Here it is, the list you’ve all been waiting for! Delayed of course, but whatever…
This year I feel like I’ve missed a lot of great records, even though I can’t pin point exactly which these records are right now. But I guess I’ll have to catch up in 2017. I also feel that 2016 wasn’t as good a year in records as 2015 was. But again, I know I’ve missed a few that probably could/should have ended up on this list.
But still, the ones listed here are in no way fillers, they’re all great and I’ve listened to them a lot.
Both lists are in order – because I think it’s more fun (and harder) that way, not because it really matters. The order might change with mood obviously, but at the moment this feels right. And just for the record, the 7″ list is probably more subject to change than the 12″/LP list.
And yeah, I’m too lazy to make in depth comments on the releases this time, so I went for a one-sentence-review thing. Anyway, here we go…
Best of 2016 on SEVEN inches:
KRIEGSHÖG s/t 7″
[La Vida Es Un Mus]
It took this bastard one listen to enter the top 10 and two listens to grab the number 1 spot. That says a lot!
LIFE/INSTINCT OF SURVIVAL split 7″
[Desolate Records/Static Age Musik]
Life crash into you at maximum speed. Instinct of Survival crush whatever’s left of you into grubble.
ENDLESS CHAOS s/t 7″
[Kick Rock]
Thrashing authentic Japanese hardcore!
RIXE Les Nerfs a Vif 7″
[La Vida Es Un Mus]
Catchy and rough and even better than their first 7″.
G.L.O.S.S. Trans Day of Revenge 7″
[Sabotage Records]
What can I say, the band deserved the hype.
FRAMTID The Horrific Visions 7″
[Brain Solvent Propaganda]
A release by Framtid is guaranteed a spot on the year-end list, and this monster doesn’t do anything to change that.
BLACK AND WHITE/THE SAVAGES split 7″
[Beastly Clad Records]
I could have done without the new-wave-ish opening on The Savages track, other than that – top notch, catchy, speedy, snotty punk!
VAASKA Futuro Primitivo 7″
[Vox Populi]
The perfect mix Spanish, Swedish and Finnish hardcore.
KRIMTÄNK Avbrott EP
[Pike Records]
Sweden 1983 in 2016!
ALIENATION 2016 EP
[Warthog Speak Records]
Chaos! Fast, loud and noisy hardcore – nothing wrong with that.
KORROSIVE Syövyttävä Laji 7″
[Distort Reality]
Finland 1983 in Oakland 2016.
CHAOS U.K. Shit Man Fucker 7″
[540 Records]
Not really the sound of their classic material, but still, I listened to this a lot the last year.
Best of 2016 on TWELVE inches:
GLORIOUS? Who are They to Impose Restrictions? LP
[Adult Crash]
Kängnäve pumpin’ Malmö raw punk attack!
BOMBUS Repeat Until Death LP
[Century Media]
So much groove. So much heavy. So much good.
THE WAR GOES ON s/t LP
[Adult Crash/New Dark Age]
This could just as well have grabbed the first or second spot. Catchy angst out of K-town.
POISON IDEA Calling all Ghosts 12″
[American Leather Records]
What can I say? They still know how to deliver the goods. Or rather knew how to deliver as they’ve called it quits. Again.
SUNSHINE WARD Order 12″EP
[Feral Ward]
Great hardcore raw punk from Boston with vocals that remind me of No Security – how can you go wrong?
ZERO s/t LP
[Farewell Records/Desolate Records/Anomie]
Blazing burning spirits hardcore punk out of Minneapolis. Could be the best non-Japanese band since Selfish to ever nail this style!?
CINDERBLOCK s/t LP
[Brain Solvent Propaganda]
Anti-nuke, anti-police, anti-religion, pro-punk – go pogo. Religious Trrrrrr!
URSUT Köp dig lycklig LP
[Phobia Records/Not Enough Records]
10 hard hitting tracks that alternate between furious hardcore punk and rumbling d-beat. Don’t ask me to motive why this isn’t higher up on the list, because I can’t.
SVAVELDIOXID Ändlös mardröm LP
[Konton Crasher/Phobia Records]
For an endless nightmare, my only complaint is that it’s too short. No krångel Swedish käng.