K.O.S (Kinetic Orbital Strike)

I had the chance to catch K.O.S in Philly just before the new year and right around the release of their debut self-titled EP, which you can find on Bandcamp. With members of Philly's own Dark Thoughts and Power Trip drummer Chris Ulsh on guitar, this is not a band to miss if you have the chance to see them live! Their show was incredible and the EP sounds as completely furious as their live set (recorded and mixed by Trish Quigley). I can't say enough about the drumming in this band, and it's captured perfectly on the record. Looking forward to the next show and release from these guys!

Sial

Sial is a hardcore punk band out of Singapore. A very recent discovery to me, but the intensity and urgency they present got my attention immediately. Check out their 2020 album Tari Pemusnah Kuasa or their latest single, "Hasta."

Vile Creature

Vile Creature is a band I've known about for a while, but finally seeing them live earlier this year completely solidified the appreciation I have for them and what they do. The night at their show was one of those sacred nights in music where you could feel everyone's energy in the room shift into one unit and center entirely on the band. We were completely enamored by and swept up in their songs. You could feel a physical pull from the audience towards them as their set went on. It was heavy and beautiful, honest and a truly cathartic experience that I'm very grateful to have had. Check out their latest record, Glory! Glory! Apathy Took Helm! and definitely go see them live. Also on the bill the night we saw Vile Creature was Ragana and Witching (my two super bonus picks for this list, because picking five is hard!)

Escuela Grind

One of my favorite newer records is Escuela Grind's 2022 release Memory Theater produced by Kurt Ballou. It's grindcore meets old school death metal and hardcore. The playing throughout the record is phenomenal. Their riffs are just unrelenting, pulling you through long turbulent moments reminiscent of Morbid Angel or Obituary then propelling you somewhere completely new with impressive blasts and power violence grooves. It's a wild ride and I'm so excited to keep hearing what they put out!

Fearing

However one would describe California's Fearing (coldwave, post punk, shoegaze...), they are making some beautiful and dark music with an emotional heaviness and melodic sensibility that's undeniable. I was sad to have missed them doing some dates with Gatecreeper, 200 Stab Wounds and Narrow Head (three more super bonus picks for the list!) in 2022, so I'm definitely looking forward to seeing them at some point. Check out their records Black Sand, Shadow and the latest release, Desolate.

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