Trouble Bound are a Newburgh-based punk band out of the Hudson River Valley area of NY. The boys have been wielding their very own brand of punk rock fused with subtle rockabilly accents since 1999. Citing such influences as Rancid, Stray Cats, Motorhead, Still Little Fingers, Eddie Cochran, Social Distortion and The Ramones.

With songs written about daily-life, working class struggles, “what goes around comes around” karma forbodings, and even inner turmoil… It’s instantly obvious to the ear -the earnest quality and heart on the sleeve approach to songwriting. Telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Taking inspiration from the trials and tribulations of working the trades of the blue collar, to love gone awry and the importance of friends and family sticking together through thick and thin. These self-taught rockers have always had the music to cure what ails them and exorcise the angst of the daily struggle.

Eevie Echoes & The Locations started as humble open mic performers before cementing themselves as a bedrock queercore act of the Brooklyn punk scene. They specialize in seamlessly blending the personal and the political. As a mostly trans band, their music addresses the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community, and confronts naysayers who seek to erase queerness from existence while always bringing raw power, pure emotion, radical authenticity. The 4 piece consists of Eevie Echoes as lead vocalist, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist, Emma Taylor as backup vocalist and lead guitarist, Eliza Endless as backup vocalist and bassist, and, Nick Grasso as drummer. The four have had a fruitful music career, playing notable shows alongside bands like Delilah Bon, Jasmine.4.t, Brennan Wedl, Vial, Shamir, Teenage Halloween and Kaonashi, as well as numerous festivals and headliner shows around the USA including Stoopfest and Punk Island. The quartet's debut album "The Cons Of Being A Wallflower" gained them significant attention and showed off the group's diverse sound and ability to play with genre, dabbling in ska, chiptune, emo, garage rock, pop punk and grunge.

New York City’s Sonic Taboo is an instrumental power trio that defines their sound as a raw, multi-genre blend of stoner rock, heavy psychedelia, and doom. Eschewing traditional vocal structures to grant themselves greater creative freedom, the band crafts immersive "soundtracks" specifically designed to mirror the visceral experience of a motorcycle ride. Their live performances further this atmosphere by blending songs seamlessly into a continuous, energetic set accompanied by cinematic projections. Since their formation roughly six years ago, the trio—consisting of Paulo Cassio, Fernando Minichiello, and Dylan Lappin—has released two studio albums and a 2025 live record, building a reputation for unfiltered, high-voltage rock that avoids commercial polish in favor of sonic integrity and grit.

Old Knife is a trio from Northern Virginia that plays music influenced by NY and DC hardcore, post punk, no wave and metal. Maddie Franca (bass) and VJ Hyde (guitar/vocals) have been playing for around 3 years after working together at a summer camp. VJ asked Maddie if she wanted to join his band and she answered, “sure but I’ve never played bass.” VJ replied, “don’t worry I’m a music teacher” and the rest was history. She was a quick learner and Old Knife started playing all around the DC area shortly thereafter. Their third show was the at the historic DC summer concert series, Fort Reno. They were all set to record their first album at Inner Ear Studio with Don Zientara (Dischord Records) when their first drummer fucked around and found out, Vitriol style. So Maddie and VJ parted ways and VJ enlisted his old pal Devin Ocampo (Faraquet, Medications, Smart Went Crazy) to play drums on their upcoming debut EP “Slam the Door.”

Maddie and VJ still needed to find a permanent rhythm section to continue composing and playing live shows. That person turned out to be Ella Gallogly who is the front person of DCs post-prog dark metal band, Lud Roes. The three had met previously while sharing a bill engineered by Ryan Parsons from local garage rock band, Gas Station Dick Pills. Unlike boner pills purchased at Chevron, the chemistry was instant and the trio have been melting faces ever since. Old Knife is wrapping up their EP for release in early 2026. They will be playing around the DMV and out in VJs hometown (NYC) during the winter/ spring as well.

Crying At Work isn’t just a hardcore band - they collectively hold a deeply rooted commitment to social justice and inclusivity, driven by the personal and political convictions of its members. The band's current lineup solidified when vocalist Lacey reached out to guitarist Cale after his previous project broke up. Sharing similar moral and creative goals, Cale brought in drummer Ellie, and bassist Jackson joined as they were using his house for practice. CAW sets itself apart in the Michigan scene not only with its diverse makeup, but also through its unique sound, which incorporates non-traditional samples from genres like rap and nightcore. Their philosophy, "existence is resistance," is a driving force, especially for members who lack the privilege of safety in every space. The band actively translates this message into action by organizing and playing benefit shows for causes ranging from aid to families in Gaza to supporting those impacted by ICE. Through unapologetic music and community-focused advocacy, Crying At Work strives to dismantle oppression and create a safe space for marginalized groups

Racket Magazine was founded in March 2005 by an Jonathan Yost, motivated by a desire to create a forum for material that was enthusiastic, strongly opinionated, occasionally foolish, and sustained by inexpensive coffee, low-quality beer, and vibrant music. Prior to establishing the magazine, Yost wrote for another music blog but felt constrained by the editor's preference for typical press-kit questions, instead finding greater interest in extracting peculiar trivia or being lighthearted with artists. Having studied music business at Cal Poly Pomona, he launched Racket based on an unconventional, perfectly captured by early non-traditional segments like conducting a Mad Libs interview with Bleeding Through or aggressively mocking Hawthorne Heights—whose interview they secured despite the magazine's tagline being "because life’s too short for Hawthorne Heights". The magazine's spirit is defined by "enthusiasm counted as a credential," with Yost actively seeking out new writers, or "Racketeers", to give them a chance, aiming to be a non-gatekeeping mentor who allows contributors to sound like themselves, not an imitation of the founder. This approach has allowed Racket to thrive for two decades by focusing on heart-driven content and measuring success not by page views, but by the founder's pride when a friend or reader enjoys a recommended artist.

Egg! is a noisy alternative rock trio from Bristol, CT. Formed in 2017, their sound draws from a broad number of influences including punk, emo, psychedelic, progressive rock, and post-hardcore. They have released three EPs and one single, with a second single planned for 2026. In addition to countless local shows, they have done two small tours through the New England and New York areas, always looking to go further. The band encourages people to come out and see them live if you really want to get a feel for what they sound like. And, they ask you to fart if you like them.

She Zine Mag is not, strictly speaking, a punk magazine. But it may be more punk than anything we’ve come across in quite a while.

Their operations are deeply informed by some pretty hardcore principles —speaking truth to power, fostering inclusiveness, and doing it yourself. The zine's approach is to not sit there and be quiet when hierarchical power structures exploit women, queer folks, racialized creators, or workers. They are is dedicated to speaking the truth no matter the cost, amplifying not the faces of movements, but those who are doing the real work, and calling bullshit when there is bullshit to be called out. And they are not afraid to do so.

We had a chance to sit down with editor Allison Moyer for a wide-ranging interview, and we absolutely loved what she had to say. We think you will too.

The Baltimore hardcore band War On Women employs a potent blend of hardcore punk aggression and feminist punk energy, creating music that is both politically charged and a rejection of the status quo. The band, both individually and through their music, is outspoken in fiercely tackling systemic social inequities, the gender pay gap, transphobia, abortion rights, and misogyny. In this interview, vocalist Shawna Potter discusses her use of the music to personally process her outrage at the mistreatment of marginalized communities while fostering awareness and empowerment for listeners. The title of their recent album, Time Under Tension, metaphorically captures the current political pressure, suggesting the choice to either break down or emerge stronger from the struggle against global fascism.

Chris Wynne is the founder of In Effect, a publication dedicated to the hardcore music scene, which originated as a fanzine in 1988. The publication, described by one review as "the Bible of NYHC", initially concentrated on New York Hardcore (NYHC) bands, utilizing a hands-on, DIY cut and paste method for its initial issues. After a hiatus between 1989 and 1993, the zine ran continuously until 1999 with its final printed edition, Issue #12, boasting over 130 pages and a print run of 10,000 copies. The zine’s contents, including interviews and reviews, are now collected in a book published by Shining Life Press.

Following a long break that Chris Wynne initially thought was permanent, he launched the In Effect Hardcore website in February 2012, adapting the publication to a digital format. The website mirrors the original fanzine's content by featuring band interviews, record/show reviews, and scene news. Wynne’s motivation for running In Effect Hardcore stems from a genuine love for the music, operating it as a hobby without financial gain, which affords him the freedom to cover bands he feels are under-appreciated. This authentic approach is encapsulated in the publication's motto: "Keeping it fucking real dude".

We had the opportunity to conduct an looooong conversation with the veteran Birmingham punk band, Rotunda, whose name pays homage to an iconic local landmark. Known for their blend of street punk with elements of Oi! and hardcore , the band has been a fixture in the UK underground scene since the mid-to-late 1990s. Lou, Dave, Steve and Lee (Guitar) discuss their origins, musical evolution, and the continuing importance of the DIY ethos. They recount memorable moments, from playing with The Damned and a notable radio feature on Steve Lamacq's show, to the wilder side of their live performances.

The off-kilter and noisy post-hardcore that Consumer Culture play has been developing through the anti-capitalist ideology and creative vision of vocalist Marshall Veth since 2018, and hit a new level with the entrance of guitarist Paul Joyce in 2019. Joyce quickly fell into the project’s style with crushingly dissonant playing that ultimately proved to pair best with the drumming of his own son, Paulie, who was quickly becoming a formidable player when the pair started playing Consumer Culture songs together. When the band was ready to play again in 2022, Paulie had joined Consumer Culture full time. Bassist Annie Bailey joined in 2024 after having a long-term interest in the project, setting the Baltimore quartet on their present trajectory of consistent performance and releasing new material. 

Stoner Games is an independent studio founded by long-time techie Jeff Brown. The studio's debut title, Mosh Pit Mayhem, is a button-mashing brawler that pays homage to the fast-paced, unfiltered fun of the PlayStation 2 gaming era, while featuring graphics reminiscent of the PS3/PS4. The core concept of the game centers around cross-promotion for bands, with the music being the focal point of the gameplay. The developer has secured over 50 bands from diverse heavy music genres, including thrash, hardcore, death metal, and even hip hop. The goal of the game is for players to enjoy the chaotic fun of fighting in a mosh pit while discovering new music.

Gas Station Boner Pills is a punk band from Atlanta. They are one of the more unusual bands we have interviewed. They’re pretty good. They are a punk band. From Atlanta.

This interview was conducted through the hivemind.

subtitles. is a two man Emo/Alternative Rock band, based out of both Phoenix AZ and South France. Jake is the vocalist, with a history across multiple genres. Alex is the drummer/demo instrumentalist, who’s worked in the industry with multiple bands and sponsors over the past 15 years. We’ve got an 11 track debut album releasing early next year, have played/booked 5 shows the last month, and are excited to take the project to the next level with this album release.

DIYing Breed is a punk band formed by veterans of the New York City punk scene. Their collective vision was to pursue a distinct sound and style, characterized by the lost art of analog recording combined with an authentic, raw punk rock performance. The name itself, DIYing Breed, carries a dual meaning for the band members, referencing the necessity of maintaining control over the final creative product by doing it themselves, and also serving as a commentary on humanity participating in its own demise.

The band members—Victor (guitar), Bat (vocals/lyrics), Ned (bass), and Jimmy (drums)—have known each other for a long time and share a background in the same NYC punk scene. Their creative process usually begins with Victor developing a riff on the spot, which quickly comes together due to the music's straightforward nature. Bat contributes lyrics from his notebook, and Jimmy and Ned craft their rhythm parts to complete the song. Victor's driving and uncompromising guitar playing is considered the central hook of the band's powerful energy, with the rhythm section providing the foundation and Bat injecting his chaotic frontman persona. The core themes of their music revolve around calling out the bullshit in life without being preachy. They believe the societal issues fueling their music are the same as decades ago, just worse and now out in the open

PILLOWBITER began in 2023 out of the remnants of an old bedroom music project called The Beautiful Child; frontwoman Sasha had recorded two short albums as TBC starting in 2019. She relocated to Brooklyn from Atlanta in 2021, and also started her gender transition. Based on her experiences and struggles through that, she started to write new songs. Eventually these would become the PILLOWBITER EP.

Their first show was in August 2024 and their EP was released in May 2025, and now they are looking to record a full length release sometime next year. Sasha describes it as a major catharsis for her to play in this band and make this music. She deeply believe that bands, especially punk bands, need to say something politically meaningful, or else they don’t have legs to stand on. It’s her hope with PILLOWBITER to bring some much needed catharsis to the trans community - in her words, “we need space to be angry and upset”. But she refuses to let it end there - anything the band can do in terms of advocacy or to benefit the trans+ community is part of the mission, and Sasha makes a point to speak on it at all of their shows.

God’s Favorite is a hardcore punk band from Westchester, NY, comprised of Jenna (vocals), El (guitar), Amit (guitar), Billy (bass/backing vocals), and Mark (drums).

The band started writing and practicing as a four-piece in July 2024. By the end of that summer, they had recorded and released a very rough demo. They played their first show in October 2024. After a handful of shows, they added Amit to round out their lineup. In the last year, they have played all over NYC, Westchester, and the Hudson Valley.

The band released “Divine Chaos” in June 2025, eight tracks, three re-recorded from the demo and five new ones.

Fusing the nostalgia of 2000’s post-hardcore with innovative metalcore and pop-punk of the 2020’s, MADiSON ViOLETT is an up-and-coming force to be reckoned with. Based out of Los Angeles, she emerged into the modern metal scene at age 17 in 2025 with her anthemic and climactic debut single ‘Circling’. Emotionally charged, carried by hard hitting vocals, catchy riffs, and intelligent lyrics, it is a quintessential must-listen track for all fond of the genre. 

At only four years old, she had discovered her undeniable love for music and began her life centered around performance and writing, carrying her countless experiences and previous momentum into her solo project. Her music is relevant to the listener, lyrics are heartfelt and real, and her sounds are artistically crafted to convey her message to a point. She has always written her music outside of the proverbial box- rather, she doesn’t allow cultural music genres to restrict her. To her, it is about the story; the narration, and contributions to the world. Her music is indeed like no other.

Having come across a band that shares many of our own ethical stances, we jumped at the chance to interview SL.AP, Pennsylvania's Po-Dunk Post-Punk Pariahs. Together since 2017, with 3 studio albums under their belt and another on the way, SL.AP is made up of "Uncle" Sean Bandy on vocals, Stevie "The Frogman" Neidert on lead guitar, Joe "Super" Favoroso on the drums, and Matt "Matt" Bandy on bass guitar. The self described "GoonWave" quartet's music is loud, raucous, and even sometimes offensive, with an anarchic, paranoid edge. But, since their beginnings as a high school garage band, they've always held the standard that it's about the music and the community, not the money. Whether it's always having their music available digitally for free, or their two time "Goonfest" music festival that raised money for local charities, they believe that art and music is a vital part of life that everyone should be able to partake in.