Contributed by Felix L.G

#10 FUCKIN’ LOVERS - CRUCIFIXION OF THE MASSES

This band is perfect. Captures the stupidity of the style like no one else today. I wonder if they will ever decide to drop the noise and play rock and roll like the later era SWANKYS when they decided to go ‘77 mode. I could really only love this band more if they did a total musical pivot that made everyone really upset.

FFO: GAI, CONFUSE, ATROCIOUS MADNESS

#9 BLACK DOG - SEWN INTO CONFUSION

AUGH!

FFO: DISCLOSE, FRAMTID, DOOM

#8 PUFFER - STREET HASSLE

If PUFFER’s first two EPs could be described as hardcore punk with heavy rock and roll leanings, on their LP they dive headfirst into outrageous capital R - Rock. On “Never Enough” we get the first song by them with an almost WIPERS-esque nostalgic melancholy feel. Personally, I love to hear them dial it back a little and for all the instruments to have a moment to breathe. Would love to see some longer songs on the next release, maybe even an instrumental track??? I doubt they need the encouragement but guys….go nuts. I’m here for it.

FFO: AC/DC, THE SCIENTISTS, THE KIDS

#7 ELECTRIC CHAIR / PHYSIQUE - SPLIT

Like their idols, DISCLOSE, it’s hard to pick a right Physique release to listen to sometimes. If you find yourself in that struggle, this is a good go-to. They really excel at not beating riffs to death, hear them twice, they’re gone. The ELECTRIC CHAIR side includes maybe their catchiest song. A good split is hard to find, but this will be getting many re-listens.

FFO: FAITH/VOID, TOTALITAR/DISCLOSE, HERESY/CONCRETE SOX

#6 WAYS OF HIDING - S/T

I wish I had seen this band more than one time in 2025 but sadly I only caught their first show. It really made an impression though, being easily one of my favourite live sets last year. It really feels like everyone in this band is bringing their best to this project. Excellent, emotionally effective post punk that pulls on the heart strings without leaning too hard into being dark. Good listening for the next few cold, grey months.

FFO: PLEASURE LEFTISTS, SWEEPING PROMISES, MUSTA PARAATI

#5 RECALL - DEMO II

As much as I loved the 7”, the tunes on this demo fest release are, in my opinion, their tightest yet. The recording is raw, but very dynamic. The guitars are not so distorted that they go into metal territory, sounding more like the bootpunk of Boston bands like GREEN BERET or SUNSHINE WARD. All the shifts into slower, mosh territory feel very natural, which is hard to pull off in a band like this! Vocals are totally blown out, stopping just short of indecipherable, bringing to mind the distorted vocals of Japanese raw punk like KURO. Track 3, “The Butcher’s Smile”, is the catchiest punk song I’ve heard this year. The sort of call-and-response coordination between the vocals and tom rolls on the fourth track are uber satisfying. RECALL’s best songwriting yet, praying for an LP.

FFO: RÄ,KÄNG, SKIT

#4 MANTRACKER - DEMO

My current favourite new Canadian band and one that I hope releases more tunes and (more importantly) tour in 2026. Word on the street is these three saw BLACK DOG and felt a visceral need to play fast. Drums, the most important punk instrument, really pop on this recording and snare rolls go off like the rattle of armalites. Seeing them in St. John’s in an alley was maybe my favourite live punk experience of 2025. AUS ROTTEN cover is really the cherry on top. Love love love.

FFO: PROFANE EXISTENCE, PEACEVILLE, CLAY RECORDS

#3 MUJERES PODRIDAS - SANGRE Y SOL

A surprise favourite of mine when DUREX played with them at Noise Not Borders Fest in 2023. I love a speedy closed high hat, shout out to Mr. Scott who always reminds me it's the toughest thing to play on drums. They have perfected that mid-tempo DISCHARGE beat (think “state violence”, “a look at tomorrow”), sped up and so filled with hooks that its bordering on sounding like a more raw BUZZCOCKS. There are also faster songs, more in line with THE EJECTED than DISCHARGE. This LP sees the band go even further in the realm of jangly, chorus tinged post punk in the realm of bands like PURA MANIA or GENERACION SUICIDA. More blazing punk records should close out with melancholy acoustic guitar.

FFO: CRIATURAS, BLITZ, UGLY SHADOWS

#2 UZU - A QUI LA LIBERTÉ?

Montreal’s masters of mid tempo, and probably still our city’s most underrated band. All over this record are touches of the darker side of garage punk, not out of place next to bands like RED DONS, or RADIOACTIVITY. That raw speed is filtered through the melancholy SIEKIERA stutter that’s all over the recurring palm muted riffs. Track 6, “Ahktanik”, which has that punishing drone of a KILLING JOKE song. An improvement on everything that made the first LP so good, can’t wait to hear what UZU does next!

FFO: MASSHYSTERI, KULTURKAMPF, 1919

#1 ABISM - 7”

I love d-beat. I love a band that can find a way to put a new spin on a genre that's been beaten to death. The guitar tone and the squealing leads feel like something more appropriate to a noise rock record, very reminiscent of the art-school d-beat of BARCELONA. Like that band, everything here is boiled down to its essentials. Absolutely no frills, not a note or a flourish or a bend out of place.

FFO: BARCELONA, DESTINO FINAL, TOZIBABE

HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

• MERCY - EP
• KLEPTOCRACY - Demo
• TOTAL NADA - Aquí y Ahora
• DURS COEURS - Crise Cardiaque
• COMMITMENT - DEMO
• ILLITERATES - Does Not Compute
• TRENCHCOAT - DEMO