Punk Rock Record Reviews: The Best of 2025, Part Three.
2024 was a great year for punk rock. If you followed my reviews last year, you know that I listened to around 400 new releases, and I liked nearly 150 of them enough to review. If you didn’t follow, check out my countdown of the top 50 releases of 2024. But 2024 is over, and we are now on to 2025.
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 2025 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 2025 release you think I should check out; I most definitely will.
The Riptides “Burn After Listening”
Released: March 7, 2025
Format: Vinyl LP, digital download
Label: Pirates Press Records
From: Canada
Pop punk from Canada, with hints of Bad Religion and Ramonescore, with a couple of song titles that I thought might be covers (based on the titles) but weren't. Great melodies, had me singing along almost during the first play through on a few. "Smile" was my pick for the best faster song, but this was solid all of the way though. "Anti-Social" is super catchy and adds some darkness and expletives. Fans of Bad Religion, The Ramones, The Jasons, Masked Intruder, The Putz, and The Queers.
Punter “Australienation”
Released: February 28, 2025
Format: Vinyl LP, digital download
Label: Drunken Sailor Records, Televised Suicide Records
From: Melbourne, Australia
This sounds a lot like old school U.K. Oi!, in the same vein as newer bands like The Chisel. It was a bit of a slow burn; it was good on the first spin, but the songs didn't start sticking with me until after a few. Most of the songs are right around 2 minutes, with a few longer. I gravitate towards shorted songs, so "Turf Layer" was an early favourite, but I also like the well-placed speed in "Ask The Community", "Chin Stroker," and "The Golden Hour". Fans of The Chisel, Snarling Dogs, and The Sex Pistols.
Bombardement “Dans Las Fournaise”
Released: March 15, 2025
Format: Vinyl LP, Digital download
Label: Symphony of Destruction
From: Bordeaux, France
Their 2022 EP "Le Futur Est La" was amazing, so I was excited as soon as I saw this one. This is searing French D-beat punk/hardcore, played at a frenetic pace and screamed in French. They have added some piano, keyboards, and percussion, and the intro to the first song, "L'Ere du Calvaire," is a bit misleading but quickly turns hardcore. Mostly short songs that rage, in the range of under 2 minutes, just how I like them. I was able to download this on Bandcamp (the entire 8-song LP) for only 1 Euro, the best deal that I got all weekend. I didn't see a YouTube video for their new release yet, so I'll link my favourite song from their 2022 EP. If you like this, you'll like the new one.
Armoured Flu Unit “Carnyx”
Released: March 14, 2025
Format: Vinyl LP, CD, digital download
Label: Grow Your Own Records
From: Southampton, UK
Kudos for having Earth Positive shirts with water-based inks made using solar power. I also loved hearing the soundbyte from The Terminator in the song "A.I." being that it's one of my all-time favourite movies. This is my first time hearing AFU, and this album smokes. "Inertia" and "Hidden Face" were faster standouts, but this was great all the way through, and I'd expect a serious mosh pit at a live show. “Hostile Environment” (which almost has an Oi! sound) really stuck with me as a slower song, and “Nothing Sticks” was reminiscent of old UK82 punk rock. This is mostly hardcore with a slight metal edge, and although I wish there were a few shorter songs, this is very solid. When time permits, I'll be going back to check out their earlier releases, but for now I can’t stop playing this one. FYI, “Carnyx” was a new word for me. I always love learning something new. It’s a Celtic war horn used during battle. Fans of The Casualties, Acidez, Total Chaos, GBH, The Varukers, as well as UK82 and Oi! for a couple of the songs.
Let Me Downs “North By Southwest”
Released: January 23, 2025
Format: vinyl LP, CD, digital download.
Label: Felony Records
From: Tacoma, Washington
Melodic punk from Tacoma, Washington. This is their second full-length album, with their first coming out back in 2021 ("Tacoma Is For Lovers"). It’s great that they did a vinyl variant exclusive to the Bob Enis’ Facebook group Rare Punk Music, which I am a part of (but I don't collect vinyl any longer). If you are not in that group, you should be. I try to give most releases a full listen from start to finish, but I'm always tempted to skip right to the shortest song (hoping that it's also the fastest). For this one, I think that would have worked because, in the end, "3 am” (at 1:57) was my favourite. "One More Round", the final song, was also surprisingly catchy. Fans of Chaser, Good Riddance, Pulley, and similar melodic/skate punk will dig this.
Tower Of One “Invisible Fence”
Released: January 26, 2025
Format: Digital download
Label: Self-released
From: Connecticut
Hardcore from Connecticut, I'm guessing a bunch of young kids into punk and getting it right. I loved this immediately, and I hope this ends up getting a wider release (for now, it looks like it's just a Bandcamp upload). "Revelations" was my favourite song on the first spin (with "Ripped Off" right behind it), and I'll be purchasing this for my permanent collection right away (it's only $1!).
Sunami / Pain of Truth Split
Released: March 3, 2025
Format: Vinyl 12", CD, digital download
Label: Daze
From: San Jose, California
4 tracks of beat-down hardcore, 2 by Pain of Truth and 2 by Sunami. Exactly what you would expect from Daze, which has been putting out the best and most extreme hardcore releases of late. I was lucky to catch Sunami live twice last year, a club show in Detroit and then again at Riot Fest in Chicago. Fans of DBLOC, Never Ending Game, Bad Beat, Cold as Life, Gorilla Biscuits, Vigilante, Torena, and GEL.
Grassy Knoll “Hard Core ‘24”
Released: January 10, 2025
Format: Cassette, digital download
Label: Self-released
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Grassy Knoll is a reference to the JFK assassination, and there are a few songs about that (including one of my favourites, "JFK's Head"). "Who Killed Sharon?" a reference to the Manson murders, slows the pace down a bit, but overall, this is solid fast hardcore released in 2025 despite the title. Short songs—none over 2 minutes and about half of them under 1 minute. The lyrics are on Bandcamp with each song, which is always a plus, so give it a listen and follow along. They also do a cover of Negative Approach “Can’t Tell No One,” which can be found on YouTube. Fans of Negative Approach, The Accused A.D., The Germs, and crazy screaming hardcore will love this.
Innocent Bliss “2025”
Released: March 7, 2025
Format: Cassette, digital download
Label: Self-released
From: Berlin, Germany
"10 new songs recorded by ourselves in a moldy practice room in Berlin". Great description, but it downplays how incredible this actually is (and the recording is not bad at all). This grabbed me right away, brutal hardcore that never lets up. No songs over 2 minutes, and the shortest comes in at only :17. It looks like they had one previous release "2023" and then this one "2025" (which is a hand numbered cassette, but thankfully they uploaded it to Bandcamp as well). I couldn't find any of the new songs on YouTube, so I'm linking one from their 2023 demo (a song that is also on this one). If you like insanely fast and crazy hardcore, you need to check this out.
The Sex Pistols “Live In The U.S.A. (Atlanta)”
Released: February 28, 2025
Format: Vinyl LP, CD
Label: Universal Music Recordings
From: U.K.
The classic line-up of Sid Vicious, John Lydon, Paul Cook, and Steve Jones, and one of the better early recordings. Not quite as fast or gritty as the "Never Mind The Bollocks" LP, of course, but well worth a listen (there is also a lot of great banter between songs). They open with "God Save The Queen" and go through a 12-song set that also includes "Bodies", "Submission," "Holidays In The Sun," "E.M.I.", "No Feelings," "Problems," and "Pretty Vacant". And of course, the encore of "Anarchy in the U.K." This is an official release (it was previously only available as a bootleg), and it looks like there will also be a 3xCD set that includes this show, along with two more that were previously and similarly officially released on vinyl. What I wouldn't give is to go back and be at one of these shows.
