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Top Ten 7″s/Singles/EPs 

1. Sex/Vid - Nests (Dom America)
This dropped early in the year and sort of solidified Sex/Vid’s “hot shit” status. “Excorcism” is my favorite jam by the band. Some people were bummed they just chopped and screwed a stooges riff for “Always Home”, but I say “that’s art”. Or “punk”. But thankfully this isn’t art punk.

2. Hatred Surge - Servant b/w “Bestial (Deer Healer)
This EP is like a little Swans tribute. Mostly just metallic clanging and screams that bash against your speaker cones. A brilliant curve ball from the best grindcore band, and it’s well executed at that. I’d like to see it worked into the live set some day.

3. Dead Section - s/t (self)
New band for “journeyman” Insane-Bartek. I never met the guy but he is really good at screaming in punk bands. Loved Religious War, and most of the other records hes loaned his vox to. This one goes back to the semi-metallic Swedecore of the Religious War lp with tasty results. Lots of tremolo style 16th notes and trashy solos. Best spikey punk I heard this year.

4. Iron Age - The Way Is Narrow(Painkiler/Dead and Gone)
I did participate in the domestic release of this but fuck off, it’s a good single. Iron Age are finally reaching the heights I always knew they could. All the chunky crossover power of my favorite COC, Icemen, and Cro Mags parts, and finally some good production too.

5. Slang - 20th aniversery 3×7″ (HG Fact/MCR/Bloodsucker)
One of Japan’s long standing powerhouses mark their 20th anniversary by going back to their roots a bit. Just thick, driving, hardcore with some dis-core overtones and burly vocals too.

6. Double Negative - Raw Energy (Sorry State)
Probably the best of the 80’s revival crowd at this point, although they were all around to see the real thing, so I’m not sure what that means. This time they offer some self recorded tracks on an E.P. Basically the same thing as their 12″ but with less polish than before. Gets you in that COC, Attitude Adjustment, Final Conflict, mode, and it’s good.

7. Inmates - Now We Talkin’ Hardcore (Even Worse/Way Back When)
Cleveland heroes return with their first new recording this decade. Riffs from the Thrash Til Death school, but with the lyrical sensibility of A.O.D. Obnoxious spiteful kick you in the teeth kind of hardcore. Glad these guys are still out there doing it.

8. Pig Heart Transplant - Nature b/w Nurture (Deer Healer)
I’m not a noise guy, and this works in just the right amount of pure noise and fractured hardcore to hold my interest. Feedback screeching, cavernous drums, ranting shouts. Like a fucking migraine.

9. No Peace - Zombie Brains (Decision of Fate)
Another Cleveland cult classic in the 90’s style. Great live in studio style recording, kinda has that early discharge style fuzz and rickety drum sound, but with plenty of that Americanized Japanese sound that H-100s/early 9 Shocks did. Lofi hate punk that doesn’t suck.

10. Satanic Threat - Into Hell (Gloom/Hell’s Headbangers)
Occasionally a novelty record can be cool. This one is in the style of Unity/7 Seconds/Minor Threat but with Satanic lyrics courtesy of the Nunslaughter guys, and Shaun (formerly of Gordon Solie MF’s and Annihilation Time). Perfect Unity style vocals, perfect early 80’s tuneful hardcore, and ridiculous Satanic lyrics.