Without one record truly dominating my listening habits, it turned out to be a varied and exciting year in the best punk and hardcore. Sometimes that can feel underwhelming, but it is not. In preparation, I realized there were at least 20 releases I considered seriously for this list. I think of punk and hardcore more in spirit than dogmatic conventions, so the bands on this list cover a lot of ground, from more pop-leaning emo to potent blends of noise, shoegaze, and hardcore to Revolution Summer-inspired politically minded blasts of righteous anger. There are at least five more records I would love to discuss, but here are the ten I kept returning to throughout the year.
10. Scowl – Are We All Angels [Dead Oceans]
I have a feeling that Gouge Away’s Deep Sage is going to inspire bands for a long time, and Scowl’s Are We All Angels is of a piece with that record, drawing from hardcore, punk, and 1990s alternative rock. Kat Moss’ vocal range is impressive, effortlessly moving from the shrieks of their previous record to singing that recalls Pretty Girls Make Graves’ Andrea Zollo. In “B.A.B.E.”, short for burnt at both ends, she delivers both. “Fantasy” is one of the catchiest songs in their canon. Scowl move toward a more accessible sound on Are We All Angels, and their risk-taking pays off richly.
9. Deadguy – Near Death Travel Services [Relapse]
The noisecore veterans return for the first time in nearly 30 years, but you would never guess by simply listening. Opener “Kill Fee” sounds exactly like the next Deadguy song you would have expected in the best possible way, and announces what works as a mission statement for 2025: “We may win this war / But it won’t be today / We have to walk through fire first.”
Lyrically, the record is mostly about being trapped in that fire, ground down by the day-to-day. The band’s meticulous songcraft is intact, piling on noise and punishing riff after riff for just under 40 minutes. Bands such as Converge, Botch, and Dillinger Escape Plan have received far more accolades for their merging of noise, metal, and hardcore, but Near Death Travel Services is a reminder that Deadguy lit the fuse. Hopefully, it won’t be another 30 years before they grace us with their malevolence.
8. Deaf Club – We Demand a Permanent State of Happiness [Southern Lord]
To say that We Demand a Permanent State of Happiness is one of the most accessible records in Justin Pearson’s discography does not imply that Deaf Club has softened up. This is a relentless record with a biting sense of humor that stands alongside other career peaks for Pearson and his bandmates. The legendary frontman’s trademark scream is in fine form, as is the band’s ability to wed chaos and catchiness on standouts like “Nihilism for Dummies”, “Biblical Loophole”, and “End of an Ear”. We Demand a Permanent State of Happiness is as likely to please longtime Pearson fans as it is to draw in new fans of noisy, political hardcore.
7. Militarie Gun – God Save the Gun [Loma Vista]
Musically, Militarie Gun throw all in on accessibility on God Save the Gun, adding synthesizers, programmed drums, and strings to several songs. Still, it is Ian Shelton’s songwriting that shines through. The band cut their teeth in hardcore, but they never colored in that genre’s lines. After a somber, theme-setting intro, the record takes off with “B A D I D E A”, and the hooks never let up from there.
Lyrically, though, this is a journey through hell. “I Won’t Murder Your Friend” is a harrowing exploration of suicidal ideation that strips all romanticism out of the act. Fortunately, Shelton has shared in interviews that this record was written on the other side of help. It is not hard to imagine it helping fans who are struggling, too.
6. Rodeo Boys – Junior [Don Giovanni]
Lansing, Michigan’s Rodeo Boys mix their punk rock with an irresistible Midwest, blue-collar grit. Junior is an inspired collection of jagged heartland punk tales of queer identity and life in a rural area of the Mitten state, ranging from raging punk to bar rock to plaintive acoustic ballads. The highlight and centerpiece of the record is “All American Man”, a powerful assertion of queer identity inspired by Laura Gilpin’s poem “Two-Headed Calf”. It is an anthemic track that will put a lump in your throat if you have a heart.
“Sam’s Song”, “Blue”, and “Speedway” channel the ragged charm of the Replacements and the Hold Steady. “Cowgirl in the Dark” is a rager that is a loving tribute to Pamela Anderson. Rodeo Boys honor the tradition of boozy, heart-on-sleeve Midwest sincerity while putting a fresh spin on it.
5. Cult Therapy – Get Fucked, Sinner! [Freak Baby]
Flint, Michigan’s Cult Therapy delivered one of the most exciting debuts of the year, a harrowing dive into religious trauma and addiction filled with heavy hooks and elevated by Jess Duncan’s cello, one element that sets them apart from other bands inspired by the glory days of alternative rock. From the opening roar of “Don’t Worry” to the tentative peace of “Born Again”, their heavy alternative rock sound is anchored by Jason Duncan’s vocals, which unsparingly pick at old wounds and confront the hypocrisy peddled by evangelical Christians. It’s the definition of uneasy listening, but it’s essential.
4. Greet Death – Die in Love [Deathwish, Inc.]
Midwest depression has inspired many classic records, and Greet Death have already delivered one with New Hell. Rather than double down on chilliness and distance, they have created a warm, hopeful record that values the time we have and the people we love while we can. “Motherfucker” recaptures and builds on the elements that made New Hell so compelling, but “Same But Different Now” takes the band into new territory brilliantly, delivering a Swervedriver-esque, insistent rager with a killer ending and a blood-curdling vocal performance from Logan Gaval.
Elsewhere, “Country Girl” and “Emptiness Is Everywhere” are two clear highlights, with the former weaving a spooky vibe filled with references to John Carpenter and the latter an anthemic inquiry into the fleeting time we have with those we love.
3. Shiner – BELIEVEYOUME [Spartan]
Shiner returned with their best record since their masterpiece, 2001’s The Egg. From the opener “Asleep in the Trunk”, it’s apparent that they have shaken off the more reflective mood of their previous record in favor of punchy, hooky, direct songs that chronicle the inner wars we all face–keeping love alive, dealing with past traumas, self-interrogation, and just getting through another day.
Bassist-producer Paul Malinowski’s production is massive but also gives the more atmospheric tracks, like “Broken Satellites”, room to breathe. Shiner are not easy to classify, but if you like heavy, riff-driven songs dripping with atmosphere and meaty hooks, it doesn’t get much better than BELIEVEYOUME.
2. Pool Kids – Easier Said than Done [Epitaph]
If Pool Kids’ last record was akin to Death Cab for Cutie’s Transatlanticism, this is their Plans, a more mature, nuanced record that tackles the pains of being 20-something with charm and maturity. The more I listened to this powerful, hooky collection, the more I wanted to put it on repeat. Pool Kids are not afraid to embrace pop conventions, adding vocal effects and synths to songs like the title track and “Sorry Not Sorry”.
They have joked that “Leona Street” is their Taylor Swift song, and it is one of the highlights, an anthemic pop confection with a huge chorus. “Last Word” seamlessly blends those pop sensibilities with a more traditional emo sound. There are few things as satisfying as hearing a band level up, and Easier Said Than Done is Pool Kids’ moment.
1. Big Life – The Cost of Progress [Setterwind]
Big Life capture the collective anger in the country right now across these eight songs, filled with unsettling images, pointed critiques, and catchy riffs. They reached a new level of songcraft, swirling together references like Husker Du, Minutemen, and Rites of Spring with dashes of new wave and the louder end of indie rock to craft a potent molotov cocktail of personal and political unrest that perfectly captures our times in one powerful line: “It’s not the end of the world / Just more bullshit / And we’ll shovel through the best we can.” For newer heads, if you like Drug Church or Praise, Big Life are about to become your latest obsession.