FEATURE: Most anticipated albums of 2014 - Hardcore

7 January 2014 | 8:48 am | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

2013 was an incredibly solid year for hardcore both locally and internationally, with a slew of releases that made it abundantly clear just how healthy the genre is at the moment. This year is set to be no different - here are ten hardcore albums we can’t wait to sink our teeth into this year.

2013 was an incredibly solid year for hardcore both locally and internationally, with a slew of releases that made it abundantly clear just how healthy the genre is at the moment.

This year is set to be no different - here are ten hardcore albums we can’t wait to sink our teeth into this year. 

Yesterday, we looked at the most anticipated metal albums. Click here to read the list.



Throwdown - Intolerance

Throwdown will follow up 2009’s ‘Deathless’ this year with a brand new slice of brutal, metallic hardcore. With each of the 11 tracks clocking in at around the two minute mark, fans can be sure ‘Intolerance’ will be packed full of the short, fast, heavy gems they’ve come to expect from the Southern California powerhouse.

La Dispute - Rooms of the House

Who’s to say what to expect from La Dispute this time around? The eclectic five-piece have refused to be pigeonholed since their inception almost a decade ago, with their unique style of progressive rock by way of post-hardcore garnering huge acclaim. ‘Rooms of the House’ will be the third studio album from the Michigan band, the first on their own new label, Better Living.

Earth Crisis - Salvation of Innocents

Love them or hate them, you’d be a fool to discount the enormous role New York outfit Earth Crisis have played in shaping modern hardcore. The undisputed champions of sober, cruelty-free brutality, ‘Salvation of Innocents’ is bound to please both longtime fans and newcomers who prefer their riffs with a side of activism.

Cult Leader - Nothing For Us Here

Forming last year out of the ashes of seminal metallers Gaza, Cult Leader will release debut ‘Nothing For Us Here’ through Deathwish come April. Every bit as technical and bleak as their former band, Cult Leader will be one to watch this year for sure.

Iron Mind - Iron Mind

Melbourne’s Iron Mind blew listeners away with the release of debut album ‘Hell Split Wide Open’ back in 2011 with their aggressive, incendiary brand of hardcore. The quintet have since steadily built up a reputation as one of the country’s best with powerful live sets and a relentless touring schedule, a reputation they will further cement later this month when they release their eponymous sophomore album.

Bane - Don't Wait Up

After almost two decades of activity, the legendary Bane have announced fourth album ‘Don’t Wait Up’ will also be their last. Recorded with Defeater’s Jay Maas, guitarist Aaron Dalbec reckons the album “spans the sounds and emotions of nearly 20 years of being a band”. It follows 2005’s ‘The Note’.

Lionheart - Welcome to the West Coast

Two years after the release of ‘Undisputed’, Lionheart will release their new album later this month on new label Fast Break! Records. Billed as “simple, straight-forward and heavy” by frontman Rob Watson, ‘Welcome to the West Coast’ should happily satiate fans of the Northern California outfit.

Backtrack - Lost in Life

From what we’ve heard thus far of ‘Lost in Life’, the forthcoming sophomore album from NYHC crew Backtrack, it’s bound to be a huge progression for the act - who already made a solid impact with 2011 debut ‘Darker Half’. Relentless and uncompromising, be sure to pick it up on their Australian launch tour later this month.

Thorns - From Tears to Glory

Thorns have been an unstoppable force since their inception a couple years ago, garnering a reputation as one of the nation’s heaviest. February sees the Melbourne quintet release their debut album, with the likes of Crowbar and Pantera cited as influences.

Mary Jane Kelly - TBA

Mary Jane Kelly are back! It's been almost four years since the Wollongong four-piece released brilliant debut album 'LIke There's No Tomorrow', but a follow-up is due out later this year. If the band's recent reunion shows are any indication, they've definitely still got it.

What hardcore releases are you looking forward to this year?