Top 10 Punk Records of 2023 with Andy Lefton
War//Plague and FOTK's Andy Lefton shares his 10 favorite underdog punk records of 2023.
Odd to think another year has passed since my last year-end list of 2022 but considering the state of the world with all the turmoil, war and chaos we’ve experienced, it’s not difficult to wonder how the year gave rise to some of the best DIY music we’ve heard in some time. The kids are out with a vengeance while aiming to create something better for the world and having a strong voice has been the catalyst.
As a disclaimer, if you released music in 2023 there’s a good chance it made it on my overall list. But I needed to keep things tight and wanted to focus on some of the underdogs that need more recognition.
1 Tetem – S/T
This beast was a complete surprise! From Budapest, Hungary, Tetem deliver some of the fiercest and driving crust punk to come out of 2023. These folks deliver driving crust riffs that are reminiscent of Tragedy and From Ashes Rise but give a solid delivery of Scandinavian d-beat that feels perfect in every sense. Excellent melodies and crushing drums that make this a definite top ten for me.
2
Stigmatism – Ignorance in Power
New York has been belting out some excellent hardcore punk over that last handful of years and Stigmatism has graciously come onto that powerful scene. From Toxic State Records, this slab of intensity is a must-have for any fans of straight up hardcore punk that falls into the vein of early Poison Idea (or later Long Knife). This band cuts to the chase and delivers what I would call an absolute banger and a mandatory item for your collection. There’s been an abundance of bands that clone or copy and there’s others that carry the torch, Stigmatism is the latter… buy this!
3 DSM-5 – Skärblacka D-Beat
Inject this into my arms! Sweden is notorious for creating some of the best hardcore, punk and everything in between. DSM-5 is no exception, and I was so goddamn thrilled when this was released. An absolute raging album that delivers everything excellent about the punk and d-beat genre… just fucking excellent! This album is pure adrenaline and if I had one d-beat album to listen to on a deserted island… this would be it.
4 Sentinel – Age of Decay
Sentinel is excellent! Another raging contender coming from the bowels of New York and blasting us with a mix of hardcore punk and NWOBHM (i.e. Venom, etc). If you’re a fan of these genres, this album is precisely what you need in your collection! I love what this band has to offer as it’s reminiscent of the old days of punks learning to play their instruments (coming from experience) and creating something that will become timeless with great musicianship and energy. I was first introduced to this band a few years back with their Sense of Dread album and has quickly become a favorite. With members of AOA and Mindforce… get on this!
5 Potere Negativo – Promo
Potere Negativo come from Italy and are shrouded in a blaze of excellent hardcore punk. They mention a physical release will be available this year, but haven’t seen any news on that, so for now it’s the 3-song demo. I feel this band stands out, as the intensity is not lost in a barrage of noise or over-saturated guitar effects. This has great production while retaining the primal rawness, and the riffs… goddamn, these riffs are insanely powerful! I really hope this is released on vinyl or cassette as I guarantee you’ll want to add this to your collection. Check it out!
Update: Potere Negativo removed their 3-song promo from their Bandcamp page, but their album is out now.
6 Faucheuse – S/T
Ok, ok… I’m not sure what’s happening in France these days, but that area of the world is churning out some of the best punk rock I’ve heard in a long time. Faucheuse hail from Bordeaux, France and I’m over the moon how insanely excellent this band is! Honored to premiere it on DIY Conspiracy, this release has taste for everybody’s flavor, from punk & roll to some blistering hardcore punk which gives it a 100% seal of approval. Very solid musicianship with an unrelenting shot of adrenaline on every beat. Give this release your full attention, it’s a masterclass on how to do it properly. Get on it!
7 Litovsk – S/T (Mini LP)
Once again, here I am praising the work and creativity coming out of France. Litovsk is easily one that stands out from the realm of average punk. These folks compile some elements of post-punk and a bit of melody on top of great punk rock energy. There’s a feeling here that gives way to some thought-provoking music which will have us step back and reflect on the world at large and take a collective breath knowing there is beauty in the music we make. If this is your jam, it’s highly recommended. Also premiered on DIY Conspiracy when it came out.
8 Terminal – Θύμα Προπαγάνδας EP
Terminal is a hard-hitting punk maelstrom from Greece that take the energy of ’90s anarcho-punk and blend it together with ’80s hardcore. What’s interesting about this release, it’s a solo album with help “from friends”, and I admire folks that have the sincerity and ethos to do something like this, as covering all those bases can be quite the task. This record has four tracks of pummeling hardcore punk and I suggest getting your hands on a physical copy and if shipping is too much, you can easily download this beast at a cheap cost.
9 Suicide Club – Demo 2023
These punk fanatics reside in Kola Kinabalu, Malaysia and crank out some of the year’s best and straight-forward hardcore punk. There is something special about this genre of music coming from Southeast Asia that really sparks my interest. It’s honest, sincere and gives a sense of urgent intensity that comes from the heart and this band delivers just that. This is no-frills punk that trims the fat, gets right to it and delivers desperate riffs, abundance of d-beat and aggro vocals that raises the punk rock banner high and carries the spirit of resistance against this unstable world.
10 Piss Me Off – 2 Much Power
Cleveland based Piss Me Off give the world a taste of blood with their unrelenting delivery, banging us on the heads with straight forward hardcore punk that throws in a few twists that keep our senses alert and ready to charge. FFO ’80s hardcore (i.e. The F.U.’s, etc) this is your ticket to a fantastic release that even surprised this ageing punk rocker. Ten tracks of blistering hardcore punk to satisfy every moshing taste bud in your mouth. See you in the pit!
As previously mentioned, I had a good stack of demos and other material that needed recognition. Needless to say, there was an abundance of excellent hardcore, punk and crust that would take me another year to write up. So, keep in mind, that if your album was released in 2023… I had it on my deck and praised all the work and effort put in to make your music very relevant this year.
Honorable mentions:
