Ashkara are a crust/ dbeat band out of Switzerland that features members of Cwill. In Absence is their 8 track debut that is punishing and heavy as well as melodic technical. Ashkara fucking rule. Make sure you support these guys!
songs of fast, bitter Midwestern hardcore punk clocking in under 26 minutes. After a slew of releases over the last few years, this is Protestant throwing down the gauntlet and cutting the shit. 
After a lengthy period of hibernation that led many to assume they’d long since called it a day, progressive hardcore outfit THE BRODERICK are back with their long-overdue, debut full-length, Free To Rot, Free Of Sin. Taking their time to write and really hone in on the essence of their sound, THE BRODERICK have delivered one of the most challenging heavy releases of 2012.
Salt Lake City, UT natives Gaza play a form of grindcore mixed with drone-sludgy and mathy hardcore with an unmatched intesity. Gaza also lyrically attack the religious foundation the country continues to rely on. No Absolutes In Human Suffering is their 3rd release. Don't miss the boat on this one.
California's dark hardcore masters, Xibalba, are back. Hasta la Muerte is 11 tracks of some of the heaviest music to come out in years. This is sure to be on everyone's best of 2012 list. Get it here!
Molecular Genetics From the Gold Standard Labs is 44 tracks of hardto-find and out-of-print material from the early years of the Locust. San Diego legends the Locust have been blowing minds since 1994 with their unique mix of grindcore speed and aggression, mathcore complexity, and new wave weirdness. The band quickly earned a reputation for their unique sound and live presentations. In the process they have created a singular body of work, and an important piece of that appears on Molecular Genetics From the Gold Standard Labs, collecting for the first time all of the band’s pre-Epitaph recordings.
Afgrund is an international grind band(swe/ita/fin) based in Stockholm, Sweden. They play a punishing style of grind that is surely to please the purists and those new to the genre alike. The Age of Dumb is 18 tracks filled with blast beats and shredding guitar work. Get this shit now!
Split Cranium are a D-Beat inspired punk band based out of both the US and Finland. Although at first listen this album may seem a bit more melodic than other D-Beat juggernauts, Split Cranium ultimately add a fresh look to a genre that can be a bit stale at times. Features Aaron Turner of Isis on vocals and guitars. 
Seven Sisters Of Sleep are back with their most punishing release to date. SSOS chugs through 6 tracks of downtuned sludge with an unwavering heaviness that should be illegal. Check this shit out then buy it. 
Pendulum Swings is full of simple and stripped-down yet super fun and heavy hardcore mixed with Suicidal Tendencies-style trash – a must have for any fan of hardcore. Recorded at Howl Street Recordings in Milwaukee, WI and mastered by Jay Maas of Getaway Recordings (Defeater, Bane, Cruel Hand), this record is sure to be on of the heaviest exports from the Midwest this year.
Rumour Mill are a young hardcore band out of St. Albans, UK. RM features members of Your Demise and other various acts from the UK. For the most part Rumour Mill play a brand of hardcore that is straight to the point with a street punk twist. The 6 tracks on their demo are a very interesting look into what RM have to offer. 
Undisputed masters of the crossover genre, Richmond, Virginia’s Municipal Waste return for their fifth full-length album in their endless quest to bring the fury, bring the laughs and bring the party to obscene new lows. Their hell-bent quest for infectious riffs and never-ending headbanging sessions has finally led them to Nuclear Blast for a debut party-on-disc that won’t soon be forgotten. Tasked with the noble aim of spreading the shred, The Fatal Feast is a more complete album than ever before. More bang, more intensity and a rounder sound make this not only the perfect party record, but also a natural fit for their epically ridiculous live shows.
Black Breath is a band from the Pacific Northwest who have quickly shredded their way to popularity. With members of Shook Ones, Go It Alone, Blue Monday, Get The Most, and On, they began in 2007 as crossover band with a joking spirit. In 2008, they released a 4-song 12" EP, Razor To Oblivion, which proved their step in a more serious direction, writing riffs that are reminiscent of first-wave thrash, black, and death metal bands such as Celtic Frost and Hellhammer, but maintain a traditional hardcore punk undertone.
Exalt are a Hardcore band from Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Exalt seem to blend elements from each of their, very apparent, influences together in a manner that keeps things fresh and inspired. Breach False Minds is the full length debut that is hopefully a sign of good things to come.
