Best of 2014

I occasionally write for a punk/hardcore webzine called Some Will Never Know, and every year they do a 'best of...' feature. This year I decided to also post my list on here. You can out the article with 'best of...' lists from SWNK contributors here.

Without further ado, and in no particular order...

Funerals - Human Ruin 7"
If I had to nominate one record for 'record of the year', this would be it. Awesome stuff.
SWNK review - bandcamp

Strange Places - Strange(r) Places 7"
Great mix between stoner/sludge & hardcore, at times very similar to Iron Age.
bandcamp

Renounced - The Melancholy We Ache LP
Emo-metal from the UK, reminiscent of the old Tribunal Records band roster.
bandcamp

Soulground - Paradise 7"
German heavy riffcore, so good. 'I know nobody in heaven, please send me to hell'
New blood feature - bandcamp

Incitement - Hyena 12"
Their 2013 demo already gave a glimpse of what was to come, but with this new one-sided 12" these Polish kids created a Holy Terror masterpiece.
New blood feature - bandcamp

Decadence - In The Mouth Of Hell 10"
Spanish metallic hardcore that is more Arkangel than Arkangel.
New blood feature - bandcamp

Unrestrained - Forward Onto Death LP
This one was always going to be a contender for my top list, Portland's Unrestrained is so up my alley it's not funny anymore. Simply awesome.
bandcamp

Borrowed Time - Captive Soul 7" 
This band makes me wanna grow a beard and wear a wifebeater. So glad they are back, and with a killer EP as well. I want more!
youtube

Get The Shot - No Peace In Hell LP
Holy shit, this one hit me out of nowhere! Crushing high-adrenaline hardcore from Quebec. Highly addictive record.
bandcamp

Annulment - Celestial Mother Of The Handless Path demo
From Long Island. This style of hardcore doesn't get played too often anymore, unfortunately.
bandcamp

Breaking Point - Set To Burn LP
Uncompromising heavy straight edge hardcore from the UK. Blows their previous material, which was good too, out of the water. 'I will take this promise to my fucking grave'
bandcamp

Constrict - Carved Into Stone 7"
More Spanish hardcore, more metallic awesomeness.
bandcamp

Darkside NYC - Optimism Is Self-Deception Vol. 1 & 2 CD
Finally! I pre-ordered their self-released CD in January and at some point they sent out an email that they weren't sure it would ever be released... Thankfully it did. Not for the PC or faint at heart.
youtube

In Tongues - Entombed By Existence EP
As Overcast once said: more metal than your ma's kettle. And that applies to Glasgow's best too.
bandcamp

So there you have it... The best 15 releases of 2014 according to me, myself and I, at least of those I've heard, haha... I would love to hear what your favorites of the past year are, so leave comments with your lists.