Contact & Submissions

DIY Conspiracy is an all-volunteer webzine run by internationalist punks. None of us get paid to review your music, and we simply can’t cover everything that lands in our inbox. We write about what interests us and what we have time for.

We prefer physical releases whenever possible. Hardcore punk deserves more than a quick spin on a streaming platform.

We don’t want to contribute to a culture where records are listened to briefly by lazy reviewers just to generate more content on their website, boost a band’s ego, or meet a label’s sales targets.

We prefer physical releases whenever possible. Hardcore punk deserves more than a quick spin by reviewers chasing content goals or helping labels push sales. That said, we understand that mailing records across the world is expensive, so digital links are fine. Bandcamp is our preferred platform, and we’re also happy to see decentralized alternatives like Mirlo, Jam, Ampwall, or Bandwagon.

We do not accept Spotify links. Emails that only include Spotify usually end up in the trash.

If you contact us, please include a short description of your band and sound in your own words, and please include the lyrics. Keep it simple and honest. Don’t send AI-generated press releases or grandiose rock-star bios; we’d rather hear what you actually sound like and what you’re about.

It can also take weeks or months (or years?) before we get to your record. If you’re looking for guaranteed coverage, you’re contacting the wrong place.

DIY Conspiracy focuses primarily on hardcore punk and closely related styles.

We’re most interested in fast, aggressive, politically engaged music: anarcho-punk, crust, d-beat, grind, and more experimental strains of hardcore punk. We also occasionally cover emotionally intense hardcore, “real” screamo, emo-violence, and similar scenes.

We are generally not interested in metal bands. Some metallic hardcore or metalcore overlaps with our tastes, but straight up metal and tough-guy hardcore/beatdown usually fall way outside what we enjoy.

We rarely cover pop-punk, skate punk, folk punk, or radio-friendly alternative/indie bands.

From time to time we may write about more outsider sounds—things like noise, experimental, ambient, jazz-influenced projects, or even hip-hop—but those are usually records we personally discovered and found interesting, not submissions we received through email.

We try to give priority to bands and scenes that don’t already receive constant media attention, especially from different parts of the world. We’re also interested in bands with strong political ideas and those involving queer, non-cis, and gender non-conforming members.

There are already plenty of outlets covering the same North American bands with the same perspectives. We’d rather highlight voices that are less often heard.

A few things that make life easier for everyone:

No PR agencies.
We’re a DIY hardcore punk zine, not part of the music promotion industry. Paid PR, promo services, and marketing campaigns will be ignored.

No Spotify links.
We don’t use Spotify and we’re not interested in supporting it.

No AI-generated press releases.
Write a few sentences about your band and your music in your own words. Honest and simple is always better than something generated by a machine.

No follow-up emails.
Follow-ups are a huge turn-off and won’t make your review happen faster (if ever).

No mailing lists.
Please don’t add us to press lists or newsletters without permission. It clutters our inbox and violates GDPR rules.

No electronic press kits or “professional” promo material.
We don’t need slick marketing packages, fake hype, or pre-written reviews. A simple message and a link to your music is enough. Keep it DIY!

No large attachments.
Our email runs on Riseup.net and large files cause problems. If you need to send files, use a link (WeTransfer, etc.).

No SEO link-building requests.
Emails about backlinks, guest posts, paid placements, or marketing collaborations go straight to the trash. We don’t need your bullshit.