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
Somehow, someway, Early Graves has stayed off of my radar until very recently. This has happened to me a lot recently, so this whole "New Band To Me" thing will pop up here from time to time. But this band scratches an itch in my brain that not many other bands manage to do. On one hand I feel like a fool for not knowing about them before now, but on the other hand, I am very grateful that their catalog is completely new to me. Now, pardon me while I do some Wikipedia copy & pasting about Early Graves.
Early Graves formed in 2007, members had previously been in Apiary. They toured the U.S. extensively with The Handshake Murders, Gaza, The Funeral Pyre and Unearth, amongst many others. Their debut album We: The Guillotine was released worldwide August 19, 2008, on Ironclad/Metal Blade Records. On June 22, 2010, they released a second album, Goner. Unfortunately, early on Monday, August 2, 2010, vocalist Makh Daniels was killed in a van accident while traveling from Oregon to Reno, Nevada. However, somehow, despite it all, the band pushed on, releasing 2012's Red Horse with their close friend John Strachan, of the Funeral Pyre, taking over on vocals. In 2016, a split 7" with Ringworm was released, featuring one new original and one cover from each band, Early Graves cover Celtic Frost’s “Into the Crypts of Rays”. The band disbanded following a final performance at the Decibel Metal & Beer Festival on December 10, 2021.
In an interview before their final show, their guitar player was asked about future projects, and he stated: "A couple of us are starting a not-quite-titled project that was most of our focus for 2019, and then 2020 put a pause on that, but now going back at it. It’s really aggressive music, kind of similar to Early Graves". If anyone know what fucking band he is talking about, or can point me in the direction of other bands like Early Graves, please let me know!
Country: USA Genre: Post Hardcore, Punk, Sludge, Noise Rock Label: Neurot Recordings Tracks: 7 Length: 30.22'
Kowloon Walled City is a four piece band from San Francisco, CA who formed in 2008. Kowloon Walled City play an amazing style of music that incorporates elements of post hardcore, punk, sludge, and noise rock within their sound. Since their inception in 2008, Kowloon Walled City have released a five song EP titled Turk Street in September of 2008, an eight song LP titled Gambling On The Richter Scale in September of 2009, a three-way split LP with Ladder Devils and Fight Amp in September of 2010, a full length LP titled Container Ships in December of 2012, a split 7" with Thou in 2013, a split 7" with Batillus in 2014, a seven song LP titled Grievances in October of 2015, and most recently a three-way split 12" with Shallow North Dakota and Ken Mode. Piecework is the band's latest full-length LP, which was released via Neurot recordings on October 8th, 2021. On Piecework, Kowloon Walled City offer up seven new tracks of sludgy and noise damaged post hardcore. Overall, Piecework is an amazing album and will most likely be my favorite album of the year. Highly recommended! Enjoy!
Country: USA Genre: Black Metal, Death Metal, Grindcore Label: The Flenser Tracks: 8 Length: 33.10'
Succumb is a three piece band from San Francisco, California who formed in 2016, from the looks of things. Succumb play a vicious and brutal as fuck style of music that incorporates elements of black metal, death metal, and grindcore within their sound. Musically, Succumb can be loosely compared to bands such as Nooserot, Abstracter, Of Feather And Bone, Cloud Rat, and other like-minded bands. Since forming in 2016, Succumb have released a self-titled seven song LP in May of 2017. XXI is the band's second full-length LP, which was released via The Flenser on September 24th, 2021. On XXI, Succumb offer up eight tracks of vicious, raw, and brutal as fuck sounding black metal, death metal, and grindcore. Overall, XXI makes for an awesome listen and definitely should not be missed. Highly recommended! Enjoy!
Country: USA Genre: Black Metal, Death Metal, Grindcore Label: The Flenser Tracks: 7 Length: 32.30'
Succumb is a three piece band from San Francisco, California who formed in 2016, from the looks of things. Succumb play a vicious and brutal as fuck style of music that incorporates elements of black metal, death metal, and grindcore within their sound. Musically, Succumb can be loosely compared to bands such as Nooserot, Abstracter, Of Feather And Bone, Cloud Rat, and other like-minded bands. This is the band's debut full-length LP, which was released via The Flenser on May 5th, 2017. On their self-titled debut, Succumb offer up seven tracks of vicious, raw, and brutal as fuck sounding black metal, death metal, and grindcore. Overall, Succumb's debut full-length LP makes for an awesome listen and definitely should not be missed. Highly recommended! Enjoy!
Country: USA Genre: Punk, Alt. Rock, Noise Rock Label: Bar/None Records Tracks: 12 Length: 28.10'
Pardoner is four piece band from San Francisco, CA who formed in 2014, from the looks of things. Pardoner play a fuzzed out and hazy style of music that incorporates elements of punk, alt. rock, and noise rock within their sound. Musically, Pardoner can be loosely compared to bands such as Cloud Nothings, Sonic Youth, Parquet Courts, Broken Water, Swirlies, and other like-minded bands. Since forming in 2014, Pardoner have released a five song EP titled Happy Trails in March of 2015, a four song EP titled Kidney Pool in October of 2015, a two song EP titled Not As Soft in April of 2016, a five song EP titled Grave Digger in June of 2016, a ten song LP titled Uncontrollable Salvation in September of 2017, an eight song LP titled PLayin' On A Cloud in July of 2019, and a three song EP titled B-Sides 2 in April of 2020. Came Down Different is the band's latest full-length LP, which was released via Bar/None records on May 14th, 2021. On Came Down Different, Pardoner offer up ten tracks of discordant, fuzzed out, and hazy sounding punk, alt. rock, and noise rock. Overall, Came Down Different makes for an awesome listen and definitely should not be missed. Highly recommended! Enjoy!
Country: USA Genre: Doom, Black Metal, Sludge, Crust, Noise, Power Electronics Label: Prosthetic Records Tracks: 4 Length: 50.50'
Body Void is a three piece band from San Francisco, CA who formed in 2014. Body Void play a killer style of music that incorporates elements of doom, black, metal, and sludge within their sound. Musically, Body Void can be loosely compared to bands such as Primitive Man, Northless, Cough, Fange, and other like-minded bands. Since forming in 2014, Body Void have released a self-titled demo in December of 2014, a digital single titled Patriarch Scum in May of 2015, a four song EP titled II in June of 2015, a four song LP titled Ruins in June of 2016, a five song LP titled I Live Inside A Burning House in June of 2018, a two song LP titled You Will Know The Fear You Forced Upon Us in March of 2019, and a split LP with Keeper in January of 2020. Bury Me Beneath This Rotting Earth is the band's latest full-length LP, which was released via Prosthetic records on April 23rd, 2021. On Bury Me Beneath This Rotting Earth, Body Void offer up four tracks of harsh, ugly, abrasive, and brutal as fuck sounding doom, black metal, sludge, crust, noise, and power electronics. Overall, Bury Me Beneath This Rotting Earth makes for an amazing listen and definitely should not be missed. Highly recommended! Enjoy!
Genre: Post Hardcore, Punk, Metal, Noise, Blackgaze
Label: Self-Released
Tracks: 4
Length: 12.0'
Plaguestate is a music collective from San Francisco, CA who formed in 2020, from the looks of things. Plaguestate features members of Mercy Ties, Ex-Deafheaven, Acephalix, so going on that alone, you know you're in for something truly special. Plaguestate play a killer style of music that incorporates elements of post hardcore, punk, metal, noise, and blackgaze within their sound. Musically, Plaguestate can be loosely compared to bands such as Candy, Portrayal Of Guilt, Old Lines, Sect, Throes, and other like-minded bands. Under The Shelter Of Violence is the band's debut EP, which was released on March 5th, 2021. On Under The Shelter Of Violence, Plaguestate offer up four tracks of harsh, ugly, chaotic, and brutal as fuck sounding post hardcore, punk, metal, noise, and blackgaze. Overall, Under The Shelter Of Violence makes for an amazing listen and definitely should not be missed! Highly recommended! Enjoy!
Country: USA Genre: Post Punk, Grunge, Death Rock, Noise Rock Label: Self-Released Tracks: 2 Length: 7.30'
The Tunnel is a three piece band from San Francisco, CA who formed in 2006. The Tunnel play a dark and moody style of music that incorporates elements of post punk, grunge, death rock, and noise rock within their sound. Since forming in 2006, The Tunnel have released a sixteen song LP titled Carver Brothers Lullaby in February of 2009, an eight song LP titled Fathoms Deep in April of 2011, an eight song LP titled Sultry Daggers in November of 2012, a ten song LP titled Apparition Overdrive in June of 2015, a six song EP titled Six Curses Of The Blackout Witch Cave in January of 2017, a two song EP titled Plasma Den/Overload in June of 2017, a three song EP titled Exoskeletal in October of 2018, a three song EP titled The Blood in January of 2019, an eight song LP titled Shapeshifter in February of 2020, a split EP with Thought Leaders in April of 2020, and a four song EP titled The Nightfall in May of 2020. Condemned/Collapse is the band's latest EP, which was released on September 25th, 2020. On Condemned/Collapse, The Tunnel offer up two tracks of dark and moody post punk, grunge, death rock, and noise rock. Overall, Condemned/Collapse makes for an awesome listen and definitely should not be missed. Highly recommended! Enjoy!
Country: USA/Beirut Genre: Post Metal, Black Metal, Experimental Label: The Flenser Tracks: 6 Length: 44.30'
Mamaleek is a two piece band from San Francisco, CA and Beirut who formed in 2007, from the looks of things. Mamaleek play an intense and atmospheric style of music that incorporates elements of post metal and experimental black metal within their sound. Since forming in 2007, Mamaleek have released a nine song self-titled LP in February of 2008, a ten song LP titled Fever Dream in February of 2009, an eight song LP titled Kurdaitcha in March of 2011, a four song EP titled He Never Spoke A Mumblin' Word in July of 2014, a nine song LP titled Via Dolorosa in May of 2015, a fourteen song LP titled Out Of Time in August of 2018, and a three song EP titled Cadejos in August of 2019. Come And See is Mamaleek's latest full-length LP, which was released via The Flenser on March 27th, 2020. On Come And See, Mamaleek offer up six tracks of really forward-thinking and difficult to pigeon-hole post metal and experimental black. Overall, Come And See makes for a really complex and refreshing listen and will definitely end up being one of my favorite albums of 2020. Highly recommended! Enjoy!
Country: USA Genre: Post Hardcore, Punk, Screamo Label: Self-Released Tracks: 3 Length: 5.20'
Vacant Position is a three piece band from San Francisco, who formed in 2020, from the looks of things. Vacant Position play a killer style of music that incorporates elements of post hardcore, punk, and screamo within their sound. Musically, Vacant Position can be loosely compared to bands such as Sinaloa, Who Calls So Loud, Life At These Speeds, Reds, A Day In Black And White, and other like-minded bands. This is the band's debut EP, which was released on March 21st, 2020. On their self-titled debut, Vacant Position offer up three tracks of tense and discordant sounding post hardcore, punk, and screamo. Overall, Vacant Position's debut EP makes for an awesome listen and definitely should not be missed. Highly recommended! Enjoy!
Country: USA Genre: Punk, Alt. Rock, Grunge, Garage Rock Label: Self-Released Tracks: 8 Length: 33.25'
Pardoner are a four piece band from San Francisco, CA who formed in 2014, from the looks of things. Pardoner play a killer style of music that incorporates elements of punk, alt. rock, grunge, and garage rock within their sound. Musically, Pardoner can be loosely compared to bands such as Sneeze, Dinosaur Jr., Solids, Big Bite, Superchunk, California X, Milk Music, Swirlies, and other like-minded bands. Since forming in 2014, Pardoner have released a five song EP titled Happy Trails! in March of 2015, a four song EP titled Kidney Pool in October of 2015, a two song EP titled Not As Soft in April of 2016, a five song EP titled Gravedigger in June of 2016, and a ten song LP titled Uncontrollable Salvation in September of 2017. Playin' On A Cloud is the band's latest LP, which was released on July 4th, 2019. On Playin' On A Cloud, Pardoner offer up eight tracks of killer punk, alt. rock, grunge, and garage rock. Overall, Playin' On A Cloud makes for an awesome listen and definitely should not be missed. Highly recommended! Enjoy!
Country: USA Genre: Hardcore, Punk Label: Iron Lung Tracks: 5 Length: 7.10'
Screaming Fist is a band from Bay Area/San Francisco, CA who formed in 2018, from the looks of things. Screaming Fist play a vicious and scathing style of hardcore/punk. Templanza is the band's latest 7", which was released via Iron Lung records on November 22nd, 2019. On Templanza, Screaming Fist offer up five tracks of vicious and scathing hardcore/punk. Overall, Templanza makes for an awesome listen and definitely should not be missed. Highly recommended! Enjoy!
Country: USA Genre: Post Punk, Grunge, Death Rock, Noise Rock Label: Forbidden Place Records Tracks: 8 Length: 30.10'
The Tunnel is a three piece band from San Francisco, CA who formed in
2006. The Tunnel play a dark and moody style of music that incorporates
elements of post punk, grunge, death rock, and noise rock within their
sound. Since forming in 2006, The Tunnel have released a sixteen song
LP titled Carver Brothers Lullaby in February of 2009, an eight song LP
titled Fathoms Deep in April of 2011, an eight song LP titled Sultry
Daggers in November of 2012, a ten song LP titled Apparition Overdrive
in June of 2015, a six song EP titled Six Curses Of The Blackout Witch
Cave in January of 2017, a two song EP titled Plasma Den/Overload in
June of 2017, a three song EP titled Exoskeletal in October of
2018, and a three song EP titled The Blood in January of 2019. Shapeshifter is The Tunnel's latest full-length LP, which is slated for release via Forbidden Place records on February 25th, 2010. On Shapeshifter, The Tunnel offer up eight
tracks of dark and moody post punk, grunge, death rock, and noise
rock. Overall, Shapeshifter makes for an awesome listen and definitely
should not be missed. Highly recommended! Enjoy!
Country: USA Genre: Hardcore, Punk, Post Punk, Noise Rock Label: Thrilling Living Tracks: 10 Length: 18.0'
"Hatched in 2017 via an assemblage of FLESH WORLD, MALLARD and BLANK
SQUARE personnel, WARP’s from-the-hip attack immediately streamlined The
Bay’s skulls, prompting sudsy devotion across spiked and freaked
schools alike, a vibrant punk band operating amidst all the
scooter-share inhumanity.
The damage spills from the central screaming dual-guitar tangle, a riff
tract neighboring the elegantly bruised and dynamic Agnew / Baiza axis,
exerting too much power for the troposphere. Rhythms twist and barrel
depending on need, always leaping forward, propelling each taut
composition into realms unthinkable from count-off. Tika’s smarm-centric
vocal steering — wonderfully absurdist and unreservedly pissed — offers
exactly the sort of punky exfoliation so very needed in these days of
constant cringe. Real punk from America’s cruelest town. WARP: San
Francisco’s Last & Only Rock’n’Roll Band." — Mitch Cardwell
Thrilling Living quite gleefully presents “Traffic Control” to an
ill-prepared populace. Limited to 400 copies on black vinyl, housed in
full color sleeves with a double-sided Risographed insert.
(Press Note)
*Damn, this is some awesome snotty, discordant, moody hardcore, punk, post punk, and noise rock. Traffic Control is Warp's latest LP, which was released via Thrilling Living records on November 15th, 2019. Overall, Traffic Control makes for an awesome listen and definitely should not be missed. Highly recommended! Enjoy!
Country: USA Genre: Post Punk, Punk, Experimental Label: Iron Lung Tracks: 2 Length: 7.30'
RANK/XEROX is a three piece band from San Francisco, CA who formed in 2009, from the looks of things. RANK/XEROX play a killer style of experimental post punk and punk. Musically, RANK/XEROX can be loosely compared to bands such as Behavior, Total Control, Diat, Urochromes, and other like-minded bands. Since forming in 2009, RANK/XEROX have released a self-titled 7" in September of 2009, a self-titled LP in June of 2011, an eight song LP cassette titled Mass Transit Mongo Combo in January of 2017, and a four song EP titled M.Y.T.H. in January of 2017. Servants Of Heaven is the band's latest 7", which was released via Iron Lung records on November 22nd 2019, On Servants of Heaven, RANK/XEROX offer up two tracks of dark moody experimental post punk and punk. Overall, Servants Of Heaven makes for an awesome listen and definitely should not be missed. Highly recommended! Enjoy!
World Peace is a San Francisco, CA based band who formed in 2017, from
the looks of things. World Peace play a vicious, scathing, and
completely unhinged style of music that incorporates elements of
hardcore, punk, grindcore, and powerviolence within their sound.
Musically, World Peace can be loosely compared to bands such as Water
Torture, Fluoride, Total Abuse, and other like-minded bands. Since
forming in 2017, World Peace have released a ten song EP titled The Most
Noble Impulse Of Man is World Peace's debut EP, in December of 2017, a
four song EP titled Fear Through And Through in July of 2018, a four song EP titled From One
Silence To Another in October of 2018, a two song EP titled Every Ray Of Sunshine Once More in April of 2019, and a split EP with Cell Rot in August of 2019. Towards A New Supreme Understanding is the band's latest EP, which was released on
October 4th, 2019. On Towards A New Supreme Understanding, World Peace offer up ten tracks tracks of raging and venomous sounding hardcore, punk,
grindcore,
and powerviolence. Overall, Towards A New Supreme Understanding makes for a
killer listen and definitely should not be missed. Highly recommended! Enjoy!
Country: USA Genre: Post Punk, Shoegaze Label: Slumberland Records Tracks: 11 Length: 49.0'
Weekend is a three piece band from San Francisco, California who formed in 2009. Weekend play a dark, melodic, and hauntingly melodic style of music that fuses elements of post punk and shoegaze within their sound. Musically, Weekend can be said to be influenced by bands such as Swervedriver, My Bloody Valentine, Joy Division, and The Birthday Party. Since their inception in 2009, Weekend have released a double LP titled Sports in 2010, a five song 12" titled Red in September of 2011, and a two song 7" titled End Times in May of 2011. Jinx is the band's latest full-length LP, which was released via Slumberland records on July 13th, 2013. On their latest offering, Weekend offer up eleven songs of dark, melodic, and somber sounding post punk/shoegaze that's an absolute must listen for fans of Anne, Whirr, Nothing, and Cloakroom. Overall, Jinx is a phenomenal album and should not be missed. Highly recommended! Enjoy!
