25 Punk Records You Might Have Missed in 2024

Toronto hardcore lifers S.H.I.T. return with For A Better World, their October 2024 release that cements their reputation as one of the most ferocious, dedicated, and hard-hitting hardcore punk bands around.

Formed in 2012, S.H.I.T. have consistently been on top of their game, and this LP continues that legacy with seven tracks clocking in at fifteen minutes. The record includes two re-recorded songs from their 2023 demo (sans the Crucifix and Blitz covers) and five brand-new offerings. While previous releases reveled in ugly chaotic noise and heavily distorted vocals, this record leans into a more streamlined, focused attack. The relentless riffs and vocals, now stripped of excessive digital effects, hit with bareknuckle punk immediacy that matches the band’s direct and uncompromising message.

Two standout tracks summarize the album’s essence. “Corporate Funded Killing Technology” rages against Western elites and corporate war profiteers complicit in the genocide in Gaza, while “KTF” serves as a much-needed reminder that when protests don’t work, those benefiting from the war and destruction also have names and addresses. This is some of the angriest shit I’ve heard in a while.

In Un Mondo Senza Violenza (“In a World Without Violence” in Italian) is the debut full-length by Rome-based metal punks Rogo.

Drawing on the first-hand insights of their singer, the album narrates the disheartening realities of immigration—systemic inequality, precarious living, gentrification, and the broader struggles of displacement. Boldly anti-colonialist and anti-capitalist, In Un Mondo Senza Violenza confronts privilege and liberal hypocrisy with brutal honesty.

Across eleven tracks, Rogo alternates between Italian and Spanish, offering a multilingual exploration of personal and societal battles. Songs like “Perdidos” (Lost) and “El Día De Mi Suerte” (The Day of My Luck) lament lost innocence and the fragile threads of hope. In contrast, “Salvador Blanco” (White Savior) and “Tolerar Lo Intolerante” (Tolerating the Intolerant) question performative allyship and the futility of passive resistance. The Italian tracks deepen these themes: “Illusione” (Illusion) rejects the empty chase for societal approval, while “Malcontento” (Discontent) and “Senzatetto” (Homeless) shed light on homelessness, poverty, and systemic failures.

Musically, In Un Mondo Senza Violenza is a blistering cocktail of galloping crust punk, chainsawing metallic riffs, and a maelstrom of thrashing chaos. Arturo’s coarse, infernal vocals cut through the unrelenting wall of noise, reinforcing the powerful, intense narrative. The physical release itself is a work of art, featuring a screen-printed cover adorned in metallic gold ink and a booklet styled like a passport.

Heavy, bleak and reflective of real global issues, In Un Mondo Senza Violenza delivers a sonic manifesto for a world without borders and free of structural, economic and state violence.

La Casa Fantom is pure alchemical fire. Their immense live power, experimental spirit, and restless dedication to playing anywhere and everywhere are truly unmatched.

Bård’s disorientating, doom-laden bass and Lars’s pounding drums meld with their feral screams as they forge a sound that burns through grating crust punk, monolithic sludge, primitive black metal, and gobs of noise rock and psychedelia.

Each La Casa Fantom release feels like a rebirth through the flames, demonstrating their ability to continually reinvent themselves. Released in October 2024, five years after the searing crucible of sound that was Burning Eyes, new album Blizzard is no exception. Here they throw themselves onto the pyres, coming together with a transformative work of unparalleled strength. It’s a gut-wrenching journey through devastation and renewal, as crushing as it is uplifting.

The opening track, “Into The Flames,” exemplifies this spirit quite well. And if you haven’t witnessed their live performances, the new video captures it perfectly. Recorded in The Blue Lagoon, the very van that has ferried them thousands of kilometers across Europe. La Casa Fantom are still a beacon of DIY brilliance.

In 2023, one of my favorite under-the-radar releases was the incendiary demo from Norwegian band Asinin, out on RoachLeg Records. For 2024, my standout release from Norway has to be Assistert Sjølmord’s 7-inch, which dropped over the summer via Static Shock.

The band’s name translates to “Assisted Suicide,” and they’ve provided seven blazing tracks that stomp the fine line between speed and melody. Drawing heavily from the classic Norsk punk bands of the 1980s—think Svart Framtid, Stengte Dører, and Siste Dagers Helvete—they’ve added their own twist with super interesting vocals that recall The Comes from Japan.

With its evil grunts and laughs over classic ’80s punk instrumentation, the opening track “Klimabombe” is a real stunner. Yet, the whole 7-inch is a must-listen.

Gun Fever from Athens, Greece, is a band I can’t help but feel strongly about, as their lineup includes long-time friend Jason from Chain Cult, and the cover artwork was done by our guy Volodea, who has contributed extensively to DIY Conspiracy.

No Easy Way features six outstanding punk rock tracks with excellent melodic structures that immediately bring to mind the Scandinavian brilliance of Masshysteri, or modern French bands like Syndrome 81. The songs are anthemic and the lyrics deeply personal, exploring themes of daily struggle, alienation, and the repetitive cycles of emotional and existential battles.

While Chain Cult’s Harm Reduction became one of the standout post-punk releases of 2024, Gun Fever’s No Easy Way feels more like Chain Cult’s earliest demos. The record includes a cover of “Victory” by the short-lived Portland punk/Oi! outfit Criminal Damage, a band notable for featuring Paul from Tragedy and His Hero Is Gone. It feels perfectly placed, tying together a lineage of anthemic, emotionally charged punk.

Constant fixtures of Finnish DIY punk since 1989, Juggling Jugulars return with Thirst For Hope. This new album brings ten fast, melodic hardcore punk songs packed with both personal and political urgency.

The tracks confront inequality, systemic oppression, climate anxiety, and existential struggles, pairing driving rhythms with thought-provoking lyrics.

“Battlefields” and “Nothing But Zero” emphasize autonomy and resilience, calling for self-determination with lines like ‘What is my battle, I decide myself.’ “War Goes On” opposes racism and fascism, refusing to ignore the hypocrisy that sustains systemic violence. “Pass the Alarm” captures the dread of climate collapse, contrasting a child’s innocent questions with adult apathy, while “Crumbs” challenges performative charity in a world dominated by neoliberal capitalist greed. The album also explores personal alienation on songs like “Masquerade” and “Exhale/Inhale”.

Throughout, Juggling Jugulars maintain their characteristic mix of melody and defiance, creating uplifting punk anthems that inspire both self-reflection and direct action. The record will be available on vinyl from Break The Silence Records (Germany) in February 2025.

Valinta’s sophomore tape release is exactly what I’ve been hoping for from this duo from Varkaus, Finland, ever since I heard their 2023 debut. Their bleeding-raw hardcore comes with frenetic intensity drenched in reverberating distortion.

The title translates to “tension rising,” and that’s exactly what the record delivers—an escalating sense of urgency and ear-drilling onslaught from start to finish. With its classic raw punk aesthetic, these six tracks are driven with destructive amounts of harshness and rage.

Together with Valtatyhjiö’s explosive Kuristusleikki 7-inch on Sorry State, this is easily one of the most exciting Finnish punk releases I’ve heard lately. It’s as caustic as it gets.

P.S. Please don’t sleep on the current Finncore scene as it brings to the table some unrivaled rippers.

Nine furious tracks, just like their name translates from Japanese, from the British veterans of Retsu. Combining the tension of raging political hardcore with pummeling crust, their sound channels the best of Swedish heavyweights like Wolfbrigade and Victims, but the vocals keep it undeniably British, tearing into Tory greed, rising fascism, poverty, war, and the bleak reality of post-Brexit Britain.

Retsu nails the perfect balance of galloping crust and metallic rage, with an absolutely crushing rhythm section that steamrolls everything in its way. The aggro is unstoppable, and the songwriting is razor-sharp. This record had been on my radar since it came out in June 2024, but it wasn’t until guitarist Scoot (yes, the same Scoot from Doom and Extinction of Mankind) reached out that I gave it a proper listen.

I’m glad I did—it’s an no-frills crust hardcore banger from start to finish, a must-hear for anyone into fierce political punk from the real OGs.

I really miss writers like Craig Hayes and his Down Under(Ground) series, aimed to uncover the nastiest punk and hardcore releases from the distant shores of Aotearoa and Australia. One of Craig’s last features in 2022 spotlighted No Future’s then freshly released third EP, which he dubbed “high-energy sonic sorcery.” He wasn’t wrong.

No Future might be the most punk band name ever, but don’t expect anything remotely Sex Pistols-esque. This is a blistering noise racket pulled straight from the lineage of Disclose, D-Clone, and Lebenden Toten. Their first full-length, Mirror, compiles twelve tracks of total rage, with most pulled from their previous EPs. It’s unrelenting, wall-of-noise assault, and loud enough to leave your speakers scorched.

Released by Iron Lung and Televised Suicide, Mirror is pure noise punk mayhem—if you’re looking for sonic obliteration, this one delivers.

The Belgian hardcore scene might be notorious for its death metal-influenced bands, but Hetze have carved out their own niche as masters of “furious punk violence ass-whooping” since their 2018 debut.

Hetze’s second album, Until I Snap, dropped via Loner Cult in the first half of 2024, and it’s a tornado of bruising riffs, rapidfire drumming and bass-heavy chaos. If you’re into Dutch bands like Vuur, Laatste Halte, or Landverraad, you’ll catch the vibe here. With 16 tracks packed into just around 20 minutes, this record doesn’t waste a second.

Hetze’s fastcore sound is ruthless, but what really stands out are the lyrics, which address violence and social inequality, complementing the band’s unapologetic feminism. It’s hardcore with both teeth and a message, which makes Until I Snap essential listening.

I still remember the buzz when Slöa Knivar dropped their self-titled debut EP back in 2009.

Sadly, this incredible four-piece from Skåne seemed to fall off the radar of the international punk scene for over a decade. But they’re back now, angrier than ever, with Hejdå Mesar (“Goodbye Pussies” in Swedish), a ripper packed with 12 punk-fueled hardcore tracks.

Led by their furious singer Patricia P-Needy (also known for Beyond Pink), Slöa Knivar unleash biting lyrics in Swedish and a temper that’s hard to match. Patricia’s immense individual presence, combined with the band’s unrelenting riffs and hooks, makes for an album that begs for attention. If the title didn’t clue you in, Hejdå Mesar is a fuck-you to pretenders and a celebration of personal integrity and pure hardcore rage.

Hejdå Mesar is empowering, refreshing, and undeniably one of the most interesting Swedish hardcore albums of the past year. Slöa Knivar are back to prove they never should’ve been overlooked in the first place.

In Catalan, “enyor” refers to a deep nostalgia or yearning for something lost. It’s a fitting name for an emocore band, though Enyor is anything but predictable.

Their sound combines the heart-wrenching, emotional drive of bands like Rites of Spring, Dag Nasty, and Moss Icon with the tough-as-nails, gruffer-than-gruff RASH Oi! in Catalan. The result is a powerful Emo-Oi! hybrid, anchored by a strong anarchist and independentist message against Spanish colonialism.

Since 2023, Enyor have released a handful of EPs, and the Basque label Mendeku Diskak has done an excellent job of compiling them into a single LP. This collection features nine tracks, including an outstanding cover of Negative Approach’s “Ready to Fight” with lyrics in Catalan, no less. But it’s “Apreta Els Punys” that I keep coming back to again and again. The track has everything you could want: emotional intensity, driving rhythms, and choruses that stick with you.

The idea of blending emo and Oi! might sound weird at first, but Enyor pulls it off brilliantly. Don’t expect anything sugarcoated, this a definite stomper.

1753 Punk Noise is a recording studio located in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. It is notorious for pumping out some of the ugliest, most abrasive d-beat raw punk around.

Known for producing loads of hellish chainsaw noise, channeling the transcended spirit of d-beat master Kawakami, 1753 has been delivering small-run cassette tapes for bands like Tortür, Pyrrhic, Purgatorio, and many more.

But among their roster, Arrêt (the French word for stop or halt) stands out as something truly remarkable (and different from their usual catalog).

After dropping a promising demo in 2022, Arrêt raised the bar with the sophomore effort, The Madness. The EP shifts gears into finely executed post-punk, brimming with jangly riffs, chugging bass lines, and memorable, reverberating femme vocals that hit like a hypnotic wave. The second track, “What do we know,” is one of the catchiest post-punk tracks I’ve heard all year.

Arrêt is DIY post-punk at its finest—ultra-catchy, atmospheric, and classically cool (think of all these old Italian, French, or Norwegian bands). The Madness is a must-hear.

Profit Prison, aka Seattle-based artist Parker Lautenschlager, is back with Gilt—a new full-length album released by Avant! Records in April 2024. Building upon the foundations of Dreams of a Dark Building—one of my personal favorite records of 2020—Gilt expands Lautenschlager’s signature sound into even longer, more intricate compositions while keeping the one-man project’s DNA intact: ’70s disco beats, dungeon synth textures, and dystopian post-punk gloom.

Profit Prison’s haunting vocals—reminiscent to Placebo’s Brian Molko—and italo / hi-NRG beats remain a standout, channeling the eerie brilliance of Kraftwerk, Giorgio Moroder, and OMD. The result? Tracks that lure you into a sulfurous dance spiral, hypnotic yet emotionally charged. Adding to the mystique, the album’s artwork by French artist Robin Roche delivers a medieval-meets-punk aesthetic that brilliantly complements the record’s haunting, underworld vibe.

Gilt is an immersive experience that shows Parker’s ability to evolve while keeping the heart of what makes Profit Prison so cool and chilling.

L’appel du Vide, which translates to “Call of the Void,” is a post-punk band from East Germany—arguably one of Europe’s best regions for solid post-punk.

I first spotted their name on a flyer for a show they played with Voyvoda, and later grabbed their Metro LP from Sabotage Records. Metro stands out as a dark, atmospheric post-punk album—tinged with death rock influences—that draws on the colder tones of Neue Deutsche Welle while adding heavier, guitar-driven layers. The instrumentals shine with sharp riffs, layered synths and a rhythm section that propels each track forward. The vocals, while passionate, lean toward the repetitive and monotonous, which could be a highlight or drawback depending on your personal taste. Nevertheless, their sheer honesty keeps them above the average.

All in all, it’s a dense, introspective post-punk record done right.

The Croatian scene has been on fire lately with bands like Sukob, Koridor, Indikator B, Mižerija, Ponor, and many more. Veterans of the local scene, Kriva Istina have been playing for over 20 years.

Originally from Slavonski Brod and now based in Zagreb, they’re back with their latest concept LP, Mural Kolapsa (“Mural of Collapse” in English). On this record, Kriva Istina deliver melodic hardcore punk loaded with thrashing riffs and full-throttle momentum. Lyrically, they take aim at capitalism, climate crises, and the general ills of today’s society. If you’re into Propagandhi, you’ll feel the vibe here—but what sets Kriva Istina apart is they sing in their native language, which gives their sound a bit more authenticity. Thus, Mural Kolapsa might just be the best melodic hardcore album to come out of the region in years. The production is spot on, and the riffs stick with you long after the album’s over.

Standout track “Crni Ovan” (Black Ram) is a tribute to the DIY venue of the same name in Novi Sad, Serbia, and even comes with an official music video filmed right at the venue.

The name The Big Gloom immediately reminds me of the Have A Nice Life track of the same name, though I’m not sure if that’s intentional or just a coincidence.

Hailing from Marche, Italy, this four-piece formed in 2022, and their ’24 Demo is a crushing listen. The three tracks are long, heavy, and absolutely drenched in despair. Sludgey riffs, anguished vocals, and droning soundscapes collide to create an atmosphere that’s suffocating in the best way. It’s the kind of music that leans into the darker realms of the human psyche and drags you headfirst into it.

Bands like Dystopia and Amenra immediately come to mind, and although a bit thinly produced, The Big Gloom doesn’t feel out of place in that company. If you’re feeling like life’s a void and you’re ready to sink into the abyss, this demo is right up your dark alley.

The cover artwork gives a good indication of what to expect here.

Defluge is a Discharge clone from the UK, much like Disaster was in 1990—and I like it that way. This is a newer project of Rat (Statement, Unborn) and Alan (HackJob, Abrazos, Chineapple Punx, etc.). They are also in a new band called Collision Course. Anyway, Defluge’s demo offers six cut to the chase tracks, each clocking in at under two minutes. It’s an unstoppable march down the well-worn d-beat path, with no frills or surprises—just the raw, stripped-down thing you’d expect.

The lyrics follow the classic style of the genre, and I’ll give extra points for the song “Meat Line,” which deals with the horrors of slaughterhouses and the meat industry.

I’ve always loved tape labels, and Chile’s Junko Records has been a go-to for years. Among their recent gems is a tape from Concepción’s punk band Matarratas.

For those unfamiliar, the band’s name is a nod to Matarratas, the debut recording by local punk legends Fiskales Ad-Hok—a fitting homage for a band deeply rooted in Chilean punk history.

This untitled cassette, released in a run of just 50 copies, presents nine tracks of rip-roaring tension. Though the release was delayed for a couple of years (and the band has probably disbanded already), the songs lose none of their bite. Matarratas drives home a punching sound that fuses UK82, Oi!, streetpunk, and Scandinavian råpunk into an all-out chaotic attack.

The tape closes with a standout cover of Chaos UK’s “No Security,” reimagined with Spanish lyrics. I know a lot of people from South America follow our website and this record is a recommended listen.

I reviewed Leaking Head’s Better Homes & Gardens demo in early 2023, and the band was kind enough to send me their next release on Tetryon Tapes in 2024.

Leaking Head hasn’t deviated much from their chaotic formula, but the eight tracks on this EP, each clocking in barebones one to two minutes, turn the distortion, nihilism, and two-fingers-in-the-air attitude up several notches.

The lyrics, scrawled on what looks like the back of a Leaking Head corporate business card, perfectly match the lo-fi, no-frills and a bit industrial noise aesthetic of their sound. Like on previous tapes, the band channels the primitive stabs of Clevo bands like Bad Noids and GSMF, while fitting right alongside newer acts like Philly’s Delco MFs.

It’s ugly, loud, and downright abrasive slab distilled to its feral, outsider form. The kind of record that thrives on reckless chaos and disorder. For anyone who loves their punk completely unhinged, Leaking Head’s latest offering is a violent delight.

Gen Gap is a new Philly hardcore punk band featuring three members of the aforementioned Delco MFs along with two other local punks.

Their debut EP packs nine tracks of snotty, high-energy punk rock, loaded with infectious speed and hooks. Each song flies by in about a minute average, keeping the tempo relentless. However, while Delco MF’s thrive on pure nihilistic rage and hyper-speed chaos, Gen Gap offers a sound that’s a lot more catchy and accessible.

The EP is full of rock’n’roll fury, with ripping guitars and driving rhythms. Vocalist Izzy commands the tracks with an in-your-face delivery like she doesn’t give a shit about your opinion. It’s the kind of short, sharp shock that’s over too soon, but leaves you wanting to come back.

Indonesia’s punk scene is absolutely massive right now, and if you don’t agree, you’re just not paying attention.

Hailing from Bandung in West Java, Bottled Violent are a prime example of the scene’s firepower. They’ve caught the attention of US label No Norms Records, along with DIY labels from Spain, Malaysia, and Canada. No Rules is a six-track blast of short, fast, and loud hardcore. Drawing heavily from early USHC staples like Minor Threat, Government Issue, you name it—this is hardcore that wears its influences on its sleeve.

Bottled Violent’s lyrics are hostile and no fucks given, especially towards the bastards in blue—the same scum wherever you go. If you’re into straight-ahead, no-bs punk hardcore, No Rules hits right home.

Here’s another addition from Finland that caught my attention at the last moment. Sumu is a hardcore punk band from Tampere that released their self-titled EP at the end of 2024.

Sumu describe their style as “sotecore” (from the Finnish word for social and health care), referring to their collective experience working in the social and health care fields. The lyrics channel their frustrations with the collapsing health care system, environmental destruction, ongoing wars, and the apathy caused by the right-wing government’s decisions.

The four tracks, recorded live at Hardcore Ranchilla on December 16, 2024, retain an intentional lo-fi and organic sound. The vocals deliver the level of crudeness you’d expect from Finnish hardcore punk, though the music leans more toward a mid-tempo ’90s vibe than the chaotic rage of Kaaos and the other classics.

While it lacks the breakneck speed and aggression I was hoping for (see Valinta above), the band’s DIY attitude and thoughtful lyrics make it worth checking out. The record deserves our recognition for its sincerity and the band’s genuine dedication to addressing important issues through their music.

Belgrade’s Urlik has been around since 2020, but they really started demanding attention in 2023 with the video for “Urlik očaja”.

After a slew of gigs and festival appearances, their self-titled debut finally dropped in April 2024 through Zagreb’s Geenger Records. The album is ten tracks of dirty, guitar-driven garage punk with lyrics in Serbian about monotony, urban grayness, and the cityscape they call home. It feels like a psychogeographical snapshot of Belgrade that adds depth and character to their music.

This record was one of the most talked-about Serbian releases of the year, and it’s easy to see why. It’s got heart, skilled musicianship, and a sound that’s rough around the edges in all the right ways. I’m not usually drawn to garage punk, but I’m on board with Urlik.

Finally, we come to the most experimental band on this list. Svetlost (aka Светлост in Cyrillic) is an improvisational punk-jazz trio from Skopje that’s truly in a league of its own.

The lineup features Kristijan Novkovski on drums, Ninoslav Spirovski on clarinet and saxophones, and Deni Omeragić on bass, synthesizers, and electronics. Their sound is as interesting as their setup, pairing spontaneous artistic expression with a fearless approach to genre-blurring compositions.

Since its formation in 2019, Svetlost have released five albums, and its members have been involved in countless other solo or collaborative releases through PMG Jazz label. Their latest record, Everything Was as It Had Been a Minute Ago, is their most profound yet, exploring themes of loss, alienation, and resistance to capitalist oppression through richly layered soundscapes. Svetlost also perform as the Odron Ritual Orchestra (also name of their first album), incorporating a wider range of musicians from the post-punk and pub music scene to academic ensembles and even opera.

Despite hailing from one of Europe’s poorest and most under-recognized musical regions, Svetlost transcend boundaries and are a must-see live band, whether playing alongside punk bands or more established jazz artists.