“Hardcore and punk are dead” is a common phrase I’ve been reading around the web lately. Well, 2021 was a roundhouse kick to the face for hardcore nay-sayers. In a year golden year of hardcore, fans were blessed with heavy releases from newcomers and trailblazers alike. Packed with a plethora of raw, unique, and untapped talent this list covers the ground-breakers to the heavy-hitters. The ten projects below—in no particular order—shook the cores of fans and reminded everyone that the genre is thriving now more than ever with no signs of slowing down. Scowl How Flowers Grow Flatspot Records Emerging from the rugged coast of Santa Cruz, California the seeds of Scowl blossom into the flowers they’ve been working hard to be. The band offers a new perspective on the genre of ...