Milkmaid out of Calgary, Alberta play crushing sludge & doom. Their self-titled release dropped March 8, 2026 with five tracks of heavy, oppressive brutality. The three-piece - Jade McLellan on bass/vocals, Marissa Ruggles on guitar, and Meghana Iyer on drums - deliver nearly 18 minutes of slow, grinding punishment. Dark atmosphere, tortured vocals, and massive riffs throughout.
FFO: Body Void, Khanate, Burning Witch, Sunrot
THE SLASHER out of Colorado Springs, Colorado play blackened negative hardcore with war metal intensity. SPITE dropped March 13, 2026 with four tracks of venomous aggression and hateful fury. Raw black metal meets crushing hardcore brutality and misanthropic vocals. Pure nihilism and rage channeled through relentless riffs and blasting drums. This is the first release from the band and they're already pushing some extreme boundaries. I love this smothering sound they have.
FFO: Full Of Hell, Vermin Womb, Hexis
STRAGGLER out of Oakland, California play frantic powerviolence with fastcore intensity. Without a Country dropped March 13, 2026 with three tracks of blazing aggression and crushing breakdowns. Combining fast/slow dynamics, guttural vocals, and unhinged fury - the band tears through it in under five minutes of pure chaos. This is the third release from the band and they keep getting heavier and faster.
FFO: ACxDC, Scalp, Infest, Man Is The Bastard
Strzyyga out of Kansas City, Missouri play blackened crust with raw black metal fury. Nocturnal Famishment dropped March 6, 2026 with six tracks of hissing, primeval hatred. D-beat rhythms collide with lo-fi black metal tremolo and grim atmosphere throughout. The trio - Blasphoghol, Ahriman, and Hammerlich - spew over 14 minutes of nocturnal aggression.
FFO: Young and in the Way, Ancst, Vestiges
My Condolences are a Northern Kentucky two-piece (Jordan on Baritone guitar & vocals with Corey on drums) that play sludgy d-beat hardcore with doomed-out screamo heaviness. Their debut The Pressure Builds dropped August 1, 2020 with eight tracks of crushing desparation and metallic aggression. They tear through nearly 21 minutes of slow, grinding punishment. D-beat rhythms meet sludge metal with a smothering weight and bleak atmosphere. This was released through The Ghost is Clear Records on a 45 rpm 12" lathe cut which is sold out. Live at Healer in Indianapolis 10/07/22, a cassette release, came out August 3, 2023 on Tomb Tree Tapes (also sold out) with five live tracks captured at Healer in Indianapolis. And if you're local, you can check them out on April 18th at DSGN Collective in Cincinnati playing with Lordship for the Sealer record release. Also, My Condolences features members of Flesh Mother, Scenario, Clouded, Burn Victim, Suffocate Faster & Suicide Pact. I'm really looking forward to hearing more stuff from these dudes.
FFO: Eyehategod, Torch Runner, Loma Prieta, Celeste
Porcupine out of Chicago/Pittsburgh play blackened chaotic hardcore with powerviolence ferocity. Martyrdom dropped February 27, 2026 with three re-mixed and re-mastered tracks originally released as a split with Griphook. Fast, chaotic blasts meet dark, metallic riffing and frantic intensity. The band tears through this in just over five minutes of pure aggression.
FFO: Jesus Piece, Cult Leader, Portrayal of Guilt
DeathFeeder from Newcastle, Australia play old school Swedish death metal. Unleashing Ruin dropped February 25, 2026 with four tracks of grinding, buzzsaw-toned brutality. Classic BOSS HM-2 chainsaw worship done right with crushing riffs and relentless aggression. Features members and ex-members of The Amenta, Lord Kaos, and Manticore.
FFO: Entombed, Gatecreeper, LIK
D.M.V. out of Washington, D.C. play abrasive noise punk with no wave chaos. Five Finger Discount dropped February 28, 2026 with five tracks of raw, distorted aggression. Tons of dissonant guitars, shouted vocals, and unhinged energy. First release from the band and it's deliberately ugly in the best way.
FFO: Couch Slut, USA Nails, Lovely Wife
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Another local band for me with a new release, you love to see it. Pain Begins out of Cincinnati, Ohio play heavy metallic hardcore with beatdown brutality. Tired Of Being Alive dropped February 27, 2026 with five tracks of crushing aggression. Slow, punishing breakdowns meet ferocious riffs and furious vocals - this is hardcore at its most nihilistic and punishing. Album art by Tommy Wilson captures the bleakness perfectly. The band's third release continues their descent into darker, heavier territory.
FFO: Sunami, GEL, Simulakra, Jesus Piece
SKALLAR from Baltimore play raw d-beat crust punk. Their 2026 EP dropped February 27, 2026 with five tracks of furious, metallic aggression. Grinding riffs, relentless d-beat drums, and politically charged fury - this is crust punk/metal done right. Cover art by Jamie Rosier sets the bleak tone perfectly. Fast, filthy, and uncompromising from start to finish.
FFO: KRUELTY, Röntgen, Discharge