BEST PUNK The Best Punk on Bandcamp, September 2025 By Sims Hardin · October 06, 2025 
BEST PUNK The Best Punk on Bandcamp, September 2025 By Sims Hardin · October 06, 2025
Haram
ليش الجنة بيتبلش في الجهنم؟ Why Does Paradise Begin in Hell
New York, New York
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New York, New York
After a 6-year silence, Haram shoots a searing sonic arrow straight into our eardrums with ليش الجنة بيتبلش في الجهنم؟ Why Does Paradise Begin in Hell, their triumphant, raging anarcho punk intended as a middle finger to the bigots of the world. Filtering metallic riffs through complex, traditional Arabic scales, the group craft aggressive songs that are equally explosive and invigorating, with singer Nader Haram effortlessly toggling between guttural screaming, spoken vocals, and more melodic-leaning hooks. The instrumentation is dark, gritty, and virtuosic, the arrangements densely packed. In a time when this music is necessary, Harmam offers a powerful protest song fueling the continued raging war for equality, human rights, and freedom.
Winston Hytwr’s Perfect Harmony
Ohio
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Ohio
The latest tape from Winston Hytwr’s Perfect Harmony, aka the Columbus-based solo artist Winston Hightower, Perfect Harmony, is a balanced, toothy, artful effort bolstered by cameos from his neighborhood punks, such as Mickey Shuman of the excellent indie band Golomb. His snotty, lo-fi guitar music is a breath of fresh air, I have to say; ranging from fast and glitchy to jangly no wave, peppered with psychedelic riffs, off-kilter vocal harmonies, and astute, punchy drums throughout, it bears little resemblance to the egg punk that’s taken over the Ohio scene. Consider it a love letter to all the street punks, art rockers, and weirdos of the world, united in the name of the humble four-track recorder.
Vaguess
Los Angeles, California
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Los Angeles, California
It’s hard to know exactly what you’re going to get with the latest record from LA’s wonder boy Vinny Earley, aka Vaguess. The guy can basically do it all. The only certainty is that it’s gonna be good, and Earley’s new batch of frenetic compositions, Another Man’s Treasureis no different. Here, Vaguess departs on a jangled journey through ’80s proto-punk (à la the Clean or the Feelies) and 90’s indie (à la Pavement and Guided By Voices). Earley, who recorded the songs himself and plays all the instruments, possesses a warm, homespun charm that comes through equally strong in the faster, ruder bangers and slower, softer ballads; the result is a bright, creative journey that makes you bob your head, with memorable songs and endless replayability.
eX-Tradition
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
eX-Tradition’s debut album, Apocalyptic Silver, is basically a soundtrack for an eerie, absinthe-fueled stroll through a mortuary, which is to say, the best mash-up of anarcho-punk and death rock you’ll hear all year. The Philadelphia-based quartet, featuring members of the now-defunct bands The Ire and Haldol, play gothic music that’s simultaneously fresh yet familiar—like Robert Smith fronting Christian Death, without coming off like a copy of either band. The arrangements boil over with shimmering guitar work, bouncing basslines, and pulsing, locked-in drums, while the vocal melodies are lustrous and powerful; a hellish vision executed flawlessly.
Billiam
The Letter W and the Numeral B
Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne, Australia
To me, Billiam’s discography is less a running list of individual albums than an ongoing musical comic book series, with the Melbourne rocker acting as both author and main character. He’s sometimes angry, sometimes silly, but always raw and honest, and on The Letter W and the Numeral B, this realization rings truer than ever. The best thing about comic books, of course, is that they exist to bring us joy, to pull us in, and to entertain us. I can say wholeheartedly that Billiam’s robotic groove accomplishes this in spades. Billiam colors his pages with crisp modulating guitars, bleeping and blooping keyboards, punchy drums, and blown-out vocals yelling about the pressures of society swirling all around—fighting back and never giving up. Looking to escape the organic matter of everyday life? Dive into Billiam’s expansive and wacky world.
Fun Club
Seattle, Washington
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Seattle, Washington
Seattle punks Fan Club retired their former name, Lysol, but their latest EP Stimulationsuggests they’re still huffing something, creatively speaking—and it’s awesome! Ditching their more polished garage-y sounds of the last few releases for a snottier, faster hardcore sound reminiscent of *Pick Your King-*era Poison Idea, it’s a scrappy return to form for the group, with all the necessary elements accounted for: namely, unhinged vocals, chaotic riffing, and unrelenting drums. There’s no better time to join the Fun Club fan club than right now.
No Peeling
Nottingham, UK
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Nottingham, UK
I was fairly sure there could be no song about dogs that rivals the great Artificial Go’s new classic “Circles”, but here I am singing and dancing to my heart’s content with No Peeling’s single, “Can I Pet That Dog. The Nottingham outfit deal in razor-sharp, speedy post-punk steeped in catchy, quirky hooks—just the thing for fans of classic punk bands like Suburban Lawns or Pylon or more recent acts like Warm Bodies or California’s Self Improvement..
Mercy
Austin, Texas
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Austin, Texas
Texas label Sound Grotesca never ceases to amaze with their seemingly endless output of contemporary punk gold, and adding Mercy to their roster has only solidified that feral reputation. On *EP,*Mercy delivers a tasty flavor of no frills punk with 9 brutal tracks that are sinister and catchy as hell. Fast and fried, this tape will be a loved addition for fans of United Mutations, Disorder, or other early lo-fi lost US hardcore offerings you can find through a deep YouTube rabbit hole—plus, like all Sound Grotesca releases, the artwork is amazing to boot. If you’re looking for music to kick your boss’s ass to, by Mercy, you’ve found it.
The Dissidents / D.O.V.E.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Speaking truth to power, Philadelphia’s The Dissidents have been using their platform as a band to release amazing compilations in an effort to raise money for The Gaza Soup Kitchen for the last year or so. Combining forces with SoCal’s D.O.V.E., A Better Worldis their latest—and sadly, most likely final, in the wake of bandmate and songwriter Bill Chamberlain’s passing—collection of peace-punk songs, and you couldn’t ask for a better swan song. Where the Dissidents have a prodding anarcho-punk sound similar to early Chumbawumba, D.O.V.E skew more artful and lo-fi, a great find for folks who love bands like A.P.P.L.E. or Honey Bane. Together, they’ve given us a really strong release with tons of heartfelt protest songs that provide uplifting, thought-provoking, and above all, danceable reminders to fight for equality and love no matter the cost.
Misere
Berlin, Germany
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Berlin, Germany
Berlin-based punks Misere administer a potent dose of period-accurate ’80s post-punk songs with their self-titled debut. The tracks on this new offering from Mangel Records are oblique and sterile, yet feature palpable cathartic undertones; dueling singers, angular guitars, and taut drumming that bring to mind The Slits, Xmal Dueschland, or Grauzone, but with a fresh, modern twist. It’s just the kind of stuff German post-punk aficionados are looking for—simply arranged, smartly executed, and thanks to the band’s unique vision, creatively compelling. Just remember: without love, there cannot be Misere.