The best punk albums of 2025
The best punk albums of 2025 chosen by our crew and our co-productions
Another year has passed, bringing us lots of albums, demos, and EPs, and making a selection is never easy. As you may have guessed, our crew is quite heterogeneous. However, having different tastes has never been an obstacle for us, but rather a virtue. In fact, this allows us to share with you a wide range of releases with the most varied nuances of punk.
As always, our choice regarding the best albums of the year is not to make charts, but simply to offer listening recommendations, a collection of our favorites. So below you will find our preferences sorted by subgenre, in alphabetical order. At the bottom, you will find the albums we have co-produced. We wanted to highlight albums that we are very fond of and that, by virtue of the fact that we have released them, we consider to be valid. However, we did not want to create a conflict of interest, which is why they have been separated from the rest.
Last but not least, here you can find all the 2025 Diyno Mixtapes, featuring lots of great albums that have been a pleasant soundtrack to our year.
Thanks to everyone who has read our articles throughout 2025 and to those who will read this article. We hope we have helped you discover new music. Enjoy listening and reading!
Our favorite albums: the best punk albums of 2025 in the opinion of Radio Punk crew
Post Punk
Lightinf. – All Conditions Gear (Hellnation Records | 12″ LP)
This splendid LP arrives at our headquarters with a cover that is as beautiful as it is evocative, which in the meantime brings us back to the band’s geographical origin, namely Bologna, and then to the sound and style, the British/Casual style that in fact rages throughout the record. In the wake of bands such as High Vis, the Bologna-based band offers us 8 tracks sung in English including a cover of Elliott Smith. Theirs is a potion formed by post-punk, britpop, new wave and punk rock, a perfect soundtrack to stroll through the chaotic urban marasmus trying to forget this drifting world. Super! “It’s a matter of class, it’s a matter of style”
Nyx Division – Midnight Lights (12” LP Black Water Records, Agipunk Records | Tape Transylvanian Recordings)
It’s nighttime and the temperature has dropped a little; summer is finally over. A light rain falls on the car windscreen, the lights filtering through the raindrops. We turn on the stereo and play Midnight Lights, perfect for driving throughout the city. This album is wonderful, with its post-punk sound, meticulously crafted and never banal. One song, after another, will stick in your head for days thanks to the guitar riffs and Domino Monet’s incredible voice. The deep bass gives it a more punk feel, while the drums remind us of the typical sounds of the 80s. An incredibly successful album in every respect, we’re hooked!
Rancœur – Fatalité (Contra Records, Longshot Music, Kanal Hystérik, Tough Ain’t Enough Records | 12″ LP / Dispear Records | Tape / DIY | CD)
After a year and a half of silence, these guys from Nancy make a really nice comeback. The album opens with an intro that slowly captures us in the cold and sharp sounds of the band, not by chance they call their genre ‘cold oi!’. After the intro the pace picks up, and we immediately enter the heart of the record with the title track: Fatalité. Rhythmic bass, pounding drums, sharp vocals and off they go… Rancœur prove to be a guarantee. On first listening, the album may seem quieter than their previous works, generally it seems that the bpm are lower, but the more you listen to it, the more convincing it becomes, and each time you listen to the record you discover some new details.
Also, the lyrics are always interesting, and as usual if you don’t know French on BandCamp you will find translated lyrics! This is absolutely not to be taken for granted. Nothing else to add, except have a good listen!
Punk Rock
Alarmsignal – Insomnia (Aggressive Punk Produktionen | CD/12” LP)
The night amplifies thoughts and worries, and sometimes it happens that we can’t sleep a wink. The common thread of this album by the veteran band of the German scene is precisely everything that takes our sleep away in these difficult times, both personally and globally: the hatred that is increasingly widespread and normalized by the language of the far right, a harbinger of racism, nationalism, sexism and homophobia. But the night is also a source of inspiration, and this is where the poetry of the 14 tracks comes from, punk rock that is solid but also has a strong emotional impact, with the contribution of numerous illustrious features, from Sebastian Madsen to Fucking Angry. And the night always gives way to light and a message of hope in which humanity can triumph over hatred, like the true story, tragic but with a happy ending, told in “Rest Your Eyes”: a visually impaired boy who fled Syria manages to land to safety thanks to his sister’s words of encouragement, “You will be safe to rest your eyes.”
Corbillard – Amour, Délice & Morgue (Guerilla Asso, Bearded Punk Records, AEM Project, Panda Records | CD/12” LP)
An ode to death, a hymn to life. The Belgian band, already active for 15 years, calls its music “punk rock from beyond the grave,” and, beginning with its name (French for “hearse”), makes decadent imagery its trademark. Yet, this constant winking at death overflows with a love of life, of the hope of dancing on the ashes of the world, if we know how to multiply despite their attempts to divide us, if we know how to fight for our rights, the right to live, and the right to die with dignity. The lyrics, accompanied by a booklet of illustrations, one for each of the 13 tracks, are pure poetry. And the music, refined but punchy punk rock in perfect Guerilla Asso style, delivers moments of high emotional impact. Masterpiece!
Dead Pioneers – Po$t American (Hassle Records | CD, 12″ LP)
Second album by the Dead Pioneers from Denver, Colorado. Like the first album, an absolute blast. This album has more music and a little less spoken word from Gregg Deal (the band’s frontman), but the political criticism that permeates the lyrics remains powerful and sharp, punk at its most rebellious and angry form, the Dead Pioneers have something for everyone. As with the first album, most of the songs revolve around highly topical and important issues: starting with Native American self-determination, they touch on racism, class struggle, the damage of capitalism, the damage of patriarchy, up to more specific topics concerning problems in American society; such as school shootings and the Second Amendment.
In summary: artwork 10/10, music 10/10, lyrics 11/10, note that you should listen and read the lyrics carefully otherwise you will miss a big part of this great album. We leave you with a quote from the title-track, Po$t American, as a preview of the record.
America so star-spangled awesome
A nice place where the Empire blossoms
Killing Natives, built on slave labor, too
When you bleed you bleed red, white, and blue
The Dreadnoughts – Polka Pit (Punkerton Records | 12” LP/ CD)
In Quezzi, a hillside district of Genoa, Italy, there is a street named after Stefanina Moro, a young partisan and martyr of the Resistance who was born in that very district. And it is with amazement and emotion that we discover that her story has crossed the ocean and reached Canada, inspiring “Tarantella Bang Boom,” one of the tracks on the new album by the Vancouver folk punk band. An extraordinary album that bridges Europe and America, past and present, tradition and innovation, bringing together accordion, fiddle, and mandolin with guitar, bass, and drums. Thus, tarantella, polka, and sea shanties merge with punk rock to draw us into a frenetic dance in the pit, inebriated and liberating, yes, but never forgetting the values of anti-fascism and those who, like Stefanina, fought or still fight to defend freedom: “A real partisan never dies.” Awesome!
Lambrini Girls – Who Let The Dogs Out (City Slang | CD, 12” LP)
More than a record, it is a manifesto that addresses, with anger and grit, the historical moment we are living through, reviewing all the hottest topics. Toxic masculinity, abuse in uniform, nepotism in the music world, harassment and gender discrimination in the workplace, mental health, eating disorders, gay awakening, gentrification and so many other issues are touched upon, indeed shouted with as much rage as possible, throughout this wonderful record. “Who Let The Dogs Out” is able to shake you body and soul with both the lyrics and the music, a true noise vortex characterized by fast-paced drum rhythms, which in some places recall electronic music. The heavily distorted bass produces a super fuzz and raw sound on which the extremely eclectic guitar riffs lie. A crazy experience to be had listening to track after track!
Snooper – Worldwide (Third Man Records | 12″ LP, CD, Tape)
The band from Nashville, Tennessee, give us 11 original tracks plus a stunning and brilliant cover of Come Together. This new work is bizarre, sensational, acrobatic and absolutely lysergic. A crazy journey through melody, frenzy and uniqueness. It is impossible to categorise this album into a single genre. Could we call it punk rock? Egg punk? Post punk? That would be an understatement, given the enormous amount of different influences, from the magnetic bass to the hypnotic guitars, the danceable rhythm and the significant electronic influences that blend with the catchy and well-structured vocals. A sensational album!
Teen Mortgage – Devil Ultrasonic Dream (Roadrunner Records | 12” LP, CD)
The Washington D.C. duo releases ‘Devil Ultrasonic Dream’, a devastating album characterised by their unmistakable punk rock style steeped in garage punk, action rock and hardcore punk. A band that manages to leave its mark on all the tracks on the album, creating the right balance between energetic pieces and slower, almost psychedelic ones. Theirs is a trip guided by a friendly cartoon version of the spectre of death. A band and an album that are definitely not to be missed!
Ska Punk
Catbite – Doom Garden (EP | Bad Time Records)
The new revelation of ska punk returns with a danceable EP and two guests, Patrick Stump and Zayna Youssef. The highlight of this release is the track with Patrick Stump, Tired of Talk. It’s impossible to resist the sound of fresh and vigorous ska, combined with two voices that fit together perfectly. While we wait for a full-length album, Doom Garden is a must-have.
The Guillotines – Parcel of Rogues (A Little Off the Top | CD/12” LP)
From the very first notes, this fourth album by the Scottish quintet will catapult you under a stage, where you’ll find yourself moshing and screaming at the top of your lungs. More than an album, it’s an arsenal of 11 tracks, each more explosive than the last, and a veritable political manifesto. Yes, because, true to their name, they incite rebellion against power: capitalism, the monarchy, the new right, and the new media. They define their music as “punk ska oi!” and indeed, in their very personal sound, cheerful and angry at the same time, the rhythm and horn section characteristic of ska coexist with working-class themes, vocal timbre, and anthemic choruses typical of oi! All performed with remarkable skill, including delightful solos on various instruments. An absolute masterpiece!
Merry Malady – Healthy Life
This is a truly amazing album! Ska-punk by definition, but with prog and folk punk echoes a la Days’n’Daze, listen to it even if you don’t count ska-punk among your favorite genres and you won’t be able to do without it! The product of the extraordinary creativity of Merry Malady, vocalist, guitarist, visual artist but above all songwriter, it is embellished by a band that also includes such well-known names in the American scene as Tara Hahn, lead singer of Half Past Two, and Eric Daino, here on bass and keyboards but also serving as producer. It is a hypnotic record that takes us to explore the innermost abysses of the human soul through lyrics made of bold metaphors and imaginative visions, accompanied by vocal harmonies that enchant and drag us into an emotional vortex. Lyrics laden with the pain of living, which, however, is sublimated in singing, and in the yearning for the healing of the soul. Gorgeous!
The Pomps – Partial Eclipse of The Pomps (Bad Time Records | 12” LP)
Crisp new release from Badtime Records, sure to satisfy the most refined palates. In fact, the Boston quartet churns out 10 tracks that are most striking for the measured dosage of ingredients. Well-known elements such as 2 tone ska, post punk and 80s style new wave are balanced and blended to perfection to create a sound with an original and current flavor that could be called new tone, or post ska. And if you add the vocal timbre you expect for that sound, super catchy melodies, delightful guitar solos and the witty irony of the social and political issue lyrics, you have served up an irresistible recipe to be enjoyed to your heart’s content. Over the top!
Space Monkey Mafia – Death of the Party (Jump Up Records | CD/12” LP)
“Wake me up when the empire ends”: this line, an ironic semi-quotation, sums up the meaning of this masterpiece by the Minneapolis band that leaves us speechless from the very first listen. The party is ending, the capitalist empire is crumbling, but we don’t stop dancing, knowing that there is a better world worth fighting for. A strong political message, indeed, but also a lot of introspection and an invitation to self-care and self-love, in lyrics of the highest literary and poetic quality. And the music? Ska-punk, of course, but with strong jazz and swing influences and a touch of metal, with exceptional vocal and instrumental performances that literally give you goosebumps! A sublime delight for the ears and the soul, it rightfully ranks among the best albums of the year!
Hardcore Punk
Ayucaba – Operación Masacre (Metadona Discos | 12” LP/ Educación Cínica | Cassette)
You know when they say that an album gets stuck in your head? Well, in this album by the Barcelona band, featuring members of the Otro Futuro collective, there isn’t a single track that doesn’t stick in your mind. The explosive mix of hardcore punk with massive doses of thrash/speed metal and rock’n’roll sweeps us away like a tornado. The riffs are sharp and original, and the songs are all furious and particularly eclectic thanks to Cromi’s vocals, which spew forth all the hatred towards this unjust world. A splendid record!
Haram – ليش الجنة بيتبلش في الجهنم؟ Why Does Paradise Begin in Hell (Toxic State Records | 12” LP)
The New York band’s second album comes out of the blue. The 12 hardcore punk tracks blend seamlessly with an Arabian atmosphere, as evidenced by the lyrics’ language and the artwork. The songs are full of rhythm changes, furious and powerful, and they stick in your head thanks to the fresh and original riffs, as well as the overall atmosphere of the album. A complex mosaic that amazes both when viewed up close and as a whole. What lies behind the music makes this band even more interesting, as they make walking the razor’s edge of provocation their mantra. Criticism of Islamic extremism, mixed with the cultural assertion of the frontman’s Arab origins, is recounted with irony and scorn. A truly explosive mix!
We also recommend this interesting interview published on the release of the band’s last EP, where you can also find some information about this incredible band.
Punter – Australienation (Televised Suicide Records, Drunken Sailor, Green Noise, Sorry State | 12” LP)
Already from the first notes I cried out for a miracle! Great performance by the Australian band that from the artwork to the sounds, from the musical proposal to the lyrics does everything right in this great 13-track album. In this cauldron that makes up “Australienation” we find hardcore punk, rock n roll, Dead Kennedys-esque early punk and unfailing echoes of Australian legends Radio Birdman. But the most striking thing is the devastating shot and the originality with which these various influences are mixed creating an album that is a masterpiece!
Scowl – Are We All Angels (LP | Dead Oceans)
Anyone who has seen Scowl live knows how much energy they put into their performances and how mesmerising Kat can be. Now, with their new album, the Santa Cruz band moves away from simple hardcore and toward melodic punk, combining it with harder elements, such as heavy metal and scratchy voices. Different for sure, but no less captivating.
Stormo – Tagli/Talee (Prosthetic records | 12’’ LP, CD)
Power and rage condensed into 11 high-quality tracks. Stormo are always a guarantee!
After a short instrumental intro, this new album drags us into a non-stop vortex of sharp sounds, track after track this album flows without missing a beat. Don’t miss it!
Subversive Rite – Apocalypse Zone (Acute Noise Manufacture | LP)
Subversive Rite from New York City came out with this album, originally recorded in 2022. A real hardcore punk blast with UK ’82 and trash metal influences that remind us a lot of Sacrilege but also Varukers and English Dogs. Pump up the volume!
Crust Punk
Apoptosi. – Per Tutto Il Male Che Avete Fatto.
10 short, fast and incisive songs on both the (anti-)music and the political level are the new step in the work of this very young band, which started in 2023. The cover art, the hatred and anger that oozes from the lyrics, which are well composed, and not least, the music itself, are truly sensational. Very high-level and crystal clear ideas. An impressive crust / hardcore record!
Psych-War – Psychotic Warmonger (Agipunk Records, Archaic Records | 12” LP / Archaic Records, Sore Mind | Tape)
After their excellent 2023 demo, the Philadelphia band pleasantly smashes our ears with their debut full-length album. Eleven powerful tracks packed with massive doses of crust punk seasoned with stench breaks, Motorhead-Inepsy punk rock’n’roll echoes and a few Bolt Thrower-style riffs. If you like the Swedish school of Dischange, Disfear, and Wolfbrigade, you’ll be surprised to hear something completely original that will satisfy your weird musical tastes!
War//Plague – The Rot Thickens (Organize and Arise, Phobia Records | 12″ LP)
The Minneapolis band is back in the limelight with an extraordinary album. 8 sensational tracks infused with crust punk, and “infected” with metal elements and stenchcore atmospheres. An unprecedented ferocity: sharp and ice-cold but simultaneously massive and powerful music. I had high expectations of this record, and I can safely say that I was positively shocked!
Oi!
Béton Armé – Renaissance (La Vida Es Un Mus | 12″ LP)
The Montréal band’s highly anticipated album brings us one of the best albums of 2025. In these 11 tracks, with lyrics in French, we find an incredible mixture of potent oi! that winks at the Italian and French schools, wild and granitic rock’n’roll and a nice sprinkling of hardcore. All topped off with a bunch of “oooohhhs” in the choruses and sudden changes of rhythm that are nothing but devastating, like a bolt out of the blue. A masterful album!
Claimed Choice – S/T (Une Vie Pour Rien Vinyles | 12” LP)
After seeing the band from Lyon twice in Bologna, we were particularly impressed, both by the energy of their live shows and the crazy pull of their songs. We listened to their previous works in full and impatiently awaited these new 8 tracks, 6 sung in English and two in French. This S/T, which is presented with a strong, simple and flamboyant cover, fully suits the intense style of the album: bovver rock infused with oi! and 70s glam with a powerful sound. Amazing album, on loop on the turntable for days!
Scalpo – Partita Con La Morte (Mendeku Diskak | 12” LP)
We have in our hands the physical format of the latest album by the Sondrio band Scalpo, released on the Basque label Mendeku Diskak. ‘Partita Con La Morte‘ is a straightforward record, enveloped in 80s street atmosphere, also thanks to Clara C’s evocative artwork. On the musical side, we are facing a punk / Oi! masterpiece: fast rhythms, direct riffs, dark and present bass, and finally an edgy voice singing lyrics that are nothing short of venomous. There are two covers, also very apt: ‘Teppa Life’ by Bloody Riot and ‘Banchetto di Lusso’ by Nerorgasmo. A blast!
Our co-productions, in order of release:
- LeTormenta – Le Ombre Più Buie (LP). “We have already stopped being a band and maybe one day we will start playing again, but not now. We are thinking of pressing it in vinyl format but we have our (usual) (long) timeframe. We hope it can leave you something, for us it represented so much to be able to do it. Thank you for all these years. It was worth it.”. With these words LeTormenta release their final album. There are bands formed by people who have a tireless daily practice, a wonderful humanity, an incredible ability to strive for consistency with their values and ideas. LeTormenta perfectly represent this description. Thank you for what you have done over the years, always leaving us with swollen hearts, goosebumps, drawing the line with intense political activity through both practical example and this proposal of unique, original, charismatic and poetic hardcore punk. This record is wonderful in its sounds, lyrics, and compositional sophistication. Mind-blowing!
- Fracture – Consuming Chaos (CD). We co-released together with other DIY labels the new CD album by Modena band Fracture. 9 chaotic and extreme songs for those who love sounds hovering between grindcore and hardcore with sharp riffs, powerful vocals and pouring blast beats and tupa tupa. The artwork by Illmut Aksam and Matteo Boschini projects us perfectly into the dark atmosphere of the record. Make this explosive work yours!
- 17 Incubi – Rullareee! (LP). This new co-production arrived in our house in vinyl format along with a bottle of Genepì liqueur, kindly offered by 17 incubi! Starting from the physical copy, the record features beautiful artwork by Mr. Alfredo Tattoo, with a screen print on the B-side by Sericraft. The frenetic and volcanic design sets the mood for the album: fast-paced, hard-hitting hardcore punk made in Turin, the kind that hits you with a series of punches until you’re knocked out. The lyrics tackle social and political issues, but also personal ones such as friendship. The sound is simply perfect, thanks to the excellent production by Tino Paratore (Church Of Violence, Havoc, …), and enhances the splendid bass and guitar lines, the bone-crushing drums and the furious vocals embellished with powerful choruses. 13 damn hardcore punk tracks, just what you’d expect from the old school but with a fresh and charismatic twist!
- Minoranza Di Uno / L’Incubo – Ed È Per Questo Che Io Ti Bacio Sempre (CD). Not only sunsets in the north-east, but also some healthy anarcho-punk with a kick! This is how I would introduce this four-song split between Minoranza di Uno, now a legendary band based between the provinces of Gorizia and Trieste, and L’Incubo, a Gorizia-based band that already has an album released last year. Minoranza di Uno reconfirms its established mix of anarcho-punk and hardcore together with its unmistakable political-introspective lyrics. On the other hand, L’Incubo draws us in with its decidedly dark and heart-wrenching mood. What a crazy duo!
- Stiglitz – Quando Tutto Tace (LP / CD). We are delighted to co-release this album, in which we worked together with our friends at Flamingo Records and Rumagna Sgroza. We have been following Stiglitz, a band from Genoa, for years. They impressed us from the very first moment, and we have developed a strong bond with them, just as we have with the other two labels involved in this release. This album, entitled Quando Tutto Tace, perfectly reflects the essence of the band as it conveys authenticity, spontaneity, heart, love, and passion. Nine tracks plus an intro and outro help you to immerse yourself in and emerge from this wonderful journey through narrow streets, social spaces, views of the sea and grey suburban buildings. Stiglitz, like good sailors, guide us on an inner journey where every human relationship is fundamental and where talking to each other while looking into each other’s eyes is what really matters. The songs intersect a punk oi! base with hardcore, punk rock and post-punk elements, creating a unique, original sound that sticks in your head. The physical format features an evocative photo by Fabrizio Fritz Barile, a pillar of the Genoese skinhead movement and beyond, framed in Stefania Carbonara’s beautiful graphics. Fabrizio Sferrazza and Toni Cocks feature on Senza Chiodi and Ma Se Ci Penso, giving an even more collective feel to this album recorded at David Knezevich’s Velvet Worm Studio from Small Thing. In the end, the result is an album that speaks of Genoa, for all the people who live it intensely every day. We said it when we first heard it, and we’ll say it again now: we are fucking in love with this record!
- Quasi Buio – La Prima Stella Dell’Ultimo Mattina (LP). The Rome-based band formed by Francesco, Mics, Stefano and Ben is releasing their second album this autumn, featuring 11 songs in just about 13 minutes. Short and sweet! After seeing them live, we were pleasantly surprised by their fast, pounding old-school hardcore punk sound, with riffs that stick in your head and sharp, screamed vocals. There is a lot of commitment in this new work, you can hear and see it – thanks also to the exquisite artwork by Francesco, the band’s singer – there is a concept and attention to detail that goes from form to content. The introspective and emotionally charged lyrics take you on a journey through different themes related to our place in the universe. In the hardcore punk scene, this is an album that stands out thanks to its unmistakable dusky atmosphere. Superb work!