Wipe the blood from your teeth and get in the pit: it’s time for a recap of this week’s best hardcore, metal, and punk rock. We dug through the record crates to find the new tunes we think you need to spin and rage to. Looking for some new death metal to bring into your life? Got you covered. Need some grindcore to get your wedding reception off on the right foot? Say no more. Strap in kiddies, it’s time to rock.

Still They Pray from Cough is one this year’s best metal albums (so far, at least). We’ve praised it before, but you can now stream the whole thing and see exactly what we’re so pumped about. Doom with a capital D, Still They Pray is a haunting and dark album that’ll stick with you for days. Even when it’s not on, the melody swims in your mind, overtaking your soul. You can still order some killer LP variant colors through Relapse Records or a new shirt to really bum your grandparents out with.

Foghound’s song “Serpentine” is the kind of metal you can listen to with your old man. It’s got a groove that is reminiscent of late Black Sabbath. This is the sort of metal you have to listen to while wearing a sleeveless shirt and throwing up some horns. The whole song is essentially one driving riff and that keeps your head banging and fists pumping. These guys have a full-length right around the corner and it’ll be one to keep your eye on, for sure.

Cult Values play noisy, raw punk that sounds like it was recorded in a garage. In other words, it’s freaking awesome. The guitars have a sound like early Descendents or Circle Jerks; there’s just a hint of surf below the surface. Below, you can here the A-side of their upcoming self-titled album, and it really delivers the goods. Every song is killer. It’s relentless punk rock, the kind that you used to listen to on your Walkman.

(Noisey)

PUP’s album The Dream is Over is an angry masterpiece. Big, sing-along punk rock has never sounded so good. These guys blaze through harmonies and big melodies while screaming their heads off and cursing band mates, exes, and everyone else who dared come close to them. This band delivers the goods, without a doubt, and they’ll only be getting bigger as this record falls into more and more hands. Being pissed off never sounded so good.

Close your eyes and imagine what a band called Ghoul might sound like. Picture an album called Dungeon Bastards and a song called “Ghoulunatics.” Now open your eyes and press play. Chances are, this sounds exactly like you thought it would. Crazy, thrash metal with a hint of humor, and a focus on ripping. These guys probably are armed with swords and axes while they play, slaying demons in between solos. Is it ridiculous? Sure, maybe a little, but we can’t help but love it. There’s no denying these guys have skills and know how to thrash.

Finally, we have -(16)- who are prepping their new album, The Lifespan of a Moth. For decades, these guys have been churning out bitter sludge and this record proves they’ve still got what it takes. Ugly, crushing, and overflowing with rage, -(16)- are in a class all their own. You can hear “The Absolute Center of a Pitch Black Heart” below and pre-order the album right now. Don’t skip on this one: it’s got an ugliness you need in your life. Everything was going too good for you anyway. You need a little darkness.

That’s it for this week. Go forth; throw some horns up and keep spinning in the black circle. If there’s a metalcore, grindcore, hardcore, or any other core song you think the world needs to hear, sound off in the comments below. \m/

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Image: Cartoon Network