Tenement - Napalm Dream

Tenement - Napalm Dream

Tenement are a punk band from Wisconsin who are totally killing it. Napalm Dream has hooks for days and sounds like Hüsker Dü mixed with the Descendents and Bracket. Good luck getting these tunes out of your head, cuz Tenement write some syrupy-sweet jams bro. One of the best releases of 2011 for sure. Go buy the 12" of this bastard from Mandible Records and look for their new 12", Blind Wink, out this month from Cowabunga! Records.

Wavelets - Athaletics

Wavelets - Athaletics

Wavelets hail from Gainesville, FL but sound like they're from the mid-west. These dudes play twinkly indie rock and they play it very well. If you like American Football, or more recently Everyone Everywhere, then you'll totally be into these dudes. Tiny Engines Records just put this bad-boy out (Is there a better label going today? These dudes are seriously batting a thousand; Not one bad release) so go and buy it in every colour.

Sacred Love

Sacred Love - Love Songs Demo

Sacred Love - Dividing Lines

Sacred Love are a great hardcore band out of Baltimore, MD. If you dig Bad Brains, Cro-Mags, Burn and Bitter End then give these guys a listen, they'll have you bedroom moshing in no time. The demo is pretty rad but Dividing Lines is where it's at. Youngblood Records (one of my all-time favourite hardcore labels) released the demo 7" and the Dividing Lines 12" EP, so go and buy them both from them.

Coliseum - Parasites

Coliseum - Parasites EP

Latest EP from one of the best bands going. The bulk of this EP was recorded by J. Robbins at Inner Ear Studio and the tracks all sound amazing. The remaining jams are House With A Curse leftovers (that also totally slay). The added icing on the cake here is that rad fucking cover art by Rick Froberg.

Big Biz - Quadruple Single

Big Business - Quadruple Single

New EP from one of the most consistently rad bands around. This time out they've added a fourth member (Scott Martin, guitar) and he just fucking shreds all over this. Its like just when you think Big Biz couldn't get anymore rad, they go and release this EP, tipping the scales of radness.

PULLEY

Pulley - Esteem Driven Engine

Pulley - Sixty Cycle Hum

Pulley - S/T

Pulley - Together Again For The First Time

Pulley - Matters

Pulley - Time Insensitive Material EP

Pulley - The Long And The Short Of It 7"

Fucking Pulley. One of the best melodic hardcore bands to ever grace the earth. Scott Radinsky (Ten Foot Pole) on vocals, Matt Riddle (Face To Face, No Use For A Name) on bass, Jim Cherry (Strung Out) on guitar and Jordan Burns (Strung Out) on Drums. A bona-fide punk rock super group. The line-ups shifted for subsequent releases but Scott Radinsky stuck around on vocals (despite a lucrative MLB career). Every one of these albums totally fucking slays. These guys played a major part in my youth and are definitely one of the 90's best punk bands. Life-changing tunes right here dudes.

LEATHER

Leather - Anchorite 7"

Leather - Sterile 7"

Leather ride the perfect middle-ground between hardcore and grunge. This is dirty, fuzzy and pissed-off shit. Leather sounds like Pissed Jeans with John Joseph singing. Jade Tree just released the Sterile 7" and it fucking slays so go buy it (Jade Tree needs the money). Sterile is more melodic than Anchorite, but both are equally rad releases that are totally worthy of your precious time.

Masakari - The Profit Feeds

Masakari - The Profit Feeds

Masakari hail from Cleveland, OH and they play a brutal blend of punk and metal. These dudes are really pissed-off with religion and the government (among other things). Basically this band sounds just like Cursed circa the "One" album. Hardcore with just the right amount of grind/crust and d-beat thrown in. If you're a fan of His Hero Is Gone and Tragedy but wished they sounded a bit more like Ringworm then this is the band for you. The best use of sound clips I've heard since the "Intimacy" EP by Light Yourself On Fire. This is one sickeningly heavy album that any fan of Cursed, Early Graves or G.I.S.M. will absolutely love.

BLACK GOD

Black God - S/T

First there was Black Widows, then Black Cross and now Black God. This is the latest collaboration between Rob Pennington (By The Grace Of God, Endpoint) and Ryan Patterson (Coliseum). Along for the ride this time are Nick Thieneman (Young Widows) and Ben Sears (Prideswallower). This was recorded last Halloween in Louisville, KY and it totally fucking slays. Head on over to No Idea Records and buy a copy. According to the band they have already recorded the follow-up 7" but I have no idea when that will be released, hopefully soon. Best hardcore release of the year (so far).

Dress Like Yer Idles

BOAT - Dress Like Your Idols

BOAT play really great indie rock that gives a tip of the cap to all your favourite alternative bands from the 80's, 90's and the oughts. Do you dig The Cure, Pavement, The Shins and Built To Spill? Because they've got songs that sound like all those bands. Their last LP, Setting The Paces, was one of my favourites of 2009 and this one ain't half bad either. Even if the music was shit (it isn't) you'd have to admit that that is one fucking cool album cover.

Blood Bros

Blood Bros - First Blood: Train! Fight! Win!

Blood Bros - Heaven2Hell: Train! Fight! Die?!

The Blood Bros are DJ/Producers Derek Allen (DJA) and Dirty South Joe (DSJ). Under this moniker they have compiled only the most radical and inspirational songs from 1980's action movies (and a couple real choice recent ditties). Here is their write up for first blood:

Put this mix on when you are training on the beach, hitting the bag, chopping wood, running up/down a mountain, or generally doing anything which requires/involves fierce determination and focus to win. BLOOD BROS!

I have never read a more appropriate description in my life. The sequel may even be better than the original (It contains One Track Lover from Garth Marenghi's Dark Place). Seriously this shit has got me all jacked-up. Volume one dropped in September, and the sequel was only just unleashed in January but the Bros are already promising a third edition this year, so keep your fingers crossed for that. Don't sleep on these mixtapes as they will totally own your life, big time.