Feature / Music
2008: A Year In Review

Posted pre-2010

ARTICLE JUMP

Top Five Records To Look Forward To In 2009 (Plus Five More)

With 2008 now behind us, we look ahead to the future. There are plenty of new releases to look forward to in 2009. We've taken the time to highlight a few albums that we can't wait to hear in 2009, fingers crossed.

  1. Greymachine
  2. Yes again. This was supposed to come out last year. But how can a band not intrigue anyone with members of Isis, Jesu, Godflesh, and a million other good bands?

  3. Narrows
  4. Their debut EP last year was good, but the full-length album has even more potential. Surely when members of bands like Botch, Unbroken, and These Arms Are Snakes get together...hype will follow.

  5. Integrity
  6. Yes a new album. How could this not be on the list? Considering that both Michael and myself are hopelessly drawn to Dwid's dark and twisted music, it is a foregone conclusion that it would be here

  7. Three Mile Pilot
  8. The band that predates both Pinback and Black Heart Procession continues to tease with whisperings of a new album.

  9. Cave In
  10. Supposedly a new recording is on the way. What will it sound like? Who knows, but people are definitely going to be looking for this.

(Bob)

  1. Isis
  2. Isis continues to tweak and refine their sound with each new recording. Just when you think you have them figured out, they find a new way to grab your attention. The band will release their fifth full-length effort.

  3. New Found Glory
  4. Many fans were disappointed with the mellowness and low-key affair of New Found Glory's last LP. Well, after a ruckus-raising EP in 2008, odds are those same fans will come running back with the release of the new record from New Found Glory.

  5. Cursive
  6. Each time Cursive releases an album, I get extremely excited. Tim Kasher and company will see their latest hit shelves in 2009 and I know a lot of people are itching to hear what he's come up with this time.

  7. Pulling Teeth
  8. This Maryland hardcore outfit really showcased their talents with their sophomore effort in 2007. The band just completed the record for this record, which will no doubt be atop many hardcore fans' lists come the end of 2009.

  9. Brand New
  10. Though a specific release date has not been set, Brand New has been busy working on the follow-up to 2006's The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me. Anticipation on what the final product will sound like is difficult to ignore. Needless to say, we expect great things.

Honorable Mention: A.F.I.

This site was founded because of the A.F.I. messageboard, did you really think we wouldn't find a place to include this somehow? It's questionable what direction this album will take, although Davey was caught singing "Straight Edge Revenge" with Ceremony at Gilman last year so...

(Michael)

— words by the SPB team

Related features

ELDP

One Question Interviews • August 14, 2026

Aemilia (ELDP) SPB: In your experience, what band has been the most fun to play with? Aemilia: Our most favourite band to have played with so far has been Dutch band All Dogs Go To Heaven. They're not only great people off stage, but they also make amazing music! When … Read more

Quattracenta

One Question Interviews • August 13, 2026

Sarah (Quattracenta) SPB: Which of your songs is the most difficult to play live? Sarah: “In Dust,” from our new record III. It’s not necessarily difficult in a technical sense, but because it is a very quiet and intimate song, playing it in a noisy club or bar can be … Read more

Illuminati

One Question Interviews • August 12, 2026

Joao (Illuminati) SPB: What inspired Illuminati to reform? Joao: The original lineup disbanded in 2004 after I migrated to the United States. We self-released a demo in 2003 that was intended to be a literal "demonstration" of our songs rather than a definitive statement of what we wanted to do … Read more

Anathema Editions

Music / History 101 • August 11, 2026

Did you know it’s been 10 years since Anathema Editions put out its first release? To make the moment, we reached out to founder Terence Hannum to share some label history. In keeping with our “History 101” concept, SPB asked for anecdotes about 4 of the label’s releases and then … Read more

Stormtrooper

Interviews • August 10, 2026

Still a Dirty Mess: The Stormtrooper Oral History Before the Sex Pistols swore on television -- or tried to brush it off as "nothing, a rude word" -- and corporate labels commodified safety pins, there was a bar at The Marquee and a damp basement on King's Road. In 1975, … Read more

More from this section

Anathema Editions

Music / History 101 • August 11, 2026

Did you know it’s been 10 years since Anathema Editions put out its first release? To make the moment, we reached out to founder Terence Hannum to share some label history. In keeping with our “History 101” concept, SPB asked for anecdotes about 4 of the label’s releases and then … Read more

Scene Point Blank's Favorites: The Year So Far (July 2026)

Music • July 13, 2026

That's right: we're halfway through 2026 already, although whether that means this year is a glass-half-empty or glass-half-full kind of year... well, the jury's out. But we'll let you know in December. Despite another six months of chaos, war, conflict and uncertainty, one thing in life remains static and reliable: … Read more

Demos You Want To Check #4

Music / New Kids On The Block • July 7, 2026

The musical landscape is ever changing. New genres are popping up, new hypes burst out of nowhere and die out and new bands present themselves to the world. How on earth are you expected to keep up, right? Well, it never hurts to help! So here we are, your humble … Read more