Written by Jennifer Moglia
In August of this year, we put out an article titled “Top 5 Hardcore Releases of the First Half of 2020”, highlighting some of our favorite hardcore/hardcore-adjacent releases from January to June. Now that the year is coming to a close, we decided to revisit our first list and add a few releases that have come out since then, or that we just missed the first time around. Keep reading to see if your picks were included!
5: “Impenetrable Cerebral Fortress” by Gulch
Released: July 24th, 2020
Favorite Track: “Self-Inflicted Mental Terror”
How to Support: Limited Merch and Vinyl via Bandcamp
Something that appealed to me when I first started listening to hardcore was how short each song was, ultimately making the albums fairly quick and easy to get through as well. This was initially the selling point for me with Gulch; their 2018 EP “Burning Desire to Draw Last Breath” is just six songs and 13 minutes, 2019’s promo is two songs and just over four minutes, and their 2017 debut “Demolition of Human Construct” is made up of three songs, none exceeding 1:45 in length.
2020 brought the release of their debut full-length, “Impenetrable Ceberebral Fortress”, clocking in at eight songs and 15 minutes, and it ended up being the soundtrack to my summer this year. It’s just vicious hardcore music at its best, with growling vocals and all-consuming guitar riffs. The title track grabs ahold of you immediately, “Fucking Towards Salvation” is jarring in the best way possible, and the Siouxsie and the Banshees “Sin in my Heart” cover was one of my favorite tracks of the year. Gulch’s chaotic, high-speed sound is unlike any other band right now, and this record helped them solidify their spot within the genre.
4: “In Times of Desperation” by Rain of Salvation
Released: June 3rd, 2020
Favorite Track: “The Sound of Triumph”
How to Support: Shirts and Vinyl via LDB, @RainOfSalvation on Twitter
With members from Long Island, New York, Delaware, and Connecticut, Rain of Salvation is the embodiment of northeast straight edge/hardcore. Their 2019 debut, “A War Outside and Within” was the definition of a breakout release, complete with a track featuring vocalist Tyler Mullen of Delaware straight edge band Year of the Knife.
Their follow-up was highly anticipated by many, and it certainly didn’t disappoint. At three songs and just under eight minutes long, “The Sound of Triumph” is more of what we’ve come to love about this band.
It’s fast-paced but doesn’t rush, building to the peak of each song masterfully. 2020 could be described using the title of this project, truly a time of desperation in too many ways to count, which might be what made it stand out in a year filled with so much great music. Rain of Salvation’s discography is still small, but it’s mighty, and we can’t wait to see what they do next.
3: “Demo 2020” by Broken Vow
Released: August 18th, 2020
Favorite Track: “Stronger”
How to Support: Vinyl and Shirts via Sunday Drive Records, @BrokenVowCTHC on Twitter
Despite the entire world being shut down for a few months, 2020 saw a ton of new bands forming and releasing music. One of the best bands to come out of that “quarantine” period, in my opinion, is Connecticut’s Broken Vow.
As a young person still really getting acclimated within the hardcore scene and the alternative music scene in general, I feel like it’s really easy to just take music in at surface level or to feel like you don’t have a place within the community. Broken Vow solves both of these problems on their debut, and does so masterfully.
There’s a strong anti-racist/anti-fascist message delivered by vocalist Tommy Harte on each of the four tracks, and it carries so much more weight knowing that it’s coming from people on the younger side of hardcore. Aside from just being great hardcore music, Broken Vow’s “Demo 2020” serves as a sort of inspiration and hope for those feeling defeated or discouraged.
2: “Sunami” by Sunami
Released: June 5th, 2020
Favorite Track: “Y.A.B.”
How to Support: Limited vinyl and merch via Big Cartel and Bandcamp, @Sunami408 on Twitter
After releasing their debut EP “Demonstration” in 2019, it felt like Sunami, made up of members of bands like Gulch and Hands of God, was on just about everyone’s radars. Their self-titled EP, released this summer, was a highly anticipated follow-up, to say the least.
Sunami’s sound is everything that hardcore should be in 2020; it’s ferocious, heavy music that will undoubtedly translate well to a live setting whenever this band can finally play more shows. Their first effort discussed issues like police brutality (represented on this release’s cover) and although this project strays a bit from that, the same primal tenacity is still ever-present.
If you’re looking for straight-up angry hardcore music, Sunami’s self-titled EP is definitely something you’d be a fan of. Despite just starting out last year, they’ve already assembled a cult-like fanbase and announced that they’ll be working with revered hardcore label Triple B Records, and just about everyone is itching to see what they do next.
1: “Swingin’ Swords, Choppin’ Lords” by Mindforce
Released: February 19th, 2020
Favorite Track: “Hope Dies in the City”
How to Support: Merch and Vinyl via Triple B Records, @MindforceNY on Twitter
Mindforce is one of those bands that I had seen live before I had ever sat down to listen to them. After catching them at one of Backtrack’s final shows last November and being blown away by their live presence, they flew under my radar for the first half of this year.
The surprise release of their single “Reign of Terror” earlier this fall is what pushed me to finally check out their EP from February, “Swingin’ Swords, Choppin’ Lords.” It took a few listens, but I can confidently say that this is one of my favorite releases of the whole year, regardless of genre.
Mindforce stands out because of their unique sound, a fusion between classic hardcore and elements of rap/hip-hop and metalcore. Bits and pieces of all of these are packed into less than seven minutes, with swinging guitar riffs and piercing vocals from frontman Jason P. tying everything together.
If you haven’t already checked Mindforce out, this EP as well as 2018’s “Excalibur” are great places to start. You definitely want to be familiar with this band when live shows are safe again.
Did your favorites make the list? Let us know by tweeting us @lgndsoftmrw!
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