“The [d-]beat is not a neutral entity. It is a pulse, a weapon, a sanctuary, a demand. There is no opting out. To listen is to take a side. To [mosh] dance is to vote for the world you want to inhabit.”
Ivan March – The Sonic Insurrection pt. 1
Kia ora, crüe.
Welcome to ICWT 36 (or 37, 38, 39 or 40). To be honest, having written a number of year-end and special editions of ICWT over the years, I’ve lost count of where we’re at, numerically speaking. Still, the main point is this: hello, hooray, and welcome back to the nourishing bosom of ICWT.
As you’ve no doubt noticed, the world is awash with anxiety-raising (and/or trauma-inducing) catastrophes, and ICWT’s ongoing mission is to exorcise your fears and frustrations via the medium of deafening shitnoise. Obviously, you could argue that it’s pointless to be hyping bands that give a fuck in a world where giving a fuck has little to no discernible impact. None of the bands I write about will restore your faith in humanity, and all of us are stumbling across a nightmare landscape filled with outrages and atrocities. Life is understandably unbearable for many, and our emotional bandwidths are often overwhelmed. At times like this, the power of music to bolster our resolve can easily be compromised.
In my youth, scores of punk and metal bands spoke of a desperate future filled with post-apocalyptic peril. These days, those forecasts feel factual rather than fictional. To my mind, that means the music that manages to punch through all the doom and gloom and grab hold of my world-weary heart – or kick my fat ass into gear – matters all the more.
Raucous music is ecstatic, and in that transcendent revelry lies the freedom and catharsis we crave. For those fortunate enough to have the time or space to do so, cranking a thumping hardcore or metal track is often a transformative experience – if only for a moment in time. I’d say, grab hold of as many of those moments as you can. Life is short. Pogo while your knees still work.
Clearly, I have to keep listening to new punk, hardcore and metal-punk releases in case my (as-yet-unborn) mutant grandchildren ask me what I did in the Oil Wars 2.0. I look forward to telling them that I served alongside the bravest bloggers, sacrificing our valuable time while pumping out verbal diarrhoea about horrible-sounding bands.
For now, ICWT will continue to highlight passionate bands, many of which scream and shout about advocacy, activism, and the myriad ills of capitalism. I’m one of those pain-in-the-ass ‘everything is politics’ guys, too, and I make no apologies for that. However, the good news is, I’m not here to lecture you about the joys of Anarcho-syndicalism. I promise you this: if all you’re looking for are some ‘fuck everything’ tunes to drown out the stresses and strains of everyday life, ICWT features plenty of nihilistic noise.
I’m not here to judge your reasons for enjoying ear-wrecking music. I’m simply here to help replenish your emotional arsenal with high-octane bangers. (At least until we’re all incinerated in the furnace of nuclear armageddon. Happy days.)
As always, thanks a million for stopping by. I appreciate the time and effort you’ve expended to wade through my barely literate ‘reckons’. I am an old dog, but I’m not ready for the pet cemetery just yet. It remains a pleasure and privilege to throw a cyber-arm around your shoulder and shout about noisy bands and the cultural influences that shape the music we love. (And I swear that this is the only long-winded introduction to ICWT you’ll have to endure all year. Thank you for your continued forbearance.)
Here’s to all the bum-flapped rockers and dumpster-diving rollers who keep our collective blood pumping. And here’s to you and yours, too.
Go easy on yourself, kia kaha, and keep fighting the good fight.
Alright, here we go: ICWT 2026, engage.
xx
Fugazi – Albini Sessions
I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who was thrilled to discover that Dischord Records had uploaded Steven Albini’s In on the Killtaker sessions to the label/Fugazi’s Bandcamp page. The legendary Albini-engineered ‘proto-version’ of In on the Killtaker has been fervently discussed and partially bootlegged for years. Here’s the (very much) abridged story of In on the Killtaker‘s first incarnation, if you’ve not heard it before.
In 1992, while demoing tracks that would eventually appear on In on the Killtaker proper, Fugazi encountered a few stumbling blocks. Deciding to shake things up and try a different recording setup from their usual Inner Ear location, Fugazi decamped to Chicago’s famed Electrical Audio Studio, which was helmed, of course, by renowned studio engineer Steve Albini. Albini had offered Fugazi a free recording session, and the band and Albini hit it off like a house on fire. In less than a week, 12 songs were recorded and mixed.
However, on the drive home from Electrical Audio, the members of Fugazi began to have misgivings about the recording session. Listening to a cassette playback, they felt the session didn’t quite capture the oomph – the livewire energy – the band were after. The good news is that Albini felt exactly the same, so no egos were bruised when Fugazi decided to shelve the Electrical Audio sessions. Over the years, a few tracks from the Electrical Audio sessions leaked online, and they were, as you’d expect, hotly debated. But this is the first time the entire Albini-recorded version of In on the Killtaker has been made available in legit circumstances.
In on the Killtaker was/is a crucial LP in Fugazi’s discography. It was the first Fugazi album to appear on the Billboard charts, marking a breakthrough for the band in commercial terms. Neither of those markers means much to me or, I imagine, many other Fugazi fans. What’s far more important is that In on the Killtaker saw Fugazi pushing past their previous artistic boundaries and delving deeper into post-hardcore.
In creative terms, In on the Killtaker was more adventurous than Fugazi’s previous releases, although everything the band has released – from its early years to Fugazi’s last (and arguably best) studio album, The Argument – has been rightly applauded. In on the Killtaker remains one of my favourite Fugazi releases, and it’s fascinating to hear the Albini sessions in all their rough-and-ready glory. Personally, I think Albini’s In on the Killtaker sessions sound fan-fucking-tastic. What a treat for fans: a magnificent alternate version of an indisputable classic. (Proceeds from the album are being donated to the non-profit Letters Charity organisation.)
(Dischord Records)
Terminal Filth/Axfear – “Trailer”
Italian label Agipunk Records recently posted a very enticing trailer for an upcoming split featuring two absolute crust behemoths: German stenchlords Terminal Filth and Seattle deathcrust crew Axefear. I’m looking forward to this one immensely. Axefear’s 2024 Prophetic End LP was annihilating, and Terminal Filth’s last release, Traces Towards Oblivion, was a certified skull-crusher, too. Not gonna lie; I feel breathless with anticipation for this split.
(Agipunk Records)
Abyecta – Inténtalo o Muere
Life is full of uncertainties, but there is one thing we can all rely on – namely, the recommendations of the contributors to Sorry State’s weekly newsletter. For example, the on-point write-ups of Sorry State staffer (and Public Acid and Scarecrow) member Jeff Young are always worth paying attention to. I spotted Jeff’s name attached to the Bandcamp publicity blurb for Abyecta’s Inténtalo o Muere 7”, which is a sure sign that something (extremely) tasty is on the boil.
The once-Chile, now-US-based Abyecta was formed by the band’s guitarist and vocalist, Carolina, and the Abyecta’s latest two-song release is their most metal-driven yet. Groups like Poison Arts, Gudon, and The Clay are cited as reference points, which makes perfect sense, given the galloping mix of classic Japanese hardcore and metallic riffs powering Abyecta’s latest tracks, “Inténtalo o Muere” and “Amo y Esclavo”. Much like Ayucaba’s Operación Masacre LP, which was 2025’s best punk-metal release by far, Abyecta’s new EP perfectly balances the darker thrust of UK82 with the pyrotechnic riffs of 80s metal and the snarl of fierce mid-80s Japanese hardcore. Abyecta’s latest EP is energetic and anthemic, featuring scores of fist-raising moments. Two songs are not enough, though; bring on an LP, asap.
(Metadona Records)
Rocky & The Sweden – Punk’s Pot Head
Relapse Records’ recent reissuing of Lip Cream’s oeuvre has garnered plenty of attention. However, don’t overlook the work of fellow Tokyo punks Rocky & The Sweden, whose early work, and a brand new album, have also been recently released by Relapse.
Rocky & The Sweden have sporadically released albums since their bong-busting 1998 debut, Total Hard Core. The band’s thematic focus – weed, weed, and a little more weed – has remained fixed throughout their career, as has Rocky & The Sweden’s sound. Rocky & The Sweden’s latest release, Punk’s Pot Head, is another blistering celebration of Sinsemilla and speedy riffs, with the band’s sizzling hardcore as stoner-stonk-worthy as ever. The only real difference between Punk’s Pot Head and Rocky & The Sweden’s earlier releases is the contributions of newer guitarist S-Park Sweden, who, fyi, fucking rips.
Tracks like “Up in Smoke”, “THC”, and “Chain Smoke” explode with blazing riffs and synapse-scorching leads. Elsewhere, “Killer Weed”, “Burning Again (One More Burn), and “R&R Highway” feature rock-solid hooks and technically impressive six-string gymnastics alongside all of the expected rawness and intensity of Japanese hardcore.
One of the greatest strengths of the underground Japanese punk scene is the number of long-lived bands exhibiting righteous staying power. Sure, many of those bands only release new music once in a blue moon. However, as Rocky & The Sweden’s Punk’s Pot Head proves time and again, it’s quality, not quantity, that counts.Smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em.
(Relapse Records)
Hope? – Hell on Planet Earth
Sometimes, punk bands burn through all of their anger, energy, and all of their best material on their very first EP. That’s totally fine, by the way. There’s really nothing better than a stone-cold classic 7” debut. Unfortunately, some bands then follow up a storming 7″ with a 12″ release that feels decidedly undercooked or, even worse, overlong. Thankfully, that’s not the case with Hope?.
With members drawn from Minneapolis and Portland, OR, Hope?’s recent Hell on Planet Earth LP follows on from the band’s solid 7”, Your Perception is Not My Reality. Like Hope?’s first EP, the band’s full-length debut is stuffed to the gunwales with the kind of thickset, barrelling crust that’ll hit home for anyone with a fondness for the prime years of Profane Existence and Skuld Releases.
Hell On Planet Earth’s cover art lets you know instantly that classic crust purpose-built for the worst of times awaits within. Nausea, State of Fear, Misery, Doom, and Sacrilege all spring to mind while spinning Hell on Planet Earth, with Hope?’s duelling guttural vocals, hulking d-beat, and fired-up lyrical focus underscoring all of the hallmarks of definitive crustcore.
Releases like Hell on Planet Earth tap into a vital vein of resistance, with Hope? serving up a much-needed emotional release along the way. Crank Hell on Planet Earth while staring at the 24/7 livestream of exploding buildings and boiling oceans and you’ll appreciate that Hope? have constructed a pulverising conduit for our collective rage. As the world falls apart, Hell on Planet Earth gives us something to hold on to. Hope?’s first full-length release is an essential purchase for diehard fans of consummate, crushing crust.
(Desolate Records)
B.O.R.N. – 8 Tracks
Back in 2023, I included Birmingham, Alabama punks B.O.R.N.’s Belligerent Onslaught Relentless Noise debut on my list of the year’s best EPs. The group’s chainsawing raw punk is harsh, dissonant, and abrasive, and much like similarly-minded outfits Disclose or Physique, B.O.R.N.’s sound is primitive but potent.
B.O.R.N.’s new 8 Tracks 12″ mixes crashing crust with sizzling layers of static noise, driving d-beat, and metal-tipped riffs. Blistering tracks like “Powder Shipments”, “The Farm”, and “Local Outsider” maximise their sonic ugliness while ensuring B.O.R.N.’s acidic riffs and piercing solos cut through the onslaught with eviscerating sharpness. It might seem incongruous to compliment intentionally inaccessible raw punk on its technical prowess, but credit where credit’s due: B.O.R.N.’s approach is smarter and a hell of a lot catchier than your bog-standard noise.
B.O.R.N.’s 8 Tracks is a withering blast wave that warrants repeated listens. There’s a lot of scorching raw punk out there, but not much of it is instantly memorable. That’s not an issue for B.O.R.N., though. The band’s visceral tracks burrow straight into your marrow.
(Self-released)
Dissekerad – Väggarna Rasar
Dissekerad frontman Poffen (aka Per-Olof Frimodig) has served time in a host of well-regarded bands, including Exploatör, Krigshot, and, of course, the almighty Totalitär. Dissekerad’s other members are no slouches, either, with ties to groups like Brainbombs, Avskum, and more. The point is, Dissekerad’s members are veteran noise-mongers well acquainted with making a deafening racket.
No surprise, Dissekerad’s fourth album, Väggarna Rasar, is another prime slab of Swedish mangel, and it’s also the band’s best release thus far. All of the raw Scandi hardcore here is stripped of any fripperies, honed to the edge, and then it’s slathered in grit and grime to ensure Väggarna Rasar sounds more noxious than dumpster swill. Bonus points for Väggarna Rasar also being Dissekerad’s heaviest release yet. The band’s steelier elements are beefed up and given more room to swing, and the propulsive bass and gut-punch drums right here will rattle your cage, good and proper. If you loved Exploatör’s 2025 LP, Apokollaps, you’re sure to embrace Väggarna Rasar’s similarly bare-boned approach to full-tilt, pummeling Scandicore.
Väggarna Rasar is reaping a fair amount of applause online. All of it is warranted.
(Desolate Records, Phobia Records)
Hiatus – Sanctus Propaganda Sessions Vol. 6
I loved 2025’s Sanctus Propaganda Sessions Vol. 4, which featured NYC crust bands Flower and State Manufactured Terror tearing through a couple of fired-up live sets. Sanctus Propaganda Sessions Vol. 6 sees Belgium band Hiatus doing the same, although Vol. 6 is also tinged with sadness, given the passing of Hiatus frontman Willy in 2024. Unhinged singer Mirelle guests on the track “Hell Is Near”, and Vol. 6 is very much a tribute to Willy’s time in the crust punk trenches. (It’s also a benefit release, gathering funds for people experiencing homelessness). Hiatus’ well-established gruff-core sound – think Doom-via-Anti Cimex – is raw and abrasive, and it features plenty of bulldozing punch. If you’ve not sampled Hiatus before, check out the band’s 2023 album, Out of Hand, which is as guttural and gristly as any of the band’s well-regarded 90s releases. RIPower Willy.
(Sanctus Propaganda)
Mental Slaughter – Feedback // Warfare
Australian label Televised Suicide and US label Iron Lung have co-released a couple of gnashing/crashing releases from Aussie bands in the past; see Gaoled’s Bestial Hardcore and No Future’s excellent Mirror LP. The two labels’ latest collaborative release, Feedback // Warfare, is from Aussie outfit Mental Slaughter, which is an on-and-off side-project featuring members of the aforementioned Gaoled and No Future. Mental Slaughter’s Feedback // Warfare cassette is labelled thus: “for fans of/by fans of Languid”. I’d count myself as a diehard Languid fan, and while it would be hard work for any band to come close to levelling up to Languid’s mind-melting intensity, Mental Slaughter’s pummelling d-beat rips and rages in all the right places. Expect screaming solos, clobbering riffs, and concussive bass and drums. Crushing Neanderthal noise – kinda perfect.
(Televised Suicide, Iron Lung Records)
Life Expectancy – Sold
Life Expectancy’s Sold cassette is touted label Iron Lung as a surefire recommendation for fans of Physique, Confuse, Gloom, Death Dust Extractor, and Disclose. I’d back that endorsement to the hilt. Life Expectancy’s ultra-harsh crust welds a blown-out industrial cacophony to radioactive riffage; the brutal torrents of noise being pitch-perfect for devotees of max-dissonance and blowtorch-styled d-beat. Poverty, hopelessness, and society’s rack and ruin are apparently unpacked on Life Expectancy’s latest super-harsh ‘songs’. But good luck figuring any of that out without a lyric sheet to peruse. Life Expectancy’s 2023 cassette, Decline, set a high bar for sheer audio obnoxiousness, and the good news is, Sold is grimmer, uglier, and even more listener-unfriendly. Pro tip: Save yourself some time and note Sold down alongside the recent Hope?, Dissekerad, and B.O.R.N releases for your year-end ‘best of ’26’ list now. Sold is highly recommended, of course.
(Iron Lung Records)
Draümar – S/T
Oslo four-piece Draümar released a snarling EP, D’Krig, via Adult Crash back in 2022. The band’s new self-titled full-length is released by always-interesting label Static Shock, and Draümar’s first 12″ feels like a step up from their previous work. Opening (and closing) with brief Carpenter-esque synths, the rest of Draümar’s 12” debut hurls firebrand Norge hardcore at you at a pedal-to-the-metal pace. A cover of early 80s Norwegian punk band Bannlyst (“Herrene”) features original Bannlyst vocalist Finn Erik Tangen, and with murder, prejudice, fascism, and ecological destruction on the rise, there’s plenty for Draümar to rage about throughout their hook-strewn debut. Draümar’s 12″ debut is as punk as punk gets. I’m guessing Draümar smash it out of the park at K-Town.
(Static Shock Records)
Verdict/Nightfeeder – Död Åt Tyranner
Spoilers: Verdict and Nightfeeder’s recent split, Död Åt Tyranner, is a dream-team matchup that hits every mark. In case you missed it, Nightfeeder features members Disrupt, Consume, Deathraid, State Of Fear and more, while Verdict’s members have played in Totalitär, Meanwhile, Exploatör, Warcollapse, 3-Way Cum, and plenty more bands, too. If that line-up intel doesn’t get your motor roaring, you should check your pulse forthwith.
All of Nightfeeder’s previous bulldozing releases have hit home for yours truly, and Verdict’s last LP, 2023’s Rat Race, was an absolute mind-smasher, too. The fact that Verdict and Nightfeeder’s split is out via Phobia Records is, of course, another sign that you should pay close attention, and what Död Åt Tyranner brings to the table in real terms, is veteran musicians creating some of the most propulsive and powerful punk of their lives.
Verdict’s seven tracks are warp-speed, wall-punching triumphs, with “I’m not Built to Last”, “War on the Streets”, and “Mass Hysteria” being some of Verdict’s fastest, tightest, and fiercest songs yet. Even when the band (marginally) slows down on “Narcissistic Piece of Shit?”, it still feels like being trapped under an M1A1’s tracks.
Same-same Nightfeeder. Truth is, Nightfeeder sound better and better with every release. Hammering tracks like “Climbing the Walls”, “Life’s Foul Pit”, and “Shit Filled Paddock” are some of the most bruising songs in Nightfeeders’ already heavyweight arsenal. Nightfeeder throw out hooks and shout-along lyrics galore, and while their colossal d-beat batters and bruises, it’s the catchy detail within their barrelling song’s that’ll snag and hold your attention.
Död Åt Tyranner is an end-times onslaught that channels its raging chaos with merciless accuracy – all killer, no filler; a stone-cold classic split.
(Phobia Records)
Skallar – 2026 EP
Note the Celtic knotwork, and check out the ominous, sci-fi/fantasy black-and-white cover art; you know what you’re getting here. Baltimore, Maryland, band Skallar’s 2026 EP features unrelenting, pitch-black crust. Post-apocalyptic bleakness mind-melds with medieval grimness, and words like brutal and intimidating are apt descriptors of Skallar’s Bolt Thrower-worthy sound and aesthetic.
Skallar’s latest chugging tracks are heavier than funeral rites, and they’re a notable improvement on the rawer songs featured on Skallar’s 2024 demo. Dark and dense songs like “Nuclear Reality”, “Death Rattle”, and “Tranquillizer” are hard-hitting conflagrations of stench-drenched d-beat and growling crustcore. I’m surprised an on-point cassette label hasn’t snapped this one up. Although, obviously, that could still be on the cards. In any case, for now, Skallar’s 2026 EP awaits your eyes and ears on Bandcamp. It’s a full-throated/fist-raised recommendation for fans of Stormcrow, Sanctum, Hellshock, and After the Bombs.
(Self-released)
System Maintains – 3 Song Demo
Richmond, Virginia label Sex Fiend Abomination released a bunch of great demos in 2025, including Pray to be Saved’s 6-song cassette, which was one of last year’s best releases, demo or otherwise. System Maintain’s recent demo is another certified ripper, and it’s sure to go down as one of this year’s most savage demos. The Charlotte, NC, band’s ultra-raw punk-metal (or metal-punk, take your pick) explodes with the blown-out and scuzzy energy of the earliest years of hardcore and speed metal. “The sound of your sketchy uncle’s Metallica and Bathory tapes played through a wrecked boombox” is how Sex Fiend Abomination sums up System Maintain’s sound and vision, and that’s a fitting description of the fuzz-fucked shredding and accompanying cacophony right here. Tune in for migraine-inducing riffs, gruesome af vocals, and pounding drums; street skaters, heshers, and gutter-dwellers rejoice.
(Sex Fiend Abomination)
Culture Shaping Violence – Echoes from the Dark
Another day, another top-tier NYC crust release. Recorded by Joe Nelson at D4MT Labs and released by go-to underground labels Distorted Sedition and R.I.P. Peace Records, Culture Shaping Violence’s Echoes from the Dark demo oozes gloom-drenched, apocalyptic vibes. Pounding stenchcore, anarcho-punk, and a brief burst of dungeon-synth are put to excellent use on aggressive yet atmospheric songs. Fans of Antisect, Nausea, Tower 7, Flower, and State Manufactured Terror will find plenty of juicy crustcore to gnaw on here. Culture Shaping Violence’s reverb-slathered assault hits all the expected marks, but tracks like “Devour Our Sons” and “No Shared Purpose” also offer something grimmer and gruntier than your stock-standard fare.Echoes from the Dark is a first-rate first release; Culture Shaping Violence are a band to keep a close eye on.
(Distorted Sedition, R.I.P. Peace Records)
Terminal – Βόρεια Του Βορρά
Βόρεια Του Βορρά is the second full-length release from Greek hardcore band Terminal. Much like the band’s previous endeavours, Βόρεια Του Βορρά is chock-full of hulking hardcore and barking vocals that unashamedly tip their hat to Finnish-influenced d-beat. Terminal’s tracks hurtle along, and there are passages here that tick the Anti-Cimex or Tragedy boxes as much as hitting the Terveet Kädet, Rattus, or Riistetyt mark. Terminal’s songs wallop as they gallop, and the band’s burly approach is a great fit for fans of globetrotting hardcore.
Arüspex – The Death Instinct
Californian five-piece Arüspex caught the ear of plenty of neo-crust fans with their 2023 full-length Hawthorne & Henbane. The band’s latest LP, The Death Instinct, feels darker than their last. Black metal’s chill plays a large role in the band’s sound, although Arüspex’s neo-crustiness and melodic sensibilities certainly haven’t disappeared. The band mix grim vocals with sweeping instrumental passages, and, expertly recorded by Greg Wilkinson at Earhammer Studios, tracks like “Traitors”, “In the Black”, and lengthier requiem “The Only Constant”, are enveloping and enthralling. Not everyone loves the dramaticism of blackened crust – or the emotiveness of neo-crust – but there’s no denying Arüspex’s latest release is engrossing, smartly arranged, and often heart-gripping. The 12″ version of The Death Instinct also comes with lyric zine full of the band’s political musings, including Arüspex’s thoughts on “the rapid decline of human civilization”.
(Fellowship of Enemies)
Fuckin’ Warheads – S/T
Charlotte, NC, band Fuckin’ Warheads sound like a car crash. The band ram six ultra-punishing songs on their self-titled Bandcamp release, and Fuckin’ Warheads’s Scandinavia-via-Japan-styled raw punk is crusty, crude, and unashamedly boneheaded. There’s no fence-sitting with this one: Fuckin’ Warheads are as lo-fi as a Discharge demo, and you’re either on board and down for the rough-and-ready ride, or you’re more than likely to be fleeing in the other direction. Primitive, challenging noise for those days when all you want to do is headbutt a wall or two.
I loved this one. But I’ll forgive you for thinking otherwise. Like System Maintain above, Fuckin’ Warheads are definitely an acquired taste.
(Hardcore Headache)
Reek Minds – Eternal Reek
Portland band Reek Minds specialise in ‘fast as fuck’ hardcore. All of the band’s previous releases have featured full-bore/red-lining tracks, and unsurprisingly, Reek Minds’ Eternal Reek EP features more of the same. Reek Minds’ 2024 LP, Malignant Existence, was an absolute face-melter, and the band have no problem equaling Malignant Existence’s intensity on Eternal Reek. Sub-minute tracks like “Refuse To Comply” and “Surging Hate” feature lightning-fast shredding, blasting drums, and gruffly spat out vocals. Longer tracks, like “Aesthetic” and “L.O.P.”, stretch things out to the 2-minute mark, with blitz-speed breakdowns and blistering riffs duking it out.
If you’re a fan of Reek Mind’s earlier releases, you can rest assured that Eternal Reek maintains the same punishing pace and features the same impressively violent sound. Breathless, battering, and maniacal; hardcore done right. Absolutely pummeling.
(Black Water Records)
Siphon – Stark Raving Mad
Bleakness – Blurred Visions
Siphon hail from Richmond, Virginia, and the band’s Stark Raving Mad EP is released by much-loved Portland, Oregon, label Black Water Records. Stark Raving Mad features four rapid-fire tracks that’ll suit fans of Stockholm-via-Tokyo hardcore to a T. Stark Raving Mad is an apt title for the madness/mania this epoch has inspired, and Siphon certainly draw from all the ‘war-all-the-time’ insanity right outside your door. The band’s EP is done and dusted in five minutes flat, and it’s a short, sharp, and cathartic blast of straightforward hardcore. It would have been nice to hear a few more tracks. But then, wanting to hear more obviously signals that Siphon are on the right track.
Also out via Black Water Records is Blurred Visions, the latest release from French trio Bleakness. The band blends urgent death rock, gothic rock, and post-punk on brooding, atmospheric songs. There’s certainly plenty of ‘punk’ here, but Bleakness toy with just as many alt-rock motifs. Bleakness cover a lot of ground on Blurred Visions, meaning the album will likely be embraced by a wide swathe of fans of shadowy, melancholic rock. To be honest, I didn’t think Blurred Visions would resonate with me, but Bleakness’ energetic mix of goth rock’s darkness and post-punk’s propulsion swept me up in its thrall. I hit repeat as soon as Blurred Visions finished; call me converted, mon ami.
(Black Water Records)
Unarmed – Gloomy Skies//Screaming Vultures
Black Stormcrow Tapes and Phobia Records released a compilation of Swedish crusties Unarmed’s initial run of recordings (from 1994 to 1999) in 2024. Unarmed’s brand of über-guttural crust ticks all the old-school boxes. There’s nothing groundbreaking about it. But there’s nothing weak or embarrassing about it either. Unarmed simply deliver solid 90s Euro crust.
I hadn’t expected to hear from the band again, but here we are, staring at Unarmed’s brand new Gloomy Skies//Screaming Vultures LP. Unsurprisingly, Unarmed’s latest endeavours will no doubt hit the spot for fans of comparable(-ish) bands like Warcollapse, Doom, Deviated Instinct, or 3-Way Cum. Nothing on Gloomy Skies//Screaming Vultures ventures outside the expected. However, production-wise, things have improved for Unarmed, with their latest tracks sounding heavier and heftier than in the past.
Unarmed are still dishing out the same 90s-inspired caveman crust, and I, for one, have zero problems with that. The ten tracks on Gloomy Skies//Screaming Vultures might not be revolutionary, but they’re delivered with plenty of gusto and grunt. More to the point, Unarmed’s feral primitiveness and Orc-like gruffness are what made – and continue to make – the band. Brand new vintage crust, sounds great to me.
(Phobia Records)
Cross – Human Spirit
New York City band Cross released a breakneck demo, No Beginning, No End, at the tail end of 2023. Like their demo, Cross’s new Human Spirit 12” makes for a pummeling experience. Thrust, momentum, and velocity are the key attributes here. Human Spirit’s super-dark tracks rip, roar, and rage at the top speed, and Cross stamp down hard on the gas to create a pulverising wall of noise throughout. I wouldn’t call Cross a metal band, as such, but there’s an undeniably steel edge to their sound. Human Spirit is the perfect follow-up to Cross’s excellent demo. Yet another hardcore knockout from the Roachleg Records stable.
(Roachleg Records)
Kläpträp – The Infernal Machination…
Kläpträp describe themselves as “drinkers, thinkers, and stinkers”, and that’s a fitting summation of the German/UK band, which includes malodorous luminaries from Doom and Visions of War.
Kläpträp’s The Infernal Machination… LP is chock-a-block with pungent crustcore that’s driven hard by anarcho-punk’s bite. Kläpträp singer Anita howls her head off/heart out, while bassist and co-vocalist Faxe adds barks and grunts into the fierce and festering stew. Doom drummer Stick pounds the tubs, and VOW guitarist Stef dishes out razor-wire riffs. So far so crustcore, right?
There’s really nothing unexpected or novel about The Infernal Machination…, but the LP is filthier than a fatberg, which is always a welcome treat. Even better, Kläpträp maintain their squalid sound on Infernal Machination… while managing to up the band’s heft. Kläpträp’s previous releases were rotten to the core, and The Infernal Machination… isn’t polished in any conventional sense. However, the songs within (many of which are re-recorded demo tracks) sound brawnier and hit harder than Kläpträp’s earlier endeavours.
Kläpträp hold fast to their primal DIY spirit throughout The Infernal Machination…, and if you love slithering around in punk’s dankest sewers, you’ll find plenty of putrid crust to enjoy.
(Phobia Records)
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Every so often, Last Rites publishes a long-form feature under the Diamonds & Rust banner, where writers dig deep into the musical (and cultural) aspects surrounding some of their favourite releases. January’s Diamonds & Rust was authored by OG Last Rites scribe Zach Duvall, and Zach dived into Faith No More’s Angel Dust. It’s a gem of a write-up: classic album + enthusiastic writing = win-win.
Youtuber Analog Attack has been on a hot streak recently, releasing a run of great videos, including a series of top-notch vlogs exploring the history of Japanese punk. Videos include: crucial CD-only releases, Mentai Rock classics, A+ Japanese reissues, and a deep dive into the accomplishments and ongoing influence of Hiroyuki Kishida (aka Chelsea), famed guitarist of Death Side, Paintbox, Poison Arts and more. Analog Attack’s regular ‘What are you Listening To’ vlogs also continue to be a source of light in a darkened world, with fun guests and new and classic underground releases being discussed with welcome enthusiasm.
If you’re wondering how popular Japanese punk is nowadays, long-running UK broadsheet The Guardian recently published a lengthy article on Lip Cream (and a few other Japanese punk legends) to coincide with the reissue of Lip Cream’s discography via Relapse Records. That level of bright and shiny coverage would have been unthinkable – or at least extremely curious – a few years ago, but alongside much of Japanese popular culture, the nation’s punk scene is clearly having a moment.
Whether you consider that publicity to be a net positive or a very much a negative obviously depends on your level of anxiety around gatekeeping (i.e. who’s allowed to know what), or perhaps you have concerns about the commercial exploitation of underground artists. (It’s worth noting Lip Cream fully supported the reissuing of their discography.) Either way, it always feels strange – and even downright exposing – when corners of the underground that we hold dear are somehow caught in the mainstream spotlight.
I had planned on writing a long-winded feature on Lip Cream to coincide with the band’s reissues, but Bandcamp beat me to the punch, publishing a lengthy primer on the band in January. I saw plenty of other coverage of Lip Cream at the time, too, so I threw in the towel before even getting started. I doubt I would have added anything interesting to the conversation, tbh. (Lip Cream’s classic Kill Shout Ugly LP often gets all the acclaim, but keep in mind that the band’s follow-up, Close to the Edge, is a total riot, and Lip Cream’s 1989 self-titled LP is the band’s real hidden treasure.)
Maximum Rocknroll recently published its year-end ‘25 lists, which are always worth a thorough browse. Don’t forget you can find Terminal Sound Nuisance boss (and crust savant) Romain Basset’s reviews on MRR; Romain’s focus on crustier/heavier bands will be of interest to anyone reading this post. Of course, MRR also has a host of other well-regarded writers on board!
Other interesting sites to explore include: Counterforce – for those inclined to forage in the world of markedly anti-corporate punk, Counterforce is a valuable resource.
Sorry State – the label/record store’s weekly newsletter features always-interesting blurbs and opinions covering brand new releases and much-loved underground classics.
And last but not least, DIY Conspiracy continues to spotlight underground bands and features a host of great interviews; see, for example, G.A.Z.E: Playing Hardcore Without Fear of Breaking Limits. If you’ve not heard it before, G.A.Z.E’s self-titled 2025 LP was one of the year’s best. Highly recommended for fans of Burning Spirits and ripping Finnish hardcore.
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