Punk Rock Record Reviews: The Best of 2025, Part Six.
Dwarves "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows"
Released: April 12, 2025 (Record Store Day)
Format: Vinyl LP Picture Disc, Digital Download (Spotify, Apple Music)
Label: Greedy Media
From: San Francisco
14 songs in 14 minutes, all pre-"Blood, Guts, and Pussy" studio recordings. The title is an obvious misnomer from a band known to fight with the audience, break bottles in the pit, destroy their equipment along with that of the venue, play naked, and worship Satan. Not anymore, of course, but that was their playbook at the time these songs were recorded (and I know firsthand from seeing them live close to 20 times, including on the "Blood, Guts, and Pussy" tour). First off, this is great. The songs are more raw than the final releases, and the track list is stellar with classics like "Gash Wagon," "She's Dead," "Motherfucker," "Let's Fuck," and "Astroboy." If you are a Dwarves fan, you absolutely need this (and I guess the vinyl would include all sorts of rare photos and anecdotes on the sleeve). As a die-hard fan, I slightly prefer what they did with "How to Win Friends and Influence People" (they re-recorded some of the older songs and made them cleaner and faster). This is the next best thing, though, and it's a cut above what most bands release as "rare and demos." These are well recorded and different enough from the originals that they stand out. This is also another reason to spend the entire day jamming to The Dwarves - I will have no problem playing this 10-15 times through and then going back and listening to the rest of their discography right after. The Dwarves are punk rock royalty, and they never ever get old. These are some of the best punk rock songs ever written, if not the best.
Necron 9 "People Die"
Released: March 26, 2025
Format: Vinyl LP, digital download
Label: Unlawful Assembly
From: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
This takes me back to insane hardcore like the first Negative Approach EP or Poison Idea "Pick Your King" from my childhood. I did a review last year of their "Flower Children Tape," which I also really liked. This is their first release on vinyl after several cassette-only releases, and it's well deserved. The first song, "Gut The Pig," was my favorite and easily made my monthly playlist, but this rips all the way through. The production is just slightly better than the cassettes, but also keeping their exceptionally raw sound. I liked the addition of the sound bite to "Y.P.Y.D." but wished there were more lyrics on the Bandcamp site other than "read the 8 ball; it tells me what to do" for 8 Ball (but at least I know it's not a drug reference). Same as with their 2024 release, this is free on Bandcamp. I always recommend that you donate what you can, but get this no matter what. Fans of Negative Approach, Poison Idea, Jerry's Kids, Raw Power, or solid fast raw hardcore.
Debt Neglector “Kinda Rips”
Released: April 4, 2025
Format: Vinyl LP, digital download
Label: Smartpunk Records
From: Orlando, FL
I'm not sure if they get a lot of comparisons to Direct Hit!, but the two bands sound a lot alike right from the beginning of the first (and my favorite) song, "Adios Amigo! or: How To Self-Sabotage Without Even Trying". Just to be clear, that is extremely high praise, as Direct Hit! are way up near the top of my all-time favorite bands. Cool band name as well, I want to mention that before I forget. Props for putting up all of the lyrics on Bandcamp (sharp social commentary that makes way too much sense). Their first release was in 2017 ("Atomicland"), followed by "Dirty Water" in 2021. I haven't heard those two yet, but after spinning this a few times and loving it, I definitely plan to. Another highly recommended release from Smartpunk Records, especially if you are a fan of Direct Hit! (and if you aren’t, you should be). Check out the YouTube below, and then go see them live later this year at Fest in Gainesville, FL.
Faster Forward “24/7”
Released: April 4, 2025
Format: Digital Download
Label: Self-Released
From: Quebec City, Quebec
As of right now, this appears to be a digital download only, but I'm guessing that People Of Punk Rock Records (who released their "Limitless" and "Feeling Nostalgic" CDs in 2019 and 2021) will release it on CD at some point. "Lost At Sea" is already one of my favorite melodic punk songs of 2025; the recording is loud and clean, and the band is fast and tight. "Moment of Truth" and "Uppercut" will also likely make my monthly playlist. Catchy melodies and speed are a great combination, and this band has that in spades. I really need to get to some of the great Canadian festivals that have been going on; maybe the inclusion of Faster Forward will be the final straw that gets me to one. I didn't see any videos from the new record immediately, but Jean-Sebastien Roy (drummer, and also lead singer of Faster Forward) reached out to point me in the right direction. Cool band, that cares about their fans. Check it out, you won’t be disappointed. Fans of Chaser, Belvedere, Good Riddance, and No Use For A Name.
Ravagers “On The Loose”
Released: April 24, 2025
Format: Vinyl LP, digital download
Label: Wanda Records, Spaghetty Town Records
From: Baltimore, MD
"10 tracks of pure punk rock and roll destruction," the kind that even die-hard punk rockers like myself can enjoy. They released their first 7” back in 2018, but I first heard their 2023 album “Badlands” (before going back through their entire catalog). “Sick House,” "Nasty Night,” and “Drowning In Blood” were already on my master playlist before hearing their new release. They also made a great trailer for the new album, and if you look closely, there are a few clips from their show at The Sanctuary in Hamtramck, Michigan, where I first saw them (on tour with Supersuckers). If you are a fan of the old stuff, you will love the new album, and the trailer is worth a watch as well. Fans of Turbonegro, Supersuckers, Hellacopters, Dead Boys, Against the Grain, Bad Nerves, Lords of Altamont, and Guitar Wolf.
Bad Idols “Legacy of Audacity”
Released: April 4, 2025
Format: Digital dowload
Label: Self-released
From: Knoxville, TN
In part one of this year's reviews, I reviewed their remastered "Changeling" LP. Normally I wouldn't review a remaster, as I try to stick with completely new releases, but this is an exceptional band that I had never heard before. I had meant to go back and check out some of their earlier releases but didn't get around to it until I saw a second release in 2025 ("Legacy of Audacity", which is a compilation of their songs from EPs and splits, covers, demos, etc., spanning from 2012 to 2021). Again, this blew my mind. How did I completely miss a band that is this good for all these years? At least I'm catching up now. This is amazing, and the songs "Bird," "A Rather Large Cardinal," and "Bad Ideas" all made my monthly playlist. I also really liked "Murder the Government", a well-done cover of the NOFX classic. If this was all new material, it would be in contention for the best release of the year. Did I mention that you can download it for free from Bandcamp? Donate if you can, but get it either way.
Bombardement “A L’ombre Des Crassiers LIVE!”
Released: March 6, 2025
Format: Vinyl LP, digital download
Label: Kick Rock
From: Bordeaux, France
As mentioned in prior reviews, Bombardement is searing French D-beat punk/hardcore, played at a frenetic pace and screamed in French. They have already released a studio LP in 2025, "Dans La Fournaise," which is great, and now we also get a live 12" vinyl (or digital download) that includes songs from the new one and also older songs (including my personal favorite, "Immondice"). In general, I don't like live albums, but this one is exceptional. It's recorded well and sounds great, and I put the live version of "Immondice" onto my monthly playlist.
Ming City Rickers “Clementine”
Released: March 7, 2025
Format: CD, digital download
Label: Self-released
From: Immingham, U.K.
Admittedly, this is on the mellow end of the music I listen to. I have a soft spot for this band, though, based on their previous releases (track down the songs "Nancy, I'm Bitter", "Jill Was An Anarchist", and "Desperate"). They had releases in 2014, 2016, and 2023 before this one (including others named after citrus fruits), and it looks like they went from Mad Monkey Records to releasing on their own (I have no idea why). They have a great sound, crunching guitars and catchy melodies (I was singing "Oh My God," "I'd Like To Assist You But My Head's Too Small," and "Bad Luck Machine" for a couple of hours after spinning this), and I liked this all of the way through. I did prefer some of the songs that were shorter and faster, like "Pounds and Ounces" and "Blood In My Socket," which clocked in at only :32. I'd really like to see MCR come out for Punk Rock Bowling one of these years. Fans of The Ramones, The Cramps, Itchy and the Nits, and Snooper.
Dutch Nuggets “Fishbowl’d”
Released: April 4, 2025
Format: Vinyl LP. Digital download
Label: Thousand Islands Records, Bearded Punk Records,
From: Montréal, Québec
Buy their songs on bandcamp
"A punk band that is very slowly making very fast music." I'm not sure how long it took them to put this out, but there is no doubt that it's fast. Actually, looking on Discogs, their last full-length album was "Nervous Wreck" back in 2013, and they also did an EP, "It's About Time..." in 2009 before that. So this was quite a wait. "Ignorance Is Bliss", "Red Filter Disaster," and "Ex-Troglodyte" were early favorites, but this smokes all the way through. Fast, loud, and clean, this is another skate punk hit in a long line from Thousand Islands Records. They did an official video for "Three of Clubs," so I'll link that, but check out this entire LP; you won't regret it. I ran out of free plays on Bandcamp and had to buy it. Fans of Bigwig, Chaser, Pulley, Belvedere, Good Riddance, MxPx, No Use For A Name.
Undisassembled “2025 Promo”
Released: March 28, 2025
Format: Cassette, Digital Download
Label: No Time Records
From: Parker, Colorado
Raw, old-school-sounding punk rock, exactly as you would expect from an underground cassette-only release recorded in a basement. They have a long way to go for punk rock stardom, but this caught my attention after a couple of plays. Great backing vocals/harmonies, bass lines, and at times the speed that I prefer in my punk rock songs. This is a band that will be on my watchlist; hopefully they continue and get a full-length album out on vinyl in the future. After a few playthroughs I was left humming the line "... I lost my purpose" from "Someone To Be" for a few hours. "All For Fun" and "These Things Don't Last" were my favorite tracks (and the fastest songs), but what I'm really hoping is for their next release to step it up just a bit more. I didn't find any videos from this release, but you can check out "3 against 2" from 2022, and if you like this, then check out the new one on Bandcamp.
2025 Punk Rock Record Reviews (Links): Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five
