Hardcore punk (and all its strange offshoots) has crept its way into my current rotation, despite the fact I’m often at a loss for how to describe the genre. If you’re into aggressive drumbeats and guttural screaming, you’ll enjoy these recent-ish albums as much as I do.
Vocalists usually put charisma on the backburner to focus on delivering hard and fast, but Silo Kids’ uniquely expressive lead delivers on all three fronts. In fact, all four members are giving a gold-star performance here. When the beat picks up (like in Stable) or drops into that side-to-side rhythm (like in Silo Kids), every instrument moves like a well oiled, eight-footed machine.
You’re doing yourself a disservice if you don’t see Anomaly live in Birmingham. I’m a sucker for beat changes, and this album alternates between intense-wall-of-primal-noise to funky punk rhythms. Collapse of Industrial Civilization is definitely a contender for best album openers.
The level of distortion on this release could only be achieved with one billion pedals (and two billion guitars, I assume). It’s only fitting that Abism turned the raspiness up to 11 by imitating Patty and Selma from The Simpsons. No two songs on this record sound alike, so I’m sure you’ll find one to love.
This demo was made for Minor Threat enthusiasts and devout crust lovers. Unlike some of the other releases mentioned in this review, People’s Temple maintain a fairly consistent sound throughout “Demo”—an impressive feat considering the sheer intensity of their performance. I recommend all the bands on this list, but these guys are top-of-the-list for anyone jonesing for 80’s hardcore punk sounds.
Secqnd is the kind of album designed to be experienced live, but streaming on Bandcamp will have to suffice since this band is (seemingly) defunct. Q’s vocalist has amazing clarity for someone giving a throat-searing performance. The real focus of this record is the drummer, who must be channeling God herself in songs like DQQR and WANT. Please come to Birmingham, Q :(.
Hello hello! I'm a neuroscience + philosophy major with an insatiable craving for funky music. You can probably find me crocheting, scheming in a campus org, or playing annoying riffs on my guitar.
