We all say it every year, but this year was another exceptionally-loaded year for extreme music, with more album-of-the-year contenders and records that raise the bar than in recent memory. The Decibel Top 40 Albums of 2024 list reflects that fact, too: it spans across genres and labels from all corners of the extreme music scene.
If you prefer your songs to come in 30-second bursts with mosh parts and very-specific vocals, there were a number of albums this year to scratch that itch. Here are five powerviolence you probably missed (or should definitely revisit) in 2024.
Kidnapped, Disgust
Connecticut outfit Kidnapped have been at it since 2017 but Disgust, their second album, is another step up for the band. Kidnapped have always had some of the heaviest mosh parts of their peers and that’s amped all the way up here. The songwriting throughout Disgust is breezy, with closer “Not Today” the only song over two minutes, but fleshed out enough that songs aren’t just flying by.
Sinister Feeling, Sinister Feeling
Of all the bands on this list, Sinister Feeling are the closest to the classic, punk-based powerviolence sound. Their self-titled debut LP is full of tempo changes, blasts and Spazz-esque vocals. Sinister Feeling are a band to watch if their first album is any indicator—just listen to songs like “Won’t Go Back” and “Encased in Cement.”
Suppression, Spiritual Sepsis
Suppression have been around since 1992 and they’re still making noise—a lot of it. Spiritual Sepsis throws it back to the Slap a Ham era of the subgenre, but, as To Live a Lie label owner Will Butler told Decibel, “played with maturity and precision.” If you like it noisy and a little weird, no one does it better than the Richmond duo.
Failure, Obstinate
Italian powerviolence outfit Failure went five years without a release and seven without a full-length, but they made up for the time away with one of the best releases in years. Mixed and mastered by Will Killingsworth, Obstinate is extremely fast, packed with demoralizing lyrics and leaves you wanting more. Hopefully it won’t be so long before the next album.
Collapsed Skull, Your Father’s Rage Evaporated in the Sun
In a year with two Full of Hell releases, Collapsed Skull’s first album flew slightly under the radar but should absolutely not be missed. Vocalist Dylan Walker (Full of Hell), bassist/vocalist Brandon Brown (Jarhead Fertilizer/ex-Full of Hell) and drummer Jordan Skipper joined forces in 2022, releasing Eternity Maze, but on Your Father’s Rage, they found a truly unique sound, blending noisy deathgrind, powerviolence and hardcore with samples and hip-hop beats.
Collapsed Skull draw from familiar wells but their application is unique, abrasive and, at times, strangely catchy. Your Father’s Rage Evaporated in the Sun is hard to classify, but it would be a mistake to miss this one.
