A Wilhelm Scream (AWS) is a highly technical melodic hardcore band from New Bedford, Massachusetts, known for their intricate guitar work and energetic punk rock, evolving from earlier bands like Smackin' Isaiah in the late '90s and officially forming as AWS around 2004, gaining a reputation for relentless touring and precision music, with core members Nuno Pereira (vocals), Trevor Reilly (guitar/vocals), and Nick Angelini (drums). Their name references the famous "Wilhelm scream" stock sound effect, fitting their frenetic sound, and they've released albums like Ruiner, Career Suicide, and Lose Your Delusion, continuing to release music and tour with powerful, technical punk rock. The band will release a new album in February of 2026 titled "Cheap Heat."

New Jersey has produced some of the greatest emo and rock bands of all time, and the state is continuing to build the next generation of soon to be staple acts. Enter Capillary, the four piece crafting emotive and powerful tracks sure to capture the attention of even the most staunch genre purists. Signed to 51st State Records (run by Joey Chiaramonte of Koyo), the band released their debut self-titled EP in early 2024. Gearing up to release a full-length in 2026, today Capillary share a two song promo - "Lost Sleep" and "Time Before The Order.”

Taking influence from bands like Rites of Spring, Sunny Day Real Estate, and Mineral, you’ll hear strong building melodies, compelling riffs, and poignant vocals. “Lost Sleep” captures living in New Jersey - “a melancholy feeling in the air sometimes longing for those really simple and blissful times,” while "Time Before The Order" calls out the feeling of longing for someone. The tracks were recorded, mixed, and mastered with Justin Bartlett at Studio 4 in Conshohocken, PA (All Under Heaven, Carly Cosgrove).

RIYL: Title Fight, Anxious, One Step Closer, No Pressure

With a foundation of San Diego’s punk influences from Drive Like Jehu, Blink-182, Heroin and others, a band like Glean naturally have a sense of melody. Formed in 2019 by four kids (now young adults), the band blends that melodic instinct with their love of punk and hardcore, crafting energetic, emotional, and catchy songs in the vein of Seaweed, Samiam, Jawbreaker, Lifetime, and Title Fight.

Stateside is a melodic emo/punk band from Southern California formed in 2022. The band plays heartfelt, melodic pop punk music with a hardcore edge that feels simultaneously nostalgic for a time when bands wore their hearts on their sleeves and a current moment where sound transcends genre or authenticity is key. The band has signed to Pure Noise records and will release their debut LP in June 2025.

RIYL: Koyo, Stand Still, One Step Closer, Knuckle Puck, No Pressure

Planes Mistaken For Stars (also known as Planes or PMFS) is a Punk / Hardcore Punk band formed in Peoria, Illinois in 1997. The group later relocated to Denver, CO. In 2007 the band announced that they would be disbanding following a final comprehensive US tour. Their final show was played on February 16, 2008 at the Marquis Theater in Denver supported by fellow local friends Kingdom of Magic and Mustangs &.Madras. Since 2010 PMFS have been sporadically active again, and in 2016 a new album was announced. Founding member Gared O'Donnell died in November 24, 2021 due to cancer and the band subsequently disbanded. The band will finally release their final recordings with Gared and their first new music since 2016 in the form of a new LP in November of 2024.

Pacifist is a Mumbai-based, 5-piece post-hardcore band known for their cathartic, emotionally charged music blending 90s hardcore, post-punk, and noise-rock, reflecting themes of urban anxiety and societal apathy. Since forming, they've gained recognition in the South Asian hardcore scene with their energetic live shows and releases like the Greyscale Dreams EP, aiming to connect Indian hardcore to the global stage with DIY ethics and powerful soundscapes. The band will release a new EP titled Five EP in January 2026. RIYL: At the Drive In, Refused, Thursday, La Dispute, Touche Amor

Formed in 2014, Drain is a hardcore/crossover band hailing from Santa Cruz, California.

Forged in Vancouver’s late-’90s post-hardcore crucible, By A Thread first left their mark with Last of the Daydreams, a Revelation Records cult classic that paired soaring melody with raw emotional weight. After lineup twists and quiet years, core songwriters Sean Lande and John Franco joined forces with drummer Gabe Mantle (Gob) to shape Mirrored Life, a brooding, reverb-drenched record that channels grief, growth, and hard-won perspective into their heaviest, most expansive music yet. Bassist Carl McBeath now anchors the low end, completing a lineup ready to carry these songs forward. It’s not a comeback so much as a reaffirmation, proof that By A Thread’s knack for cathartic, atmospheric anthems remains more vital and uncompromising as ever.

Drought is a bay-area melodic hardcore band influenced by Pianos Become the Teeth, Title Fight and mewithoutYou, and are currently signed to Iodine Records. The band will release their emotionally charged debut album "Souvenir," in July 2025, showcasing a fusion of post-hardcore and emo. Recorded by Jack Shirley, the album channels themes of survivor's guilt and generational trauma, featuring guest vocals from members of Fiddlehead and Mom Jeans.

Hailing from Long Island, NY, Somerset Thrower was founded by four friends who share a love of all things rock and roll. Built on punk and hardcore roots, the four-piece blends raw energy with melody-soaked textures to create something both urgent and timeless. Fans of bands like Seaweed, Jawbreaker, Samiam, Jimmy Eat World and more recent bands like Drug Church, Taking Meds, Praise and the like will enjoy their sound. The band has signed to Smart Punk Records and will release their third album, Take Only What You Need to Survive in July 2025.

Squint is a melodic hardcore/alt rock/punk band from St. Louis, Missouri. The band started in fall of 2021, featuring various members from Missouri bands Time and Pressure, New Lives, Soul Craft and Choir Vandals. The band has a nice palette of sounds ranging from hardcore to alternative/indie rock. Largely influenced by a shared liking of Rites of Spring and Turning Point, Squint take the sound of melodic-leaning hardcore, but areable to put their own spin on it with fuzzed-out guitars and big riffs—recalling tones heard from bands like Seaweed and Sugar while fitting right in with newer bands like Drug Church and Militarie Gun as well.

A hardcore punk band from Leeds, Yorkshire, UK formed in 2018. The current lineup includes Olli Appleyard on vocals, Sam Ogden on drums, Contrast on guitar, and George Holding on bass. Former members include Tom Black, Sam Kay, and Connor Reilly.

Excide is apost-hardcore and metalcore band based in North and South Carolinathat formed in 2020. Their music is characterized by a blend of '90s-inspired post-hardcore, alternative rock, and grunge, often drawing comparisons to influential bands like Quicksand,Snapcase, and Turnstile. 

Spiritual Cramp is a San Francisco-based band known for blending hardcore punk with diverse influences like ska, dub, post-punk, and new wave. Founded in 2016 by vocalist Michael Bingham and bassist Mike Fenton, the band's sound evolved from their previous work in Creative Adult. They are known for their energetic live shows and have released albums such as their self-titled debut in 2023 and their sophomore album, Rude, in October 2025

Unseemlier are a New England based self-proclaimed heavy emo/soft punk band, however the band are anything but soft. Founded in the fall of 2023, Unseemlier was born from emo nostalgia and a shared passion for raw, unapologetic music. Childhood friends Mike Assatly, Chris Pina, and Kevin Merriam quickly wrote their first tape and soon after its release recruited Andrea Neuenfeldt for bass and vocal duties. Since inception Unseemlier has played all over Boston and New England to a growing fan base who are ready to hear what's next. The band released their debut EP "The Truth Is We Out Here" in May of 2024, only hinting at what the band was capable of. Self described as heavy emo/soft punk, Unseemlier's debut LP is aptly titled "I Have A Screw Loose, Somewhere" and is due June of 2025 via Sell The Heart Records. Recorded in the fall of 2024 with Zach Weeks at God City Studios, the twenty-three minute long blast is full of heavy hitting lyrics that listeners can easily connect with. The album quickly rips through themes of addiction and loss, growing up in a suburban bubble, and battling to look at the world in a positive light.

RIYL: Fiddlehead, Have Heart, Militarie Gun, Drug Church, Spite House, Touche Amore, Title Fight

Speedway is a hardcore band from Stockholm, Sweden formed in 2019.

High Vis delivers aggressive and artful punk, drawing inspiration from London underground acts like Chubby And The Gang and The Chisel. Their intense live shows and politically charged lyrics echo their hardcore roots, while also exploring post-punk textures reminiscent of older UK bands such as Gang Of Four and Joy Division. They are part of a new crop of bands seamlessly blending genres like street punk, jangly indie sneer, brit pop, post punk, hardcore and shoegaze with a sonic landscape, big melodies, and anthem hooks.