Seriously, there were several significant record labels in the ’90s that should have been heavily fined for not signing these old school punk power pop sensations from The First State. Their singles collection is a $6 download from Bandcamp, and that’s the most fun you could have for so little money without breaking federal and state laws.
So that’s my stroll down memory lane. Be sure to check out Jay’s companion post over at Shock Treatment!
Natural Hues by Owari sits in that bittersweet space where movement and emotion meet halfway. The groove is steady and dance driven, but there is a softness layered over it that keeps everything grounded and reflective. Textured synths and subtle piano lines drift through the rhythm, giving the track a sense of depth that goes beyond the surface. It feels like being lost in motion while holding onto something personal at the same time.
There is a quiet emotional pull beneath the pulse, making it both uplifting and introspective in equal measure.
Joe’s Window by Patrick Avalon feels like a quiet moment of observation, as if time slows down just enough to notice the small details. The piano moves with a gentle, deliberate touch, never rushing, allowing each note to settle and resonate. There is a subtle emotional undercurrent, reflective but not heavy, like watching the world pass by from a distance. The simplicity works in its favor, creating space for thought and stillness.
It is intimate and meditative, a piece that does not demand attention but quietly holds it.
Attendees at the Netherlands’ Roadburn Festival in 2025 would have witnessed a historic musical melding in the Engine Room venue when two Dutch extreme metal bands—Throwing Bricks and Ontaard—performed a seven-song set together specifically commissioned and composed for the festival. This musical hurricane not only dipped into both bands’ mutual influences—ranging from black metal to screamo to sludge and doom—it included a handful of special guests from the experimental music realm, bringing additional electronic, acoustic and industrial sounds into the mix. The results are captured on this self-released document, Something to Lose: Live at Roadburn 2025, which we are premiering in its entirety.
Something to Lose: Live at Roadburn 2025 is set for release on vinyl and digitally on April 10. Place your preorder here or here.
Both bands collectively had this to say about their collaboration for Roadburn:
“A commissioned piece for Roadburn was never on our bucket list, simply because it kinda felt out of reach for small bands like ours. We didn’t really dare to dream about stuff like that. Yet somehow here we are, and we’re really thankful for all that has happened. All the trust we received and the fact that we were able to share it with so many friends—on stage, in the crowd. For us, this is more than just a live album. It is a document of friendship, a moment, and a collective leap into the unknown.”
Industrial Metal supergroup RIKETS are set to release a long-awaited EP titled Tales from the Construct AlphAA v.1 on April 20. The five track EP was produced by RIKETS and Ben Schigel (Chimaira, Drowning Pool, Walls of Jericho, MGK) and mixed by Ben Schigel at Spider Studios in Cleveland, Ohio. The EP is a collection of material written during the Covid lockdowns tackling subject matter such as isolation, the takeover of artificial intelligence, trans-humanism and system overreach. Subjects that may be far beyond this editor’s reach. This will be the band’s first release in fifteen years, picking up where their All American Death Cult album left off after a near 16-year hiatus.
The new effort sees the band swing in a massive direction to a more synth-based sound while still staying true to its metal roots with tracks like “Misery”, “Infected and Controlled” and “FEED”
“FEED” is the first single from the upcoming EP and has been featured on radio in the past six months and has stayed within the top 100 at Mediabase and SMR charts with its peak at number 58 at active rock radio. The track draws up comparisons to Industrial bands like NIN and Tool.
To celebrate the release, RIKETS will be returning to the live stage in Cleveland Ohio April 18th at the illustrious venue Globe Iron. The release show is presented by live show titans AEG. Attendees will gain an opportunity to buy physical copies of the Tales from the Construct AlphAA v.1 EP on the night, two days before its release, which features stunning hand drawn artwork by OMGXERO.
Rickets were formed by former members of Cleveland’s nu-metal hopefuls Switched, alongside frontman Scott Rose‘s recent departure fromErase The Grey, Rikets burst onto the scene in 2005 with their debut EP, Anything For The Devil . The long rumoured project of Rose and Vocalist/Drummer/Producer Ben Schigel finally arrived, blending of all forms of metal, incorporating industrial elements and punk rock attitude. They toured for years, helping to build rabid fan base in the process, alongside former members of Switched & Nonpoint as the band,
Following years of hard work and graft, they finally released a full length album in 2010, entitled All American Death Cult, and became a household name, with the track “”Designer Drug Hell” was featured in the movie Emerging Past, helping to boost the hype around Rikets. Unfortunately, the hectic schedule and Rose’s chronic health issues forced the band into a ten year hiatus, until Rose and Schigel teamed up with old friends, Left4Dead bassist and guitarist Nic Bell (x- Primer55) ,Trent Mercer and former Anchored and Filter guitarist BG Simpson to release the forthcoming concept EP, Tales From The Construct AlphAA, on April 20 2026 via Godsize Music. With live performances being planned, Rikets are poised to make a heavy impact once again in 2026.
The Poppies: Honeybee / Demos (Self Released) Streaming Available Now After over three decades in the musical wilderness, The Poppies have released their seminal 1993 album, Honeybee, on all major streaming services. Not to be confused with the Stourbridge legends, The Poppies were the duo of Clifford Lane and Liberty Martin along with producer Roger […]
Amoul Solo by Cheikh Ibra Fam carries a grounded, soulful weight that feels both reflective and quietly powerful. The groove is steady and organic, with warm brass and subtle rhythms creating a rich, lived in atmosphere. His voice moves with conviction, not pushing, but guiding, as if speaking truths that do not need to be forced. There is a deep sense of purpose in the way the track unfolds, balancing introspection with calm strength.
It feels rooted and expansive at the same time, a piece that resonates through message, presence, and understated emotional depth.
Darlin’ by Adam Gaffney feels like stepping into a worn in bar where the music carries more truth than conversation. It opens with a disarming simplicity before unfolding into a warm, full band sway, driven by that classic honky tonk pulse. The pedal steel glides through the track with a gentle ache, wrapping around his voice in a way that feels both comforting and lived in. There is an honesty here that does not try to impress, it just exists.
A heartfelt, unpolished love song that leans into sincerity and lets it carry the weight.
Tour dates:
Apr. 17: Long Island, NY @ South Shore Guitar Boutique
Apr. 18: Brooklyn, NY @ Pete’s Candy Store
Apr. 20: Long Island City, NY @ LIC Bar
Apr. 25: Sparta, IL @ White Rooster
Apr. 26: Lincoln, Nebraska @ Bierhaus
May 2: Laramie, WY @ Ruffed Up Duck
May 3: Golden, CO @ Goosetown Station
May 15: Las Cruces, NM @ Dry Point Distillers
May 16: Las Cruces, NM @ Elephant Ranch
May 17: Truth or Consequences, NM @ Ingos Art Cafe
May 21: Prescott, AZ @ Jersey Lily saloon
May 22: Flagstaff, AZ @ The Annex
May 24: Bisbee, AZ @ Electric Brew
May 29: Tucson, AZ @ Saint Charles Tavern w/ Hank Topless
May 30 & 31: Bisbee, AZ @ Gene’s Place
June 5: Tucson, AZ @ Music Box w/ Hank Topless
June 6: El Paso, TX @ Nature House
June 7: Truth or Consequences, NM @ Ingo’s Art Cafe
