The Best Of 2023

Celebrating new music is important. In the subculture, we are constantly faced with a chorus of people who will tell you that the genres are dead and that there is nothing good coming out anymore. This opinion alone indicts how out of touch a person can be. There is a deluge of incredible new music coming out every year and it is important to take the time to praise the work of those who contribute to the subculture's sonic archive.

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James Khubiar

Justified Arrogance

Best Hardcore / Punk LPs

1.) Skourge - Torrential Torment (Lockin Out)

2.) Destruct - Cries The Mocking Mother Nature (Grave Mistake)

3.) Rat Cage - Savage Visions (La Vida Es Un Mus)

4.) Stigmatism - Ignorance In Power (Toxic State)

5.) Mil-Spec - Marathon (Lockin Out)

6.) Physique - Again (Iron Lung)

7.) Stingray - Fortress Britain (La Vida Es Un Mus)

8.) Salvaje Punk - Salvaje Punk (Toxic State)

9.) Conservative Military Image - Casual Violence (Lionheart)

10.) Heavy Discipline - Your Scapegoat (Painkiller)

11.) Tozcos - Infernal (Toxic State)

12.) Existence - Go To Heaven (Quality Control HQ)

13.) Stiff Meds - Tales From The Slab (Quality Control HQ)

14.) G.U.N. - G.U.N. (Sorry State)

15.) Fairytale - Shooting Star (Toxic State / Quality Control HQ)

16.) Pest Control - Don't Test The Pest (Quality Control HQ)

17.) Abism - Abism (Toxic State)

18.) Mutant Strain - Murder Of Crows (Sorry State)

19.) Quarantine - Exile (La Vida Es Un Mus)

20.) Pain Of Truth - Not Through Blood (Daze)

21.) Illiterates - No Experts (Sorry State) 

22.) Intention - Brand New Story (Break The / Beach Impediment)

23.) Human Garbage - Straight Not Giving A Fuck (Criminalized)

24.) No Time - Suffer No Fool (TKO)

25.) Planet On A Chain - Boxed In (Revelation)

26.) Speed Plans - Statues Of God (Iron Lung)

27.) Zorn - Zorn (Sorry State)

28.) Enzyme - Golden Dystopian Age (La Vida Es Un Mus)

29.) Vamachara - No Roses On My Grave (Closed Casket Activities)

30.) Skinhead - Everything Was Beautiful, And Nothing Hurt (Closed Casket Activities)

Honorable Mentions

Spine - Raices (Convulse)

Castillo - Pleasure And Pain (Battled Scarred)

Geld - Currency // Castration (Relapse)

Artificial Joy - 100% Pure Joy (Shitkicker)

Sunami - Sunami (Triple B)

Blow Your Brains Out - The Big Escape (Quality Control HQ)

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Best Metal Releases

1.) Arbor - Behold... The Age Of Pagan Blood (Blood And Crescent)

2.) Nuclae - Bringing Out The Beast (Self-Released)

3.) Gauntlet Ring - Raped In The Blood Of Angels (Blood And Crescent)

4.) Godflesh - Purge (Avalanche)

5.) Cruciamentum - Obsidian Refractions (Profound Lore)

6.) Gauntlet Ring - Beyond The Veil Of Night (Blood And Crescent)

7.) Trhä - §​º​an​Ω​ë aglivajsamë cá n​ë​lh​¶​iha i eddana pi​¶​e (Self-Released)

8.) Deathfucker - God Devourer (BlackSeed)

9.) Tetragrammacide - Typho-Tantric Aphorisms From The Arachneophidian Qur'an (Iron Bonhead) 

10.) Suffocation - Hymns From The Apocrypha (Nuclear Blast)

11.) Lamp Of Murmuur - Saturnian Bloodstorm (Argento)

12.) Mortual - Evil Incarnation (Nuclear Winter)

13.) White Death - Iconoclast (Werewolf)

14.) Khanate - To Be Cruel (Sacred Bones)

15.) Moonlight Socrery - Horned Lord Of The Thorned Castle (Avantgarde)

16.) Fellwinter - The Dawn Of Winter (Blood And Crescent) 

17.) Vargrav - The Nighthold (Werewolf)

18.) Arnaut Pavle - Transylvanian Glare (Amor Fati)

19.) Vastum - Inward To Gethsemane (20 Buck Spin)

20.) Sanguisugabogg - Homicidal Ecstasy (Century Media)

Honorable Mentions

Kommand - Death Age (20 Buck Spin)

Purulent Remains - Fermented Death (Headsplit)

Jesus Piece - So Unknown (Century Media)

Atheosophia - Shadowgate Of Winter's Spirit (Blood And Crescent)

Protrusion - Protrusion (Self-Released)

Autopsy - Ashes, Organs, Blood And Crypts (Peaceville)

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Best Rap / R&B Releases

1.) JPEGMAFIA & Danny Brown - Scaring The Hoes (AWAL)

2.) Lil Peep & iLoveMakonnen – Diamonds (AWAL)

3.) Hackle - Haunted Nation (Haunted Mound)

4.) Westside Gunn - And Then You Pray For Me (Griselda)

5.) Channel Tres - Real Cultural Shit (GODMODE)

6.) billy woods & Kenny Segal - Maps (Backwoodz Studioz)

7.) J Hus - Beautiful and Brutal Yard (Black Butter)

8.) Rome Streetz - Wasn't Built In A Day (Big Ghost Ltd)

9.) Genesis Owusu - STRUGGLER (Ourness)

10.) Kaytraminé - Kaytraminé (CLBN)

11.) Danny Brown - Quaranta (Warp) 

12.) Kali Uchis - Red Moon In Venus (Geffen)

13.) HiTech - Détwat (FXHE)

14.) Noname - Sundial (Self-Released)

15.) RXK Nephew & DJ Rude One - The ONEderful Nephew (Closed Sessions)

Honorable Mentions

ICECOLDBISHOP - Generational Curse (Epic)

Veeze - Ganger (Navy Wavy)

Bad Bunny - nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana (Rimas)

Sexyy Red - Hood Hottest Princess (Open Shift)

MIKE - Burning Desire (10k)

Jorja Smith - Falling Or Flying (Famm)

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Best Releases In Open Competition

1.) Home Front - Games Of Power (La Vida Es Un Mus)

2.) a​.​s​.​o. - a.s.o. (Low Lying)

3.) Nuovo Testamento - Love Lines (Discoteca Italia)

4.) Zach Bryan - Zach Bryan (Belting Bronco / Warner)

5.) Narrow Head - Moments Of Clarity (Run For Cover)

6.) Nothing & Full Of Hell - When No Birds Sang (Closed Casket Activities)

7.) Hannah Diamond - Perfect Picture (PC Music)

8.) Yves Tumor - Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) (Warp)

9.) Temple Of Angels - Endless Pursuit (Run For Cover)

10.) Slowdive - everything is alive (Dead Oceans)

11.) Caroline Polachek - Desire, I Want to Turn Into You (Perpetual Novice / Sony)

12.) PinkPantheress - Heaven Knows (Warner UK)

13.) bar italia - Tracey Denim (Matador)

14.) Tanukichan - GiZMO (Company)

15.) Kumo 99 - Headplate (Self-Released)

16.) Kelela - Raven (Warp)

17.) ML Buch - Suntub (15 Love)

18.) Mitski - The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We (Dead Oceans)

19.) yeule - softscars (Ninja Tune)

20.) André 3000 - New Blue Sun (Epic)

21.) Jessie Ware - That! Feels Good! (Interscope)

22.) 8485 - Personal Protocol (Helix Tears)

23.) Yaeji - With A Hammer (XL)

24.) Tyler Childers - Rustin’ In The Rain (Hickman Holler / RCA)

25.) Neggy Gemmy - CBD Reiki Moonbeam (100% Electronica)

26.) Black Magick SS - Burning Bridges (Creep Purple) 

27.) Overmono - Good Lies (XL)

28.) Gia Margaret - Romantic Piano (Jagjaguwar)

29.) Sweeping Promises - Good Living Is Coming For You (Feel It)

30.) Belgrado - Intra Apogeum (La Vida Es Un Mus)

Honorable Mentions

Body Of Light - Bitter Reflection (Dais)

Midwife & Vyva Melinkolya - Orbweaving (The Flenser)

Croatian Amor - A Part Of You In Everything (Posh Isolation)

James Blake - Playing Robots Into Heaven (Republic)

Kali Malone - Does Spring Hide Its Joy (Ideologic Organ)

Sparklehorse - Bird Machine (Anti-)

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Best Hardcore / Punk EPs

1.) Bloody Flag - Bloody Flag (Bunker Punks)

2.) Concealed Blade - 2023 Promo (Kill Nothing)

3.) Secretors - Comparing Missile Size Vol. 1 (Roachleg)

4.) Killing Frost - Killing Frost (United Forces)

5.) Rifle - Under Two Flags (Standard Process)

6.) Black Dog - Overthrow (Roachleg)

7.) Kinetic Orbital Strike (K.O.S.) - The True Disaster (Self-Released)

8.) Loosey - Winter Promo '23 (Self-Released)

9.) The Hope Conspiracy - Confusion/Chaos/Misery (Deathwish Inc.)

10.) Doomsday - Doomsday (Creator-Destructor) 

11.) M.O.A.B. - Massive Ordinance Air Blast (Roachleg)

12.) Delco MF's – The March Of The M.F.'s (MF)

13.) 偏執症者 (Paranoid) - S​.​C​.​U​.​M. (Never Enough) 

14.) Mock Execution - Circle Of Madness (La Vida Es Un Mus)

15.) New World Man - The Beast Is Back (Streets Of Hate)

Honorable Mentions

Anti-Machine - Too Many Eyes (Toxic State)

Stress Positions - Walang Hiya (Iron Lung)

Cold Decay - Cold Decay (Quality Control HQ)

Béton Armé - Second Souffle (Primator Crew)

Balmora - With Thorns Of Glass and Petals Of Grief (Ephyra)

People's Temple - I'm With The People's Temple (Roachleg)

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Best Demos

1.) Spleen

2.) Kato

3.) No Way Out

4.) Coin Toss

5.) Asinin

6.) Capsule

7.) Scarab

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Cody DeFranco

Cody DeFranco Studio

Best of Bullshit for Jimbo

Andre 3000 - New Blue Sun (Epic Records)

I feel like everyone was taken by surprise with this release. Some were upset there were no bars but for me, I didn’t need em. I really enjoy ambient and experimental music so this fit right in with my taste and I preordered the LP immediately. It’s truly an immersive album, I also find it to be very mediative and relaxing. You have to give it up to this guy for taking on a new approach to a genre he’s never breached before all while learning new instruments. Absolutely love it and can’t wait to have in my collection.

Mizmor - Prosaic (Profound Lore)

When this came out I couldn’t stop listening to it. I am often so critical about new music in general but this one struck a chord within me. I really love the whole one person band approach, there’s a sense of primal intensity to it, raw so to speak without it sounding so. 

Kelela - Raven (Warp Records)

I’ve been following Kelela’s work since back in 2013 or so with her album “CUT 4 ME” and I never looked back ever since. She was always in Fade to Mind mixes that I simply couldn’t get enough of. The hype is all there and it’s deserving too - I was really to see her continue on the path with Warp Records. I can blast this in the studio and immediately feel energized and motivated. Her voice is so beautiful and it just melts perfectly into the whole production. Always returning to this one and of course her others.

Yves Tumor - Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between World) (Warp Records)

Another artist I’ve been following since they appeared in the music world. This album takes a slight departure from previous albums because Yves has a full band backing them up. This album is so powerful and another one I find myself putting on to motivate and energize me in the studio. I feel like this is a glam pop punk album but with more of a pulse to it, every song is amazing. I was critical of the song “Echolalia” at first because they completely lift the instrumental from Neon’s “Lobotomy” but I quickly got over it because they kind of pay homage to it, both songs are great.

Reissues I was really happy with this year:

I’ve had Catherine Wheel’s albums on my want list forever on discogs. I would’ve pulled the trigger on some original copies but they were never in good condition / in the US for purchase. When “Ferment” (1992) and “Chrome” (1993) was announced to be reissued I waited patiently and it was all worth the wait. Really happy to have both of these in my collection and maybe one day upgrade to original copies - but these will do for now.

µ-Ziq - 1977 (Balmat)

I’ve bee enjoying the music of Mike Paradinas aka µ-Ziq (pronounced “music” or “mu-zik”) ever since I was in high school back in 2001-5. I go through waves of being completely mesmerized by IDM / Electronic music like this and sometimes I never come out of the damn hole I’m in. Though this album isn’t as loud and ntense as previous releases I find myself returning to it when working on designs on my computer because it’s consistent and gets me in some sort of zone. The whole series that Balmat came out with is also something worth exploring.

John Coltrane - Evenings at the Village Gate: John Coltrane with Eric Dolphy (Live) (Impulse Records)

I believe the story behind this unearthed gem was an archivist was going through the New York Public Library and stumbled upon this, which has been buried in time. I know a lot of people that were beyond ecstatic for this to be released on vinyl, simply because the song “Africa” had never really been recorded live before. We all know that Coltrane passed at such a young age too so we tend to cling on these relics from the past when they come to light. The album opens with “My Favorite Things” which is actually one of my favorites by Coltrane haha. Anyone that is reading this and a Coltrane fan already has this in their collection. 

TV SHOWS

Blue Eye Samurai (Netflix Anime Series)

I had no clue what I was getting involved in when being told by a friend to watch this. There’s a lot of junk on Netflix but this one, this one is truly something special. The level of detail and style of animation is worth watching alone never mind the story which in it’s on respect is top tier. It’s a revenge driven story, I don’t want to get fully into it because I don’t want to give it away. But this is not a kid’s anime, it’s completely savage and beautiful - anyone that’s a fan of anime should watch it, unless you’re into the softer anime out there. This one is VIOLENT haha.

Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story (Hulu Series)

Those who know me they know I truly am obsessed with Formula 1, though it’s a fairly new obsession of mine it’s REAL. The 2023 F1 series just ended last month so I was simply jonesing for anything related to F1 (as I wait patiently for the new season of Drive to Survive coming in February) and then this mini series came out. It follows a truly rags to riches story of a F1 team that was dumped and discarded by Honda. Brawn is the last name of the team principal Ross Brawn, who didn’t actually choose to have his name associated like that. It’s an action packed docuseries showing the rise of Brawn who later becomes Mercedes-AMG Petronas. Oh and the host and narrator is Keanu Reeves…

Life on Our Planet (Netflix Series)

Narrated by the oh so soothing voice of Morgan Freeman, he takes us on a journey of Earth’s history far beyond the existence of humans. We see in this series the five times, yes fives times that our planet witnessed extinction. It’s extremely informative yet fun but also scary considering there was very large bugs that one roamed our Earth’s surface. I won’t get fully into this because I feel like anyone should watch it, even with their children. When will the sixth extinction happen? In another million years or in another year??

BOOKS

Bráulio Amado - 2022 (Stolen Books)

I am a complete sucker for ANYTHING Bráulio touches. This is one of several from his series of essential a year in review of the work he does. These books live in my studio so I can grab at random when I need a surge of inspiration. I honestly don’t think anyone is like him and how he approaches design blended with his illustrations. This guy will bring life to the most mundane things in life and is always snapping photos of trash on the streets and turning them into the foundation to amazing designs. I cannot stress enough how much this individual inspires me and I am fortunate enough to call him my friend!

Seeing <—> Making: Room for Thought / Susan Buck-Morss, Kevin McCaughey, Adam Michaels (Inventory Press)

Thought I just received this book last week and only just begun to scratch the surface I can say that it’s beautifully designed and well thought out. If you, like myself are into design and the philosophy of design and the process of constructing creative ideas with images look no further. There’s a lot of discussion on the works of Walter Benjamin (The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction) and John Berger (Ways of Seeing) whom I read and enjoyed back in college. I can’t wait to get into this one.

Brigade Cynophile Posters 2019-2023  (Animal Press)

This is the second book of posters from French artist Félicité Landrivon. I fell in love with her work from her Tumblr years ago and was excited to get my hands on her first book of posters (2014-2018.) It just seems like she has a lot of fun with designs, layout and source material. I find there to be a slight correlation between our work when it comes to finding use to the countless graphics one can find while digging through ephemera. People should definitely get their hands on this one before it slips away into obscure oblivion like her previous book.

There are countless books, records, tv shows, films that I enjoyed through out this year that I am simply blanking on because it’s not in front of me. Anyone that knows me knows I collect a lot of books and records and not all of them are new / or from this years. So I tried my best to compile some things that have stuck out for me. I hope you enjoyed reading my ramblings. <3

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Hunter Winstead 

Into The Void Printing

Top of 2023

Albums

1. Narrow Head - Moments Of Clarity

2. VV - Neon Noir

3. Sanguisugabogg - Homicidal Ecstasy

4. Deluxxe - If You We’re Me

5. Nuovo Testamento - Love Lines

6. Dying Fetus - Make Them Beg For Death

7. Harms Way - Common Suffering

8. Final Gasp - Mourning Moon

9. Never Ending Game - Outcry

10. Year Of The Knife - No Love Lost

Tracks

1. Final Gasp - Mourning Moon

2. Code Orange - Mirror

3. Deluxxe - Sweet With Sin

4. Sanguisugabogg - Pissed

5. Harms Way - Terrorizer

6. Narrow Head - Flesh & Solitude

7. VV - The Foreverlost

8. Never Ending Game - Tank On E

9. Nuovo Testamento - Heartbeat

10. Fuming Mouth - I’ll Find You

11. Charli XCX - Speed Drive

12. ABRA - FKA MESS

13. Year Of The Knife - Heaven Denied

14. Kim Petras - Castle In The Sky

15. My Big Hot Wife - Hold Your Tongue

16. Faerie Ring - Silver Man In The Sky

17. Dying Fetus - When The Trend Ends

18. PinkPantheress - Mosquito 

19. Skream - Summoned 

20. Torture - Blinding Ignorance 

Sets

1. Cold As Life - Detroit 10/7

2. The Killers - Louisville 9/15

3. Narrow Head - Chicago 5/19

4. VV - Cincinnati 4/8

5. Depeche Mode - Chicago 4/5

6. Nuovo Testamento - Louisville 10/2

7. Weekend Nachos - Chicago 11/19

8. VV - Louisville 9/10

9. Volcano - Louisville 3/17

10. Death Threat - Detroit 10/7

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Zechariah Ghosttribe

Angel Du$t

New York Hounds @ Brooklyn Monarch in Brooklyn, New York (December 16th)

High Vis @ Outbreak Fest in Manchester, UK (June 23rd) 

Nosferatu @ Tunnel in Brooklyn, New York (July 15th)
Firewalker @ Bootleg Bar in Brooklyn, New York (July 29th)
Xibalba @ Tied Down Fest in Detroit, Michigan (June 4th) 
(Special mention Romeo Taylor in London)

- Zech Ghosttribe 

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Chris Dooley

DJ 12XU

JA AOTY List

HC/Punk LP

Mil-Spec- Marathon (Lockin' Out)

Diztort - Vengeance Is Mine (Alternatives)

Stigmatism - Ignorance In Power (Toxic State)

Skourge - Torrential Torment (Lockin' Out)

Home Front - Games Of Power (La Vida Es Un Mus)

Truth Cult - Walk The Wheel (Pop Wig)

Quarantine - Exile (Damage United)

Salvaje Punk (Toxic State)

Brain Tourniquet - An Expression In Pain (Iron Lung)

Burden - Scorched Earth (RnR Disgrace)

Restraining Order - Locked In Time (Triple B)

Spirito Di Lupo - Veda La Tua Faccia Nei Giorni Di Pioggia (Iron Lung)

Mindforce - Excalibur (Triple B)

Hc Punk EP

Intensive Care Unit - Sand + Gravel (Active-8)

No Fucker - No Future (No Real Music)

Fury - Vie

Intimidation - Total Aggression (Mr Face)

Wreckage - Our Time (Scheme)

Golpe - Assuefazione Quotidiana (Beach Impediment

C-4/Worn (Triple B)

Delco MF's - March Of The MF's (MF)

Live It Down - Thy Kingdom Come (Triple B)

The Social - Dogs Of War

The Massacred - Post Mortem (Active-8)

Concealed Blade '23 Promo

HC Punk Demos

Contempt

Dimension

Collateral 

Fatal 

Asinin

Laughing Corpse

S.O.S.

Open Competition 

Jim Kirkwood - Herongale (Dark Age)

Joseph Hammer Joe Potts John Wiese Elusive Flexure (Helicopter)

Bill Nace & Chik White - Off Motion (Open Mouth)

Thee Retail Simps - Live On Cool Street (total punk)

Los Llamarada - S/T (C-Site)

Kjostad/Matriarch (New Forces)

Animal Piss Its Everywhere (Half A Million)

Scald Hymn/Permanent Waves (Phage)

Red Herrings - Zax Amoire (Dot Dash)

Emily Robb - If I Am Misery (Petty Bunco)

Shirese - The Rose Of Smiling Faces (Grapefruit)

Carniverous Bells - Room Above All (Human Headstone)

Xard - Cerebal Circuitry Vol 1 (Dream Research)

Steve Gunn & David Moore - Reflections Vol 1 (Rvng)

Universal Cell Unlock - Power Of Misunderstanding (No Rent)

Headroom - s/t (Repressed recs)

Burnt Envelope - 1 For Croz (4th Eye Musick)

Sunburned Hand Of The Man - Hypnotape (VHF)

Nuclae - Bringing Out The Beast 

Metal

Black Sorcery - Decipering Torment (Eternal Death)

Disengagement - Formless In A Violent World (Dry Cough)

Dream Unending/Worm - Starpath (20 Buck Spin)

Incantation- Unholy Deification (Relapse)

Torture Chain - Reign Of Deimos (Hospital)

One Master - The Names Of Power (Eternal Death)

Kommand - Death Age (20 Buck Spin)

Trha/Careus - Abcu (Flowing Downward)

Ahulubrum/Harlots Nest (Atrocity Altar)

Akitsa - Denevir Le Deible (Tour De Garde)

Sanguine Relic - Labyrinth Of Nightmares (Perverse Homage)

Rap

Juicy J - Mental Trillness (Trippy)

Armand Hammer - We Buy Diabetic Test Strips (Fat Possum)

Larry June & The Alchemist - Great Escape (Empire)

Lola Brooke - Dennis Daughter (Arista)

Gucci Mane - Breath Of Fresh Air (Atlantic)

Kofi Flexxx - Flowersman In The Dark (Native Rebel)

Gunna - Gift & A Curse (300 Entertainment)

Conway - He Won't Do It (Empire)

Mike Wiki The Alchemist - Faith Is A Rock (ALC)

Armani Caesar - The Liz 2 (Daupe!)

Nas - Magic 2 (Mass Appeal)

Sexyy Red - Hood Hottest Princess (Heavy On It)

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The Best Of 2022

Celebrating new music is important. In the subculture, we are constantly faced with a chorus of people who will tell you that the genres are dead and that there is nothing good coming out anymore. This opinion alone indicts how out of touch a person can be. There is a deluge of incredible new music coming out every year and it is important to take the time to praise the work of those who contribute to the subculture's sonic archive.

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Best Hardcore / Punk LPs

1.) Savageheads - Service To Your Country (Social Napalm)

2.) Mindforce - New Lords (Triple B)

3.) The Flex - Chewing Gum For The Ears (Static Shock / Lockin Out)

4.) White Lung - Premonition (Domino)

5.) Vein.fm - This World Is Going To Ruin You (Closed Casket Activities)

6.) Gridiron - No Good At Goodbyes (Triple B)

7.) Candy - Heaven Is Here (Relapse)

8.) Innocent - Architects Of Despair (Side Two)

9.) Warfare - Doomsday (Triple B)

10.) Rigorous Institution - Cainsmarsh (Black Water)

11.) Terror - Pain Into Power (Pure Noise Entertainment)

12.) Syndrome 81 - Prisons Imaginaires (Destructure)

13.) Electric Chair - Act Of Aggression (Iron Lung)

14.) Mock Execution - Killed By Mock Execution (La Vida Es Un Mus)

15.) Frisk - Stalker (Iron Lung)

16.) Irreal - Era Electrónica (La Vida Es Un Mus) 

17.) Bad Breeding - Human Capital (One Little Independent / Iron Lung)

18.) Long Knife - Curb Stomp Earth (Black Water)

19.) Arma X - Violento Ritual (Quality Control HQ)

20.) T.S. Warspite - Stop The Rot (Quality Control HQ)

Honorable Mentions

Eteraz - Villain (Iron Lung)

Praise - All In A Dream (Revelation)

Lexicon - Devoid Of Light (Iron Lung)

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Best Metal Releases

1.) Gauntlet Ring - Tyrannical Bloodlust (Blood And Crescent)

2.) Worm - Bluenothing (20 Buck Spin)

3.) Sumerlands - Dreamkiller (Relapse)

4.) Fellwinter - Night Of The Blood (Blood And Crescent)

5.) Undeath - It's Time...To Rise From The Grave (Prosthetic)

6.) Arizmenda - Spiders Lust In The Dungeon's Dust (Self-Released)

7.) Ares Kingdom - In Darkness At Last (Nuclear War Now!)

8.) Negative Plane - The Pact... (The Ajna Offensive)

9.) Fugitive - Maniac (20 Buck Spin)

10.) Ifernach - Neo-Tribal Manimal (ASRAR)

11.) Archgoat - All Christianity Ends (Debemur Morti)

12.) Innumerable Forms - Philosophical Collapse (Profound Lore)

13.) Faceless Burial - At The Foothills Of Deliration (Me Saco Un Ojo)

14.) Ebon Reliquary - Malicious Blood And The Fullmoon (Dark Adversary)

15.) Tribal Gaze - The Nine Choirs (Maggot Stomp)  

16.) Phobophilic - Enveloping Absurdity (Prosthetic)

17.) Mortuous - Upon Desolation (Carbonized)

18.) Vampirska - Vermilion Apparitions Frozen In Chimera Twilight (Inferna Profundus)

19.) Greve - Föllo Af Svavel, Lifvets Dimridå (Purity Through Fire)

20.) Trhä - Endlhëdëhaj Qáshmëna Ëlh Vim Innivte (Self-Released)

Honorable Mentions

Cave In - Heavy Pendulum (Relapse)

Sanguine Relic - From Ruin & Emptiness (Destroyed Remains & the Absent Beauty) (GoatowaRex)

Imprecation - In Nomine Diaboli (Dark Descent)

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Best Rap / Hip-Hop Releases

1.) SZA - SOS (Top Dawg)

2.) Pusha T - It's Almost Dry (GOOD Music)

3.) Hackle - Gunsmith Tha Mixtape (Haunted Mound)

4.) Benny The Butcher - Tana Talk 4 (Griselda)

5.) Future - I Never Liked You (Epic)

6.) Westside Gunn - Peace "Fly" God (Griselda)

7.) Freddie Gibbs - $oul $old $eparately (Warner)

8.) Stormzy - This Is What I Mean (#Merky)

9.) Conway The Machine - God Don't Make Mistakes (Griselda)

10.) YoungBoy Never Broke Again - 3800 Degrees (Never Broke Again, LLC)  

11.) Megan Thee Stallion - Traumazine (1501 Certified)

12.) Earl Sweatshirt - Sick! (Tan Cressida)

13.) Bladee & Ecco2K - Crest (Year0001)

14.) Denzel Curry - Melt My Eyez See Your Future (Loma Vista)

15.) The Weeknd - Dawn FM (XO)

Honorable Mentions

Buckshot - Burning Barn (Haunted Mound)

Nas - King's Disease III (Mass Appeal)

Quavo & Takeoff - Only Built for Infinity Links (Quality Control Music)

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Best Releases In Open Competition

1.) High Vis - Blending (Dais)

2.) Weyes Blood - And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow (Sub Pop)

3.) Beyoncé - Renaissance (Parkwood) 

4.) The 1975 - Being Funny In A Foreign Language (Dirty Hit)

5.) Björk - Fossora (One Little Independent)

6.) Harry Styles - Harry's House (Columbia)

7.) Beabadoobee - Beatopia (Dirty Hit)

8.) The Berries - High Flying Man (Run For Cover)

9.) Rosalía - MOTOMAMI (Columbia)

10.) Straw Man Army - SOS (D4MT Labs Inc)

11.) Liam Gallagher - C’mon You Know (Warner)

12.) Angel Olsen - Big Time (Jagjaguwar)

13.) Charli XCX - Crash (Asylum)

14.) Jockstrap - I Love You Jennifer B (Rough Trade) 

15.) Rina Sawayama - Hold The Girl (Dirty Hit)

16.) Beach House - Once Twice Melody (Sub Pop)

17.) FKA Twigs - Caprisongs (Young)

18.) Mitski - Laurel Hell (Dead Oceans)

19.) Soccer Mommy - Sometimes, Forever (Loma Vista)

20.) Orville Peck - Bronco (Columbia)

21.) Duster - Together (Numero Group)

22.) Alvvays - Blue Rev (Polyvinyl)

23.) Shygirl - Nymph (Because Music)

24.) Isabella Lovestory - Amor Hardcore (Self-Released)

25.) Warpaint - Radiate Like This (Heirlooms)

Honorable Mentions

Confidence Man - Tilt (I Oh You)

Sault - 11 (Forever Living Originals)

Wizkid - More Love, Less Ego (RCA)

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Best Hardcore / Punk EPs

1.) Chainsaw - When Will We Die? (Roachleg)

2.) Warthog - Warthog (Toxic State)

3.) Ä.I.D.S. - The Road To Nuclear Holocaust (La Vida Es Un Mus)

4.) Speed - A Gang Called Speed (Flatspot)

5.) Extortion - Seething (Self-Released)

6.) Mirage - Immagini Postume (Roachleg)

7.) Brain Tourniquet - Brain Tourniquet (Iron Lung)

8.) Flower City - Maggots Consume (Esos Malditos Punks)

9.) Rashōmon - Nin-Gen (Iron Lung)

10.) Killing Pace - Killing Pace (Triple B) 

Honorable Mentions

Abuso De Poder - Vago Muerto (Roachleg) 

Persona - Free Your Mind! (Iron Lung)

Poison Ruïn  - Not Today, Not Tomorrow. Parade of Phantoms/Edifice. (Roachleg)

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Best Demos

1.) The Final Agony

2.) Save Our Children

3.) Churchgoers

4.) Phantom 

5.) Invertebrates

6.) Xero

7.) Semtex 87

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Best Sets 

1.) Mercyful Fate @ King's Theatre in Brooklyn, NY (11/10)

2.) Warthog @ Bowery Ballroom in Manhattan, NY (5/7)

3.) Nick Cave / Warren Ellis @ King's Theatre in Brooklyn, NY (3/25)

4.) Cold World @ Market Hotel in Brooklyn, NY (2/25)

5.) War Hungry @ Saint Vitus in Brooklyn, NY (2/26)

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The Best Of 2021

Celebrating new music is important. In the subculture, we are constantly faced with a chorus of people who will tell you that the genres are dead and that there is nothing good coming out anymore. This opinion alone indicts how out of touch a person can be. There is a deluge of incredible new music coming out every year and it is important to take the time to praise the work of those who contribute to the subculture's sonic archive.

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Best Hardcore / Punk LPs

1.) The Chisel - Retaliation (La Vida Es Un Mus)

2.) Gauze – 言いたかねえけど目糞鼻糞 (XXX)

3.) Ekulu - Unscrew My Head (Cash Only)

4.) Quarantine - Agony (Damage United)

5.) Section H8 - Welcome To The Nightmare (Flatspot)

6.) Rudimentary Peni - Great War (Sealed)

7.) Goodbye World - At Death's Door (Youth Attack) 

8.) God's Hate - God's Hate (Closed Casket Activities)

9.) Koma - Internment Failure (La Vida Es Un Mus)

10.) C-4 - Chaos Streaks (Triple-B)

11.) Rata Negra - Una Vida Vulgar (La Vida Es Un Mus)

12.) Scowl - How Flowers Grow (Flatspot)

13.) Porvenir Oscuro - Asquerosa Humanidad (La Vida Es Un Mus)

14.) Dead Heat - World At War (Triple-B)

15.) Tower 7 - ...Peace On Earth? (Roachleg)

Honorable Mentions

Jarhead Fertilizer - Product Of My Environment (Closed Casket Activites)

Hologram - No Longer Human (Iron Lung)

Nag - Observer (Self-Released)

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Best Metal Releases

1.) Gauntlet Ring - Upon The Wings Of The Black Eagle (Blood And Crescent)

2.) Pan-Amerikan Native Front ‎– Little Turtle's War (Self-Released)

3.) Dream Unending - Tide Turns Eternal (20 Buck Spin)

4.) Fellwinter ‎– Loyalty, Honor, Darkness (Self-Released)

5.) Worm - Foreverglade (20 Buck Spin)

6.) Gauntlet Ring - May The Skies Rain Blood Upon The Earth (Self-Released)

7.) Frozen Soul - Crypt Of Ice (Century Media)

8.) Gatecreeper - An Unexpected Reality (Closed Casket Activites) 

9.) Lamp Of Murmuur - Submission And Slavery (Black Gangrene)

10.) Stress Angel - Bursting Church (Stygian Black Hand)

11.) Antichrist Siege Machine - Purifying Blade (Profound Lore) 

12.) 200 Stab Wounds - Slave To The Scalpel (Maggot Stomp)

13.) Mortiferum - Preserved In Torment (Profound Lore)

14.) Hulder - Godslastering Hymns Of A Forlorn Peasantry (Iron Bonehead)

15.) Enforced - Kill Grid (Century Media)

Honorable Mentions

Genocide Pact - Genocide Pact (Relapse)

Hooded Menace - Blood Ornaments (Season Of Mist)

Full Of Hell - Garden Of Burning Apparitions (Relapse)

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Best Rap / Hip-Hop Releases

1.) Little Simz - Sometimes I Might Be Introvert (Age 101)

2.) Young Thug - Punk (YSL / Atlantic)

3.) Tyler, The Creator - Call Me If You Get Lost (Columbia)

4.) Benny The Butcher & Harry Fraud - The Plugs I Met 2 (Black Soprano Family)

5.) Westside Gunn - Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Sincerely Adolf (Griselda)

6.) Jazmine Sullivan - Heaux Tales (RCA)

7.) Dave - We're All Alone In This Together (Neighbourhood)

8.) Boldy James & The Alchemist - Bo Jackson (ALC)

9.) Key Glock - Yellow Tape 2 (Paper Route EMPIRE)

10.) Conway The Machine - La Maquina (Griselda)

11.) Kanye West - Donda (GOOD Music)

12.) Peewee Longway & Cassius Jay - Longway Sinatra 2 (MPA BandCamp)

13.) Nas - King's Disease II (Mass Appeal)

14.) Maxo Kream - Weight Of The World (RCA) 

15.) Polo G - Hall Of Fame (Columbia) 

Honorable Mentions

Skepta - All In (Boy Better Know)

Mach-Hommy - Pray For Haiti (Griselda) 

Moneybagg Yo - A Gangsta's Pain (Roc Nation)

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Best Releases In Open Competition

1.) Japanese Breakfast - Jubilee (Dead Oceans)

2.) PinkPantheress - to hell with it (Parlophone)

3.) Mdou Moctar - Afrique Victime (Matador)

4.) Dry Cleaning - New Long Leg (4AD)

5.) Dean Blunt - Black Metal 2

6.) Lil Ugly Mane - Volcanic Bird Enemy And The Voiced Concern (Self-Released)

7.) Faye Webster - I Know I'm Funny haha (Secretly Canadian)

8.) Chubby And The Gang - The Mutt's Nuts (Partisan) 

9.) Chvrches - Screen Violence (Glassnote)

10.) Dawn Richard - Second Line (Merge)

11.) Sturgill Simpson - The Ballad Of Dood And Juanita (High Top Mountain) 

12.) Turnstile - Glow On (Roadrunner)

13.) Snail Mail - Valentine (Matador)

14.) Converge & Chelsea Wolfe - Bloodmoon ● I (Epitaph)

15.) BADBADNOTGOOD - Talk Memory (XL)

Honorable Mentions

Joy Orbison - Still Slipping Vol. 1 (Hinge Finger)

Iceage - Seek Shelter (Mexican Summer)

Lingua Ignota - Sinner Get Ready (Sargent House)

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Best Hardcore / Punk EPs

1.) Electric Chair - Social Capital (Iron Lung)

2.) Dollhouse - The First Day Of Spring (Toxic State)

3.) Never Ending Game - Halo & Wings (Triple-B)

4.) Chain Whip - Two Step To Hell (Neon Taste)

5.) The Chisel ‎– Enough Said (Wardance)

6.) Spy - Habitual Offender (Triple-B)

7.) Reek Minds - Rabid (11PM)

8.) Suffocating Madness - Suffocating Madness (Roachleg)

9.) Sunami / Gulch Split (Triple B)

10.) Ztuped - Are You Stupid? (11PM)

Honorable Mentions

Mess - Innercity (Offside)

Taqbir - Victory Belongs To Those Who Fight For A Right Cause (La Vida Es Un Mus)

Final Gasp - Haunting Whisper (Triple B)

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Best Demos

1.) People's Temple

2.) 80HD

3.) Sociedad Bastarda

4.) Indre Krig

5.) The Anarchy

6.) Kontaminate 

7.) Nisemono 偽者

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Best Sets 

1.) Warthog @ Undisclosed Location on July 30th 

2.) Public Acid @ Market Hotel on August 28th 

3.) Hank Wood And The Hammerheads @ Saint Vitus on September 23rd

4.) Skourge @ Meanwhile Brewing Company on July 10th 

5.) Cave In @ Saint Vitus on December 1st

6.) Nothing @ Elsewhere on October 15th

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The Best Of 2020

Celebrating new music is important. In the subculture, we are constantly faced with a chorus of people who will tell you that the genres are dead and that there is nothing good coming out anymore. This opinion alone indicts how out of touch a person can be. There is a deluge of incredible new music coming out every year and it is important to take the time to praise the work of those who contribute to the subculture's sonic archive.

2020 was the worst year of my life. nothing has made sense nor does it ever feel like it will again. Truthfully, I've spent the entire year trying to forget the day before it so the proposition of trying to remember everything that happened this year is absurd. I apologize to artists whose releases I may have forgotten or not heard. It was an unfair year for everyone.

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Best Hardcore / Punk LPs

1.) Gulch - Impenetrable Cerebral Fortress (Closed Casket Activities)

2.) Oily Boys - Cro Memory Grin (Static Shock)

3.) Muro - Pacificar (Beach Impediment)

4.) Rated X - United Front (Painkiller)

5.) Lebenden Toten - Synaptic Noise Dissociation (Iron Lung)

6.) Big Cheese - Punishment Park (Triple B)

7.) Chubby And The Gang - Speed Kills (Static Shock)

8.) Subdued - Over The Hills And Far Away (La Vida Es Un Mus)

9.) Mil-Spec - World House (Lockin Out)

10.) Destruct - Echoes of Life (Grave Mistake)

11.) Loose Nukes - Cult Leaders (Mutant Sounds)

12.) Drain - California Cursed (Revelation)

13.) Rat Cage ‎- Screams From The Cage (La Vida Es Un Mus)

14.) Bib - Delux (Pop Wig)

15.) Gag - Still Laughing (Iron Lung)

Honorable Mentions

Raspberry Bulbs ‎– Before The Age Of Mirrors (Relapse)

The Fight - Endless Noise (Triple B)

Geld - Beyond The Floor (Iron Lung)

Three Knee Deep - Three Knee Deep (Triple B)

White Stains - Make Me Sick (Song Book)

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Best Metal Releases

1.) Eternal Champion - Ravening Iron (No Remorse)
2.) Bone Awl - An Obelisk Marks The Line (Klaxon)

3.) Gravesend - Preparations For Human Disposal (Stygian Black Hand)

4.) Black Curse - Endless Wound (Sepulchral Voice)

5.) Undeath - Lesions of a Different Kind (Prosthetic)

6.) Of Feather & Bone - Sulfuric Disintegration (Profound Lore)

7.) Miasmatic Necrosis - Apex Profane (P2)

8.) Undergang - Aldrig i Livet (Me Saco Un Ojo)

9.) Skeleton - Skeleton (20 Buck Spin)

10.) Internal Rot - Grieving Birth (Iron Lung / 625 Thrashcore)

11.) Caustic Wound - Death Posture (Profound Lore)

12.) Revenge - Strike.Smother.Dehumanize (Season Of Mist)

13.) Slutet - Love & Beauty (Behest)

14.) Siege Column - Darkside Legions (Nuclear War Now)

15.) Kommand - Terrorscape (Maggot Stomp)

Honorable Mentions

Goatpenis ‎– Decapitation Philosophy (Nuclear War Now)

Scalp - Domestic Extremity (Creator-Destructor)

Omegavortex - Black Abomination Spawn (Invictus)

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Best Rap / Hip-Hop Releases

1.) Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist - Alfredo (ESGN)

2.) Megan Thee Stallion - Good News (1501 Certified)
3.) 21 Savage and Metro Boomin - Savage Mode II (Slaughter Gang)

4.) The Weeknd - After Hours (XO)

5.) Benny The Butcher - Burden Of Proof (Griselda)

6.) Future and Lil Uzi Vert - Pluto x Baby Pluto (Epic / Freebandz)

7.) Westside Gunn - Pray For Paris (Griselda)

8.) J Hus - Big Conspiracy (Black Butter)

9.) Drakeo The Ruler - We Know the Truth (Stinc Team)

10.) Conway the Machine - From King to a GOD (Griselda) 

11.) Lil Uzi Vert - Eternal Atake (Generation Now)

12.) Juicy J - The Hustle Continues (Trippy Music)

13.) Pop Smoke - Meet The Woo 2 (Republic)

14.) King Von - Welcome to O'Block (Only The Family)

15.) Drakeo The Ruler - Thank You For Using GTL ‎(Stinc Team)

Honorable Mentions

Juice WRLD - Legends Never Die (Grade A)

Future - High Off Life (Freebandz)

Denzel Curry and Kenny Beats - Unlocked (PH)

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Best Releases In Open Competition

1.) Charli XCX - how i'm feeling now (Asylum)
2.) Nothing - The Great Dismal (Relapse)
3.) beabadoobee - Fake It Flowers (Dirty Hit)

4.) Sweeping Promises - Hunger For A Way Out (Feel It)

5.) Narrow Head - 12th House Rock (Run For Cover)

6.) Straw Man Army - Age Of Exile (D4MT Labs)

7.) Kelly Lee Owens - Inner Song (Smalltown Supersound)

8.) Hum - Inlet (Earth Analog)

9.) Jesu - Terminus (Avalanche Recordings)

10.) Supercrush - Sodo Pop (Don Giovanni)

11.) Phoebe Bridgers - Punisher (Dead Oceans)

12.) Rina Sawayama - SAWAYAMA (Dirty Hit)

13.) Dame - Dame (Beach Impediment)

14.) Soccer Mommy - color theory (Caroline International)

15.) Popcaan - Fixtape (OVO Sound)

Honorable Mentions

Fiona Apple - Fetch The Bolt Cutters (Clean Slate)

Jessie Ware - What's Your Pleasure? (PMR)

Yumi Zouma - Truth Or Consequences (Polyvinyl)

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Best Hardcore / Punk EPs

1.) Public Acid - Condemnation (Beach Impediment)

2.) Heavy Discipline - Heavy Discipline (Painkiller)

3.) Spine - L.O.V. (Bridge 9)

4.) The Chisel - Deconstructive Surgery (La Vida Es Un Mus)

5.) Loose Nukes - Forced Compliance (Self-Released)

6.) Healer - Resurgence (From The Head Of Zeus / 625 Thrashcore)

7.) Haircut - Cake (11PM)

8.) Nosebleed - Outside Looking In (Triple B)

9.) Krigshoder - Krig I Hodet (Suck Blood)

10.) Pain Of Truth - No Blame​.​.​. Just Facts (Daze) 

Honorable Mentions

Mindforce - Swingin' Swords, Choppin' Lords (Triple B)

Mystic Inane - Natural Beauty (La Vida Es Un Mus)

G.U.N.N. - Peace Love And Heavy Weaponry (Going Underground) 

Rolex - Rolex (11PM)

Real People - Life Without A Head (Self-Released)

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Best Demos

1.) Quarantine - Demo

2.) Tower 7 - Entrance To A Living Organism 

3.) NSA - NSA Is Watching

4.) Hounds Of War - Demo

5.) Pillars Of Ivory - Genesis Twenty Twenty 

6.) Flower City - Demo

7.) Septic Yanks - Septic Yanks

8.) Subliminal Excess - Demo

9.) Vivisected Numbskulls - 4 Track 

10.) The Annihilated - Demo

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Special Commendations

Because of the lost year, in lieu of best live shows which historically have been part of the end of year awards, we are choosing to award special commendations to bands, labels, and other figures in the subculture who soldiered on to keep the spirit of community alive in a time defined by isolation.

 

While venues remained shuttered and live shows becoming an increasingly distant memory, bands have been forced to become more creative with how they provide audiences with an at-home that could move audiences in a way that made them feel like they were watching something more than a glorified YouTube video. To punctuate the release of their latest album The Great Dismal, Nothing, with Full Of Hell in tow, put on The Great Dismal: An Auditory And Ocular Trauma. In collaboration with creative agency Everything Is Stories, the band's performance played like a movie that hit the emotions this year ground into oblivion. Truthfully, I had no expectations going into the stream and by the time Nothing began their set with "A Fabricated Life", I was crying. Maybe it was the song. Maybe it was the last few months. Maybe it was a confluence of the last year. I don't know. Live shows in our world are not a mere rehearsal of songs. They are a place in time. Nothing's set came at a time and place where the songs spoke to the times and of times lived and times not yet known. A livestream of that kind may not ever happen again, let alone be as powerful. Justified Arrogance would like to commend Nothing, Full Of Hell, and Everything Is Stories for helping to redefine the virtual show experience.

There is a boom of bootleggers and independent merchants emerging across all subcultures right now. Hardcore punk, metal, pro wrestling, movies, and everything in between. That on its face is something commendable but I would like to highlight the efforts this summer, specifically after the protests and riots began across the country in June. Hundreds of merchants stepped up to raise money toward bail funds, black and indigenous organizations, and other worthwhile charities. It was a once in a lifetime moment to see what's often dismissed as a fringe community come together to produce tangible economic might to support those who are without economic might. Justified Arrogance would like to commend anyone and everyone who raised money or even just donated money toward BLM causes. Please keep that energy moving into the future.

While we do not typically celebrate live albums, they are an important component of the subculture as they seek to capture the energy that sets us apart from others. Be it Lemmy's wanton recklessness at the Hammersmith, Greg Wilmott's mischievous banter on WERS, or Dmize's gang callouts on Crucial Chaos... live albums don't necessarily take you to the show, but they certainly tell you what happens at those shows. The purpose is to feel it, not replicate it. Power Trip's Live In Seattle was released in May this year and provided audiences with a taste of the bedrock that made the band's name in their live shows. Masterfully mixed by sound engineer Zach Rippy, this live album captured the band's tight instrumental section, the string section's buzzsaw riffs, and Riley Gale's inimitable energy. Power Trip shows have always been known to be violent spaces. However, if you're able to get out of the blast radius, they're also a marvel to behold because you're witnessing the best thrash band in a generation working to engage the audience as much as they do to win them over. Which is part of the point: Power Trip wanted to win you over. What they wanted was more than passing fandom. They wanted more than shirt sales, streams, or records sold. They wanted you to tell your friends, make you keep coming back to their shows, and earn and keep your loyalty because they deserved it. This live album captures that drive to win the crowd. Justified Arrogance would like to commend Power Trip for adding to the elite volume of worthwhile live albums. I hope future vocalists will also call their friends out for being on their phone during the chorus.

Last but not least, Justified Arrogance would like to take a moment to remember and celebrate the lives of Riley Gale and Wade Allison. This blog, really me as a person, would be nothing without the influence both of these incredible people had on my life. The first two essays this blog ever did were about Power Trip and Iron Age. All I ever wanted was for them to think I was cool and deserving of being around them because I counted every time hanging out as a privilege. Everything I ever did was because I wanted them to be proud of me. I know the standards they created and the standards I had to live up to because I never wanted to be unworthy of their friendship, much as I often felt like I was. Truthfully, I do not know where to go from here. This world is new and alien to me. I do not know it and I do not want to know it but I'm going to keep trying because I know that's what they'd want. As much as existing hurts, the thought of disappointing and dishonoring them hurts even more.

Thank you for saving my life, Riley. 

Thank you for teaching us how to live, Wade.

Thank you both for being my brother.

Riley Gale and Wade Allison were the absolute best of us and I hope that others remember their example. Your best is always a stepping stone to better. Never stop looking to the next level. 

Do it for them because they wanted you to do it for yourself.

- James K

The Best Of The 2010s

As we say goodbye to this decade, we would do well to take a moment and recognize the very best releases in the 2010s. One of music's, really all art, strongest muses is the releases of the past. It is there where we can take stock of what has been created, what was lacking, and what can be improved on. Only when we understand the best of the past can we begin to build toward the best future. It is with that we celebrate and honor the very best this closing decade had to offer as these releases will move into the 2020s with their place among the stars.

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Best Hardcore / Punk LPs

1.) Power Trip - Manifest Decimation (Southern Lord) - 2013
2.) The Boston Strangler - Primitive (Fun With Smack) - 2011
3.) The Impalers - Cellar Dweller (540) - 2017
4.) Omegas - Blasts Of Lunacy (Parts Unknown) - 2011
5.) Crazy Spirit - Crazy Spirit (Toxic State) - 2012
6.) Hank Wood And The Hammerheads - Go Home! (Toxic State) - 2012
7.) No Tolerance - You Walk Alone (Painkiller) - 2015
8.) Arms Race - New Wave Of British Hardcore (La Vida Es Un Mus) - 2016
9.) Murderer - I Did It For All You (Toxic State) - 2018
10.) Vaaska - Ruido Hasta La Muerte (540) - 2010
11.) Cülo - My Life Sucks And I Could Care Less (Deranged) - 2012
12.) The Impalers - Impalers (540 / Todo Destruido) - 2013
13.) Wiccans - Field II (Katorga Works) - 2012
14.) SQRM - Rodeo (Youth Attack) - 2010

15.) Concealed Blade - Concealed Blade (Beach Impediment) - 2017

16.) Vanity - Vain In Life (Katorga Works) - 2014
17.) Masshysteri ‎- Masshysteri (Ny Våg) - 2010
18.) Framtid - Defeat Of Civilization (Crust War) - 2013
19.) Exit Order - Seed Of Hysteria (Side Two) - 2017
20.) War Hungry - War Hungry (Six Feet Under) - 2011
21.) Total Abuse - Prison Sweat (Post Present Medium) - 2011
22.) Dawn Of Humans - Slurping At The Cosmos Spine (Toxic State) - 2015
23.) The Flex - Wild Stabs In The Dark (Video Disease / Milk Run) - 2014

24.) The Ropes - Always Nothing (Youth Attack) - 2012

25.) Crown Court - Capitol Offence (Katorga Works) - 2016
26.) Hoax - Hoax (Self-Released) - 2013
27.) The Rival Mob - Mob Justice (Revelation) - 2013
28.) Vaaska - Todos Contra Todos (Beach Impediment) - 2015
29.) Isterismo - Follia Verso L'Interno (Crust War) - 2012
30.) Inmates - Inmates (Painkiller) - 2013
31.) Vile Gash - Nightmare In A Damaged Brain (Youth Attack) - 2018
32.) Wiccans - Skullduggery (Katorga Works) - 2011
33.) Tragedy - Darker Days Ahead (Self-Released) - 2012
34.) Game - No One Wins (Quality Control HQ) - 2019
35.) The Boston Strangler - Fire (Self-Released) - 2014
36.) Warcry - Savage Machinery (Self-Released) - 2014
37.) Candy - Good To Feel (Triple B) - 2018
38.) Hank Wood And The Hammerheads - Self-Titled (Toxic State) - 2018
39.) Soul Swallower - Devoured (Painkiller) - 2011
40.) Selfish - Life Has No Vacant Time (Feral Ward) - 2013
41.) Civilized - Chopping Block (Youth Attack) - 2017

42.) Salvation - Mortality Interactions (Youth Attack) - 2010

43.) Glam - Veneno En Sus Flechas (La Vida Es Un Mus)
44.) Cold World - How The Gods Chill (Deathwish) - 2014
45.) Vein - Errorzone (Closed Casket Activities) - 2018
46.) No Warning - Torture Culture (Last Gang) - 2017
47.) Omegas - Power To Exist (Beach Impediment) - 2016
48.) Violent Reaction - City Streets (Painkiller) - 2013
49.) Total Abuse - Excluded (Deranged) - 2015
50.) City Hunter - Deep Blood (Youth Attack) - 2018


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Best Hardcore / Punk EPs

1.) The Rival Mob - Hardcore For Hardcore (Six Feet Under) - 2010
2.) Warthog - Exterminate Me (Katorga Works) - 2013
3.) Hoax - Hoax (Katorga Works) - 2011
4.) The Impalers - The Impalers (W-Label / Todo Destruido) - 2011
5.) Ajax - Ajax (Katorga Works) - 2014
6.) Perdition - Perdition (Distort Reality) - 2010
7.) Warthog - Warthog (Beach Impediment) - 2016
8.) Rixe - Coups Et Blessures (La Vida Es Un Mus) - 2015
9.) No Tolerance - No Remorse, No Tolerance (Youngblood) - 2011
10.) Crazy Spirit - Crazy Spirit (Toxic State) - 2010
11.) Perdition - Perdition (Toxic State) - 2011
12.) Waste Management - Power Abuse (Painkiller) - 2010
13.) Obliteration - War Is Our Destiny (Beach Impediment) - 2013
14.) The Impalers - Psychedelic Snutskallar (Can O' Bees) - 2014
15.) Green Beret - Violence Is Their Currency (Side Two) - 2012
16.) Glue - Glue (Katorga Works / Video Disease) - 2014
17.) Vile Gash - Deluded (Youth Attack) - 2011
18.) S.H.I.T. - I (La Vida Es Un Mus) - 2016
19.) Blazing Eye - Blazing Eye (Overdose) - 2014
20.) Tragedy - Fury (Self-Released) - 2018
21.) Veins - Veins (Youth Attack) - 2010
22.) Civilized - Dust And Blood (Youth Attack) - 2014
23.) La Misma - La Misma (Toxic State) - 2014
24.) Warthog - Prison (Iron Lung Records) - 2014
25.) Death Evocation - Death Evocation (Quality Control HQ) - 2011

26.) Warthog - Warthog (Toxic State) - 2018

27.) Arms Race - Gotta Get Out (Quality Control HQ) - 2015

28.) Suburbanite - Suburbanite (Youth Attack) - 2011
29.) Rixe - Baptême Du Feu (La Vida Es Un Mus) - 2017
30.) Candy - Candy Says (Triple B) - 2018


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Best Metal Releases

1.) Power Trip - Nightmare Logic (Southern Lord) - 2017
2.) Disma - Towards The Megalith (Profound Lore) - 2011
3.) Inquisition - Ominous Doctrines Of The Perpetual Mystical Macrocosm (Icarus Music) - 2010
4.) Ghost - Opus Eponymous (Rise Above) - 2010
5.) Mammoth Grinder / Hatred Surge Split (Regurgitated Semen) - 2011
6.) Volahn - Aq'Ab'Al (Crepúsculo Negro) - 2014
7.) Midnight - Satanic Royalty (Hells Headbangers) - 2011
8.) Ashdautas - Where The Sun Is Silent... (Crepúsculo Negro) - 2010
9.) Mammoth Grinder - Underworlds (Relapse) - 2013
10.) Black Witchery - Inferno Of Sacred Destruction (Osmose Productions) - 2010
11.) Arizmenda - Without Circumference Nor Center (Crepúsculo Negro) - 2011
12.) Ares Kingdom - Incendiary (Nuclear War Now!) - 2010
13.) Sleep - The Sciences (Third Man) - 2018
14.) Revenge - Scum.Collapse.Eradication (Nuclear War Now!) - 2012
15.) Magic Circle - Magic Circle (Armageddon Shop) - 2013
16.) Hooded Menace - Effigies of Evil (Relapse) - 2012
17.) Inquisition - Obscure Verses For The Multiverse (Season Of Mist) - 2013
18.) Arizmenda - Stillbirth In The Temple Of Venus (Crepúsculo Negro) - 2014
19.) Innumerable Forms - Punishment In Flesh (20 Buck Spin)
20.) Midnight - No Mercy For Mayhem (Hells Headbangers) - 2014
21.) Goat Semen - Ego Svm Satana (Hells Headbangers) - 2015
22.) Antichrist - Forbidden World (High Roller) - 2011
23.) Eternal Champion - The Armor Of Ire (No Remorse) - 2016
24.) Christian Mistress - Agony & Opium (20 Buck Spin) - 2010
25.) Gatecreeper - Sonoran Depravation (Relapse) - 2016


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Best Rap / Hip-Hop Releases

1.) Juicy J - Rubba Band Business 2 - 2011
2.) Future - Pluto - 2012
3.) Chief Keef - Finally Rich - 2012
4.) Waka Flocka Flame - Flockaveli - 2010

5.) Young Thug - I Came From Nothing 2 - 2011 

6.) Freddie Gibbs - ESGN - 2013
7.) Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, M.A.A.D City - 2012
8.) Young Scooter - Street Lottery - 2013
9.) The Weeknd - House Of Balloons - 2011
10.) Juicy J - Blue Dream & Lean - 2011
11.) Chief Keef - Back From The Dead - 2012
12.) Frank Ocean - Nostalgia, Ultra - 2011
13.) Lil Ugly Mane - Mista Thug Isolation - 2012
14.) Rich Homie Quan - I Go In On Every Song - 2012
15.) Skepta - Konnichiwa - 2016
16.) Future & Freeband Gang - F.B.G. The Movie - 2013
17.) Frank Ocean - Channel Orange - 2012
18.) Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Bandana - 2019
19.) Young Thug - Barter 6 - 2015
20.) Rick Ross - Teflon Don - 2010
21.) Young Thug - 1017 Thug - 2013
22.) Roscoe Dash - Demolition 2020 - 2010
23.) Waka Flocka Flame - DuFlocka Rant (10 Toes Down) - 2011
24.) Pusha T - Daytona - 2018
25.) Kendrick Lamar - Section.80 - 2011

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Best Releases In Open Competition

1.) Cold Cave - Cherish The Light Years (Matador) - 2011
2.) Kacey Musgraves - Pageant Material (Mercury Nashville) - 2015
3.) Robyn - Body Talk (Konichiwa) - 2010
4.) Merchandise - Children Of Desire (Katorga Works) - 2012
5.) Björk - Vulnicura (One Little Indian) - 2015
6.) Milk Music ‎- Cruise Your Illusion (Perennial)
7.) Best Coast - Crazy For You (Mexican Summer) - 2010
8.) My Bloody Valentine - mbv (Self-Released) - 2013
9.) Beach House - Teen Dream (Sub Pop) - 2010
10.) Grimes - Art Angels (4AD) - 2015

11.) Kamasi Washington - Heaven And Earth (Young Turks) - 2018

12.) Chvrches - Every Open Eye (Virgin) - 2015

13.) Taylor Swift - 1989 (Big Machine) - 2015

14.) Solange - A Seat At The Table (Saint) - 2016
15.) Daft Punk - Random Access Memories (Columbia) - 2013
16.) Rihanna - ANTI (Roc Nation) - 2016
17.) Carly Rae Jepsen - E•MO•TION (School Boy) - 2015
18.) Nothing - Tired Of Tomorrow (Relapse) - 2016
19.) Swervedriver - I Wasn't Born To Lose You (Cobraside) - 2015
20.) FKA Twigs - LP1 (Young Turks) - 2014
21.) Angel Olsen - My Woman (Jagjaguwar) - 2016
22.) Sturgill Simpson - High Top Mountain (Loose) - 2013
23.) The Men - Leave Home (Sacred Bones) - 2011
24.) Title Fight - Shed (SideOneDummy) - 2011
25.) Fucked Up Presents David's Town (Matador) - 2011


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Best Demos

1.) The Rival Mob - Mob Justice Promo (2012)
2.) The Impalers - 2010
3.) Ajax - Bleach For Breakfast (2013)
4.) The Boston Strangler - 2010
5.) Iron Age - The Saga Demos - 2011
6.) Warthog - Chain Wallet Sessions (2012)
7.) Murderer - 2013
8.) Stigmatism - 2018
9.) Exit Order - 2013
10.) Concealed Blade - 2015


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Best Sets

1.) Bastard (reunion) @ Chaos In Tejas / Emo's / Austin, TX (May 29th 2010)
2.) Massive Attack @ Radio City Music Hall / New York, NY (September 26th 2019)
3.) The Stone Roses @ Madison Square Garden / New York, NY (June 30th 2016)
4.) Bolt Thrower @ Chaos In Tejas / 1100 Warehouse / Austin, TX (May 31st 2013)
5.) Framtid @ Chaos In Tejas / 1100 Warehouse / Austin, TX (June 1st 2013)
6.) No Warning (reunion) @ Game Changer World / Howell, NJ (April 10th 2015)
7.) Future @ Fader Fort SXSW / Austin, TX (March 15th 2013)
8.) Death Side (reunion) @ Le Poisson Rouge / New York, NY (April 16th 2016)
9.) Integrity (Systems Overload lineup) @ A389 Anniversary / Sonar / Baltimore, MD (January 18th 2014)
10.) Isterismo @ New York's Alright / The Acheron / Brooklyn, NY (April 17th 2015)

Special note for the worst set of the decade which was:
Poison Idea @ Chaos In Tejas / Emo's / Austin, TX (May 30th 2010)

The Best of 2019

Celebrating new music is important. In the subculture, we are constantly faced with a chorus of people who will tell you that the genres are dead and that there is nothing good coming out anymore. This opinion alone indicts how out of touch a person can be. There is a deluge of incredible new music coming out every year and it is important to take the time to praise the work of those who contribute to the subculture's sonic archive.

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Best Hardcore / Punk LPs

1.) Game - No One Wins (Quality Control HQ / Beach Impediment)
2.) Irreal - Fi Del Mon (La Vida Es Un Mus)
3.) Nosferatu - Solution A (La Vida Es Un Mus)
4.) Nightmare - Thirsty And Wander (Blood Sucker / 540)
5.) Asid - Pathetic Flesh (La Vida Es Un Mus)
6.) Division Of Mind - Division Of Mind (Triple B)
7.) Kohti Tuhoa - Ihmisen Kasvot (La Vida Es Un Mus)
8.) Restraining Order - The World Is Too Much (Triple B)
9.) Eyes Of The Lord - Misery Feels Like Home (Closed Casket Activities)
10.) Muro ‎- Muro En Vivo En El Festival Asfixia, Antípoda Bogotá (Fuerza Ingobernable)
11.) Judiciary - Surface Noise (Closed Casket Activities)
12.) Wild Side - Who The Hell Is WILD SIDE? (Triple B)
13.) L.O.T.I.O.N. - World Wide W.E.B. (Toxic State)
14.) Buried Dreams - 9 Reasons Not To Live (Triple B)
15.) Never Ending Game - Just Another Day (Triple B)

Honorable Mentions

Kaleidoscope - After The Futures... (Toxic State)

Fury - Failed Entertainment (Run For Cover)

Magnitude - To Whatever Fateful End (Triple B)

Wolf Whistle - Private Hell (Triple B)

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Best Metal Releases

1.) Departure Chandelier ‎- Antichrist Rise To Power (Nuclear War Now!)
2.) Blood Incantation - Hidden History Of The Human Race (Dark Descent)
3.) Gatecreeper - Deserted (Relapse)
4.) Teitanblood - The Baneful Choir (Norma Evangelium Diaboli)
5.) Tomb Mold - Planetary Clairvoyance (20 Buck Spin)
6.) Antichrist Siege Machine - Schism Preparation (Stygian Black Hand)
7.) Magic Circle - Departed Souls (20 Buck Spin)
8.) Spirit Adrift - Divided By Darkness (20 Buck Spin)
9.) Pig's Blood - A Flock Slaughtered (Stygian Black Hand)
10.) Devil Master - Satan Spits On Children Of Light (Relapse)

Honorable Mentions

Crypt Sermon - The Ruins Of Fading Light (Dark Descent)
Misþyrming - Algleymi (Norma Evangelium Diaboli)

Creeping Death - Wretched Illusions (eOne)

Darkthrone - Old Star (Peaceville)
Cerebral Rot - Odious Descent Into Decay (20 Buck Spin)

Hell Konfessor - Hell Konfessor (Klaxon)

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Best Rap / Hip-Hop Releases

1.) Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Bandana
2.) Benny The Butcher - The Plugs I Met
3.) Juice WRLD - Death Race For Love
4.) Young Thug - So Much Fun
5.) Denzel Curry - Zuu
6.) DAVE - Psychodrama
7.) Young Scooter - Trap Hero
8.) Megan Thee Stallion - Fever
9.) Westside Gunn - Flygod Is An Awesome God

10.) Future - The Wizrd

11.) Gang Starr - One Of The Best Yet

12.) Conway - Look What I Became

13.) Westside Gunn - Hitler Wears Hermes 7

14.) Peewee Longway - Blue M&M 4

15.) Little Simz - Grey Area

Honorable Mentions

Lil Peep - Everybody's Everything
03 Greedo - Still Summer In The Projects
Boogie - Everything's For Sale
Future - Save Me
DaBaby - Baby On Baby

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Best Releases In Open Competition

1.) Angel Olsen - All Mirrors (Jagjaguwar)
2.) Sturgill Simpson - Sound & Fury (Elektra)
3.) Sabrina Claudio - Truth Is (SC Entertainment)

4.) FKA twigs - MAGDALENE (Young Turks)

5.) Drab Majesty - Modern Mirror (Dais)
6.) Summer Walker - Over It (Love Renaissance / Interscope)

7.) Solange - When I Get Home (Columbia)

8.) (Sandy) Alex G - House of Sugar (Domino)

9.) Taylor Swift - Lover (Republic)
10.) Carter Tutti Void - Triumvirate (Conspiracy International)
11.) Young Guv - GUV I & II (Run For Cover)
12.) Lust For Youth - Lust For Youth (Sacred Bones)
13.) Sheer Mag - A Distant Call (Wilsuns)
14.) Whirr - Feels Like You (Self-Released)
15.) Purple Mountains - Purple Mountains (Drag City)

Honorable Mentions

Prurient - Music For Halloween Night (Hospital Productions)

Ceremony - In The Spirit World Now (Relapse)

Geography Of Hell - Sabra Shatila 1982 (Hospital Productions)

Pharmakon - Devour (Sacred Bones)
Palmistry - Afterlife (Mixpak)

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Best Hardcore / Punk EPs

1.) Hank Wood And The Hammerheads - Heads (Self-Released)
2.) Vaaska - Inocentes Condenados (Beach Impediment)
3.) Candy - Super-Stare (Relapse)
4.) Blind Authority - Death Dreams (Quality Control HQ)
5.) Skizophrenia - Undead Melodies (S.K.Z.)
6.) Ekulu - Half Alive (Triple B)
7.) Pobreza Mental - Ya No Me Pertenezco (Toxic State)
8.) Protocol - Bloodsport (11PM)
9.) Loose Nukes - Behind The Screen (Beach Impediment)
10.) Jackal - Jackal (Painkiller)

Honorable Mentions

Cochonne - Cochonne (Self-Released)
Leather Lickers - Leather Lickers (Cool Death)
Concrete Bollocks - Disasters Of War (Contra)
Rata Negra - La Hija Del Sepulturero (La Vida Es Un Mus)
Kriegshög - Paint It Black / White Out (La Vida Es Un Mus)
Armor - Some Kind Of War (11PM)

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Best Demos

1.) Rated X
2.) Heavy Discipline
3.) Sprackta
4.) Schematic
5.) Phantasia

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Best Sets
Note - I had a major medical issue this year involving my ear so going to shows was actual hell for me for most of the year. It only started to clear up in the fall which is why most of these shows were near the year's end.

1.) Massive Attack @ Mezzanine XXI / Radio City Music Hall / New York, NY (September 26th)
2.) Warthog @ The Final Brooklyn Bazaar Show / Brooklyn, NY (November 30th)
3.) Youth Of Today @ Saint Vitus / Brooklyn, NY (March 16th)
4.) Iron Age @ Hardcore Hell / Saint Vitus / Brooklyn, NY (August 9th)
5.) Mortician @ Saint Vitus / Brooklyn, NY (November 15th)

The Best of 2018

Celebrating new music is important. In the subculture, we are constantly faced with a chorus of people who will tell you that the genres are dead and that there is nothing good coming out anymore. This opinion alone indicts how out of touch a person can be. There is a deluge of incredible new music coming out every year and it is important to take the time to praise the work of those who contribute to the subculture's sonic archive.

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Adam Abou-Heif
(Owner of Material World Records & Tapes, founder of Bitter Lake Recordings, and founder of Katorga Works)

Here is a list of new releases that really struck a chord with me in 2018.

Big City - S/T CS (Self-Released)

Years in the making, Big City marks the return of the elusive Will Machi, who you may remember as the guitar virtuoso of Rochester hardcore punks Rational Animals. Was I the only person who loved Rational Animals? Most likely, yes. Anyway, here he's teamed up with Max (Hank Wood and the Hammerheads) and Dave (Perrett) to create something entirely different. This full-length cassette draws from the power of the great American rock ‘n’ roll songbook that recalls the best of the 70s, 80s, and 90s without falling prey to uninspired nostalgia. The band already has almost two more newer, better albums recorded, so I imagine people will start to catch on to this band soon enough!

Black Magick SS - Spectral Ecstasy CD (Infinite Wisdom Productions)

This Tasmanian psychedelic/occult rock band is one of my favorite acts of contemporary times. I've gushed endlessly about them before (their 2017 album Kaleidoscope Dreams made my top ten list that year) and here I go again. Like the album before it, the band is moving further and further away from their black metal roots. I don't think Spectral Ecstasy has had quite the same impact on me as Kaleidoscope Dreams, but I am still in love with it. Certainly, not a very palatable band, but I find them to be on the of the most inventive bands of contemporary times.

Condor - Cassette Single #2 CS (Not On Label)

Condor is the newest project of Maxime of Rixe, one of the premier contemporary oi bands in the world. In this one-man band, he explores a more classic French punk sound than his main band. Condor is a bit less polished, a bit less Oi, and, dare I say, even more FRENCH than Rixe, yet still super catchy and is a flawlessly-executed take on the sound. This would fit right in with legendary Chaos En France compilations. Their first cassette single made me a believer, but this cassette is punk perfection with some of the catchiest guitar leads I've heard in years.

Fulber, Rhys - Your Dystopia, My Utopia 2x12" (Sonic Groove)

This record caught me quite off guard. I obviously know Rhys Fulber from his work with Frontline Assembly and I tend to enjoy most releases on Adam X's Sonic Groove label (Adam's newest solo album Recon Mission showcases his love for EBM and is certainly worth checking out, as well!), but I wasn't at all expecting Fulber to be producing essential work this late into his career. Masterfully done industrial techno with, unsurprisingly, the occasional EBM flourish. Maybe I'm partial to this because of some sort of nostalgia, but I love this record!

Hank Wood and the Hammerheads - S/T LP (Toxic State)

This is the long-awaited third LP from NYC punks Hank Wood and the Hammerheads. Over the past decade, no punk band has been more definitively “NEW YORK” than Hammerheads. This record sees the band continuing to develop their songwriting into something more “mature” and even darker. The production is far richer than its predecessor, which happens to perfectly compliment with the more complex guitar and keyboard parts. Hank’s performance is his best since the modern classic Go Home, both more earnest and personal; there is a certain heaviness and world-weariness here that was not found on previous releases. For a band to continue to stay so vital in an increasingly fickle and forgetful world of punk is a true feat, and Hammerheads have graced us with yet another classic rock album. Essential.

Impure - Transfixed In Limbo 7" (Self-Released)

Impure is a new black/death metal band (citing Von, Autopsy, and Beherit as influences) from the masterminds behind Electric Assault Records and Stygian Black Hand, so of course it's going to be excellent. Transfixed In Limbo is the perfect black/death metal single a la Seraphic Decay (at least, that's what the format and aesthetic reminded me of!) and is so endlessly catchy that I can't help but flip the record over and over and over again each time I play it.

Jühning, Herz - Samsara LP (Galakthorrö)

Coming almost a decade after his Miasma album, Herz Jühning released what might be the definitive example of his brilliant meshing of power electronics brutality, wave-minimality, and the experimentation of classic industrial music. Samsara is very much in line with everything that's been coming out on Galakthorrö and it's funny to think that the label has been pegged as having a trademark "sound," as if that would  somehow be a slight against either one of the best industrial labels going or Jühning himself, who has made my favorite and most listened to industrial record of 2018.

Kikagaku Moyo - Masana Temples LP (Guruguru Brain)

Masana Temples is latest album from Tokyo psych rockers Kikagaku Moyo. Their 2016 album House In The Tall Grass has gone on to become one of my favorite records of the past decade. While I don't think this record is quite as perfect as that one, Masana Temples sees the band following the psychedelic path into even more mind-expanding territory, in particular through the band's obsession with South Asia, as the album incorporates even more elements of classical Indian music into their tried-and-true pool of influences including Krautrock, traditional folk, and 60s and 70s psych rock. There are still some serious high points, such as “Fluffy Kosmisch”, which has become one of my favorite Kikagaku Moyo songs. It's rare to hear a good contemporary psych record in this day and age, let alone one as phenomenal as this one.

Robyn - Honey LP (Konichiwa Records)

In a perfect world of my design, Robyn would be the most popular contemporary pop star. Well, fortunately for most (but maybe not Robyn), we are not living in anything close to resembling what I would consider a perfect world. Still, Robyn thrives without (or in spite of) the faux-divine intervention of dorks such as myself and has released yet another pop masterpiece with Honey. It has the familiar Robyn stamp on it, so no one will be disappointed by any sudden revolutionary change, but this album, as a whole, managed to subtly develop her sound in what is the most captivating and enveloping pop records I've heard in the last few years.

Warthog - 4th 7" (Toxic State)

NYC's well-oiled hardcore punk machine unsurprisingly releases yet another winner. Their live shows are so consistently excellent that I'm almost unfazed by them, at this point. Like their last 7" on Beach Impediment (which is my favorite overall), this 7" has far better production than their first two EPs on Iron Lung and Kaverka Derks. You know, it's Warthog...it's good. Also, Warthog has managed to do what most uninspired worship bands have failed to and make one of the best rock n roll songs of the year with “Brainwasher”. I don't know. Whatever.


And, in the era of reissue excess, here are my favorite reissue and archival releases:

Colored Music - S/T LP (WRWTFWW)

The 1981 self-titled album from cult Japanese duo Colored Music was a record I was sadly not acquainted with until it was reissued earlier this year. An incredible mix of cosmic new wave, unconventional disco, avant-garde synth pop, and hybrid electronic funk, Colored Music is enchantingly unique, a sort of experimental and magnetizing take on both David Bowie's Berlin Trilogy and Trevor Horn's visionary new wave machine, all with a very Japanese touch courtesy of fellow collaborators Haruomi Hosono, Yasuaki Shimizu, Jun Fukamachi, etc. It's a weird one, but I cannot recommend it enough!

Gaizin - S/T 7" (General Speech)

As with all General Speech releases, this reissue of this ultra-obscure Sapporo, Japan hardcore punk band is born of a singular passion and genuine obsession with this music not found in many reissue labels. This is for true heads only. Gaizin was a cassette-only band influenced by classic Japanese bands a la Gai and Confuse, as well as the "Sapporo Sound" of more well-known bands like Tranquilizer or the General Speech'd G-Gas. If you're at all interested in any of these Japanese bands, you have to find a way to get your hands on this record that appears to already be out-of-print.

Gania, Maalem Mahmoud - Colours Of The Night 2xLP (Hive Mind Records)

From everything I've read about this release, it technically came out in late 2017, but I didn't actually see it available in shops or from distributors until almost the middle of 2018, so I'm counting it. Morocco's Mahmoud Gania is perhaps the most important figure in 20th century Gnawa music and is a hero of the Guimbri. He was a huge influence on Guimbri player Abderahmane "Paco" Kirouche (one of the Moroccan musicians Jimi Hendrix traveled to play with in 1969), whose band legendary band Nass El Ghiwane helped not only popularize the instrument and style of music, but helped gain some much-needed social acceptance for the predominantly Black and Sufi Gnawa People in an Arab and Sunni-majority Morocco. Most Westerners who would be most familiar with Gania would know him from his collaborative The Trance Of Seven Colors album with the great Pharoah Sanders. Colours Of The Night consists of his final recordings and they're as magical as any I've heard from him. His mastery of the trance-inducing music of the Gnawa people is perhaps some of the finest sacred and devotional music I've ever experienced. رحمة الله عليه

Haus Arafna - Blut - Trilogie Des Blutes | Nachblutung 2xLP (Galakthorrö)

This expanded reissue of Blut, the first Haus Arafna album from 1995, is the first vinyl pressing of any of this material. German power electronics with only hints of the more "angst pop" sound that defines their later releases. Blut is perhaps the roughest of all of the Haus Arafna releases, but it is no less classic than anything else they've done. An essential industrial release that finally sees the light of day on vinyl.

Muslimgauze - Mullah Said 2xLP (Staalplat)

Bryn Jones' Muslimgauze project existed for multiple decades, with Jones churning out over one hundred releases that spanned all different styles within the industrial/electronic/experimental world. As a result, it might be difficult to find the right place in which to become acquainted with Jones' singular vision. I personally am most fond of his classic 80s industrial sound, but a close second for me would be much of his early-to-mid 90s material up until 1999's dub ambient Mullah Said (FYI, Justified Arrogance CEO James K butchered the pronunciation of this title to me once), which may be the last release of his that I truly love. This release is particularly heavy on Middle Eastern string and percussion samples and, as always, rich with Jones' unhealthily obsession with various Middle Eastern conflicts of which he had no legitimate connection too, but, hey, respect to the odd man for speaking out when most others in the West would not.

Sympathy Nervous - S/T LP (Minimal Wave)

A much needed reissue of this 1980 proto-techno/synth masterpiece from the legendary Sympathy Nervous, which was originally released on the cult Vanity label. Most Vanity releases were thought to be unreissueable (a fake word) due to visionary owner Yuzuru Agi's notoriously difficult personality and firm hold over his work. Yet, Veronica Vasicka's Minimal Wave label (the most important synth reissue label, in my book) persevered and has gone ahead and lovingly reissued this groundbreaking record.

Tuffour, Nana - Sikyi Medley 12" (Kalita Records/CC Editions)

Nana Tuffour is another artist I had never heard of before it was reissued. One of the more renowned Ghanian Highlife artists, I initially found this reissue to be a little strange, as it's a four-song 12" compilation that combines two of his most well-known songs and two rarities. My reservations were soon cast aside, as I became obsessed with the ten-minute title track, of which its electronic jubilance made it my most listened to song of 2018.

Vlad Tepes - A Catharsis For Human Illness Box Set (Drakkar Productions)

A Catharsis For Human Illness is a box set of the French Black Metal band Vlad Tepes, who were a founding and integral faction within the Les Légions Noires scene in the city of Brest. The band released a slew of cassettes in the early-to-mid 90s that are now classic examples of the French Black Metal. This box set sees each of these cassette releases remastered and reissued on vinyl for the first time ever. I am by no means a box set guy (I kind of hate them), but this particular set is beautifully spot lacquered and comes with a booklet detailing the band’s history, in-depth explanations to each recording, and exclusive photos. Perhaps an odd way to put it considering the source material, but this box set was an utter joy to consume!

Yokota, Susumu - Acid Mt. Fuji 2xLP (Midgar)

Finally, a vinyl version of Susumu Yokota’s 1994 landmark acid techno/ambient Acid Mt. Fuji. I owned this album on CD as a curious teenager and it remained one of my favorite electronic albums of this style until my 30s, when it was FINALLY pressed to vinyl for the first time ever. It is a singular work that is difficult to place in one easy category, as Yokota guides the listener through his aural interpretation of the Japanese monolith, ebbing and flowing effortlessly between masterful 90s acid techno and a throwback to 80s naturalistic ambient music and new age.

Various Artists - Habibi Funk (An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World) 2xLP (Habibi Funk)

Habibi Funk's definitive release thus far as a label, this 2xLP compilation culls from serious rarities of artists that often took typical local and regional styles and melded them with popular Western styles (funk, soul, disco, jazz, rock, etc.) to create some of the most wild music to come from various Middle Eastern and North African countries. Beyond a couple of artists, I hadn't heard of ANY of this and I fell in love Habibi Funk five seconds into the first track. It’s a German label, but I’ll bite my tongue and admit there is nothing but heat on this and they did an amazing job! Technically, this was released in December 2017, but it didn't reach most places until at least January 2018, so I'm gonna count it and if you dare try and stop me, Inshallah, you will get the shoe.

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Michael "Cheddar" Quick 
(Guitarist, Candy)

Music -

S.H.I.T. - What Do You Stand For?
Illusion - Magic With A Smile
Deflect - 2018 Promo
Game - Who Will Play?
City Hunter - Deep Blood
Supernatural Psycho - Rendezvous With The Sun
Yves Tumor - Safe In The Hands Of Love

TV

Atlanta
The Deuce

Movies

You Were Never Really Here
Hereditary
The Favorite

Bad year for movies imo, most of my favorites were older movies I had never seen or revisited so I’ll include those:

Once Upon A Time In The West
All The Presidents Men
La Haine
Sicario

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Chase H. Mason 
(Vocals, Gatecreeper / Bass, Spirit Adrift)

Metal top 10:

Hooded Menace - Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed
Hyperdontia - Nexus Of Teeth
Ritual Necromancy - Disinterred Horror
Obliteration - Cenotaph Obscure
Cerebral Rot - Cessation Of Life
Moenen of Xezbeth - Ancient Spells of Darkness...
Torture Rack - Malefic Humiliation
Witchcraft - Nightmare Goetia Demo
Innumerable Forms - Punishment In Flesh
Tomb Mold - Manor of Infinite Forms

Honorable Mentions...

Mournful Congregation – The Incubus of Karma
Mortuous - Through Wilderness
Evoken - Hypnagogia
Corpsessed - Impetus of Death
Skeletal Remains - Devouring Mortality
Mammoth Grinder - Cosmic Crypt
Outer Heaven - Realms Of Eternal Decay
Genocide Pact - Order of Torment

Not Metal Top 10:

Lil Peep - Come Over When You're Sober, Part 2
Tony Molina - Kill The Lights
Freddie Gibbs & Curren$y - Fetti
Warthog - Warthog
Snail Mail - Lush
Beach House - 7
Pusha T - Daytona
Temple Of Angels - Foiled
Candy - Good To Feel
Fantasy Camp - How To Fix Everything

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James Khubiar 
(Founder, Justified Arrogance)

Best Hardcore / Punk LPs

1.) Candy - Good To Feel (Triple B)
2.) Tozcos - Suenos Deceptivos (Verdugo Discos)
3.) Hank Wood & The Hammerheads - Hank Wood & The Hammerheads (Toxic State)

4.) Vein - errorzone (Closed Casket Activities)
5.) Sunshine Ward - Nuclear Ambitions (Bloody Master)
6.) Vile Gash - Nightmare In A Damaged Brain (Youth Attack)
7.) Rata Negra - Justicia Cósmica (La Vida Es Un Mus)

8.) Fucked Up - Dose Your Dreams (Merge)
9.) Suburbanite - Suburbanite (Youth Attack)
10.) Cadaver Dog - Dying Breed (Youth Attack)
11.) Permission - Drawing Breath Through A Hole In The Ground (La Vida Es Un Mus)
12.) Blood Pressure - Surrounded (Beach Impediment)
13.) S.H.I.T. - What Do You Stand For? (La Vida Es Un Mus)
14.) Waste Management - Tried And True (Painkiller)
15.) City Hunter - Deep Blood (Youth Attack)

Honorable Mentions

Terror - Total Retaliation (Pure Noise)
Mindforce - Excalibur (Triple B)
Trail Of Lies - W.A.R. (Edgewood)
King Nine - Death Rattle (Closed Casket Activities)
Turnstile - Time & Space (Roadrunner)


Best Metal Releases

1.) Innumerable Forms - Punishment In Flesh (Profound Lore)
2.) Mammoth Grinder - Cosmic Crypt (Relapse)
3.) Akitsa - Credo (Hospital Productions)
4.) Sleep - The Sciences (Third Man)
5.) Siege Column - Inferno Deathpassion (Nuclear War Now)
6.) Tomb Mold - Manor of Infinite Forms (20 Buck Spin)
7.) Genocide Pact - Order of Torment (Relapse)
8.) One Tail, One Head - Worlds Open, Worlds Collide (Terratur Possessions)
9.) Moenen of Xezbeth - Ancient Spells of Darkness... (Nuclear War Now)
10.) Hooded Menace - Ossuarium Silhouettes Unhallowed (Season Of Mist)

Honorable Mentions

Uniform & The Body - Mental Wounds Not Healing (Sacred Bones)
Craft - White Noise and Black Metal (Season of Mist)
Uniform - The Long Walk (Sacred Bones)
Mournful Congregation - The Incubus Of Karma (20 Buck Spin)


Best Rap / Hip-Hop / R&B Releases

1.) Pusha T - Daytona (G.O.O.D. Music)
2.) Cardi B - Invasion of Privacy (Atlantic)
3.) Lil Peep - Come Over When You're Sober Pt. 2 (Columbia)
4.) Jorja Smith - Lost & Found (FAMM)
5.) Future - Beast Mode 2 (Freebandz)
6.) 03 Greedo - God Level (Alamo)
7.) Nas - Nasir (G.O.O.D. Music)
8.) Juice Wrld & Future - Wrld on Drugs (Interscope)
9.) The Weeknd - My Dear Melancholy, (XO)
10.) Migos - Culture II (Capitol)

Honorable Mentions

Lil Baby - Harder Than Ever (4PF)
Sheck Wes - Mudboy (G.O.O.D. Music)

Kanye West - Ye (G.O.O.D. Music)

Young Thug - On The Rvn (300 Entertainment)

Best Releases In Open Competition

1.) Kamasi Washington - Heaven and Earth (Young Turks)
2.) Prince - Piano & A Microphone 1983 (NPG)
3.) Robyn - Honey (Konichiwa)
4.) Spiritualized - And Nothing Hurt (Bella Union)
5.) Nothing - Dance On The Blacktop (Relapse)
6.) Young Guv - 2 Sad 2 Funk (NIGHT SCHOOL)
7.) Iceage - Beyondless (Escho)
8.) Tony Molina - "Kill The Lights" (Slumberland)
9.) Beach House - 7 (Sub Pop)
10.) US Girls - In A Poem Unlimited (4AD)
11.) Snail Mail - Lush (Matador)
12.) The Soft Moon - Criminal (Sacred Bones)
13.) Mitski - Be The Cowboy (Dead Oceans)
14.) Marie Davidson - Working Class Woman (Ninja Tune)
15.) Camp Cope - How To Socialise & Make Friends (Run For Cover)

Honorable Mentions

Kacey Musgraves - Golden Hour (MCA Nashville)
Courtney Barnett - Tell Me How You Really Feel (Milk!)
Kelly Moran - Ultraviolet (Warp)
Empress Of - Us (Terrible)


Best Electronic Releases

1.) Ancient Methods - The Jericho Records (Self-Released)
2.) Varg - Nordic Flora Series Pt.5: Crush (Posh Isolation)
3.) Silent Servant - Shadows Of Death And Desire (Hospital Productions)
4.) Delroy Edwards - Rio Grande (L.A. Club Resource)
5.) Container - LP (Spectrum Spools)

6.) Cienfuegos - Autogolpe (Long Island Electrical Systems)
7.) Sophie - Oil of Every Pearl's Un-Insides (MSMSMSM)
8.) DJ Koze - Knock Knock (Pampa)

9.) Gas - Rausch (Kompakt)
10.) Fret - Silent Neighbour (Long Island Electrical Systems)

Honorable Mentions

Delroy Edwards - Aftershock (Long Island Electrical Systems)
Skee Mask - Compro (Ilian Tape)
Ron Morelli - Disappearer (Hospital Productions)
Kyo with Jeuru - All The Same Dream (Posh Isolation)


Best Hardcore / Punk EPs

1.) Warthog - Warthog (Toxic State)
2.) Mil-Spec - Changes (Lockin Out)
3.) Tragedy - Fury (Tragedy)
4.) Ekulu - Ekulu (Triple B)
5.) Subdued - 4 Track EP (La Vida Es Un Mus)
6.) Shipwrecked - SWD (Pretty Shitty Town)
7.) Illusion - Magic With A Smile (Lockin Out)
8.) Restraining Order - Restraining Order (New Age)
9.) Sial - Binasa (La Vida Es Un Mus)
10.) Deadlock - Deadlock (Painkiller)

Honorable Mentions

Arms Race - The Beast (Painkiller)
Exotica - Musique Exotique #03 (La Vida Es Un Mus)
Pure Pressure - Relàmpago De Furia (Painkiller)
The Flex - Flexual Healing Vol 7: Perhaps The War Is Over? Perhaps It's Peace? (Quality Control HQ)


Best Demos

1.) Stigmatism (Montreal, Canada + NYC)

2.) Lifeless Dark (Boston, MA)

3.) Born Sinner (New York City, NY)

4.) Raw Brigade (Bogota, Colombia)

5.) Innocent (Boston, MA)

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Best Sets I Saw This Year

1.) Power Trip @ The Evil Beat Vol. 1 in Dallas, Texas (November 10th)
2.) Mammoth Grinder @ St. Vitus in Brooklyn, New York (March 2nd)
3.) Candy @ Brooklyn Bazaar in Brooklyn, New York (October 12th)
4.) Lil Ugly Mane @ Brooklyn Bazaar in Brooklyn, New York (November 5th)
5.) Vein @ This Is Hardcore in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (July 27th)