The Bad Penny (beta)

Almost exactly a year and a half ago to the day, yours truly had the honor of interviewing Frank Bach, frontman of self-described “zen hardcore” band Monk. Over the course of our enlightening conversation, the vocalist described his group’s unique take on hardcore, which everyone who is reading this article knows is experiencing a new golden age.

During the interview, Bach said, “I basically dropped out of hardcore music for about 10 years and then got back into it. I was too busy working, getting my career in place. It’s uncool (in) hardcore (to drop) out and focus on your career, like I did. I went to school and got myself a big-boy adult job. And now I’m ready to rock again.”

Indeed he has, and Monk slipped out two new cover songs (Stop and Think’s “Without Words” and “Get Lost”) a few weeks ago. (Pick them up on Monk’s Bandcamp page.)

As you’ve probably noticed, we’re on a bit of a tear with top 10 lists these days, as a way to combat or at least respond to Spotify, algorithms, AI and the other tech dictating what we should listen to. We’re not exactly the Huey Long of the internet, but The Bad Penny ardently believes that musicians (and, yes, rock critics who know their shit) are in a far better position to recommend the highest quality music to those of you who have graciously devoted your time to reading this website.

To that end, we present to you a list of the top 10 most essential hardcore records according to Bach, who is an undisputed authority on the genre.

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Here’s the list from Bach, with a few introductory words from the fine gentlemen himself:

“We just dropped a couple of covers from one of our favorite straight-edge bands from the early 2000s, Stop and Think, and wanted to do a breakdown of our favorite XXX records. So here it is! No EP vs. LP vs. demo hierarchy … just records that are essential to understanding straight-edge hardcore that hold up musically from front to back.”

1. Minor Threat’s Out of Step

The blueprint. It’s impossible to talk about straight-edge hardcore without starting here. Out of Step is the record where the philosophy, attitude and music feel completely inseparable. The lore of Ian MacKaye drinking wine in Italy, and later on sorta dismissing the straight-edge movement as “not really what I meant” is funny to me. This record has taken on a life of its own.

2. Carry On’s A Life Less Plagued

Early-2000s California hardcore at full throttle. This record dropped like a bomb. Relentless, emotional and aggressive – but with an incredible sense of melody underneath it. One of the records that best represents the intensity of that era, and I’m so glad they’re playing shows again.

3. The Wrong Side’s The Wrong Side of the Grave

Keeping this one because straight-edge hardcore doesn’t always need to sound polished or uplifting. This is the raw, nasty, abrasive end of the spectrum, and that’s an important part of the story. [Vocalist Chris] Morgado is an … intense figure to say the least.

4. Limp Wrist’s Limp Wrist

Queer hardcore, irreverence and absolute ferocity. Love the Latino flavor too. Limp Wrist expanded what straight-edge hardcore could sound like and what it could be about. It’s also just a fucking great hardcore record.

5. Justice’s Look Alive

A modern essential. It keeps the list from becoming purely nostalgic and shows that straight-edge hardcore can still feel dangerous, immediate and contemporary. It was weird how Justice got cancelled for stealing lyrics from Unwritten Law (do I remember that correctly?). I wish they were still around! Hope all the members are well. Miss seeing them.

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Wanna play a game? Try your hand at The Bad Penny‘s Hardcore-Punk Word Search.

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6. Youth of Today’s Break Down the Walls

The definitive youth crew statement! Fast, urgent and very melodic while being hard as hell. This is straight-edge hardcore at its most communal and optimistic without losing any of its aggression. Ray [Cappo]’s vocals are something I try to mimic to this day.

7. Gorilla Biscuits’ Start Today

One of the great positive hardcore records, period. It captures the communal side of straight edge while still delivering incredible riffs and some of the most memorable songs of the era. I have so much respect for [guitarist] Walter [Schreifels] and [singer Anthony] Civ [Civorelli], absolute GOATs in not just the genre but in music overall.

8. No Tolerance’s You Walk Alone

Uncompromising and stripped down. No Tolerance takes everything back to the fundamentals: speed, aggression, attitude. One for the hardcore-first side of straight edge. My bud Connor [turned] me onto them, and of course, being a fan of [vocalist] DFJ [Drug Free Justin]’s other bands, this was a natural fit. Sick band. Sick riffs.

9. Chokehold’s Content with Dying

The heavier and more politically charged end of the spectrum. Chokehold brought a different kind of weight to straight-edge hardcore and helped push the music into more metallic and emotionally intense territory. Many bands imitated, never duplicated. I gotta represent my Canadian buds and the XVX (vegan straight edge) side of things.

10. Stop and Think’s Both Demos

If we’re judging records by the music and not by format, there’s no reason to exclude demos. Both Demos captures a particular strain of Boston hardcore that feels immediate, raw and completely connected to the scene it came from. I still listen to this almost weekly.

Honorable Mentions

Mental’s Planet Mental

This one is interesting because the straight edge connection isn’t quite as straightforward as the others. I think the record deserves to be in the conversation, but I’d distinguish between a record having a strong straight-edge connection and the band necessarily being straight-edge throughout its existence. Planet Mental punched way above its weight at the time, and I feel Mental paved the way for bands like Turnstile to exist today.

Zero Boys’ Vicious Circle

“Drug Free Youth” absolutely makes the Zero Boys relevant to the conversation, but I’m not sure they were a straight-edge band. Dope record though, one of the classics musically, artistically. Icons.

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Other related posts you might enjoy:

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• On Tyranny: Frontman for Hardcore Heroes Angel Du$t Says ‘Brown People Are Being Ripped From Their Families and Sent Off God Knows Where. It’s a Really Dark Time.’

• On Tyranny: 10 Best Protest Songs/LPs, According to Major Spark’s Vocalist and Punk Vet Mark Goodman (Exclusive)

• The 10 Best Chilean Bands, According to Guitarist for Santiago-Based Noisy Punk-Rock Squad Niño Nuclear (Exclusive)

• Killing Joke Album Review by Yours Truly Featured in Treble’s ’50 Best Post-Punk LPs of 21st Century’ Feature

This entry was posted on 11/05/2026 at 10:14 am and is filed under Interviews, Lists with tags Carry On, Chokehold, Gorilla Biscuits, Justice, Limp Wrist, Minor Threat, Monk, No Tolerance, The Wrong Side, Youth of Today. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.