Number 4

Masshysteri: Self-titled: LP (Feral Ward Records)
It comes as almost no surprise that Masshysteri would come through with yet another masterpiece of a punk rock record. Their debut from a couple years ago was nothing short of amazing. I guess when you add a member to an already solid lineup, things can only go up from there. Brooding punk with a brush of darkness just so that not every song sounds the same. There's a bit more of instrumentation on this album (synths, acoustic guitars) than before but it does nothing to dull the attitude or urgency of the music. Might I also say that these Swedes get my vote for "Best Looking Band" of 2010. Yes, I'm talking about the guys too. I'm comfortable with my sexuality...

Number 5

Catburglars: Self-titled: LP (Criminal IQ Records)
Judging by the cover alone, you'd guess these guys were going to shimmy and shake their hips all over the place. Luckily, such is not the case here. Chicago seems to continue to bless us with gifts in the form of bands who break up long before their due was given. Raw as fuck, bloody knuckle punk rock is what we are treated to on this start to finish full length gem. Lyrical diarrhea if there ever was such a thing but it complements the music perfectly. If I lived in Chicago, I'd buy these guys a round of beers and then stiff them with the bill. I'm sure they'd appreciate such dickhead behavior.

Number 6

Walls: Stare At the Walls: EP (Iron Lung Records)
What we have here is a superb example of what present day hardcore ought to be: a sum of a band’s counterparts, where every component is just as crucial and key in the process of creating such vile yet endearing sounds. Walls are the kind of band whose members magnify each other’s presence instead of outshining either the instrumentation or the vocals. I was witness to this: they are fucking wrecking balls live. And the great part about this record is that the madness captured onto vinyl is just as intense as seeing them in person. Yeah, I heard Rorschach got back together and did some live shows. Walls are what Rorschach would have sounded like if they had decided to take it to the next level. 

Number 7

Mata Mata: Self-titled: Cassette (Silenzio Statico/Crepusculo Negro)
The cassette is a format which its relevance and necessity is often disputed. But when the music dubbed onto it is as insanely pulverizing as this it could be recorded onto a four track and I would still bother to listen to it. South Central Los Angeles apocalyptic hardcore crust punk. Doom and Discharge on a Four Loko induced bender. Music to throw piss filled bottles at the cops to. I see great things in store for this band so long as they can stay together long enough to not self-destruct. And by the way, South Central kids... give it up with the fucking Ska-core already. This is where it's at.

Number 8

Nerveskade: Self-titled: LP (Black Water Records)

I don't know about you but I have a few labels that I blindly trust to provide me with exceptional listening experiences. It may be a bit naive but I can honestly say that Iron Lung Records has yet to let me down. Nerveskade released a two song EP earlier this year on Iron Lung and it was most definitely a scorcher. But I could never have imagined that these Portland based noise punks had much, much more up their sleeves. This self titled debut on Black Water Records is as perfect as a debut album can get. Did you like the intensity of Heresy's "Face Up To It" as much as I did? How about the noisiness of early UK bands such as Disorder or Doom. Well, this is your wet dream involving a shrapnel bomb exploding inside the local Nordstroms come fucking true. Every song is a winner and not a one disappointed me for even a second. Drink a twelve pack, listen to this,  puke on your neighbors doorstep, and fuck shit up!

Number 9

Daughters: Self-titled: LP (Hydra Head)

The first time I heard Providence, Rhode Island's Daughters debut "Canada Songs" I couldn't help but be put off by how much they sounded  like The Locust. Not to say that it was a bad record, because it clearly wasn't. I just couldn't help but think "The world only needs one Locust!" Their sophomore effort, "Hell Songs", was just what they needed to distinguish themselves from the hordes of bands that were falling over themselves to cash in on the "screamo" fad. That album  was where Lex (vocalist) decided to drop the screaming and take on an actual singing role reminiscent of Nick Cave during his stint in the Birthday Party. The rest of the band let up on the speed and took up a more intricate, almost acrobatic approach to the songwriting. "Hell Songs", which debuted in 2006, won me over in a big way and so this new self-titled  album was one of my most anticipated releases of the year (which, ironically enough, came out a couple of months before I even gained knowledge of its release.) Oh, what time does to a band. In most cases it builds up anticipation of expectations that can't possibly be met. You can also expect the unexpected but will more than likely find yourself saying "this is exactly what I expected." I was so glad to be met with nine songs of an unmistakable Daughters delivering an unexpectedly fluid album that was a bit hard to get into at first (due largely to the fact that the songs had  more simplistic arrangements than before) but only got more and more infectious with each listen. Unfortunately, this is also the band's swan song after their highly publicized less than amicable break-up. You really can't go wrong with any Daughters release and seeing as how this is their final offering to the world, the artwork of women weeping with tissues to their faces is fitting in that I will now shed a tear for what once was an amazing band.

Top Ten in 2010

Since there's less than six weeks left in the year I've decided to go ahead and try to recap the year with some of my favorite records  that have been released thus far. Starting with number 10...

Youth Attack Records: All releases from 2010

Technically not just one release but a multitude since they are all so good and it's very hard to pick just one. Youth Attack is the brainchild of Mark McCoy (Charles Bronson, Holy Molar, Das Oath, etc.) and a label that has become both highly revered and harshly criticized for their unapologetic attitude towards the DIY community. Ethically speaking, they love to stir the controversy pot. Do you find blatant White Power imagery offensive? How about Satanism? Or maybe the sight of a fully nude male's fully erect penis makes you uncomfortable. Those are only some of the topics that have created mixed reactions of raised eyebrows and indifferent mutterings. Youth Attack has also quickly become infamous for having an uncensored, unfiltered message board (known as the Jerkbooth) that is constantly bombarded with everything from child-like berating of YA bands to endless scrolling of text and characters (including the occasional swastika) that makes the board almost unbearably difficult to read through. 

Musically, however, the label is uncompromising and mostly deals with bands whose members are shrouded in mystery (the term "mysterious guy hardcore" has been thrown around a great deal on the guestbook and brings to mind when the words "power violence" were first introduced in the '90s.) The artwork on the records is most often morbidly daunting, bizarrely introverted, and outright sexually explicit. Hardcore punk, black metal, and experimental music has been the label's focus and thus far, has only disappointed yours truly only once or twice in its nearly sixty releases so far. 

I'm sure I'm not the only person who will highly praise the packaging that accompanies most of the releases: it is nothing short of stunning as far as quality and ingenuity are concerned. The label refuses to settle for anything less than perfection when it comes to the vinyl, dust sleeves, and album jackets for each and every release. But for the record, I think I could do without those shiny re-sealable bags that each record for the past three years has been shipped in: they're just simply annoying. 

2010 has been a busy year for YA and saw them releasing almost ten titles: nearly all of which have sold out in a matter of days (and in some cases, a matter of minutes.) All the releases that have safely arrived at my doorstep have been worth the painfully long shipping turnaround (three weeks to a month!) and the few extra bucks that have been added to the price of each record - prices that draw several negative reactions from punks who adamantly refuse to accept anything but "punk" prices. Check out ihateyouthattack.com for available titles but don't hold your breath in finding any of these readily available.

 Vile Gash: Self-titled: EP (First and second pressings)

Arts: Vault Of Heaven: LP 

Sexdrome: Grown Younger: LP

Raw Nerve: Self-titled: LP

Veins: Self-titled: Cassette

Poster that came with the Raw Nerve LP. Just for yucks?