Epitaph Europe News

For The Bobby Lees, their fourth album and Epitaph debut New Self marks a thrilling new chapter for the band while doubling down on what"s always made them so magnetic. The Bobby Lees don"t need much in the way of introduction. Within a few seconds of exposure to their furnace-blast live shows or their bottled-lightning studio records, it"s easy to hear why they"ve earned fans in legendary musicians like Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry, and Henry Rollins. They"re as uncompromising in their sound and generous with their energy as any of their punk ancestors who first rewrote the rules of engagement back in the 1970s. Led by singer and guitarist Sam Quartin, drummer Macky Bowman, and bassist Kendall Wind, The Bobby Lees bring wildness and danger back into punk rock. You can hear the band easing into a new confidence -- one that"s both looser and more towering -- all throughout New Self, from the seething, fiery "Napoleon" to the rambunctious, offbeat take on PJ Harvey"s "50ft Queenie." This is the sound of a band who"s scrambled over shaky ground only to come back stronger than ever: more confident, more connected, louder and fiercer and secure in their own skin.

Orange County"s Social Distortion returns with its first album in 15 years with Born to Kill. Armed with 11 urgent songs, Mike Ness continues to build on the mystique that Social Distortion is more than just a punk band. Throughout the collection, Ness revisits the sounds of the 1970s, his formative adolescent years. Born to Kill is a continuation of the bar of excellence that Social Distortion and, in turn, Ness has long been praised for. Born to Kill is a body of work that will live long in the Social Distortion catalog. Songs like the hard-charging title track that serves as the album"s mission statement, along with the riff-laden "Partners in Crime," the nostalgic "The Way Things Were," and rollicking "Tonight" are songs that fit in across any of Social Distortion"s various eras. Now nearly five decades into its career and with a remarkable catalog spanning nearly three generations, Social Distortion has no intention of slowing down any time soon.

Orange County"s Social Distortion returns with its first album in 15 years with Born to Kill. Armed with 11 urgent songs, Mike Ness continues to build on the mystique that Social Distortion is more than just a punk band. Throughout the collection, Ness revisits the sounds of the 1970s, his formative adolescent years. Born to Kill is a continuation of the bar of excellence that Social Distortion and, in turn, Ness has long been praised for. Born to Kill is a body of work that will live long in the Social Distortion catalog. Songs like the hard-charging title track that serves as the album"s mission statement, along with the riff-laden "Partners in Crime," the nostalgic "The Way Things Were," and rollicking "Tonight" are songs that fit in across any of Social Distortion"s various eras. Now nearly five decades into its career and with a remarkable catalog spanning nearly three generations, Social Distortion has no intention of slowing down any time soon.

Joyce Manor are California pop-punk legends and I Used To Go To This Bar is this epochal band operating at the top of their game. They continue to deliver relentlessly satisfying rock music in a manner that makes it look simply effortless. The Torrance, California-hailing trio of Barry Johnson, Chase Knobbe, and Matt Ebert are at a point in their career where their position as one of the most beloved rock bands is a foregone conclusion. Their seventh album finds the group continuing to find rich new veins to tap in their short-and sweet songcraft without losing an ounce of bite that gained them such repute in the first place. I Used To Go To This Bar further situates Joyce Manor in the rich lineage of their influences and inspirations. Think AFI"s rapid-fire burn, Weezer"s indelible power-pop acumen, and the dusky emotionalism of The Smiths while further establishing them as leading lights in the current rock landscape. The fresh burst of inspiration that fuels I Used To Go To This Bar proves that Joyce Manor are far from content to rest on such laurels, moving forward with their sound and style in a way that reminds you of how they got to this point in the first place. Catch them live at Coachella 2026.

Living Targets, the 2002 Beatsteaks album, available on ash grey colored vinyl.

Living Targets, the 2002 Beatsteaks album, available on ash grey colored vinyl.

The classic 1988 NOFX album, available on vinyl. First time pressed in Europe on black and colored vinyl. Recorded in 88 by Brett Gurewitz in 3 days at west beach recorders. We we"re all stoked cause we got to meet Brett from bad religion. He asked us if we wanted to put the record out on epitaph, but we wanted to put it out ourselves. What a mistake. It took almost a year to sell 1500 copies at 4 bucks a piece, and we only got paid for half. We ended up giving the record to epitaph like 5 years later with a new cover. I wouldn"t say this record sucks, but it"s still pretty hard to listen to.

The classic 1988 NOFX album, available on vinyl. First time pressed in Europe on black and colored vinyl. Recorded in 88 by Brett Gurewitz in 3 days at west beach recorders. We we"re all stoked cause we got to meet Brett from bad religion. He asked us if we wanted to put the record out on epitaph, but we wanted to put it out ourselves. What a mistake. It took almost a year to sell 1500 copies at 4 bucks a piece, and we only got paid for half. We ended up giving the record to epitaph like 5 years later with a new cover. I wouldn"t say this record sucks, but it"s still pretty hard to listen to.

SPIRIT!, the third LP from HUNNY, is about embracing the weird-an album born from uncertainty and built on instinct. It"s a testament to breaking free, starting over, and tuning out the noise. Now the sole project of longtime frontman Jason Yarger, HUNNY has shed its past shape to become something more fully itself. SPIRIT! doesn"t reinvent the wheel so much as keep it spinning forward. Across 15 tracks, the album-co-produced by Yarger and former bassist Kevin Grimmett with drums by former drummer Joey Anderson-leans into the sounds that have always lit HUNNY"s fuse: hooky post-punk, gleaming synths, and shout-along choruses praised by Alternative Press, Kerrang!, and Rock Sound. But it also pushes further-into abstraction, playfulness, and freedom. It"s the latest turn for HUNNY, a band long celebrated for shapeshifting through genres and decades with style on fan-favorite releases like Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. (2019) and new planet heaven (2023)-always evolving, yet unmistakably themselves. That dynamic energy carries into their high-voltage live show, sharpened on tours with Joywave, Mom Jeans, Waterparks, and State Champs.

Joyce Manor are California pop-punk legends and I Used To Go To This Bar is this epochal band operating at the top of their game. They continue to deliver relentlessly satisfying rock music in a manner that makes it look simply effortless. The Torrance, California-hailing trio of Barry Johnson, Chase Knobbe, and Matt Ebert are at a point in their career where their position as one of the most beloved rock bands is a foregone conclusion. Their seventh album finds the group continuing to find rich new veins to tap in their short-and sweet songcraft without losing an ounce of bite that gained them such repute in the first place. I Used To Go To This Bar further situates Joyce Manor in the rich lineage of their influences and inspirations. Think AFI"s rapid-fire burn, Weezer"s indelible power-pop acumen, and the dusky emotionalism of The Smiths while further establishing them as leading lights in the current rock landscape. The fresh burst of inspiration that fuels I Used To Go To This Bar proves that Joyce Manor are far from content to rest on such laurels, moving forward with their sound and style in a way that reminds you of how they got to this point in the first place. Catch them live at Coachella 2026.

Who better to help you celebrate that most wonderful time of the year than holiday favorites Bad Religion? Tackling eight chestnuts in their classic punk rock style. From "White Christmas" with its nod to pioneers The Ramones, to the glorious choirboy intro to "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," Christmas Songs is the record you need to get your holiday household"s toes tapping. First time ever double sided, 45 RPM.

Obwohl "Suffer" lediglich eine Laufzeit von 26 Minuten hat, war die Platte für Fat Mike, den Sänger und Bassisten von NoFX, in Bezug auf das amerikanische Punk-Revival der Neunziger "das Album, das alles veränderte". Tatsächlich bedeutete der dritte Langspieler der Band 1988 nicht nur den internationalen Szenedurchbruch für Bad Religion, er schuf auch die Grundlage für den massiven Erfolg des Epitaph-Labels, das mit The Offspring, NoFX, Rancid und Pennywise just jene Gruppen unter Vertrag nahm, die in den Neunzigern mit Melodic Hardcore, Pop-Punk und Skatepunk für Furore sorgten. "Suffer" bot für die damalige Zeit etwas völlig Neues: Schnelle, aber sehr melodische Songs mit mehrstimmigen Gesängen und Hintergrundchören sowie abrupte Rhythmuswechsel; hinzu kamen der klare Gesang Greg Graffins, der durch eine exakte Aussprache und Metrik gekennzeichnet ist, sowie intellektuell inspirierte Lyrics. Bad Religion spielten die 15 Songs von "Suffer" in der Originalbesetzung - Greg Graffin (Gesang), Brett Gurewitz (Gitarre), Greg Hetson (Gitarre), Jay Bentley (Bass), Pete Finestone (Schlagzeug) - im April 1988 im Westbeach Recorders-Studio in Hollywood ein. Das Album wurde von Brett Gurewitz und Donnell Cameron in acht Tagen aufgenommen und gemixt.

"Against The Grain" is screechingly released hot on the heels of the previous years punk hit `No Control" which sold so many copies, why not keep the formula untouched? The exuberance of this release is kinda tuff ta" blow off. Contains the superior original version of "21st Century Digital Boy" plus 16 more crucial cuts. A barrage of melodic, hyper-overdrive.

"No Control" is one of the albums that helped bridge the band"s more reckless earlier direction with their more focused (but just as pissed-off) "90s-era. The strength of such cuts as "Big Bang," "Automatic Man," the title track, and "I Want to Conquer the World." No Control is one of the bands best all-time albums and an archetypal blueprint for the genre.

"Straight up, no one is having more fun than me when we"re up there!" beams DRAIN frontman Sammy Ciaramitaro, whose face is perpetually glued in a grin. For anyone that"s seen the Santa Cruz hardcore firebrands live, there"s no mistaking that fact. DRAIN isn"t just a good time as Sammy presides over the chaos of stage diving bodies and mic-grabbing frontline; it"s a party-and everyone is invited. (Dolphin shorts and boogie boards are optional but encouraged.) "The vibe of it is, enthusiastic, hectic," says the vocalist. "Five people deep singing and stagediving, then kids going berserk behind that. It"s a great vibe and I think people pick up on that." That, in a nutshell is DRAIN. The trio inject a serious dose of relatability-not to mention catchiness-into hardcore"s penchant for toughness and brutality on their new Epitaph album, ...IS YOUR FRIEND. Ciaramitaro"s desperate, snotty howl rides roughshod over thrash-leaning riffage as rhythms bounce in a big way. If you"re picturing the Pacific Ocean waves that rise and fall along the coastal town, occasionally violently so, you"re not far off.

"Straight up, no one is having more fun than me when we"re up there!" beams DRAIN frontman Sammy Ciaramitaro, whose face is perpetually glued in a grin. For anyone that"s seen the Santa Cruz hardcore firebrands live, there"s no mistaking that fact. DRAIN isn"t just a good time as Sammy presides over the chaos of stage diving bodies and mic-grabbing frontline; it"s a party-and everyone is invited. (Dolphin shorts and boogie boards are optional but encouraged.) "The vibe of it is, enthusiastic, hectic," says the vocalist. "Five people deep singing and stagediving, then kids going berserk behind that. It"s a great vibe and I think people pick up on that." That, in a nutshell is DRAIN. The trio inject a serious dose of relatability-not to mention catchiness-into hardcore"s penchant for toughness and brutality on their new Epitaph album, ...IS YOUR FRIEND. Ciaramitaro"s desperate, snotty howl rides roughshod over thrash-leaning riffage as rhythms bounce in a big way. If you"re picturing the Pacific Ocean waves that rise and fall along the coastal town, occasionally violently so, you"re not far off.

Living Targets, the 2002 Beatsteaks album - available for the first time on colored vinyl - and for the first time on vinyl since its release in 2002.

Smack/Smash, the band"s 2004 platinum selling album containing the singles Hand in Hand, Hello Joe and I Don"t Care As Long As You Sing.

The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die return October 17 with Dreams of Being Dust, an album that finds the Connecticut-formed collective plumbing the depths of emotional ruin and emerging with their most scorched, unrelenting work yet. Co-produced by guitarist Chris Teti (Fiddlehead, Anxious) and Greg Thomas (END, Misery Signals), the album exchanges the band"s usual sprawl for something more serrated-folding djent-like heft and post-hardcore volatility into their post-everything DNA. Dreams of Being Dust is the band"s fifth studio album, and follows up their well- received 2021 album, Illusory Walls, which arrived as their "heaviest, proggiest, most audacious release to date" according to Stereogum. Tackling complex social and political themes like religion and capitalism, Pitchfork praised its scathing indictments as "fuming with resentment for the ruthless greed and self-interest fueling societal collapse. If Illusory Walls was their grand reckoning, Dreams Of Being Dust is the aftermath: raw, furious, alive. But even amid the chaos, the band"s core remains intact-a belief in community, resistance, and making sense of the world through sheer volume and vulnerability. TWIABP have always blurred the lines between hope and despair, and here, that duality feels sharper than ever. Now a decade in, the band- David F. Bello (vocals), Chris Teti (guitar/ vocals), Joshua Cyr (bass), Katie Dvorak (synth/vocals), Steven K. Buttery (drums), and Anthony Gesa (guitar/ vocals)-deliver a message that sounds less like a eulogy and more like a rallying cry.

Nevertel, are set to release their Epitaph Records debut album, entitled Start Again. The Florida-based trio - comprised of vocalist Jeremy Michael, rapper/guitarist/producer Raul Lopez, and guitarist Alec Davis - are a rare breed in an era saturated with genre tags and algorithm-chasing playlists. Drawing on a cocktail of nu-metal nostalgia, hip-hop grit, and EDM adrenaline, their sound feels less like a blend and more like a carefully controlled detonation. It"s a vision honed through years of DIY hustle and an unshakable commitment to quality over trend. Bonded in adolescence over music and late-night gaming sessions, the trio turned those formative obsessions into a full-fledged project that has steadily built a digital groundswell. From self-releasing two fulllength albums and a pair of EPs to amassing over 1.5 million streams per week, Nevertel"s trajectory reflects a slow burn in a culture obsessed with instant virality. Citing touchstones like Linkin Park and Bring Me The Horizon, the band pays homage to the titans of their youth while shaping something unmistakably their own: emotionally raw lyricism, razor-edged riffs and breakdowns. It"s equal parts catharsis and chaos. Now signed to Epitaph Records as of 2023, Nevertel are poised to enter their next chapter with momentum at their backs.

"Horizons/West" (2025) completes the thematic arc begun with "Horizons/East" (2021), pairing personal reflection with sweeping sonic ambition. Self-produced by the band, engineered by guitarist Teppei Teranishi, mixed by Scott Evans, and mastered by Matthew J. Barnhart, "Horizons/West"balances cinematic tones with spacious atmosphere. Teranishi calls it "less dense," while vocalist Dustin Kensrue sees it as their first sequel-two halves of a larger emotional and political panorama. Blending post-rock textures from their earlier albums "Beggars" and "Major/Minor", with rhythmic complexity from "Horizons/East", the band sharpens its edge without losing nuance. Kensrue"s vocals shift from whisper to roar, anchoring meditations on perception, memory, and social influence. "Horizons/West" looks inward while never ignoring the larger world - urging listeners not to adopt beliefs, but to interrogate them. After more than two decades, Thrice continues building catharsis from chaos, and clarity from noise.

"Horizons/West" (2025) completes the thematic arc begun with "Horizons/East" (2021), pairing personal reflection with sweeping sonic ambition. Self-produced by the band, engineered by guitarist Teppei Teranishi, mixed by Scott Evans, and mastered by Matthew J. Barnhart, "Horizons/West"balances cinematic tones with spacious atmosphere. Teranishi calls it "less dense," while vocalist Dustin Kensrue sees it as their first sequel-two halves of a larger emotional and political panorama. Blending post-rock textures from their earlier albums "Beggars" and "Major/Minor", with rhythmic complexity from "Horizons/East", the band sharpens its edge without losing nuance. Kensrue"s vocals shift from whisper to roar, anchoring meditations on perception, memory, and social influence. "Horizons/West" looks inward while never ignoring the larger world - urging listeners not to adopt beliefs, but to interrogate them. After more than two decades, Thrice continues building catharsis from chaos, and clarity from noise.

Tallahassee"s Pool Kids are turning up the heat with Easier Said Than Done, their electrifying new album dropping September 26 via Epitaph Records. Kicking things off with the punchy, addictive lead single of the same name, the band showcases a sharpened edge to their signature blend of math rock intricacy and indie-pop charm. Following the critical success of their 2022 self-titled album-hailed by Paste, Stereogum, and Consequence-Pool Kids have been making waves on the road with the likes of Soccer Mommy, PUP, Joyce Manor, and most recently, Beach Bunny. Easier Said Than Done finds the band leveling up in every way, delivering explosive energy, emotional depth, and undeniable hooks that cement their place as one of the most exciting acts in indie rock today.

Tallahassee"s Pool Kids are turning up the heat with Easier Said Than Done, their electrifying new album dropping September 26 via Epitaph Records. Kicking things off with the punchy, addictive lead single of the same name, the band showcases a sharpened edge to their signature blend of math rock intricacy and indie-pop charm. Following the critical success of their 2022 self-titled album-hailed by Paste, Stereogum, and Consequence-Pool Kids have been making waves on the road with the likes of Soccer Mommy, PUP, Joyce Manor, and most recently, Beach Bunny. Easier Said Than Done finds the band leveling up in every way, delivering explosive energy, emotional depth, and undeniable hooks that cement their place as one of the most exciting acts in indie rock today.

After a ten-year absence that left a palpable void in the hearts of millennial emo kids, MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK are finally back-and yes, it"s everything we hoped for. The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World feels like coming home: a dizzying, emotionally articulate blast of guitar-laced pop-punk that reminds us why this band meant so much in the first place. It"s a sonic time machine, sure, but it never gets stuck in the past. Instead, it builds on it-older, a little bruised, but somehow more alive. Justin Pierre"s voice still wobbles gloriously between a scream and a sigh, only now it carries the weight of experience, not just anxiety. Rather than reinventing themselves, MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK double down on what they"ve always done best: big hooks, bigger feelings, and that perfect tightrope walk between chaos and control. Tracks like "Particle Physics" (with Patrick Stump of Fallout Boy) and "Your Days Are Numbered" (featuring Mat Kerekes of Citizen) channel the kind of clarity that only comes after surviving your own worst years. In a world drowning in lazy nostalgia, The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World is a rare and welcome return that feels less like a reunion and more like a long-overdue continuation.

After a ten-year absence that left a palpable void in the hearts of millennial emo kids, MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK are finally back-and yes, it"s everything we hoped for. The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World feels like coming home: a dizzying, emotionally articulate blast of guitar-laced pop-punk that reminds us why this band meant so much in the first place. It"s a sonic time machine, sure, but it never gets stuck in the past. Instead, it builds on it-older, a little bruised, but somehow more alive. Justin Pierre"s voice still wobbles gloriously between a scream and a sigh, only now it carries the weight of experience, not just anxiety. Rather than reinventing themselves, MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK double down on what they"ve always done best: big hooks, bigger feelings, and that perfect tightrope walk between chaos and control. Tracks like "Particle Physics" (with Patrick Stump of Fallout Boy) and "Your Days Are Numbered" (featuring Mat Kerekes of Citizen) channel the kind of clarity that only comes after surviving your own worst years. In a world drowning in lazy nostalgia, The Same Old Wasted Wonderful World is a rare and welcome return that feels less like a reunion and more like a long-overdue continuation.

The hotly anticipated follow-up to 2007"s Horizons, Deep Blue raised the bar in every conceivable way. While maintaining the band"s uncompromising metallic-hardcore style at its core, it pushed into exciting new realms, drawing from a wider scope of influence, incorporating everything from anthemic pop-punk to bloodcurdling death metal. With improved musical abilities and a thoroughly inspired approach to songwriting, Parkway Drive has tied the music and lyrics together into one all-encompassing concept. "It"s basically about the search for truth in a world that seems to be devoid of that," says vocalist and lyricist Winston McCall, explaining the narrative running through Deep Blue. "The story is told through the eyes of a man who wakes up and realizes that his life is a lie and nothing he believes in is real. So he tries to find the truth within himself and his journey takes him to the bottom of the ocean and back again."

It"s been six years since LA DISPUTE released their last album, Panorama. Since then, the Michigan post-hardcore band-made up of Jordan Dreyer on vocals, Brad Vander Lugt on drums, Chad Morgan-Sterenberg and Corey Stroffolino on guitar, and Adam Vass on bass-dealt with the stagnance of the pandemic, celebrated the ten-year anniversaries of Wildlife and Rooms Of The House, and began working on NO ONE WAS DRIVING THE CAR. The fifth studio LP is the first entirely produced by the group, and it came together in Grand Rapids and Detroit, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Philippines: "I think the change in environment was really helpful to breathing new life into the process each time we came back to it," Dreyer says. Partly inspired by the 2017 psychological thriller First Reformed, NO ONE WAS DRIVING THE CAR reckons with malaise in the shadow of the looming apocalypse, which has noticeably been worsened by the advancement of tech. The title comes from a quote from a police officer Dreyer read in a news article about a lethal self-driving Tesla crash, an absurd event which raises questions about the amount of control we have in our own lives. In fourteen dynamic tracks, the band grapples with the existential topic and the human need to find comfort and a sense of security in an existence where we"re often thrust into chaos without permission.

Produced by Joe Barresi (Queens of the Stone Age, Tool), The Dissent of Man finds Bad Religion pushing the boundaries of their music as much today as they did in their formative years as a genre defining punk band. Over the course of making the album, primary songwriters Greg Graffin and Brett Gurewitz"s songwriting was informed by life changing events, with Graffin writing his forthcoming book "Anarchy Evolution" and Gurewitz embarking on parenthood again. The result is one of the band"s most forward thinking and musically varied albums ever. The Dissent of Man is not only a snapshot of the band"s personal experiences of the past years but also of their continued maturity in songwriting, capturing an array of styles ranging from blazing punk rock songs like the opener "The Day That the Earth Stalled" and "Meeting of the Minds" and classic rock-tinged cuts like "Cyanide" and "Turn Your Back on Me" to radio rock ready hits like the first single "The Devil in Stitches." The Dissent of Man is a testament to why Bad Religion has remained relevant for the better part of three decades. Already having cemented their place in history as a groundbreaking band who helped create a movement in Los Angeles with classic releases like How Could Hell Be Any Worse?, Suffer, Recipe for Hate, Stranger Than Fiction and Process of Belief, Bad Religion continue to inspire and create with a unique style that continues to cross boundaries and transcends genres."

ALL and the Descendents hit you square in the jaw with this live trade. The band has always dealt with issues in their own way. They attack subjects at the core of social, political and cultural concerns: drugs ("World"s On Heroin"), our corporate-dominated society ("Educated Idiot") and religion ("Crucifixion," with its repeating chorus of "Hypocrite! Hypocrite!" and further indictment with "praise the Lord, pass the ammunition!"). ALL then proves they can segue effortlessly to somewhat lighter matters like relationships ("Breakin" Up," "She"s My Ex") with full irony in tact. Why, they nearly approach boy-band sensitivity with the tender yet thumping "Until I Say So" and the unabashed love song "Teresa." "ALL Live + One" is a must for ALL Descendents fans.

Spanning some eight albums and multiple line-ups, "All Ages" contains the very best of Bad Religion"s Epitaph years. It includes live versions of "Do What You Want" and "Fuck Armageddon..." with artwork that is culled from original show flyers! The lyrics sheets are also the original hand-written versions; some of which were scribed on bedroom walls!

"This digitally re-mastered version of ""Generator"" contains two bonus tracks for ""Heaven Is Falling"" and ""Fertile Crescent"" that originally appeared on the split 7"" with Noam Chomsky put out by Maximum Rock"N Roll in "91. ""Generator"" knocks about stirringly with a steadfast, mid-tempo punk roar, keeping the songs simple but continually on the upsurge. Brett and Greg Hetson"s guitars piggyback to ever-rousing heights, utilizing the essential chords and keeping limits on flashy things like solos or effects, never letting the enthusiasm or sentiment wane. With all players striving to turn each listening experience into a placard-waving melee, Bad Religion emblazons honest, dissatisfied-with-the-status-quo lyrics with an Uberpunk spirit, Greg Graffin"s vocals growing more gravelly and endearing with each record. With the implicit understanding that strength lies in brevity, Bad Religion hew mighty exhortations to action out of a well-trampled happy-punk base, and the sheer motivational impact of ""Generator,"" ""Only Entertainment,"" ""Atomic Garden"" and ""No Direction"" sweeps clear any charges of oversimplification or sameness. Generator is a brutal noise that is louder, faster & angrier than ever! A plethora of power punching punk pedagogy."

"Bad Religion has become synonymous with intelligent and provocative West Coast punk rock and are considered one of the most influential and important bands in the genre. Over the past three decades the band has continually pushed social boundaries and questioned authority and beliefs armed only with propulsive guitars, charging drumbeats, thoughtful lyrics and an undying will to inspire and provoke anyone who will listen. Stranger Than Fiction is the eighth album from Bad Religion, and one of their most popular. First released in 1994, the album has been certified Gold and features hit singles "21st Century Digital Boy", "Infected" and "Stranger Than Fiction." Features guest appearances from some of punk"s greatest including Rancid"s Tim Armstrong (vocals on "Television"), Jim Lindberg of Pennywise (vocals on "Marked") and Wayne Kramer of the MC5 (guitars on "Incomplete")."

This is where it all starts. Without any reminiscing about their former band Operation Ivy, Matt Freeman (bass) and Tim Armstrong (guitar/vocals) blast through their debut without any hints of ska or blatant Clash plagiarizing. On the contrary, this album rips through 15 tracks of high-energy punk that"s accompanied by heavy bass leads and Armstrong"s permanently slurred vocals. And to top it all off, the lyrical content deals with urban blight and the lifestyle of being a public nuisance. With this trademark sound, Rancid provides the perfect soundtrack for any car chase that includes massive property damage; is it a wonder MTV wouldn"t touch this? -Mike DaRonco

After a two-year hiatus from recording, the OC based band reconvened in 2023, returning to where it all started: drummer Lucas Ovalle"s garage. It was in this familiar environment that Ovalle, guitarist lead singer Josiah, guitarist Corbin Jacques,and bassist Seth Thomson learned how to be friends again and shared all the anxieties and revelations they"d endured on hiatus through crafting songs. The 13 songs that make up Big Smile are the band"s emotional champions that track the tumultuous period between the start of their break and the peace they found on their way back to each other. In the studio with fellow California legends Rob Schnapf (The Vines, Beck) and Matt Schuessler (Kurt Vile, Cat Power), GREER grew up again, taking more ownership over their sound and learning to speak producer-ese. Big Smile is the sound of a band exorcising their demons, learning to trust themselves, and asserting themselves with newfound earnestness and maturity. It"s the sound of a band that"s fallen in love with rocking out again. It"s the sound of friends rediscovering each other and the magic that they can create together when they embrace each other"s vulnerable side. With Big Smile, GREER has arrived as a serious, and seriously fun, alt rock band with diversity of sound and unity of vision.

late night drive home have never known a world without Wifi - without access to the endless stream of joy, sorrow, heartbreak, and hope that we all tune in and tune out to on the daily. In many ways, the guys can"t really extricate themselves from that reality - even their band name comes from a random Wikipedia page - but they"re trying to at least grapple with it. "Most of us grew up on the internet with unsupervised access at a very young age," says singer Andre Portillo. "As we started foreseeing all the outcomes - both good and bad - of this kind of access and advancement, we started writing... forming a sound and message that would become our next record." The culmination of that, then, is the buoyant yet ominous as I watch my life online, the band"s debut album. late night drive home was born in El Paso, Texas, and Chaparral, New Mexico, hardworking communities where folks built their houses by hand and collars were mostly blue. Comprising guitarist Juan "Ockz" Vargas, singer Andre Portillo, drummer Brian Dolan, and bassist Freddy Baca, the entirely self-taught quartet released their first digital EP as a full band, 2021"s Am I sinking or Am I swimming?, and blew up with the single "Stress Relief," a blast of early-Aughts indie that racked in tens of millions of streams. After they signed with Epitaph Records in 2023 - and releasing 2024"s grunge-inspired 3 song EP i"ll remember you for the same feeling you gave me as i slept - they found themselves playing stages their indie idols previously shredded: Coachella, Shaky Knees, Austin City Limits, and Kilby Block Party. Since the end of the pandemic, though, the band had been dreaming up as i watch my life online. "I started thinking about the time after the pandemic and how much things were changing," says Vargas. "So the whole album is a critique of social media and the way we use the internet to distance ourselves from each other." The resulting suite of tracks is a series of online vignettes that hammers home the band"s message: the photos on your phone shouldn"t be your identity; your posts aren"t your inner monologue. A bigger life is lived where there"s no service - in your hometown on a late night road with your friends, and on stage, where the band finally found their destination after that long drive.

For a decade now, BAD SUNS have thrived in the sweet spot between indie rock polish and modern alt-pop energy, crafting a sound that feels both urgent and timeless. Accelerator, their fifth studio album, doesn"t just refine that identity-it pushes it into new territory. Stratocasters shimmer through overdriven Vox amps, synths surge like late-night city lights, and the rhythm section pulses with a restless, undeniable energy. It"s a record that doesn"t just move; it commands attention. The band"s evolution has been constant. Since their early days cutting their teeth on tours with Halsey and The 1975, Bad Suns have spent the past two years stretching their reach across genre lines, proving their versatility at major festivals and iconic venues. Whether electrifying Red Rocks alongside All Time Low, opening for Angels & Airwaves, or winning over Finneas" pop-leaning crowd on their 2025 U.S. run, they"ve made a case for themselves as a band without borders. Helmed once again by longtime collaborator Eric Palmquist (MUTEMATH, Thrice) at Palmquist Studios, Accelerator feels like the band"s most conceptually realized work to date. Its 12 tracks unfold with cinematic ambition, balancing airtight hooks with an emotional resonance that shifts depending on how you approach them. It"s an album that doesn"t just sit in the background-it begs to be experienced.

From the depths of personal reckoning to the forefront of the UK"s alternative scene, SPLIT CHAIN have spent the past two years transmuting raw emotion into sound. Their debut album, motionblur, out soon on Epitaph Records, is a thunderous statement of intent-an electrifying fusion of shoegaze, grunge, and nu-metal that surges with both nostalgia and forward momentum. Sonically, motionblur captures a distinctive aesthetic, steeped in the melancholic haze of early 2000s alt-rock yet sharpened by the intensity of modern hardcore. Guitars drenched in chorus and distortion crash into ethereal, hook-laden vocals, forging a sound that"s at once crushingly heavy and deeply immersive. Following a string of self-released singles that organically amassed millions of streams, SPLIT CHAIN"s signing with Epitaph catapulted them further into the spotlight. Their first label-backed single pushed their streaming numbers past the 15-million mark, earning them accolades as AltPress" Breakout Artist of the Month and Revolver"s "Badass Rising Band to Know." With nods from Stereogum, The Needle Drop, BrooklynVegan, and Metal Injection, the buzz around Split Chain is undeniable. With motionblur, SPLIT CHAIN aren"t just making an album-they"re making a moment. And if their trajectory so far is any indication, this is only the beginning.