As we kick off 2023, it’s a good time to charge yourself with a proper dose of various styles of hardcore, just released for your listening pleasure!
From old school punk, to metallic hardcore, pissed off metalcore and grim heavy hardcore tunes from different parts of the globe.
🔴 This article is being regularly updated as new submissions as new submissions arrive. Scroll down to check out new additions below. Last update: January 3rd: PUS, SISYPHUS HAPPY.
Kicking off our selecton are MATRIARCHS (members of Ruckus, Hoods and The Faceless), who step into the New Year with a vicious new single, feat. Aaron Heard of Jesus Piece!
Dubbed “All Hail the Underdog”, the new song comes with a cool new video below!
Aimed at fusing together the visual aesthetic and presentation of more thought provoking heavy acts like Tool or Converge with the sonic ferocity and energy of hardcore MATRIARCHS is a metallic hardcore band formed by Ben Levi (Cutthroat, Fate Destroyed) in Los Angeles in 2012, inspired by his affinity for Beat Down and ‘90s New York metallic hardcore. Ben had played with drummer Alfred Santa Cruz, bassist Miguel Vasquez and guitarist Marty Cole in several other projects throughout the last decade so they were no strangers to getting creative together. After playing their first show to a packed house the boys never looked back.
“Wasting Away”, the newest dark metalcore offering from AN ABSENCE OF COLOUR draws a bow between metal and hardcore with an atmospheric edge that can literally give you the chills!
“Start your new year right and spin this the moment you wake up!” – comments the UK metalcore pack. “It’s been our first year as a band and we’re looking forward to levelling up in 2023. Have a great new year and thanks for listening!”
Polish hardcore veterans SCHIZMA have returned with their new gritty single “Coraz Dalej”! The new track comes from their upcoming album called “Upadek”, slated for a February 17th release via Piranha Music label.
Coming 6 years after their latest EP “O Nas” and 13 years after their last proper full length “Whatever It Takes, Whatever It Wrecks”, the new single teases a powerful 12-tracker fueled by ferocious rage at the world’s injustices and the band’s aptly incorporated social and political commentary.
A fresh round of explosions will rock your ears when you launch the newest EP from Connecticut hardcore powerpack WRECKAGE. Drawing from the greats of both old school and modern youth crew squads, the band brings in the first blasts of the new year in this vital subgenre with a style. Moving fast through different dynamics, the band explores a more diverse approach than their older predecessors and the final effect is pure energy.
Comments NY label Scheme Records: “”Our Scene, Our Time, gotta see it through.” Do you remember Hardcore? Cuz we do. Connecticut Hardcore is back, with WRECKAGE’s debut Our Time. Seven songs that we think sound like an amalgamation of YOUTH OF TODAY, DESPERATE MEASURES, and STEP FORWARD. To sweeten the deal, the B side of the record contains their second demo, and an xclusive re-recording of the track “Dismay” from their first demo. Encased in 350gsm, full-color reverse board printed jackets and a 250gsm, full-color printed inner sleeve on offset paper.”
Nashville groovy hardcore band GREAT MINDS will be sharing the stage with a number of cool bands to celebrate the release of their new EP, Livin’ N Color later this month. Check out the full offering streaming now on major streaming platforms and see the details of the upcoming gig below.
“It’s been a long time coming and we’re forever grateful to anyone that’s been rocking with us and still is. We hope you enjoy this album as much as we enjoyed bringing it to life.” – comments the band.
Coming out of the shadow of their debut 2020 demo and one 3-track EP released in August 2021, Northern California crew COMPLEX return with 6 new raging songs, inspired by rowdy, mosh and 2-step friendly, hard hitting hardcore that will get you moving and help you burn calories gained during this past holiday season.
Broadening the offer of metallic hardcore catalogue of early 2023 are Straight Edge warriors from Florida BESKAR and Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey based heavy hardcore band NOT ONE TRUTH, who just released their heavy new split called “Riddle of Steel”, out now on From Within Records.
3 new tracks from each band for fans of 90’s inspired hardcore. This is limited to 100 cd’s which are available in the store now and they will ship out the week after FYA
It’s been a busy year for the label and I just want to say thank you to everyone who has supported us not only this year, but since the beginning
The anticipated second full-length album from Pittsburgh, PA’s own ETERNAL SLEEP has also landed in the last days of 2022.
Produced, mixed, and mastered by Arthur Rizk, Desperate Prayer Blues features 12 new songs of evolving metallic hardcore.
PSYOP, a Washington DC-based hardcore punk band, is dropping their second EP “Permanent Underclass” on January 20th, recorded by Matt Redenbo (Jivebomb, Jawbox) at Magpie Cage Studios in Baltimore. The project, which was recorded and mixed to tape, will be distributed through Tape House (US), Nuclear Family Records (UK) and Wrecking Crew Records (CAN).
PsyOp’s first release in 2021 featured members of notable DC band No/Mas in both production and performance roles. They have since been performing to packed basements, skate shows, and mid-sized venues across the Mid-Atlantic, gaining interest from local zines and noted photographers. They’ve shared the stage with national touring acts (Knoll, School Drugs, Sonja), legends of the scene (HR), and underground rippers (Corvo, Woodstock 99).
No PsyOp show is ever the same. In between manic Rollins-like shouts and apocalyptic lyrics, vocalist Daniel K incorporates glass, whips, paint, and staple guns in masochistic, politically-charged displays.
Their music is influenced by the classic 80s hardcore bands of both coasts, while also expanding on current trends. Songs vary from one minute blasts of fury to post-punk freakouts. This project follows in the footsteps of former and current DC punk bands with its adherence to the tape aesthetic and focus on live tracking to properly capture the punk ethos in action.
London’s Quality Control HQ have closed up the year with a duo of great releases from Brussels’ INSTRUCTOR and London’s LAYBACK! “Sink your teeth into two very different but equally fire platters of HARDCORE”, comments the label.
Instructor – ‘Terror Zone’ LP
Four hardcore punks from downtown Bruxelles shaking your skulls with hardcore via the Breakdown ‘87 Demo, coming out of scene they pretty much built themselves centred around the Cobra Jaune Club. For the freaks, punks and skins, together as one.
The CJ might as well be a time warp back to the CBGBs of the 80s, a truly raw punk affair where all freaks are welcome. Anyone who’s anyone on the hardcore punk tour circuit in the past 5 years will tell you playing the Cobra Jaune is what dreams are made of, bringing together punks and skins, together as one.
Very much catching this vibe musically as well, Instructor sound like they got together in an alleyway and made some instruments out of garbage cans to play Breakdown’s ‘87 Demo and Kickback’s Cornered LP. As hardcore gets more and more polished, the truly meat-and-potatoes variety is becoming a rare sight, but that’s exactly what you get with Instructor, with bucketloads of attitude and energy from people living and breathing the life. Vocalist Dario sounds like he has smoked 2 million cigarettes, whilst guitarist Bert whips out some wild solos only a mother, and punk enthusiasts, could love. And that’s the point.
Recorded at Spector Studio, a DIY space where analog equipment is crafted on-site, and with artwork by the infamous hardcore artists Spoiler and ‘Diamond’ Dave Decat, this is a snapshot of all things great from Belgium.
Layback – ‘Sit Down and Layback’ EP
The debut EP from South London’s Layback has a style that mirrors the sun-scorched pre-90s West Coast hardcore ala Against the Wall 7” or Pushed Aside, but marred with the grey London Winter of now.
Their style mirrors the sun-scorched beaches of West Coast hardcore in the pressure point of the pre-90s hardcore wave. Think of the reverberating grandiosity of the Against the Wall 7” with the throat-wrenching attitude of Pushed Aside, all marred with the eeriness of a grey Winter London backdrop. Sit down…and simply lay back.
Hamburg, Germany heavyweight hardcore mob I AM REVENGE have unleashed the full stream of their new EP “Creeping Decease“, marking their first official multi-track release since 2018.
Creeping Decease is the perfect example that the band managed to keep their super heavy, super aggressive tone and at the same time fill the gaps that have been missing to create an entirely new and refreshing sound full of atmosphere.
Dynamic, aggressive vocal parts and innovative drumming paired with heavy low-tuned guitars and humming bass lines make I AM REVENGE sound complete like never before.
Hattem, Netherlands hardcore pack NO HEROES LEFT kick off 2023 with mid-paced, muscular new single “Into The Wild”. Listen below.
Featuring Dillon Wilson (Vocals), Desmond Reusch (Guitar), Garrett Ranger Handelman (Drums), and Nicholas Morosini (Bass), Nashville, TN hardcore band HEAD HEIST have dropped thier debut gritty EP!
The new EP features 5 gloomy tracks written by the band, mixed and mastered by Nicholas Morosini in Potter Room 102. Cover art created by Isabella Alexander and Nicholas Morosini.
Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK based hardcore crew WISE UP! are streaming their wild new EP BAPTISM BY FIRE, out now on Nuclear Family Records!
Featuring guest vocals from Paddy Bloodyfury and GHC’s hardest mosher Scott Nothin’ But Enemies, the venomous 5-tracker is available below!
Aaron Scott Johnson (aka SISYPHUS HAPPY) from Dayton, Ohio has released his new EP called “Sinister Edifice”, feat. 4 pissed tracks that will pump you up for this week!
Peru violent dark punks PUS have dropped their new vicious LP “PUS II”!
After their debut on 7″ one of the bands that has surprised me the most in recent years returns. PUS come from Lima, Peru, and their sound is an explosive mix of autochthonous hardcore from the 80s like Ataque Frontal or Leuzemia with darkest and most devilish deathrock, and all this with an absurd and raw distorted punk sound.
Sick bass lines and a distorted guitar sound full of reverb overlap the drums that play the most extreme hardcore at times and all crowned with a demoniac vocals giving a blackened punk note to the whole set.The staging by the band is spectacular and striking, sadomasochistic and violent, especially this last concept, which is what the band transmits in every second of their songs; VIOLENCE This LP is made up of 10 songs, 6 of which are new and the other 4 were released on cassette in a split with the also Peruvian band SxFxCx, of which 2 are adaptations of LEUZEMIA and NIRVANA (Vida Callejera and Negativo Asqueroso respectively).
An unusual sound for these dark and unusual times. The art goes hand in hand with the concept of the band. A modern must have.
Looking for something that’s missing on the list? Please drop us a line via [email protected].
In other early 2023 news, IDIOTEQ has been selected by Feedspot panelist as one of the Top 60 Punk Rock Blogs on the web. You can check out the full list HERE.
Subscribe to our playlists on Spotify HERE.
Browse through dozens of exclusive independent music features HERE.
