Punk | Hardcore 228 Items

Popeye was an established fixture in Southern California, both personally and creatively, as the former frontman for melodic hardcore greats Farside. There was little in his routine to suggest at that point that Popeye’s life was headed for any sort of major change. It felt like an ideal life, in fact, until it didn’t. “It was very solitary, and I guess I was OK with that—or at least I told myself that I was OK with that—until I met the woman who is now my wife,” he explains. “That absolutely changed everything.” At the tail end of 2021, Popeye (Farside) uprooted his entire life to move across the country to the city of Scranton, Pennsylvania, where he would eventually come to meet the rest of his new band Calling Hours: guitarists Thomas McGrath (the Commercials) and Tony Bavaria (the Commercials), bassist Garrett Rothman (don’t Sleep), and drummer Jim Bedorf (don’t Sleep). For Brian McTernan, a celebrated producer with a nearly 30-year history of shaping some of the biggest hardcore records of all time—including albums for HOT Water Music, Turnstile, Circa Survive, and THRICE—advancing Calling Hours from the idea stage to the recording stage was personal: “Popeye is one of his favorite singers of all time,” Rothman explains. “He told me he named one of his cats after Popeye.” The outcome of that collaboration is Say Less, a seven-song record for Revelation Records that revisits the band members’ melodic, post-punk sensibilities while working in a decidedly contemporary direction. It’s also a deep dive into the feelings of displacement and discomfort that punctuated Popeye’s move—a meditation on the intersection of sense of place and sense of self

From their self-released 1993 demo tape through to the present day, the Templars have repeatedly established and re-established the high water mark for American OI! for three decades running, and 1998’s Omne Datum Optimum is a landmark record in the band’s genre-defining discography. Originally released in 1998 on Anti-Heros frontman Mark NOAH’s GMM Records, the Templars somewhat controversially eschewed their signature home recording set up in favor of a professional studio on Omne Datum Optimum. Co-produced by Noah and Jeff Bakos at Bakos Amp Works in Atlanta, GA, the album’s cleaner sound proved divisive among fans at the time of its release. Luckily, time has proven the band’s intuition correct, with the record gaining a well-deserved cult status over the years. Despite the higher audio fidelity, there are no dulled edges and no pulled punches here—the Templars’ signature Street Rock n' Roll sound is fully intact and as potent as ever. As tuneful as it is hard, Omne Datum Optimum is bursting with the intricate bass melodies, soaring leads, Working Class swagger, and thoughtful songwriting that set the Templars apart from their peers. The current renewed interest in Oi! music makes a proper reissue of this 25-year-old classic a no-brainer, and the unexpected but welcome cultural cachet of the form means that it’s more likely than ever to get its proper due. With the benefit of hindsight, it’s apparent that Omne Datum Optimum is not only a great record, but arguably both one of the Templars’ best, and a defining work of the genre. Sporting reworked cover art and our tried and true attention to detail, TKO is proud to bring Omne Datum Optimum to vinyl for the first time since its initial 1998 release.

With a mission in mind, Speed is setting out to put Australian hardcore on the map. Formed in 2019, the Sydney-based band has a no-holds-barred approach and enticing sound that makes them standouts in the genre. Composed of vocalist Jem, bassist Aaron Siow, guitarists Josh Clayton and Dennis Vichidvongsa, and drummer Kane Vardon, Speed showcases a tough exterior, but amplifies their sense of identity, and community in everything they do. Following the release of their demo in 2019, the band teamed up with U.S. label Flatspot Records for a two-song EP in 2020 and they joined forces again for Gang Called Speed. Recorded with Elliott Gallart at Chameleon Studios, the six songs on the EP are centered around recognizing who you are in this world, taking ownership of that identity and not letting anyone tell you otherwise. Drawing influence from old-school acts like Biohazard and Merauder just as much as bands like Trapped Under ICE, the band is putting forth pit-ready music.

Speak Out, originally released in 1988, has been remastered, pressed on color vinyl, and includes a bonus, full-color, 40-page booklet curated by the band, and has been returned to it’s original gatefold layout with an added embossing on the cover.

'Horny Tears From Hell' combines a fusion of sounds from ominous genres that collide together in a dark, hauntingly endearing manner. Hard rock escalating electrocuted riffs slide you back onto your childhood sofa, Guitar-Hero guitar resting on your chest as you hear your pal play 'Through The Fire And Flames' on expert difficulty. Doomy metal aesthetics avalanche you into sweaty, hilariously middle-aged death pits at your local black facaded headbanger joint. Setting up camp in O'tool Studio just outside of Berlin, Wax Legs bugged out to create something that seeks musical integrity. Keeping some natural amp hums and hisses whilst adding eerie noises from worlds we don't want to find.

“I somehow missed that the Chicago hardcore punks C.H.E.W. broke up, but if we get Stress Positions out of the deal, I ain't mad about it. Stephanie Brooks now fronts the ex-C.H.E.W. dudes, but it's not a cut and paste job—where C.H.E.W. relied on speed and swagger, Stress Positions wide-screens the pit's psychedelic vista. There's a little more metal riffage and mid-tempo tension to maximize the intensity so that, once the band revs to hallucinatory level, the impact is devastating.”—Lars Gotrich

Initially released in a deluxe vinyl-only edition (totally sold out), Soul Jazz Records' 'punk 45: I’m A Mess' is now being released in standard double album vinyl (and for the first time on CD). Soul Jazz Records’ long-lasting Punk 45 series are high-quality editions of early punk 45s. While previous editions have focused on the early days of punk in Los Angeles, Cleveland, Akron, France, and proto-punk, this new edition focuses on mainly do-it-yourself, or self-released 45s, all made in the UK in the early days of punk. While only a handful of Punk 45s were released in 1976, the following two years produced an avalanche of them. Aside from the few punk bands who signed to major labels, many of these singles were self-released private press 45s or independent label 45s. With limited distribution and access to the media, many of these sunk without trace and were lost in history. This album features many of these independent punk 45 gems, lost nuggets of gold from the sea of time! The bands featured here come from all across the United Kingdom. Here you will find The Drive, Scotland’s answer to the New York Dolls, Dansette Damage from Newcastle, Stormtrooper from the Isle of Wight and many more – a snapshot of some of the finest private-press 45s ever made. Other bands include Cybermen, The Exile, Neon as well as the early punk incarnations Johnny and The Self-Abusers (who later became Simple Minds) and The Killjoys (led by Kevin Rowland who later formed Dexy’s Midnight Runners). These are all one-off and super rare releases from bands that you have probably never heard of – totally hidden gems from the wastelands of the early days of punk! Totally in keeping with the spirit of the time, this is high-octane, righteously-independent – DIY or die!

Originally released in 1983, SUB is the most iconic Brazilian punk compilation ever. It's the first official recording of Ratos de Porao, and the only studio recording of Psykoze and Fogo Cruzado in the 80s. It features the most famous and classic songs from Cólera, who will be touring Europe again in August 2023. Remastered from the original master tapes at the legendary El Rocha studios in Sao Paulo.It has 4 bonus tracks from the pre-recording, comes with a rare poster, an insert with lyrics, and a great new text written by Pedro Carvalho. This is the first time SUB is being released in Europe.SUB is the most classic Brazilian punk compilation, recorded between 1982 and 1983. It was conceived and brought to fruition by Redson, the guitarist and vocalist of Cólera, who is considered one of the key figures in South American punk. Besides Co?lera, Redson invited Fogo Cruzado, Ratos de Pora?o and Psyko?ze, three of the most promising and active unrecorded bands at the time. If Co?lera was the most experienced band in the scene at the time, Fogo Cruzado had already left its mark as one of the best, if not the best in terms of skill and stage presence. Similarly, Ratos de Pora?o and Psyko?ze on the other hand were younger and had fed on the new ways of punk from the get-go. Even though the Grito Suburbano bands had initiated the evolution towards hardcore a year before, SUB brought to the scene even higher levels of belligerence and speed.Just like how other international scenes documented the rise of punk with Flex Your Head in the US, Propaganda - Russia Bombs Finland in Finland, Punk and Disorderly in the UK, Outsider in Japan and many others in several countries during 1982, the idea was to record the growth of Brazil's punk scene. The title chosen for Brazil's second punk comp was SUB, which used part of the idea for Co?lera's aborted debut album and alluded to Sa?o Paulo's literal (working class) suburbs, as well as its proverbial "subterranean" underground - punk's natural habitat...

When NYC hit its punk stride in the mid 1970s, the one-of-a-kind ‘Neon’ Leon Matthews was already in the thick of it. Getting his start in music in the late 60s and having incredible luck in his friendships along the way, Neon Leon’s life story could easily be made into a really amazing film. Along with being roommates with Rolling Stones’ guitarist Mick Taylor (and dating his wife!) while living in the UK in the early 70s, he was recording acetates as far back as the mid 1970s with the original members of Pure Hell around Philadelphia, and ended up moving into the Chelsea Hotel in ’73 soon after, upon the insistence of his pal Johnny Thunders. Making fast friends with Elda and the Stillettos, the New York Dolls, and David Peel and Harold Black & the Teenage Lust crew, he soon fell into the maddening world of the Lower East Side zeitgeist right when everything was exploding. He was gigging at Max’s on the regular, seeing the incredible NY punk scene blossom before his eyes, and he even got to appear briefly in the exploitation film classic, Punk Rock (1977) with Elda and the gang. Leon put together his band with girlfriend/stripper Honi O’Rourke and hit the scene around Max’s, Cbgb and the like, and upon entering the studio, caught lightning in a bottle with the recording of the Rock’n Roll Is Alive 7” EP in 1979. The title track is simply irresistible, laying down the filthy scuzz guitar tone dreams are made of, in one of the ‘most potent anthems of NYC punk’ ever caught on tape, right up there with “Max’s Kansas City” by Jayne County, and headed straight into your pleasure receptors. Everyone was reeling and even those mysterious Glimmer Twins, Keef and Mick, locals at the time and looking to sign bands for their label, took note… Fast forward to Sid Vicious’ implication in Nancy Spungen’s death, and Leon’s alleged involvement with being the last witness of the couple at the Chelsea, and legend starts to build exponentially. But even after being courted by Mick & Keith for a possible signing to the fledgling Rolling Stones Records, Leon said Mick talked him out of the deal. But sure enough, they both got together for an impossibly great recording of “Heart of Stone” included here that surely equals the classic rendition by The Pagans (that’s become the gold standard). Despite the record deal falling through, Neon Leon was still asked to perform for the NYC album launch party for Some Girls, and remained on great terms with the Stones camp. But in the early 80s, as the winds shifted, Leon moved back to Europe and settled in Sweden with some musical cohorts, and started the second phase of his underground rock’n roll career. Releasing three singles over the next few years on Scandinavian labels and touring as support for his old friend Johnny Thunders, Leon entered his next chapter, and continued to enjoy the success that was evading him back home in the States. This archival LP collects all of the Neon Leon 7” releases from his 1979-84 period and makes these overseas-only recordings available in the US for the first time, cementing the Neon Leon legend in the sacred halls of the US punk pantheon. The Neon Leon debut album was released in 1983 (funded by Mick Jagger) as a Swedish-only LP but featured Blondie’s Clem Burke as well as notorious KBD star Snuky Tate, and showcases a sold late 70’s Stones vibe perfectly ripe for radio consumption, in a better world, that is… fast forward to the 21st century and Leon still holds it down in Germany these days, still performs occasionally, and we’re extremely proud to finally get these 70s-80s era recordings back into circulation, so make sure to check out both of Neon Leon’s books (Fast Track to Hell and New York City Babylon) crank it up, and don’t ever look back!

We recorded this at Westbeach recorders in "89 once again with Brett Gurewitz. This record took 6 days to record and mix. We had a blast recording this time cuz we had 6 whole days. We didn"t know how to sing harmonies yet, so Greg Graffin of Bad Religion came in and sang the back-ups on 3 or 4 songs. That was ultra cool. Too bad we couldn"t pull them off live. This was our first record to come out after Suffer (the record that changed everything) and the first record to come out on Epitaph. It sold 3500 copies the first year and that was a lot more than our previous one. Flipside fanzine called us metal and that was a total bummer. I think it was because Steve had long hair and a metal guitar. Oh well they"re forgiven.

The classic split album of legendary DC hardcore, plus the side by THE Faith.

Cran from Paris, France who you may have heard on the Paris on Oi! 12" compilation are releasing their debut LP 'Natë' on the amazing Uvpr label who had previously released their 7" EP. The Cran album: punk, melodies, big choirs, dark, deep lyrics. Lots of good songs, nice evolution.

Formed in 2018, in Los Angeles, California, Section H8 creates gritty and callously honest hardcore punk. Now Section H8 comes with their most definitive statement yet in the form of their debut fulllength, Welcome To The Nightmare. Welcome To The Nightmare is pure hardcore punk at it’s finest, with fast as hell instrumentals that quickly become formidable and pummeling on the turn of a dime. Section H8 have mastered their blend of blistering punk mixed with heavy grooves as found on album opener “Nightmare” or “Mist-Head.” Lyrically, the ten tracks each tell their own story, ranging from personal experiences living in Los Angeles, crime, and death, to the current political divide in America, the legal system and the corruption within it. On Welcome To The Nightmare, Section H8 give an honest and unfiltered look at life through their own eyes, or as vocalist Mexi says, “The goal isn’t to change the world, but to give you a glimpse into our world.” Recorded and mixed by Taylor Young at The Pit Studios in Southern California and mastered by Nick Townsend, Section H8’s debut comes with plenty of surprises among the ten pummeling tracks, such as a standout feature from Tim Armstrong of Rancid on “Street Sweeper” which calls to mind the fast aggression of Rancid (2000). Another curveball found on the full-length is the following track, “Behind The 8 Ball,” which acts as a thank-you list from the band over a grooving riff and gang vocals. Made up of Aldo (guitar), Chris (drums), Dan (bass, vocals), Mexi (vocals), and Ryan (guitar, vocals), Section H8’s members aren’t new to this world by any means—playing in acts such as Product OF Waste, Downpresser, Minus, Human Garbage, and Nomads to name a few—but their

All-New Debut Solo Album from JERRY ONLY (bassist/singer) of the Legendary MISFITS! CD/LP packaged in Glow-in-the-Dark ink and spot UV finish. For fans of the Misfits, Halloween, Horror Punk... Features guest appearances by Dave Lombardo (Slayer, Mr. Bungle), Rob Caggiano (Anthrax, Volbeat) and more. All vinyl editions are cut at 45 RPM for maximum sound ferocity, including DLC ant insert with lyrics.

Roman classic punk rock in the '77 vein, reminding of Giuda, Idol Lips, Taxi, Silver Cocks and DISSUADERS.

In the spirit of Dead Moon before them, Green/blue have wrangled the simplicity of 'Worry' and 'Gimme Hell' to write some of their best songs to date, punk anthems that’ll have you shouting in no time. While they’ve upped the jangle and loosened the density, the duel vocal approach on 'Worry' is plenty epic, a big nasty punk song with pop splendor and self-awareness. The vocals pair Sparrows and Blaha together for a riotous gang effect, giving it a sort of last-call at the seedy bar kind of energy. Which is to say, it’s pretty much perfect, a song about the struggle that feels downright triumphant. 'Gimme Hell' follows suit, a down but never out call to rise up and fight. The skeletal guitars and punchy rhythm keep it firmly in the garage spit-and-jangle mode with vocals that pretty much demand to be shouted en masse. Whether it’s a new direction for the band or just a fun one-off from the studio sessions, Green/Blue sound absolutely super-charged."—Dan Goldin, Post-Trash. Edition of 300 copies with riso sleeve.

THE Transplants are Tim Armstrong (Rancid), Travis Barker (Blink 182) and Rob Aston. Their sound is a highly original mix of stylistic influences that never strays too far from the home base of Punk Rock while managing to incorporate such disparate elements as blistering Hardcore Guitars, Hip-Hop and Dance Hall beats, Rap rhymes, and an overall un-wavering dedication to the spirit of Rock "N" Roll. Newly reissued on Blueberry vinyl to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut album.

To most fans of hardcore, Judge is a band that needs no introduction. Judge took the ideals and positive goals of Youth OF Today and infused them with beefy guitar licks, introspective lyrics, and a hefty influx of New York style. The Bringin’ It Down full-length took Judge to an entirely different level. Funneling the energy of New York Crew through crunching guitars that had never been applied to their powerful brand of hardcore was an enormous shift. As abruptly as Judge had burst onto the scene, in 1991 they played a now infamous “final” show in Florida. Then, in May of 2013, Judge reunited in their hometown of NYC as headliners for the Black ‘n’ Blue Bowl. In 2015, they were the subject of a four-part series on Vice’s music blog, Noisey.com, titled There Will Be Quiet - The Story Of Judge, which has since premiered as a feature-length documentary.

Minor THREAT’s classic self-titled album remastered and re-released with a digital download coupon inside.