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alThis is a list of notable hardcore punk bands. Hardcore punk (commonly shortened to hardcore) is an underground music genre that generally revolves around a thicker and more aggressive tone than earlier punk rock.
Hardcore punk is a punk rock subgenre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk scenes in San Francisco and Southern California which arose as a reaction against the still predominant hippie cultural climate of the time. It was also inspired by Washington, D.C., and New York punk rock and early proto-punk. Hardcore punk generally disavows commercialism, the established music industry and "anything similar to the characteristics of mainstream rock" and often addresses social and political topics with "confrontational, politically charged lyrics".
Youth crew is a music subculture of hardcore punk, which was particularly prominent during the New York hardcore scene of the late 1980s. Youth crew is distinguished from other punk styles by its optimism and moralistic outlook. The original youth crew bands and fans were predominantly straight edge and vegetarian.
Throwdown is an American hardcore and heavy metal band from Orange County, California. Formed in 1997, the band has endured numerous lineup changes to the point where no original members remain. Throwdown has toured as part of Ozzfest, Sounds of the Underground, Hellfest, and Warped Tour, as well as with bands such as In Flames, Lamb of God, As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, Korn and Cavalera Conspiracy. The songs "Forever" and "Burn" were staples on MTV2's Headbangers Ball and Revolver Magazine called them part of "The Future of Metal" after hearing the album Vendetta. Initially branded a hardcore punk band, albums like Venom and Tears and Deathless took a sharp turn towards metal, with critics likening the band's sound to that of Pantera and Sepultura. The band are straight edge.
New York hardcore is both the hardcore punk music created in New York City and the subculture and lifestyle associated with that music. The scene established many aspects that are fixtures of hardcore punk today, including its simplified name "hardcore", its hardcore skinhead and youth crew subcultures, the moshing style hardcore dancing, its association with street gangs and its prominent influence of heavy metal.
Mouthpiece was an American straight edge hardcore punk band, active from 1991 to 1996. Often seen as one of the seminal acts of the 'youth crew' era or the earliest revival of it. In 2000, the band reunited to play a show at CBGB, and in 2019, they reformed to play with Lifetime at The Stone Pony.
Madball is an American New York hardcore band. Originated in the late 1980s as a side project of Agnostic Front, the band developed after Agnostic Front's vocalist Roger Miret would let his younger half-brother Freddy Cricien take the microphone and perform lead vocals during Agnostic Front shows. Following Agnostic Front's 1992 disbandment, Madball became the members' main project and many became a part of the band who were never in Agnostic Front. They have released nine studio albums and four EPs.
Melodic hardcore is a broadly defined subgenre of hardcore punk with a strong emphasis on melody in its guitar work. It generally incorporates fast rhythms, melodic and often distorted guitar riffs, and vocal styles tending towards shouting and screaming. Nevertheless, the genre has been very diverse, with different bands showcasing very different styles. Many pioneering melodic hardcore bands, have proven influential across the spectrum of punk rock, as well as rock music more generally.
Full Force is a German heavy metal and hardcore punk-oriented music festival held annually since 1994.
Crown of Thornz are a hardcore punk band, formed in New York City in 1994. By their 1998 disbandment, they were one of the most prominent groups in New York hardcore. They released only one EP, Train Yard Blues (1995); one studio album, Mentally Vexed (1996); and one split single with Aggressive Dogs (1998). Following their 2012 reunion, they have release the two track single Nothing But Tragedy.
Cold as Life is an American hardcore band based out of Detroit, Michigan, formed in 1988. Lyrical themes consisted of brutal depictions of the horrors of growing up and living in a city plagued with corruption, murder, drugs, depression and poverty, along with the tragedy of losing friends, family and bandmates to murder and drug abuse. Their shows were frequently violent, involving vicious fights that often included stabbings and beatings with various weapons. However, Cold as Life has a large "family" based following. Stories of these shows would spread throughout the Midwest punk and hardcore communities, contributing to the band's notoriety. Cold as Life drew musical influence from such bands as Negative Approach, Sheer Terror, Discharge, 4 Skins, Cro-Mags, Black Sabbath, and Slayer.
Skarhead is an American hardcore punk band from New York City, founded and fronted by Lord Ezec a.k.a. Danny Diablo. The group is considered the originators of thugcore music, a subgenre of hardcore punk "full of relentless breakdowns and throwdown-ready posturing". They have toured with Gwar, Hatebreed, and Earth Crisis. They have been cited as an influence by Deez Nuts and Fucked Up.
Trapped Under Ice is an American hardcore punk band from Baltimore, Maryland that was formed in 2007. Since then they have released an EP and three full-length albums. Taking influence from New York hardcore, the band has toured all over the world and was signed to Reaper Records. On August 11, 2013, Trapped Under Ice played its last show at Philadelphia's The Electric Factory at This Is Hardcore Festival 2013. The band announced their reunion in early 2015. In 2017 they released their third LP, Heatwave, on Pop Wig Records.
Beatdown hardcore is a subgenre of hardcore punk which incorporates elements of thrash metal, hip hop and slam metal. The genre features aggressive vocals, heavy, palm muted guitar riffs and breakdowns. The genre has its origins in late 1980s tough guy hardcore bands such as Breakdown, Killing Time and Madball, and was pioneered in the mid-1990s by bands like Bulldoze, Terror Zone and Neglect. The definition of the genre has expanded over time to incorporate artists increasingly indebted to metal, notably Xibalba, Sunami and Knocked Loose.
Broken Teeth were an English hardcore punk band formed in Manchester in 2007. The band have released one studio album and four EPs.
Malevolence are an English metalcore band formed in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, in 2010. They have released three studio albums and one EP and established their own record label called MLVLTD Music.
Sunami is an American hardcore punk band formed in San Jose, California in 2019. Originally intended as a short-lived joke band by members of various San Francisco Bay Area hardcore bands, Sunami sought to parody the ignorant style of many hardcore bands on their 2019 demo Demonstration. However, after gaining notoriety for their violent debut live performance, the band continued past their planned time frame. They have since released three EPs, with their debut self-titled album being released on June 14, 2023. A 2023 article by Revolver credited them as "in the upper echelon of bands dominating the hardcore zeitgeist".
Gulch was an American hardcore punk band formed in Santa Cruz, California in 2016. The band released only one studio album Impenetrable Cerebral Fortress (2020), as well as two EPs and one demo tape. They performed their final live performance on July 31, 2022, at the peak of their popularity. The New York Times credited them as one of the driving forces of American hardcore's "Rennaissance" in the 2020s.
Pain of Truth are an American hardcore punk formed in Long Island, New York in 2020. As of 2024, they have released one demo, one split EP and one studio album.
Hardcore outfit that melds metalcore with a straight-edge ethos