Punk Rock Record Reviews: The Best of 2025, Part Eighteen.

Punk RockCommentaryConcert Review
Written By Paul Holstein

I listen primarily to punk, with my preferred subgenre being street punk. Speed rock, garage, skate punk, hardcore, pop punk, oi!, ska, grindcore, crust punk, mincecore, and even rockabilly fit the bill if done right. If I can catch a live show, it gives the release an edge. Here are a few releases from 2025 that I recommend you check out. These are in no particular order; however, I’m only reviewing releases that are in contention for the best release of the year. If I’m reviewing it, I liked it. When the New Year rolls around, I’ll put them in order and do a final article of the best of the best. Drop a comment at the bottom if there is a 2025 release you think I should check out; I most definitely will.

Direct Order '82 "DEMO"
Released: October 10, 2025
Format: Cassette, 7" vinyl, digital download
Label: Crosshair Records/ Refuse Records
From: New Jersey
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed. Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

This is a 12-song demo, but it took me a while to fully understand what was going on. They have 82 in their name and sound like they are directly out of 1982, so it was unclear if these were old or new recordings. They also stole the artwork from The Fuck-Ups "FU82" EP from 1982. Something I rarely do, I reached out to the band to get the scoop. It turns out that they are actually a new band, and this was recorded and released in 2025 with a sound that is reminiscent of 1982. Well, they did it right because this absolutely smokes, and their nods to classic hardcore bands are inspired. No songs over a minute, fast, screaming, expletives, and lyrics that you can scream along to. They cover "Memories of Tomorrow" by Suicidal Tendencies in true 1982 hardcore fashion; that one will likely end up on my list of the best covers of the year. The first song, "DO'82," is a nod to Necros "IQ32" (a cover with the words changed up), and they plan a The Faith cover on the vinyl when it arrives. Their live shows are advertised with the mantra "Come down and join our cult. Let us turn your kids into queer, anarchist, vegan, woke liberals!" This is also "Name Your Price" on Bandcamp, which means that you can download it for free if you have to, so if you are still reading this and not heading over to Bandcamp, you need to switch gears. It's hard to choose a favorite song; I may just put all 12 of them on my current playlist.

Moral Minority "Crack Head Regime"
Moral Minority "Skate Punk Reject"
Released: January 25, 2025, Re-Released: November 1, 2025
Released: November 5, 2025
Format: Digital download
Label: Dekonstruktion Records
From: Tampa, FL
After doing some research, яîvî†нэΔd (Rivethead) is the owner of Dekonstruktion Records and originally released this earlier in the year (with the band name Immoral Minority, apparently a typo - the band name should have been Moral Minority all along). The original release shows it as a solo project (яîvî†нэΔd playing all of the instruments) with only suno contributing additional vocals and helping with the lyrics. Some time afterward, he released another EP, "Military On Our Streets," as Moral Minority with 6 songs, also done solo. Fast forward to November, and both were re-released together with a new sound, a new album cover, a new line-up, and some revised lyrics.
Album cover 1 Album cover 2 Album cover 3 Album cover 4

Although they refer to the sound as skatepunk and mention things that make me cringe (synths, drum patterns/beats, loops, and quantization), it sounds like top-shelf anti-political street punk for the most part. If you haven't guessed I'm a fan, and after navigating the confusing band information, I played it through at least 5 full times before stopping. "Don't Tread On Me," "Greed!," "Broken System," "Just Stop With The Bullshit," "Vultures," "They Hate Us," "Broken System," "United We Fight," and "Lies, Lies, Lies" were all standouts, and that's half of the album.

It takes me a few days to properly listen to an album and put together a review, and while I was working on this one, they actually came out with another full-length, "Skate Punk Rejects." It's just as good, and "Beer Babes and Boards" moved up my list of their best songs (along with the title song, "Skate Rat" and "Till Death"). They also included a cover of DRI's "Suit & Tie Guy." Both are "Name Your Price" on Bandcamp with no minimum, so you can download them for free and decide for yourself. I recommend that you do. Fans of bands like The Casualties,The Unseen, Breakout, Total Chaos, Broken Bones, and Rotten Stitches will want to check this out.

The Sleights "Atari" EP
Released: October 24, 2025
Format: 7" vinyl, digital download
Label: Self released
From: Colorodo Springs, CO
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

The Sleights kicked off (they were literally the first band to play at the first show Thursday night) the 2025 Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival. We raced to get to Hogs & Heifers in time for their set, dropping our bags at the front desk over at The Golden Nugget to head out. Their performance, primarily drawn from their "This One's Gonna Hurt" LP released earlier this year, proved to be well worth the effort. They have releases going back to 2018, so they have been around a while, but their releases in 2025 have put them on the map (at least for me). This new one does slow it down a bit, showcasing their exceptional talent, but the standout song "Earthworms" kicks up the speed and energy, making this a must-have. Just check out the video, and see for yourself.

The Sissy Boys "Let's Party"
Released: October 11, 2025
Format: Vinyl LP, Digital Download
Label: Self Released
From: Muskegon, MI
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

The Sissy Boys are local beat-down hardcore, the kind you will find at Edgemen Printing, Russell Industrial Center or Tangent Gallery playing with bands like Bad Beat, Never Ending Game, or D-BLOC. Speaking of Bad Beat, singer Jimmy Lawson does guest vocals on this release. Other songs feature Bob Wilson of Let Down and Jack Steamroll. This is exactly what you would expect: hardcore that never lets up, including a few instrumentals, expletives, and tougher-than-nails lyrics. I'm not sure why they chose the name Sissy Boys, but it appears to be the polar opposite of their music. "Pay Your Disrespect," "Pushing Through," and "Nerve (featuring Jimmy Bad Beat)" were my initial picks for my current playlist, but all of the songs are good, and the recording is a notch above some of their prior releases. Surprisingly, the title song, "Let's Party," may have been my least favorite. Look for this on my list of best releases of the year, and near the top of its subgenre.

V/A "Killed by Deaf: A Punk Tribute To Motorhead"
Released: October 31, 2025
Format: Vinyl LP, CD, digital download
Label: BMG
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

2025 is the 50th anniversary of Motörhead, which I'm sure played a part in this coming out now. First of all, this is really good. I like the Damned/Motörhead collaboration on "Neat Neat Neat" even better than The Damned's original. Motörhead are music royalty, and putting together a punk tribute that does them justice is no easy task. Getting solid bands was the first hurdle, and they knocked that out of the park with contributors that include Pennywise, Rancid, The Casualties, GBH, Anti-Nowhere League, Lagwagon, Murphy's Law, and Fear. Even the bands that might not be household names are all excellent. I always gravitate towards fast songs, so Pennywise's "Ace of Spades," The Casualties' "The Hammer," Rancid's "Sex & Death," GBH's "Bomber," and Lagwagon's "Rock 'n' Roll" were my favorites. The Bronx, Wisdom in Chains, Soldiers of Destruction, Love Canal, and Slaughterhouse were all great. Really not a bad song on this. If you like tribute albums, or Motörhead, or both - this is highly recommended. I do have to say though, Blood For Blood's version of "Ace Of Spades" (not on this album) is still my all-time favorite Motörhead cover. Look for a few of these on my list of top cover songs of the year; they will be an easy pick for high up on the list.

The Raging Nathans "Bad Timing: Sordid Youth Vol. 3"
Released: October 10, 2025
Format: 12" vinyl, Digital Download
Label: Rad Girlfriend Records
From: Dayton, OH
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

I just saw The Raging Nathans on tour with Screeching Weasel (back in Detroit for the first time in 15 years), and they were great. They also put out their 6th full-length album of all new material earlier this year on Rad Girlfriend Records/Thousand Islands Records titled "Room For One More." This is somewhat of a compilation album (the third in a series), with songs from their splits, b-sides, and compilations that didn't make their full-length albums. I sought this out specifically for "Drug Dealin' (For Money)" and "Pig Pen," which were on their 2021 split with The Dwarves (one of my top 5 all-time favorite bands). I don't usually count albums like this towards the album of the year countdown, but included with their new LP, this might move them up a few spots. Essential if you don't have the songs elsewhere.

Swindle "Junk Keys"
Released: June 7, 2025
Format: Cassette, Digital Download
Label: Self Released
From: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

UK82-style hardcore from Malaysia, with spiky hair and female vocals. Street punk is my favorite punk subgenre, so this is right up my alley. The standout song is "Punk Competition," which went straight to my current playlist along with "Friend of Mine" and "Just A Joke." They formed in 2022 in Kuala Lumpur; it would be interesting to go to a show there and check out the scene (maybe a bucket list item for me). The cover and title song are anti-junkie, and their music is self-described as "... just spit, speed, and pure disgust." I can't argue with that. Fans of The Exploited, GBH, The Casualties, Breakout, Total Chaos, Defiance, and The Unseen.

V/A "Still no P.E.A.C.E still WAR"
Released: June 23, 2025
Format: Vinyl LP, Digital Download
Label: Warbad
From: Wroclaw, Poland
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

This release is packaged to look like a sequel to the absolute classic "International P.E.A.C.E./WAR" benefit compilation from 1984, which introduced me to all sorts of bands from around the world. That 2xLP was basically a life-changing slab of vinyl that I still play on occasion. I doubt if this is officially a sequel, but it says that it's an international benefit for Palestine, and the list of bands is impressive (S.H.I.T., Golpe, Bootlicker, Rat Cage, No Time, Chain Whip, and a lot of bands I haven't heard of). The cost of 25.00 PLN translated to $6.87 USD, which was well worth the tribute. I wish there was more information on the bands on Bandcamp (it just says "22 bands from around the world"). The songs by Bib, Golpe, Muro, S.H.I.T., and No Time all went to my current playlist. A worthy follow-up to P.E.A.C.E., and that is high praise.

No Time "Comply Or Die"
Released: October 24, 2025
Format: Digital Download
Label: TKO Records
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

"Street Level, No Gimmicks, Pure Impact, Ton Of Bricks, No Time!" kicks off this 4-song EP. Oi! Music in your face from TKO Records. I reviewed their "Suffer No Fool" EP back in 2023 (check out "True Hate" and "Life-Sucker"), and they also have a killer track, "Bombed and Starved," on this year's V/A "Still no P.E.A.C.E still WAR" compilation. I missed their recent local show at Edgemen Printing, but I plan to catch them next time around. If you love Oi!, you will love these bands. For fans of Beton Arme, The Reckless Upstarts, Lion's Law, Homefront, Templars, and Blitz.

Lemon Law "Moist Loads"
Released: November 14, 2025
Format: Digital download
Label: Self released
From: New Hartford, New York
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

This is their 13th album (over nearly 25 years as a band), which is a feat in itself. It's also really good and has album cover art that catches your attention right away. Lemon Law has been on my radar for a couple of years; I've been listening to everything that they have been putting out, and I have always liked what I heard. This one, though, really stuck with me. At times they sound like NOFX-core, and other times I'd compare them more to 30 Foot Fall, but those two bands aren't that far apart—this is top-shelf pop punk. "Kept Man" and "Noah The Jehovah" were my favorites, which is surprising because these are also the longest of the 17 songs on this release. Fans of NOFX, 30 Foot Fall, Guttermouth, Teenage Bottlerocket, Screeching Weasel, and Masked Intruder.

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Paul Holstein
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