Punk Rock Record Reviews: The Best of 2025, Part Two.
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.
R-NOT “Dumpster Fire”
Released: February 14, 2025
Format: Digital download
Label: Self-released
From: Washington, D.C.
These guys are self-described as high-energy punk-inspired rock-n-roll, and I'm OK with that. A lot of this is a bit too mellow for me—more rock than punk—but it has a great sound overall. It looks like they had an EP in 2022 that contained some of these songs, but it was expanded into a full-length release in 2025. I listened to the song "Lobotomy" on their original EP and then again on the full length. It's been cleaned up, and it's a few seconds shorter but not really faster. I definitely like the new version better, and it's a GREAT song. I wish they had a few shorter, faster songs, but this kept me interested to the end, and I'll be watching for something new. Fans of The Supersuckers, Turbonegro, The Turbo A.C.’s, or just high-energy punk rock-n-roll.
Fucked Up “Disabuse/Self-Driving Man”
Released: March 14, 2025 (out earlier on YouTube)
Format: 7" vinyl, digital download
Label: Subpop
From: Toronto, Ontario
Not only is the 7" single artwork a parody of the old Poison Idea single from the 1990 Subpop Singles Club, the song "Disabuse" is old school hardcore reminiscent of Poison Idea. I haven't heard anything that I liked from Subpop in a long time, but maybe I wasn't listening because this is top shelf punk rock. I haven't listed to Fucked Up before, but after hearing this, I will be giving everything that they put out at least one spin. Fans of Poison Idea will especially want to check this out.
The Sissy Boys/ Field Note (Split)
Released: February 14, 2025
Format: Cassette, Digital download
Label: Delayed Gratification Records
From: Muskegon, Michigan
2 songs by each band, on a limited edition red cassette. It looks like the cassette has lyrics and liner notes, and the label is from Ohio. This was my first time hearing Field Note, but I reviewed a Sissy Boys release last year and also caught one of their live shows (with Gorilla Biscuits, Negative Approach, and RZL DZL). These are both straight-up hardcore bands, and they both rip. The Sissy Boys songs sound great—a bit more of a professional recording than their prior releases, and it makes a difference. "Take Back Your Life" was my favorite on this one, but they are all good, and there is no minimum "name your price" on Bandcamp, so get this now.
Sloppy Seconds “Mistakes & Piss-Takes: Vol 1”
Released: 02/23/2025 (digital)
Format: Vinyl LP, digital
Label: Yer Records!
From: Indianapolis, Indiana
Technically this was released in 2024, but it was vinyl only, and I'm all digital these days. Finally released on all of the digital platforms (other than Bandcamp), it was worth the wait. As the title says, this is mostly outtakes. There are some rare covers (Metallica "Hit The Lights," Twisted Sister "We're Not Gonna Take It," Dead Kennedys "Kill The Poor," Anti-Nowhere League "Can't Stand Rock N Roll") and outtakes that are well worth the price by themselves. But there are also some tracks that I don't think I've heard before ("I Was A Teenage Senior Citizen," "C-U At The Drive In," "Dear Diary"). There are not too many bands where I'm a completist, but this is one of them. I have to have everything, which makes this essential. Nothing will ever compare to their classic "Destroyed," but that's an extremely high bar.
Grand Scheme EP
Released: February 14, 2025
Format: 7" vinyl, Digital download
Label: 11 PM Records
From: Washington D.C.
Discography at discogs.com
This is old-school hardcore done right; it brings me back to the days when Negative Approach was in its prime and metal hadn't invaded hardcore. This is not quite as catchy as NA, but they bring the speed and anger. Short songs, with nothing over 2 minutes and a couple closer to the 30-second mark. This gets crazier as it goes. I think my favorites were in the last three songs, including "It's On You" and "Marketing Budget.". From the video, it looks like they have a couple of girls in the band, they cover The Abused, and they may have moved to Triple B Records (an outstanding hardcore label). They had a demo in 2020, another EP in 2023 called "Numbers Game," and this is their third release. I also love the cover art, which is a throwback to the look of the old D.C. hardcore singles on Dischord (Minor Threat, S.OA., etc.). I'm already looking forward to more, and maybe a show in Detroit?
The Slime - Crab-Walk To Oblivion
Released: January 24, 2025
Format: Digital download
Label: Cursed Blessings
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Discography at discogs.com
Insane hardcore/thrash with elements of both beatdown and speed metal. Great artwork and production. Their Facebook page says that they may eventually release this on cassette, but for now it's just a digital download. It looks like this is their first release, with a few songs released in 2024 (as the "Trapped on Blood Island" EP) and the full album in January of 2025. These guys have a ton of potential; I will be watching for future releases. Fans of Dirty Rotten Imbeciles, Millions of Dead Cops, Iron Reagan.
RBNX/ The Car Bomb Parade (Split)
Released: January 24, 2025
Format: Digital download, some physical copies (12") in person only
Label: Self-Released
From: Poughkeepsie, New York
RBNX (Raddigan Brothers Noise Experience) is a 3-piece hardcore/ska-punk band from New York, and this starts with out with four of their songs, including a Bim Skala Bim cover. "Any Means Necessary" stuck out right away, and while I can pick out some ska influence, this is mostly hardcore. This is a cut above and recommended. Car Bomb Parade is from New York as well and adds three more songs with a similar hardcore sound. Some alternating male/female vocals on "Sick!" and great artwork by Masato Chaos. I wish more bands would take the time to do artwork like this; it really makes a difference.
Ill Gotten Gains “Odes To The Troublemakers”
Released: February 14, 2025
Format: CD, digital download
Label: Self-released
From: Basingstoke, UK
A high-energy ska band from the UK, but with just enough punk that I like it. Similar to Laura Jane Grace and Catbite, it looks like they sometimes do Operation Ivy sets live (I would love to catch that show). Their own songs are great though, and this 5-song EP was good all the way through. After a few plays, "Miss Fire," "Let It Go," and "Eat or Heat" were my favorites. It looks like they have releases going back to 2015, so I'll plan to check those out as well. Fans of Operation Ivy, The Suicide Machines.
Fight Back Mountain “Death And The Miser”
Released: February 13, 2025
Format: Vinyl LP, CD, digital download
Label: Self-released
From: St.Louis Missouri
I almost gave up early on this one; the songs are a little too long (for me) and not quite as abrasive as I like. I don't do bad reviews, which means I did end up liking it overall. All it takes is one really good song, and "No Recourse" really stuck out. It seemed to get better at the end, as "Arranging a Funeral" and "The House Where No One Sleeps" weren't bad either. I was playing "No Recourse" on Bandcamp and wanted to add it to my library, but there was no option to buy just a single song. I did find it on iTunes, and curiously, it was the only song that was $0.69 with the rest being $1.29. I guess that's because it's half as long and twice as hardcore—but that works for me. Another plus is that they have a live show coming up in Detroit (near where I live), 3/7/25 at Corktown Tavern. I may just have to get out there to check that out.
Oh The Humanity! “Ground To Dust”
Released: January 24, 2025
Format: Digital download, 12" vinyl
Label: Thousand Islands Records / Sell The Heart Records/ Engineer Records
From: Massachussetts
Melodic punk rock with some serious riffs, hints of metal and mathcore, and a clean sound (maybe a little too clean for me). From the video, it looks like they played Fest! in Florida, which I need to get out to soon. A few of the songs are a little long (the title track is over 6 minutes), and the intro was a bit perplexing, but when they get into the main tracks ("Upper Riffspiratory Infection" and "Worth Nothing" were early favorites), I found myself really enjoying this. Another one to watch, or maybe catch a live show. Thousand Islands Records has put out a long list of exceptional records, so whether or not this is your thing, you should still check out their entire catalog.
2025 Punk Rock Record Reviews (Links): Part One
