EOY '17: Worthy Punk Challengers
A lot of music writers publish a list of their favourite releases at the end of every year. It can be stressful constructing a comprehensive list. But, apparently, I’m a fucking masochist in that regard. Because I make four lengthy lists every year.
I do that because Six Noises features punk, metal, experimental, and New Zealand music. That's a lot of ground to cover, and I genuinely want to share great music from all of those spheres. But, just to make things difficult, I'm also terrible at making cut-throat decisions.
Actually, that’s not entirely true. I could list all the albums from 2017 that I didn't like easy enough. But making a definitive list of the releases that I did like means I have to cast aside a mountain of worthy challengers. (And honestly, choosing this or that release over another often comes down to some fairly capricious decision-making at the best of times.)
This year, I decided I'm not going to leave those worthy challengers dying in the dirt. Instead, I've gathered 'em all up, and I'm handing them over to you.
None of the releases below made my final end of year list in 2017. But they're all definitely entertaining. And who knows, maybe you'll discover your favourite release from this year amongst the horde.
Here’s a bunch of rock-solid punk from 2017 to sample. And keep an eye out for my final end of year punk list, which will be published in early December. Rark it. Enjoy.
War Plague/Warwound: Split 7"
A short, decimating blast of crushing/crashing/thrashing crust.
Total Waste: Never Ending Winter
Ice-cold whirlwind d-beat from New York duo.
Bring The Drones: Ignorance Paradise LP
Killer LP from a d-beat troop featuring veteran members of Anti Cimex and Doom.
Native: S/T CS
A formidable release jam-packed with brawny and brutal hardcore.
Thisclose: What Glory EP
"A hip-swinging, pooch-era system smasher with 3 Why?-influenced slammers."
Sacrificio: Pulidores de tumbas LP
Mexican hardcore delivered "straight from the heart by way of the gut, full of character and attitude."
S.H.I.T.: i 7"
Four U.N.H.I.N.G.E.D tracks of brain-bending/smashing hardcore.
Disclone: Victims of the War EP
Rawer-than-raw Austrian crustcore: deranged, barbaric, obnoxious.
Slimy Member: Ugly Songs For Ugly People LP
Gloriously gloomy and grimy deathrock/darkpunk.
Anxiety: Wild Life 7"
Follow-up to Anxiety’s stellar debut: crazier, meaner, uglier. Brilliant.
Ydinaseeton Pohjola: Synnyt, Kärsit, Kuolet, Unohdut LP
Lo-fi acid-audio from berserker Finnish band.
Katastrof: S/T EP
Saw-toothed hardcore featuring members of Totalitär and Herätys.
Flash Out: Death Dealer EP
Skull-smashing grinding crust: FFO of old school murk and murder.
Geiger Counter: S/T LP
Burly, bleak, and notably brutal hardcore from a Minneapolis band.
Ydintuho - Warheads, Thunder and Blood 7"
Filthy d-beat cut with a hefty dose of vintage thrash.
Dråp: Roten Till Allt Ont LP
Thickset crust-caked death metal from a formidable Swedish band.
Fatum/Instinct of Survival: Split 7"
Double dose of heavyweight stenchcore from Russian and German bands.
Kontatto: Fino Alla Fine LP
Nasty Italian hardcore that tips its hat to UK82 and the Scandinavian old guard.
Warvictims: Världsherravälde LP
Galloping käng from the long-running Swedish band.
Limp Wrist: Facades LP
Powerful, provocative: "not for the weak at heart and never will be."
State of Defiance: S/T
Fired-up, hard-hitting, and 100% old-school anarcho-crust.
Rat Cage: Caged Like Rats 7"
"Six relentless tracks of total Sheffield mangel."
Terra Mater: Holocene Extinction i EP
Ambitious single-track 17-minute debut from Australian melodic crusties.
Lebenden Toten: Static 12"
"Pounding goth backbone all jacked up on Hawkwind freakout space jams."
Future Terror: We're All Fucked EP
Remorseless hardcore delivered with a sledgehammer at whirlwind speed.
Lumpy and the Dumpers: Those Pickled Fuckers MLP
"Gritty discomfort punk, bulging with bodyhorror blues and puerile manic imprecations."
Warcycle: Deploy & Destroy
Full-throttle and battle-ready crust from Perth, Australia.
Lunglust: War at Home EP
"Pissed off grinding hardcore" from Boston. FFO Tragedy/Wolfbrigade.
Extended Hell: 2017 Tour CS
This is great, but the band's 2017 EP via Brain Solvent Propaganda is even better.
Physique: I Hate It!!!!!
Rip-snorting rawpunk from Olympia, Washington: "Kawakami forever."
Sonic Order: S/T 7"
FURIOUS debut from Norwich band: A+ UK hardcore.
Institute: Subordination LP
The strangest and the best release yet from Austin, Texas punk eccentrics.
Impulso: S/T EP
Blown-out, offbeat, and red-raw Italian hardcore.
Khmer: Larga Sombra LP
Sinister crust + black metal + sludgy hardcore from Spanish four-piece.
Ritual Blade: Hollow Gods + Hidden Pain EPs
A duo of savage releases from bloodthirsty Massachusetts hardcore crew.
Strul: Föredrar ju Fest EP
Full-bore rawness and rage from Swedish reprobates.
Dissekerad: IV EP
A-grade crushing käng and rawpunk: featuring members of Totalitär, Avskum, and more.
Hellknife: Decimated to Ashes LP
Heavyweight old-school crust, delivered mercilessly throughout.
Video Filth: Video Filth/Mutant Itch Split
Ear-gouging "Audio Visual Noise" from Boston nonconformists.
Damagers: S/T EP
Bludgeoning and bass-driven/busted-knuckles hardcore.
Adrestia: The Art of Modern Warfare LP
Passionate debut from brawny and melodic crustcore band.
Sistema en Decadencia – Ganancias de la Guerra EP
Chaotic crasher crust heavily influenced by Japanese noisepunk.
