HUMAN SHIELD - Forever Indebted

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Human Shield out of Tennessee play powerviolence with metallic hardcore intensity. Forever Indebted dropped January 9, 2026 with six tracks of blistering aggression. The trio - Drew Miller on guitars/vocals, Will Shephered on bass/vocals/electronics, and Noah Guffin on drums - delivers nearly 11 minutes of relentless chaos. The band blends grinding powerviolence brutality with crushing metallic riffs and occasional electronic elements adding industrial textures to the violence. Short, explosive bursts of fury is what you get here. They previously released Sullen Population in February 2025 and a summer promo in June 2024, showing a consistent evolution in their punishing sound.

FFO: Sex Prisoner, Nails, Iron Lung  

KNIFE VISION / SLAVEHOUSE - Chained to the Abyss

KNIFE VISION or SLAVEHOUSE (I have no idea if it's one or the other, or both) out of Columbus, Ohio play a raw black metal/punk hybrid fury. Chained to the Abyss dropped March 7, 2026 with five tracks of lo-fi, blackened aggression. This seems to be a solo project by "JN" blending raw black metal with hardcore punk intensity across 15 minutes of unrelenting darkness. Primitive production, hateful vocals, and relentless blasting throughout. 

FFO: Young And In The Way, Ungfell, Feral

D.M.V. - FIVE FINGER DISCOUNT

D.M.V. out of Washington, D.C. play abrasive noise punk with no wave chaos. Five Finger Discount dropped February 28, 2026 with five tracks of raw, distorted aggression. Tons of dissonant guitars, shouted vocals, and unhinged energy. First release from the band and it's deliberately ugly in the best way.

FFO: Couch Slut, USA Nails, Lovely Wife

 

DISPOSAL - OFFICER DOWN

Even if this song sucked (which it most definitely does not), I would have posted this for the cover alone. In other news, everything is fucked. Good luck out there.

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Boycott The Baptist - Father Egg

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Boycott The Baptist from the UK deliver four tracks of grindcore/crust punk on Father Egg, released February 13th, 2026. The band has been touring relentlessly since 2013, supporting acts like Wormrot, Discharge, and Trash Talk along the way. This EP leans into their Pig Destroyer and Eyehategod love while keeping the Black Flag punk energy front and center. Tracks range from the three-minute rippers to the sprawling six-minute closer "Jane Doe In Idaho." UK grindcore that's been road-tested to hell and back.

FFO:  Wolfbrigade, Infest, Weekend Nachos

Desgarro - Impasibles

Desgarro out of Córdoba, Spain bring Andalusian rage to the Spanish crust scene with Impasibles. The album locks into that classic D-beat attack with apocalyptic hardcore energy, channeling the same raw disgust that fueled early Discharge and Amebix. Southern Spain doesn't get as much crust attention as A Coruña's storied scene, but Desgarro prove there's plenty of venom brewing down south—metallic riffs stripped down to their ugliest, vocals torn to shreds, and rhythms pounding like riot gear on pavement. Pure stenchcore fury.

FFO:  Wolfbrigade, Doom, Discharge, Tragedy

RECVRSE - SUFFER & REMEMBER

RECVRSE are a two-piece out of Los Angeles playing hardcore/crust/skramz, and they only put out their first demo last October. SUFFER & REMEMBER is their debut LP, eight tracks dropped January 29th, and it moves fast, Politically blunt lyrics over a record that doesn't waste a second. All the money from it goes to SFV Mutual Aid, which tells you everything you need to know about where these guys are coming from.

FFO: Frail Body, Ohyda, Shin Guard

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Emanating Peace - S/T EP

Sometimes, just sometimes, good things DO happen here. Emanating Peace is a Cincinnati/Northern KY based sludge/hardcore band that is relatively new with a lot of members that are literally a stone's throw from me. This simultaneously makes me so happy, because I fucking love it, but I'm also a little pissed at myself because I didn't put together a band like this myself. Still time I guess. This Self Titled EP has got pretty much everything I look for in bands these days: Generally mid-tempo to fast hardcore drumming, not a billion fucking blast beats constantly. As a bass player in most of my previous bands, I really appreciate actually being able to hear the thud of the bass here. Guitars are nasty with what sounds like some Boss HM-2 pedals in the mix, and the vocals are super aggressive without being a screaming mess of noise. All of this combines to make a near-perfect, groove-laden, heavy as fuck, angry 6-song, 6-minute release. I only wish there were more tracks, but hopefully more are on the way. I still cant believe these dudes are in my backyard, can't wait to see them live, which I'll be doing soon in March. Check this out for sure.

FFO: Cursed, Nails, Cult Leader, Sect, The Swarm

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DEATH CULT - Self Titled

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Death Cult is a hardcore and sludge metal band from Limoges, France. The band formed in 2015 and the members have previous history in the French underground scene, specifically in the band Purgatory. The group recently released their debut full-length record, a self-titled album. This follows their previous work, the Eternal Treblinka EP and the single "The Void." The new release features a heavy, slow-tempo sound with themes focused on social and environmental collapse.

FFO:  Primitive Man, Celeste, Cowards

Sator - The Dying Light

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From their Bandcamp: Psychedelic sludge heaviness never stops. SATOR are back once again with their new record “The Dying Light”. Born out of the creativity and the heaviness of the first four records and of the experimental vibe of the splits with Evil Cosby and celebrated dutch experimentators Gnaw Their Tongues, this chapter goes even more back to basics after a crucial step such as 2022’s “The Cleansing Ritual”.

The Dying Light is a dark album but a bit different from what Sator has offered us so far. This time hardcore blends with psychedelic melodies and powerful sludge/metal riffs, with frenetic accelerations and abrupt stops, creating an album that embraces and explores new sounds, taking you into a dark new dimension of volume, anger, and desperation. 

The trio has recently welcomed a new drummer, Gelso from experimental post-doom act Ainu and after the release of “The Dying Light” the band, stronger than ever, is ready to play live again throughout Italy and Europe bringing their heaviness on every possible stage.

FFO:  Fange, Celeste, Hexis, Light Bearer

No Shelter. - Remission/Resolve

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No Shelter. is another band that I missed last year. This record is fucking great. Oozing with Swedish Death Metal vibes complete with the buzzsaw guitar via Boss HM-2 pedals. There's even an Entombed cover. Perfection. Oh and they are German. Chef's kiss.

FFO: Trap Them, Nails, Trash Talk, Entombed  

Painfield - Piracy

San Francisco’s Painfield has emerged as a powerhouse in the Bay Area underground, delivering a sound that feels like a high-speed collision between heavy groove and modern metallic hardcore. Their latest drop, Piracy, is a relentless, no-frills assault that trades polished production for a gritty, basement-show authenticity. The record is driven by thick, low-tuned riffs and a percussive battery that feels designed to rattle the walls of a dive bar. With a vocal delivery that is both snarling and rhythmic, Piracy captures a specific brand of Northern California urban tension—raw, unpolished, and fiercely independent.

FFO:  Jesus Piece, Shattered Realm, Gouge Away, Punch

LOCUSTS - LAPSUS AB INFERNO

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Locusts operate out of England with a brand of hardcore that feels tense, cold, and tightly coiled, like every song is seconds from snapping. Their approach leans on sharp pacing and a bleak undercurrent that never fully lets up. LAPSUS AB INFERNO, their newest release, pushes that atmosphere into something heavier and more deliberate. The record moves with a grim steadiness, each track stacking pressure rather than chasing speed.

FFO:  Svalbard, Guilt Trip, Drain

Smearing - Acts Of Service

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Seattle's own hardcore heavyweights, Smearing, have carved a niche with their relentless energy and uncompromising sound. Known for their furious live shows and politically charged lyrics, they consistently deliver a sonic assault. Their latest release, "Acts Of Service," is no exception, showcasing a more refined yet equally brutal approach to their signature style. This album dives deep into themes of mutual support and community resilience

FFO: WVRM, Regional Justice Center, Cult Leader

FOSCO - TRES ESTACAS

 

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Emerging from Spain’s underground hardcore scene, FOSCØ blends screamo, post-hardcore, with hardcore punk, and plunges listeners into a heavy, atmospheric sonic journey. TRES ESTACAS showcases their ability to balance chaotic aggression with moments of atmosphere. 

 FFO: Jeromes Dream, Funeral Diner, Celeste, Lentic Waters

BACKSTABBERS INC. - Poisoned Minds

 

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Backstabbers Inc., the hardcore punk and grindcore band from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, have returned with their latest release Poisoned Minds. Known for their chaotic blend of hardcore, crust, and grind, the band has been a staple of the New England heavy music scene since the late 1990s. Poisoned Minds delivers politically charged tracks like I’m Afraid of Americans and Savior Complex, showcasing their relentless energy. 

FFO: Trap Them, Pig Destroyer, The Red Chord, Converge 

baan - neumann

 

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Baan is a genre-bending band from Busan, South Korea, fusing post-rock, shoegaze, sludge, and hardcore into a raw, emotional sound. Their 2025 album Neumann showcases this mix with walls of noise and atmosphere, they the gap between beautiful and terrifying.

FFO: Svalbard, Amenra, Kowloon Walled City, KEN Mode

Cipres - Canciones del Veinticinco

 

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Known for their poetic lyricism and visceral sound, Ciprés blends hardcore aggression with introspective themes. Canciones del Veinticinco follows the band’s earlier 2024 Demo and recent singles like Flotando sin Voluntad and La Jaula de mi Mente. This new record is a masterclass in dynamic songwriting and meticulous arrangement.

FFO:  Touché Amoré, Defeater & - Pianos Become the Teeth

VERMINSECT - Demo

Here's another killer demo from a band I can basically find nothing about on the internet, but that's mainly because It's brand new. One thing I can tell you this one of the dudes in this band is/was also in Melancholia, one of my favorite bands. Both bands, of course, are from Bellingham, Washington but VERMINSECT sounds a lot different than Melancholia, but it's a very, very promising start. While Melancholia has an atmospheric, black metal-sludge vibe with very tight production, VERMINSECT is a much more raw, dirty, loose, rock n' roll kind of hardcore, sort of a west coast Funeral Chic. This is a compliment. 

breathe//die - gestalt

    FROM: Berlin, Germany

    GENRE: Powerviolence, Hardcore, Death Metal

I've said it 1,000 times and I'll say it again,
every hardcore band from Germany rules