Queensway – “Of Flesh, Bone, and…Baltimore Blood” (Daze Style, 2024)

Daze Style is synonym of quality, period, and this is a great example of the people they team-up with! Queensway is a tough Hardcore band from Baltimore. Those who saw “The Wire” can easily place the band in that scenery. Musically speaking, these lads are a Hardcore band at heart, no doubt, but I guess they “mess around” with heavier music scenes, right? The vocals are a good example of how the bands did not settle for one genre, or one musical expression, but laid down all the influences they have. In the end, the result is quite good and dynamic. This is their latest release, a 2-song EP/Demo/Whatever you want to call it, and kit give out these killer vibes that something wicked is on the works. Keep us updated, lads.

Trail Of Lies – “Only the Strong” (2024)

Straight out of New York City, mates! Blood boiling and fists up high! Trail of Lies, godamn! I do not know, but this might be some hard ass kicking Hardcore! Well, it is, and the vocals are what I have less love for. They sound more on the growling side than anything else, but they fit the sound, oddly enough. Trail of Blood is a band from Syracuse, a Straight Edge band, to be more precise. Their sound is not what you would expect from the NYHC scene, but it comes to show how broad the scene really is. The band called in a few friends, and one of them is Terror’s frontman Scott Vogel, another lad that hits hard. Yeah, Trail of Blood is an interesting offer; I do not know if the label Hardcore gives a complete view of the band, but they definitely fit the genre… with some extras. And those extras are hard! Not Metalcorian, I guess, but hard as in HARD. These lads have been around since 2016 at least, when they released “Strength Through Discipline”, their first ever. Funny thing is, the more I listen to it, the less I know where to place them. Hardcore grooves, no doubt, not Heavy Metal elements, but almost there… funny. But hey, forget that! If you like hard hitting music, check them out.

Paradise – “Demo 2024” (2024)

Now straight to Austin, Texas, for a dose of violence… sweet violence. This is the Hardcore that get my blood pumping every morning at the gym! This thing that gives chills up your spine, that makes you dance and punch the air! That hard groove, d’you know what I mean?! Slow, heavy, thick, ugly and sweaty! Damn, son! This sounds like Hardcore on steroids. Still, you have to love the slower pace, the heavier groove, the overall musical construction Paradise put together! What more to say? 25 to Life is a good example, I guess! Man, I love these tracks, just love them.

Firewalker – “Hell Bent” (Triple B Records, 2024)

Heeeeey! Boston is the bomb, when it comes to Hardcore. Would love to visit and all that. But we are not here to talk about travelling, we are here to talk about music. Firewalker is a 5 piece “rage congregation”. Great thing about it? And I do not want to go down the representation hole: all girls! They spit fire and venom, and rock hard as Hell! It has that Hardcore groove, that swing, if I may, but the vocals are very Death Metal in a way, maybe Metalcore minus the weak part. I like it, I like it. Again, is it Hardcore? How to label it Hardcore? Based on the music and not the vocals? Well, that is a hard one. Nonetheless, I like it. It holds power and stamina, fuelling the mind and the body. Not speeded up, which is good; keeps a good tempo and it hits hard whenever needed. I say carry on. Well, was that a Crossover moment? Oh yes it was, and with a solo and all… very short one, nonetheless. It came out on Triple B, and that is more than enough reason to check. Check “Limbo”. It is different…