2009

This week Jared "The Herbrew Hammer" Heilborn of MDK and 28 Days fame asked me to do a wrap up of 2009 with some top 10 lists. There has been so many good releases this year that I found it really difficult to pick a top 10 for any of them. My lists are definitely the best that will be posted on here. That is all.

TOP 10 - HARDCORE/METAL

1. Trapped Under Ice - Secrets Of The World
2. Every Time I Die - New Junk Aesthetic
3. Rise And Fall - Our Circle Is Vicious
4. Reign Supreme - Testing The Limits Of Infinite
5. Converge - Axe To Fall
6. Blacklisted - No One Deserves To Be Here More Than Me
7. The Rival Mob - Raw Life
8. The Mongoloids - Assorted Music
9. Dead Swans - Sleepwalkers
10. Bad Seed - Bad Seed

TOP 10 - PUNK

1. Fireworks - All I Have To Offer Is My Own Confusion
2. Title Fight - The Last Thing You Forget
3. Polar Bear Club - Chasing Hamburg
4. This Time Next Year - Road Maps & Heart Attacks
5. The Swellers - Ups And Downsizing
6. Set Your Goals - This Will Be The Death Of Us
7. Transit - Stay Home
8. New Found Glory - Not Without A Fight
9. Brand New - Daisy
10. Paramore - Brand New Eyes

TOP 10 - AUSTRALIAN

1. Blkout - Total Depravity
2. Break Even - The Bright Side
3. I Exist - Three Nails And A Book Of Flaws
4. The Hollow - The Hollow
5. Iron Mind - The Sun Has Set
6. Hopeless - Dear World
7. Legions - Demo 2009
8. Phantoms - Demo 2009
9. Sex Wizard - Sex Wizard
10. A Death In The Family - Small Town Stories

TOP 10 - LIVE SHOWS

1. Mindsnare - Bald Faced Stag, Sydney
2. Trapped Under Ice - Manning Bar, Sydney
3. Hardcore 2009 - Roundhouse, Sydney
4. The Hollow - The Loft, Newcastle
5. Terror - Oasis Youth Centre, Wyong
6. Rise And Fall - Bald Faced Stag, Sydney
7. Break Even - Oasis Youth Centre, Wyong
8. Miles Away - Oassis Youth Centre, Wyong
9. Set Your Goals - Manning Bar, Sydney
10. Comeback Kid - Manning Bar, Sydney

TOP 10 - TV SHOWS

1. Ultimate Fighter 10
2. Entourage
3. Gossip Girl
4. Curb Your Enthusiasm
5. Greek
6. Secret Life Of The American Teenager
7. The Contender Australia
8. South Park
9. Dog The Bounty Hunter
10. The Simpsons

Band Of The Week - The Rains

The Rains are a hardcore band from Newcastle featuring members of The Hollow and Earthlings.The band has a demo available to purchase now.

They have a few shows coming up, and if you're lucky they might play a few Brand New covers.

October 3 - The Sandringham Hotel - Newtown, Sydney (18+)
w/ The Hollow, Phantoms, Persist, Fistmouth

October 7 - The Cambridge - Newcastle (18+)
w/ Break Even, The Hollow (FREE SHOW)

October 17 - The Loft - Newcastle (AA)
w/ Dropsaw, Shinto Katana, Violence

Click here to download the band's demo.

For Fans Of: Brand New, American Nightmare, Panic

http://www.myspace.com/thesearetherains

Band Of The Week - Fixtures

Fixtures are a new metalcore (not the Chelsea Smile kind) band from Sydney. The band formed in mid 2009 and three of the members are currently under the age of 18. They have a demo out now which you can pick up at a show.

The band has a few shows coming up which you should attend if you have nothing better to do.

October 16 - The Fitz, St. Ives - Sydney (AA)

w/ Seduction, Relentless, Persist, I Exist, Endless Heights, Reality

October 17 - Bar 32, Canberra (18 )

w/ Seduction, Dead Kings, I Exist

October 18 - Abandoned House Show, Husskinson (AA)

w/ Seduction, Earthlings, I Exist, Vera, Yeah Right

October 31 - Hype Central, Castle Hill - Sydney (AA)

w/ The Amity Affliction, We Are The Ocean, Hopeless, Sienna Skies

Click here to listen to the band on myspace.

For fans of: Converge, Trap Them, Pulling Teeth

http://www.myspace.com/fixturesaus

Band Of The Week - Paper Arms

Paper Arms are a punk band from Adelaide. They have self released a demo and are currently writing for their debut album which will be released by Poison City Records in the near future.

They have a number of shows coming up that you should check out if you get the chance.

September 17 - Enigma Bar, Adelaide (18+)

w/ Samiam (USA), A Death In The Family

September 18 - The Arthouse, Melbourne (18+)

w/ Grand Fatal, Lungs, Like...Alaska, Lead Sketch Union (Poison City Weekender)

October 16 - The Arthouse, Melbourne (18+)

w/ Daylight (USA), Break Even, Fuck It I Quit, Vultures

October 17 - The Crown & Anchor, Adelaide (18+)

w/ Daylight (USA), The Brews

October 23 - Fowlers, Adelaide (AA)

w/ Mere Theory, Grenadiers, Cortez

November 13 - The Jade Monkey, Adelaide (18+)

w/ Move To Strike, Weightless

Click here to download the band's demo (you have to sign up for the website).

For fans of: Hot Water Music, Polar Bear Club

http://www.myspace.com/paperarms

http://www.myspace.com/poisoncityrecords

http://www.poisoncityrecords.com/

Band Of The Week - Phantoms

Phantoms are a new Sydney hardcore band featuring ex-members of Rex Banner, Jack Napier and Rowan.

They have released a 5 track demo, which you can download here.

The band has recently added Adrian "Riff Machine" Kelly from Rex Banner to the line up so they will only keep getting better (or worse, depends which way you look at it).

They will be recording later in the year for another release.

They have a few show coming up which you should check out.

October 1 - Hot Damn, Sydney (18 )
w/ Hand Of Mercy, xStrength Through Purityx

October 3 - The Sandringham Hotel, Sydney (18 )

w/ The Hollow, Persist, The Rains, Fistmouth

October 30 - Manning Bar, Sydney (AA)
w/ The Amity Affliction, We Are The Ocean, Hopeless, Hand Of Mercy

November 12 - Bald Faced Stag, Sydney (AA)

w/ Gold Kids, Ghost Town, Homewrecker, Fistmouth, Sawn Off

For Fans Of: No Warning, Bitter End, Cruel Hand

http://www.myspace.com/phantomshc