The musical landscape is ever changing. New genres are popping up, new hypes burst out of nowhere and then die out, and new bands present themselves to the world. How on earth are you expected to keep up, right? Well, a little help never hurts! So here we are, your humble servants, ready to sift through those filters for you to present you with the best demos we have encountered. We sincerely hope you will check them out. They could become your new go-to band! Who knows. Al-Naf - Demo 2025 If you miss Hoax (I know I do) you might want to check out Al-Naf. To me, this demo sounds like missing Hoax songs., only better produced. I am still a sucker for bands that use boatloads of echo on the vocals-als-als-als so I am all in for these three tracks although it leaves me sad it is over in 3 and a half minutes. Loach - Demo A demo with twelve songs on it? Isn’t that a full-length? No, not if you play powerviolence, like Loach clearly does. What immediately catches your attention is the fact that there’s no guitar. And even though you hear it straight away you don’t really miss the guitar. The bass guitar alone is creating enough violent riffs to keep your attention for the full five to six minutes this demo lasts. Self Arrest - Demo 2 The second demo from this new band. Again I am transported back to the late '80s. … Read more
Every year we diligently assemble a list of our favorite albums of the year. Each SPB staff member enters the … Read more
For many years now, Scene Point Blank has taken the opportunity as the year ends to formally "pass the mic" … Read more
Another twelve months have passed. Even though it's our job to make predictions and call things before they happen, it … Read more
Interesting little slab we got sent to SPB by a Mr. Ed Young. Two originals and a cover, recorded in Jay Reatard’s living room back in 2005 as the title suggests. So that would be around the time of The Reatards’ Not Fucked Enough for anyone keeping track. Jay had apparently just switched from analog to digital recording but it … Read more
Split records have always worked best when they feel intentional rather than convenient, and Bombs Away! lands firmly in the former category. Bringing together East Bay veterans Tsunami Bomb and Oakland’s The Hammerbombs, this six-track split (three songs per band) doesn’t just unite two names but captures two complementary approaches to Bay Area punk that still feel vital decades into … Read more
Sarasota, Florida’s Floating Boy have been grinding for seven years, quietly shaping themselves into a band that lives and breathes the ethics of Fugazi (if you couldn’t tell by their track inspired name) and the emotional chaos of DIY punk. Their debut full-length, Perfect Place, is the culmination of that time. There are ten tracks of anxious, politically charged emo-punk/post-hardcore … Read more
I've reviewed a lot of Brokedowns records over the years. First, I'll say I love the band and I honestly feel like they keep getting better. Second, I'll say that this record threw a couple of surprises at me. The band play multi-vocalist poppish punk in the school of Dillinger Four or Errth, albeit more on the angry side. There … Read more
Crippling Alcoholism have always navigated a delicate balance between musical depth and immediacy. A blend that few bands attempt, let alone master, but Crippling Alcoholism's two previous full-length records, When … Read more
Is The Eradicator a joke that's been going for 10 years (the band), or for 35 (the skit)? Does it matter? Well, only in the sense that I question how … Read more
Standing between genres can act as a vantage point. For Prayer Group, sitting at the intersection between noise rock and hardcore has armed them with the necessary arsenal to propel … Read more
For experimental rock artists torn between noise-rock abrasion and torturous drone immersion, one side usually wins. It is either a certain sentimental and ethereal quality or an oppressive noise dimension … Read more
The annual Oakland, CA music festival Mosswood Meltdown returns July 18-19, 2026, with this year's lineup to include Iggy Pop, Bikini Kill, The Spits, Scowl, The Return of Jackie & Judy -- a Ramones cover band featuring Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein, and Corin Tucker, and more. Pavement and Vivian Girls … Read more
Dropkick Murphys and Haywire will release a split LP called New England Forever, which will be sold exclusively at the upcoming For The People…In The Pit St. Patrick’s Day Tour … Read more
On Feb. 16, Death of Youth will release a self-titled album available via Engineer Records (UK), Cat's Claw Records (UK - Cassette Tape Only), Sell The Heart Records (US), Remorse … Read more
Following the release of their recent full-length, Spite House will be hitting the road in early 2026 for an extensive run of shows across Europe, followed by select dates in … Read more
Pop-fused rock band The Pretty Flowers of Los Angeles, CA, has announced a new album in March, kicking off the news with the single "Came Back Kicking." The new record … Read more
2026 will mark the release of the first new album from Bosse-de-Nage in 8 years, Hidden Fires Burn Hottest, coming out on March 6 via The Flenser. Work on the … Read more
India post-hardcore band Pacifist will release a new EP, five, out this Friday Jan. 16. The self-produced five-song EP merges suble post-hardcore heaviness with intricate guitar. Here's a single in … Read more
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