Late 1990's/Early 2000 UK CORE (Inspired by Mort.)
My early years. My learning years. The Hardcore scene gave me everything. Taught me not to be a Tw*t (and failed), Taught me about standing up for yourself and what you believe in. Taught me you can have the time of your life at a show with 5 people there! So around 95-2001 there where many important bands for me and many great bands from that time that have gotten lost outside that bubble or the production from that time doesn't do justice to their songs nowadays and to new ears. Regardless... heres a list of my fave Hardcore/Metal core (which was only really emerging then) and crossover bands from that time from The UK. All the cores. Loose ranking. |
| 21 |  | Redrighthand
They Sang And Chanted For Hours, Then...
1998 - Liverpool
So despite being one of my fave albums/bands ever RRH are for sure not a hardcore band but they where playing many of the same shows at HxC all dayers and with shows with HxC or DIY metal bands around the time so I'm sneaking it on up here.. Members of Narcosis/Hard to Swallow/Charger/DBH. They served up an unbelievably bleak drone/doom/sludge concoction. At first they had a lot more weird guitar effects by the time this was released may years after they split it had changed a little. If you like Abandon/Walk through Fire/Monarch type emptiness you should check them. The shouldn't really be on a Core list but they were prominent in that scene. The first time I saw them I had to just sit outside on the side of the road with my head in my hands. Still top 5 shows I have ever seen.
https://youtu.be/PTdg98vL07w?si=cNmzW9TF4lUrQllw |
| 20 |  | Unborn
Ancestral Pagan Roots
1996 - Sheffield.
Many Hardcore bands around this time would be ripping (or trying to rip) Slayer off and one of the best and most blatant where Unborn. Remember this was 96! It still rampages. Thrashy cross over with some notorious shits stirrers of the scene.
https://youtu.be/b39eJ0Gjpk4 |
| 19 |  | xCANAANx
Gehenna Made Flesh
2000 - Canterbury.
Early 2000's Canterbury had an unbelievable scene. I was probably just losing touch with it around then as XcanaanX came flying out the gates. This is without doubt one of those recordings that still stands up. Is still is confrontational and aggressive as it was 20 years ago. Great band.
https://youtu.be/NKb7FnWPqRs |
| 18 |  | Art Of Burning Water
Carrying the Carcass...
London - 2001.
This was the first track they every wrote. They went on to write MANY, MANY more great ones over the years. But I'm Trying to keep it close to the turn of the decade. Their brand of Sludge was infectious from the off.
https://artofburningwater.bandcamp.com/track/carrying-the-carcass |
| 17 |  | Beecher
Breaking the Fourth Wall
2003 - Manchester.
Never really feel like Beecher where a 'Hardcore' band per-se. They were in that blend of mathcore that started taking off around this time (Architects/Johnny Truant and the likes) and I always felt they were all leaning more into a metal scene. Regardless. First time I heard them was on a Metal Hammer CD. It was 'Dead for weeks' I was blown away so I went to see them. As it turns out an old friend was in the queue. 'Hey Hows it going...haven't seen you for ages what you doing here?'' My bands playing' Oh Awesome who?' 'Beecher' hahaha Thats how out of the loop I was by this time but thats also what I loved about the scene. Little did I know he and his chums had recorded one of my favourite records of all time.
https://youtu.be/8LgsrwxXWsw |
| 16 |  | Understand
Burning Bushes And Burning Bridges
1995 - Southend.
Really underrated Post Hardcore band from Southend-on-Sea. I think once they had a music video on MTV they became 'Officially Uncool' to the TRVE Hardcore kids but its ok for Quicksand and the like. Just not some kids from England. Really good Post hardcore/Alt rock in the vein of said Quicksand.
https://youtu.be/3oUql_28fF0 |
| 15 |  | Send More Paramedics
A Feast for the Fallen
2002 - Leeds.
Another thrash/Punk crossover but dressed as Zombies. Lyrics about Zombies. Everything about Zombies. First time I saw them on Halloween in Leeds and it was free entry if dressed like a Zombie. MAD FUN. They could absolutely rip as well though make no mistake. They got quite a bit of TV coverage later on and always stayed in Character. Their records after this where much better produced and all rounded but these jams were great.
https://youtu.be/B8zCJBHTFpQ |
| 14 |  | November Coming Fire
Black Ballads
2003 - Canterbury.
Another one of those dope Kent scene bands from Early 2000's. Misfits make up and nail vanish and all that schtick that was happening around then with Himsa, Bleeding through and that big band I cant really remember. My era of ridiculous baggy pants, Spiked hair and bandanas where at an end but this EP was an outstanding EP. And touched on all those said bands.
https://youtu.be/kND3tXoyKes |
| 13 |  | Iron Monkey
Iron Monkey
1997 - Nottingham.
They went on to be one of the greatest sludge bands the world has ever seen of course. They also spawned members of other great bands in and around the scene at the time. They moved on from it but another band who were as Punk as it comes in attitude. Phenomenal band as you should know.
https://youtu.be/oRn_dGg4xeI |
| 12 |  | Spy Versus Spy
Little Lights
2000 - Stoke On Trent.
These guys where one of those bands that you would be half way through a crazy all dayer of jumping around and diving on people and a couple of post hardcore/Emo bands would calm everything down for a bit. They were always absolutely great whenever I saw them.
https://youtu.be/mof-qbKQKdI |
| 11 |  | Narcosis
Heart Slows Down
2003 - Wigan.
UK's finest Grindcore band without doubt and honestly one of the greatest under the radar grind bands ever for me. They were another confrontational as fuck band. Would be right in your face live. Unsettling. Caused some fights. Ace. The breakdown in this song...come on....This is from their 2007 release which is better but I still love this record too as theirs more kinda Punky breakdowns. Earache later put their discography out.
2006 - https://youtu.be/7GHWiCrVc2c
2003 - https://youtu.be/k4Up4a2nRk4 |
| 10 |  | Stampin' Ground
Demons Run Amok
1997 - Cheltenham.
One of the more well know Undergroung bands. They made a good run of it. Their 2001 LP is probably their best. They played Donnington. Loads off press and radio play but for me I never really got into their second vocalist for me it was always about the early chugga-chugga Earth Crisis rip off Stampin Ground.
https://youtu.be/FnY4okhvj1Q |
| 9 |  | voorhees
Spilling Blood Without Reason
1994 - Durham.
The true daddies of UKHC punk. Our Infest. Maybe even our Black Flag. Born out of the North east scene. Voorhees took their fierce power violence across the globe and brought some crazy tales back. Im hoping for a Voorhees version of ' Get in the Van' one day. They even did a Peel session. You have to turn this up. Because you should with all PV but also because it sounds like it was recording in the back of a bus. Shits ironically quiet.
https://youtu.be/UJ1XAToJLBY |
| 8 |  | Slavearc
Structural Damage In The Blueprint of Humanity
1999 - Sheffield.
Slavearc had some very militant, Outspoken, Notorious members who had plenty to say about Veganism, Abortion,Straight edge etc. You know...the usuals. But as a kid I found that added to the mystique a little. They didn't tend to play that much. I always pictured them masked up, baseball bats, Fighting the oppressors. When they did play there could be trouble at shows and their music reflected that energy. They were brutal and one of the most unashamed death metal sounding bands on the Island and probably our version of Abnegation but they absolutely slayed away from all the posturing.
https://youtu.be/oyno_M0TqL4 |
| 7 |  | Profane
Profane
2001 - Manchester.
Like Canvas and probably more so their trajectory in their sound was amazing to watch. First demo. Great fun standard metal core fare. They release this EP that they put down in a few hours and it sounds like Bloodlet meets Coalesce or some shit. Still one of my fave EP's of any genre. Then after that they release an amazing Prog metal record. I have no doubts if they were American they would have blown up. Alas, they were just some scruffs from Manc. Some of my favourite clean Vox in any metal/core band before it was a given in every band.
2001 - https://youtu.be/j7JLthPm4Vs
2007 - https://youtu.be/G9ldlKhYUNU |
| 6 |  | The Last Chance
The Last Chance
2003 - Sheffield/Liverpool
For me they were the most perfect, By the book hardcore band. I hadn't been involved in the scene for a while and came back and these lads had just put out this tremendous, classical hardcore EP.
(Theres not a single link for this EP! Only Live songs so...)
https://youtu.be/veWSUvxubN8 |
| 5 |  | Knuckledust
London Hardcore
1997 - London.
Knuckledust are nowadays seen as the granddaddies of UKHC. Its amazing they are still at it. And despite not being a fan musically anymore. Their first 2 albums ,and this mini album especially, were ferocious. They were one of the livest acts to see too. It was ALWAYS chaotic. It was ALWAYS fun. Their 'Time Won't heal this' Record is also massive and it this is a bit too raw check out that. On that Bulldoze/NYHC tip.
97 - https://youtu.be/3FsWsPRfsCg
2000 - https://youtu.be/UtriOzl0VJg |
| 4 |  | Hard To Swallow / Underclass
Praise God And Pass The Ammunition
1996 - Nottingham.
Hard to Swallow from Nottingham. They included members of the one and only Iron Monkey. They were a grindcore band but feet firmly in the hardcore scene. Their blasts would make way for epic Sabbath-Esque ,jazzy even, breakdowns. Definitely one of the best bands around and still one of my fave bands ever. They never really got that Live energy on an album but the split with Underclass was a perfect representation on HTS. The first track will always be one of my favourite tracks and fave into's until the day I die. This is 6 mins of perfection.
https://youtu.be/9LbGr0v2zLw |
| 3 |  | Imbalance (UK)
Spouting Rhetoric
1999 - Grimsby.
Grimsby Hardcore. Yeah. There was NOTHING more fun in the late 90's UK scene than an Imbalance show. They played more straight ahead, SUPER Melodic, Posi-core and egos where left as you came in. It was mass sing alongs. Ridiculous amounts of bodies on a pile ons and just good vibes and positive messages. What hardcore is (should) about. I miss these guys and they more than anyone almost make me miss these times.
https://youtu.be/JIg0J7wuXno |
| 2 |  | Canvas (UK)
Lost In Rock
1997 - Leeds.
Canvas were quite probably my fave UK hxc band. As great as the hardcore scene could be it was still very clique. People who rocked up in metal shirts would get funny looks and snide remarks now and then while parroting 'UNITY' etc but it was a minority. Meanwhile Canvas didn't give a fuck. Their guitarist would rock up with Emperor long sleeves. They would corpse paint up for a laugh sometimes all the while playing the most evil version of UK hardcore/metalcore. They went on to do an INCREDIBLE split with the mighty Hard to swallow and an Insane prog core/metal record that flew over many head but became a classic years later. They were unique and nothing sounded like them even in their more 'standard' Metalcore beginnings. Every release was a bit different Every time they got better.
Beginnings - https://youtu.be/ct5eKiTj4VM
Middle - https://youtu.be/nZmcyGjCoJg
Last - https://youtu.be/bNNTKUuAxz4 |
| 1 |  | Withdrawn
Seeds of Inhumanity
1997. Liverpool.
Withdrawn were massively influential on me. Their peak was their album after this but the demo in between the 2 albums was pure gold. This early release with Chris (Later Slavearc) was almost straight doom/Mid pace black metal sounding metal with militant lyrics. The difference between these 2 albums is massive. Their second is different and better and one of the best Metalcore records of that time. The boys could play and probably the most Intense live band around then.
97 - https://youtu.be/RSjD6SDJvSs
99 - https://youtu.be/VhyOaQbOJiE |
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