Punk Rock Record Reviews: The Best of 2024, Part Twelve.
Links: Punk Rock Record Reviews Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven.
I listen primarily to punk, with my preferred subgenre being street punk. Speed rock, garage, skate punk, hardcore, pop punk, oi!, ska, grindcore, and even rockabilly fit the bill if done right. If I can catch a live show, it gives the release an edge. Here are a few releases from 2024 that I recommend you check out. These are in no particular order; however, I’m only reviewing releases that are in contention for the best release of the year. If I’m reviewing it, I liked it. When the New Year rolls around, I’ll put them in order and do a final article of the best of the best. Drop a comment at the bottom if there is a 2024 release you think I should check out; I most definitely will.
Terror Attack “Purgatory”
Released: January 21, 2024
Format: Digital download
Label: Self-released
From: Las Vegas, NV
There are a lot of things I like about this band, other than being straight-up street punk (my favorite genre). One of them is that they are drinking Mickey’s 40oz beers in the “In the Ghetto” video, which was my favorite as a kid (the first beers I ever bought legally, when I turned 21, were a pair of Mickey’s 40oz). I didn’t include the actual video in the review because it’s age-restricted, but you can find it on YouTube. They are most definitely not straight-edge and obviously know how to have fun. The music is fast and energetic, but also catchy and makes you want to scream along.
These guys are on the roster for the 2024 edition of Punk Rock Bowling, so I’m going to make sure that I seem. Hopefully they get added to a club show or pool party as well. Fans of The Casualties, A Global Threat, The Unseen, Starving Wolves, The Virus, hardcore or street punk will definitely want to check this out.
The Black Pacific “Here Comes Our Wave”
Released: September 20, 2024
Format: Vinyl LP, digital download
Label: Dine Alone Records
From: California
If you aren’t familiar with The Black Pacific, this is their second release (the first was in 2010), and it’s Jim Lindberg’s (Pennywise) other band. Jim’s voice is unmistakable; if you didn’t know that this was The Black Pacific, you would swear that you are listening to the new Pennywise album. If you are a huge Pennywise fan, like I am, that is not a bad thing at all (other than Pennywise being a near perfect band, so switching out the band members is not likely to produce something better). The first song, “I Think I’m Paranoid,” is great and grabbed me right away. The songs are overall too long for my taste though, averaging over 3 minutes (with none under 2 minutes and one over 4 minutes). If there were a few rippers under 2 minutes, I think I would like this a lot more. Even so, it’s a great album, and there are a few songs that rival the best of Pennywise (“Float Away” had me singing along on the first play through…)”). Of course they are also teaming up with Smelly and Picklestix for a limited edition surfboard.
V/A “Intercontinental Oi!”
Released: March 01, 2024
Format: Vinyl LP, digital download
Label: Smith & Miller/ Insurgence Records
Reckless Upstarts had a stellar release last year, 2023’s “We Walk Alone," which prompted me to track this one down. Well, that and Matt Bishop (guitar) also being in another great band, Disco Assault. Reckless Upstarts are solid oi!, and “RCBB” was a highlight and quick addition to my master playlist. I’m looking forward to catching them live a couple times before year end, at the Black Christmas festival and a club show over the border in Ontario, Canada. I was expecting more of the same from the other bands and was surprised by The Uncouth with “A Message to You, Shithead” speeding things up, closer to a street punk sound. Red Bricks and An Slua also good; a release worth tracking down (if the entire release is out of reach, just grab “RCBB” and “A Message to You, Shithead” from iTunes at the very least).
Catch Reckless Upstarts in Detroit at the Black Christmas festival on 12/28/2024.
No Plan “Lotsa Potential”
Released: March 22, 2024
Format: Cassette, Vinyl LP, CD, digital download.
Label: Indecision Records
From: California
Sounds like a younger band with female vocals. Mostly screamed, not sung, fast enough for a serious mosh pit, and a perfect blend of punk and hardcore. Most of the songs are around a minute long, with the first song at only:53 (“I Tried," one of my favorites from this one) and “No One Asked” at only:28 (another favorite). It looks like they had a 5-song EP back in 2022, but other than that, this is their first release. I’ll definitely be checking that out; this one is fantastic. I actually listened to this one for quite a bit longer than I usually do, before picking a song for my playlist and moving on. In the end, in addition to “I Tried” and “No One Asked," “Wrong” and “Rich Kids on Anarchy” made my playlist. Fans of Bad Beat, Anklebiter, or just perfectly executed punk rock leaning towards hardcore.
Moral Less Right “Oubaitori”
Released: November 15, 2024
Format: Digital download
Label: Self-released
From: Newfoundland and Labrador
It looks like this is just a single from an upcoming LP (“Poetry of Place”). I wasn’t able to find them on discogs or bandcamp, so they may not currently have any vinyl (digital only?). I was able to find another single and a 2021 full-length “A Decade of Demolition - LP” on iTunes. That seems to indicate that they have been around for a decade (or maybe that is a demo that took a decade to come together?). I have more questions than answers on this one, but I’ll keep digging into them. This new song is really fast and catchy, and I want more. Hopefully we see them in my list of reviews again in 2025.
No Guard “War Over Me”
Released: April 13, 2024
Format: 7” vinyl, digital download
Label: Lionheart Records
From: Springfield, IL
My favorites from this one were “Numb Head” and "Lack,” which both sound like they could have come from a new CMI album. That’s not coincidental, as “Lack” features CMI; both bands have released a record on the same label, and it looks like they have toured with them as well. No wonder those songs stuck out, as CMI is currently my favorite Oi! band and has one of the best releases of the year so far. These guys come from Springfield, IL, which is near me, so hopefully I’ll see them on a show soon in Detroit. They look to be a younger band, so I’ll be looking for their future releases. Fans of Conservative Military Image, Yellow Stitches, The Chisel, Lion’s Law, or just really good Oi!
Torena “No Control”
Released: October 4, 2024
Format: 12” Vinyl, digital download
Label: Daze
From: Connecticut
“False Compassion” hit me like a brick; that’s exactly how a hardcore song should sound. “No Control” is also a ripper. Both songs are well under 2 minutes each, and I know from experience that they would inspire an insane mosh pit. I caught them on tour this year with Sunami, and they absolutely tore it up. This release is exactly what I would have expected after seeing their live show, if not better. I’m already hoping they come back around, maybe at next year’s Tied Down festival or even a club show. Fans of Terror, Sunami, Bad Beat, Never Ending Game, D-Bloc, or hardcore that you can two step to.
F.O.D. “The Once A Virgin Club”
Released: April 5, 2024
Format: Vinyl LP, CD, digital download.
Label: SBAM Records
From: Lier, Belgium
Catchy pop punk from Belgium. Let me start with a reminder that this is not the classic hardcore band Flag of Democracy; this is a newer band with the same initials. Research shows that they started out as a Green Day cover band, and the initials reference a song from “Dookie” called “Fuck Off and Die." I’ve never heard that album, but I always planned to some day check it out. The song “Casket Base” was the one that reminded me the most of Green Day. They started writing their own material in 2011, and the rest is history.
F.O.D. fits right in with the long list of Fat Wreck Chords type bands and excels at catchy harmonies. My main complaint is that it’s too polished, but that’s just me (I like my music a little more raw). I ended up liking “Plan Sight” and “Living in a Mad Mad World” the best. Fans of Bad Religion, Lagwagon, No Use For A Name, and Green Day will want to check this out.
P.H.S. “Hamtramck”, “Disturbed”
Released: April 24, 2024
Format: Digital download
Label: Proudhouse Records
From: Detroit, MI
Hamtramck, Michigan, is home to a legendary punk scene, with the current venues including Smalls Bar, The Sanctuary, and The Outer Limits Lounge (among others). This is where I see most of my shows, and this is a local band, so I’m surprised I hadn’t heard of them before I stumbled upon this. Bonus: “Hamtramck” is a really great, fast punk song about punk rock in Hamtramck. As far as I can tell, they have been around for a couple of years releasing individual songs on Bandcamp, digital download only, and there were a couple more this year, including “Disturbed” (my favorite) and “A Love Song (Get Over It)." I’ll look forward to hearing more from them in the future, and maybe I’ll get lucky and they will be added as support to one of the touring bands coming through. If they do, I would definitely come early to catch their set.
Noopinion “Revolt and Resolve”
Released: November 20, 2024
Format: Vinyl LP, digital download
Label: SBAM Records
From: Germany
A little more polished than I usually like, but the speed and catchiness make up for it. “2000 Years” was my favorite song and went right to my permanent playlist. They have an official, professionally produced video to go along with that song as well, so check that out. It looks like these guys have been around since 1999 and were considered skate-punk, but this sounds more like modern hardcore. Shout out to SBAM Records for continuing to release great music by great bands and from a diverse set of punk sub-genres.
