Bands Like Propagandhi: Who To Listen To If You Love The Punk Legends

If you’re a fan of Propagandhi, the Canadian punk legends known for their sharp lyrics, complex guitar work, and commitment to social and political issues, you might be on the lookout for bands that share a similar energy and ethos.

Fortunately, the punk and hardcore scenes are rich with groups that resonate with Propagandhi’s style.

Even though there’s probably a good chance that you know who most of these are, here’s a guide to some bands you should listen to if you love Propagandhi anyway.

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Bands Like Propagandhi: Strung Out

Strung Out from Simi Valley, California, blends punk rock with elements of metal, creating a sound that’s both aggressive and melodic.

Known for their technical proficiency and complex compositions, they’ve been a staple in the punk scene since 1992 and are Fat Wreck legends, much like Hannah and co.

Fans of Propagandhi’s later, more intricate work will find a lot to love in Strung Out’s discography.

Read More: Metallica Album Covers Ranked (From Worst To Best)

Bands Like Propagandhi: A Wilhelm Scream

Hailing from New Bedford, Massachusetts, A Wilhelm Scream is renowned for their technical prowess and intense live shows.

Their music, a mix of punk rock and melodic hardcore, is characterised by fast-paced rhythms, complex guitar work, and politically charged lyrics.

In terms of the bands on this list, Wilhem probably sounds as close as it gets to the technical modern-day version of ‘Gandhi.

Bands Like ‘Gandhi: Strike Anywhere

Strike Anywhere from Richmond, Virginia, is known for their anthemic melodies and socially conscious lyrics.

Again another hardcore great that you’ve most likely already heard of, but their more modern releases have continued to push their sound forward and they are well worth a re-listen.

Bands Like ‘Gandhi: Darko

UK band Darko are an extremely tight hardcore unit that have been at the top of the pile for quite some time. Lyrically their lead singer Tom approaches gender equality and not being defined by certain roles expected by society as well as having a politically-charged facet to their presentation.

As well as having a bit of Propagandhi to their sound, Darko are also up there with other British Hardcore acts in sound like Reuben, Hell Is for Heroes and Yourcodenameis:milo. If you don’t know who they are then ask your dad.

Seriously, if you have not heard Darko then you need to check them out below. Disclaimer, I made this list so that more people would listen to Darko.

Best Propagandhi Songs: Epic Tracks from the Canadian Legends

Propagandhi has carved a niche for themselves with their incisive socio-political commentary, melded with a unique blend of punk and thrash metal, moving further and further away from their initial Fat-Sound output on How To Clean Everything all the way to Victory Lap in 2017.

Their evolution from a trio of irreverent punks to masters of a technically proficient sound showcases a band unafraid to grow and challenge both their audience and the genre itself.

Here I’m looking at some of the most compelling tracks from Propagandhi’s discography, highlighting their progression and the tracks that have defined their career as arguably one of the greatest ever.

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The Evolution of Propagandhi’s Sound

From their inception, Propagandhi has been a band that defies easy categorisation.

Starting with the raw energy and irony of their early work to the more complex and thrash-influenced later material, Chris Hannah, Jordan Samolesky, and their bandmates have consistently pushed the boundaries of punk rock.

Their deep appreciation for metal shines through in their music, creating a sound that is both unique and challenging.

Read More: Metallica Album Covers Ranked (From Worst To Best)

Best Propagandhi Songs: Tracks You Need To Listen To

For those new to Propagandhi or long-time fans looking to revisit the band’s highlights, here are some tracks that stand out in their discography (not in any ranked order just alphabetically):

  • A Speculative Fiction (from Potemkin City Limits, 2005): An imaginative take on a conflict between Canada and the United States, this song is a testament to Hannah’s songwriting and the band’s musical agility.
  • And We Thought That Nation States Were A Bad Idea (from Less Talk, More Rock, 1994): This song showcases the band’s ability to blend high-energy punk with thought-provoking lyrics, critiquing corporate America and its influence.
  • Anti-Manifesto (from How To Clean Everything, 1994): A quintessential Propagandhi track that combines humor with sharp social commentary, setting the tone for the band’s future direction. Although this is something that Hannah and co no longer even like, it’s a gateway to the band if you’re into 90s skate punk and the Fat Wreck sound.
  • Back To The Motor League (from Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes): A scathing critique of the punk rock scene’s commodification, delivered with a perfect balance of humour and intensity. That and it is an absolute raging banger.
  • Iteration (from Potemkin City Limits): With lyrics that could easily be considered Hannah’s best work to date, this track is a powerful commentary on war profiteering and accountability.
  • Mate Ka Moris Ukun Rasik An (from Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes, 2000): Inspired by the struggle for independence in East Timor, this track highlights Propagandhi’s global consciousness and musical prowess.
  • Supporting Caste (from Supporting Caste, 2009): The title track from an album that marks a shift towards a more progressive thrash metal sound, while still delivering potent lyrical content.
  • Victory Lap (from Victory Lap, 2017): The opening salvo from the band’s latest work, this track has one of the best riffs of the 2010s.
  • Without Love (from Supporting Caste): A deeply personal song that touches on the themes of loss and transience, showcasing the band’s emotional depth. A fantastic song from arguably their best album overall.

The Top 30 Episodes of “Tales From the Crypt” You Watched Hoping There Would Be Boobs

When HBO’s “Tales from the Crypt” was on the air, we didn’t know how good we had it. The campy anthology horror series frequently featured some of the best talent money could buy—A-list actors, directors, and writers letting loose and having a ball left and right. We didn’t appreciate it for what it was at the time, because we were too distracted by the “brief nudity” warning that proceeded every episode.

If you were a 12-year-old attracted to women growing up before the internet, your entire goal in life was seeing boobs. A single glimpse was worth bragging about at the lunch table for weeks to come.

We’ve channeled our inner 12-year-old (it’s not hard for us) and ranked the top 30 episodes of this iconic series that we stayed up past curfew to watch in the desperate hope of seeing breasts for 5 seconds.

30. People Who Live in Brass Hearses

“Tales from the Crypt” is known for its puns, but you gotta respect putting one right there in the title of the episode. That being said, this one was a letdown, brief nudity-wise. You know there were boobs on set. Bill Paxton and Brad Dourif? They were probably beating off boobies left and right just to get to and fro. I bet they even had a cool nickname for themselves, like the Boobie Brothers or something. Would it have killed you to put just one of those boobs on camera HBO? Our free weekend ends tonight, thanks for nothing!

29. What’s Cookin’

No boobs. Superman is in it, but he doesn’t fly or anything. Zero stars.

28. The Ventriloquist’s Dummy

If you’re gonna have a horror anthology show, you gotta have a couple creepy doll episodes. This particular one features an embarrassment of riches when it comes to talent. Directed by Richard Donner, co-written by “The Shawshank Redemption” scribe Frank Darabont, and starring legendary insult comic Don Rickles playing against Bobcat Goldthwait. It’s a stacked episode, except when it comes to stacks. Not a single boob in the whole damn thing. I stayed up past 11 on a school night for this?!

27. None but the Lonely Heart

This was Tom Hanks’ directorial debut, and we have just one note: boobs! Come on man, you were in “Bachelor Party,” you know how this works! It’s a satisfying ‘con-man meets macabre demise’ tale, but since it revolves around a black widower targeting rich old women, it’s almost impossible to masturbate to. 2 stars.

26. Collection Completed

Over the years we’ve come to respect the hell out of character actor M Emmet Walsh’s work. At the age of 12, staying up past bedtime with HBO on mute literally praying to see breasts, we hated him. One look at him and we thought “Great, another boobless episode of “Tales from the Crypt,” why do they even do these?!”

25. Television Terror

There was a time in this country when hard-hitting shock-journalists dominated the media landscape. In this episode, we meet reporter Horton Rivers, who is filming on location at a supposedly haunted house. What does his crew find? Not a single goddamn boob that’s what. Big points for incorporating the found footage horror style years before “The Blair Witch Project” but if there’s one thing a sleazy early ’90s journalist should understand it’s “sex sells.”

24. Showdown

Another Richard Donner/Frank Darabont collaboration sees an old west gunslinger confronted by the ghosts of his past. Well, apparently no one in this dude’s past had big ol’ titties. Negative 4 stars.

23. Top Billing

We had high hopes that “top billing” was a trademark Crypt Keeper pun of some kind, and that the episode would feature lots of babes tops. As soon as the name Jon Lovitz came on the screen we knew that could not be the case. Jon plays an annoying actor who can’t get a part because of his looks (big stretch) and decides to murder his competition. We turned it off halfway through to see if we could make out any action from the static on the Spice channel.

22. The Switch

A rich elderly man undergoes an experimental procedure to make himself young again in order to satisfy his much younger girlfriend. Okay, we get that not all of these can have boobs in them, even at 12 we understood it’s a roll of the dice, but this one was directed by Arnold Schwarzenegger! The guy who gave us 3 breasted women in “Total Recall!” Thanks a lot, Governator, how am I supposed to pump my iron to some young bodybuilder with William Hickey’s voice?

21. Two for the Show

This might be the first thing Traci Lords was in where she doesn’t show her boobs. This one hurt.

20. Split Second

Ugh, I don’t know, this one looked like it was gonna have boobs like there was this hot lady on top of this lumberjack guy and they were doing sex stuff in their underwear, but then I heard my mom come down the stairs so I had to change the channel and pretend to be asleep. Thanks mom. Lame.

19. Beauty Rest

A tale of jealousy and murder set in the modeling world that somehow manages to lack even the briefest of nudity. Really dropped the ball here Mr. Crypt Keeper.

18. Easel Kill Ya

Tim Roth stars as Jack Craig, a struggling artist who can still afford a huge studio space because it’s a TV show. When Jack finds that only his most macabre paintings sell he realizes he has no choice but to kill for inspiration. It’s an interesting commentary on our obsession with death and the role of the artist, which raises a lot of questions. Questions like “Why couldn’t he just paint boobies?” This episode could be wall-to-wall boobs, and then like a ghost or whatever, but sadly they went a different way. There is a sex scene where you do see a lady’s butt which is super cool, but her nips stay just out of frame. 2 stars.

17. Four-Sided Triangle

A farmer tries to sleep with a blackmailed semi-captive girl on his farm by exploiting her mental illness. It’s a pretty messed up plot, but when it first aired and we were in middle school we thought the plot was just “Patricia Arquette is in a wet tank top.” Anyway, he gets what’s coming to him.

16. Fitting Punishment

A miserly and abusive funeral home owner takes in his nephew after his parents are killed in an accident. The boy clashes with his uncle over his miserly habits, like stealing the corpse’s gold teeth and embalming them with tap water. When he threatens to go to the police the mortician murders him, which is a big mistake in “Tales from the Crypt” and sure enough his nephew’s ghost comes back for revenge. It’s a thrilling episode and the parts where we weren’t frantically scanning the screen for a nipple had us on the edge of our seat. In other words, at no point were we on the edge of our seats.

Man Who Fell Through Frozen Pond Already Telling Rescuers About Benefits of Cold Plunges

AUGUSTA, Maine — Local man Brady Trontz was already telling rescuers about the radical benefits of cold plunges minutes after nearly freezing to death in a frozen pond, sources who kind of wished he had just died instead.

“I have to admit, I was a skeptic before,” said 23-year-old Brady Trontz. “But the second that freezing cold water hits every orifice of your body at once—and you get over the idea that you’re probably gonna die—you start to feel super powerful! Like, you could explain the plot of ‘Inception’ in one breath, and that’s just what I instinctively did to the kind people who rescued me. Of course, that was after I told them in full detail that submerging your entire body into freezing cold water can improve your immune system function. You know, until this moment, I thought people only did this stuff for ice bucket challenges, but I was wrong. You also do it to tell every person you come in contact with about how it decreases inflammation.”

Lindsey Ellison, an EMT, had simultaneously saved his life and received an earful of unwarranted information about cold plunges.

“When we finally got him warm he started getting super amped up. At first I thought it was adrenaline, but this was different. He started jumping up and down and doing a bunch of burpees and asking if we had any Alpha Brain,” said Ellison. “He told us he had a bad knee, but in that moment he seemed to think it was healed. Not long after he jumped back in the freezing pond and told us how accelerated his metabolism is going to be. I didn’t try to rescue him a second time. He didn’t seem to want to leave.”

Clinical psychologist Bailey Lawson noted that the benefits of cold plunges didn’t necessarily outweigh the drawbacks.

“It’s well-documented that a cold plunge can activate your parasympathetic nervous system and lower your heart rate, leading to increased alertness, improved mood, and an overwhelming degree of unearned confidence,” said Lawson. “When combined with a near-death experience, the levels of hubris simply go off the charts. This is particularly strong for single men under 50, with some people spending several months in this state. Next thing you know, they’re listening to Joe Rogan for lifestyle advice. That’s when you know they’re too far gone.”

At press time, Trontz stated that he was excited to get home so he could start working on his podcast studio, insisting that rescuers come by next month to record an episode together.

Life Hack? I’m Attributing My Awful Behavior to “God’s Plan”

For most of my life, I was never in the camp that believed my life was predetermined by an all-powerful celestial deity capable of smiting me at any given moment. It’s not like my lifestyle would land me at the pearly gates anyway, but I also doubt God would make me a natural-born shoplifting savant. But lately I’ve had a lot of family and acquaintances busting my balls, and they are trying to hold me accountable for several incidents where police intervention was required.

Fortunately, a concept was revealed to me by what must be divine intervention because I just realized that I can get away with whatever I want so long as I attribute it all to “God’s plan”.

Don’t believe me? Look at all the megachurch pastors who get caught misappropriating funds and cheating on their spouses with constituents. It’s all “the holy spirit was testing my marriage with these sex workers” this, or “the lord commanded me to use church funds to buy a plane” that. If they can do heinous shit like that and claim it was predestination, then surely it means I can justify catfishing men into buying me luxury items so long as I believe God already lined it up.

Case in point: I’m still not welcome in any of my family’s homes until I apologize for smashing up my sister’s wedding cake because it wasn’t the flavor I wanted. At the time it was a selfish move but after considerable thought and reflection, I realized that it was just the path God put me on that resulted in me ruining her big day and then stabbing a caterer in the leg with a pen. They’ve yet to accept my reasoning, but I’m sure they will eventually once they surrender themselves to a higher power.

Seriously, try it! I’ve used it for a whole bunch of other stuff, like opening credit cards in dead people’s names and tricking friends into being my Herbalife downline. We’ve all seen countless people credit God for everyday life happenings when they get what they want, so with that logic anyone can be a sociopath so long as the lord our shepherd wills it. I just wish my parole officer felt the same!

And if all that doesn’t work, you can always fall back on blaming Satan. That dude is always willing to take one for the team.

Folk Punk Legend Phoebe Buffay Announces First Shows in Over 20 Years

NEW YORK — 1990s folk punk icon Phoebe Buffay announced her first live performances in over two decades which will take place this summer in cities across the US, according to the artist’s publicist.

“I’m so excited to be playing music again! I didn’t stop for any reason other than I lost my guitar. As it turns out it was under my bed,” explained Buffay in the announcement, who is dedicating her upcoming tour to the memory of her late friend Chandler Bing. “I know rumors have been swirling about a tour for a while. But now the fans know that I know that they know that I’m going to play songs dating all the way back to the early ‘90s. The first show is secret but will be held at a place that rhymes with ‘Zentral Burk.’ In fact, 75% of my upcoming shows will be played here. The other 25% will be right outside the location’s entranceway.”

Fans of Buffay expressed their excitement at finally being able to hear her influential songs of class struggle and animal rights performed lived.

“‘Smelly Cat’ inspired me to go vegan, and I’m currently saving up $4,000 to buy the new Phoebe Buffay signature Gibson Hummingbird guitar with a little stinky cat on the pickguard,” declared diehard fan Rhonda Tates. “I often just throw on Phoebe Buffay’s entire catalog of music videos on the TV as my comfort background noise, so I can’t wait for the concerts. Who can blame Phoebe for avoiding the spotlight after all the allegations that surfaced against her friend and actor Joey Tribbiani? Not me.”

Folk punk historians debate the real influence of Buffay’s music on the wider scene.

“Phoebe is one of the biggest forces in folk punk to date, and anyone who disagrees is a moron,” says Luke Reynolds from The Folk Punk Archivist, a website cataloging the history of the genre. “She erupted from the early ‘90s Greenwich Village scene to have a lasting effect on everyone that followed. Without Phoebe, there is no AJJ. There is no Against Me! There is no Gaslight Anthem. My life and yours would be meaningless.”

Buffay also announced that her shows will feature an opening act of interpretive dance by fellow New Yorker and friend Elaine Benes.

Every Bloc Party Album Ranked From Worst to Best

It feels like not enough people talk about Bloc Party’s impact when conversing about bands that rose to prominence in the 2000s indie era. Nevertheless, we’re here to tell you that you should be doing that any chance you get. You can discuss them with friends, family, or even that creepy guy in your apartment building who may or may not keep severed heads in his refrigerator. Just keep reminding them about Bloc Party. Who knows? They may even stop murdering and decapitating people thanks to their newfound human connection they now have in their lives. That’s how powerful Bloc Party music can be. That being said, here’s where all their albums rank from least best to best.

6. Hymns (2016)

Sorry to any “Hymns” truthers out there, but one of these has to rank last. This one is the clear winner of the categorically worst. It’s not the most inferior piece of music you’ve ever heard. It’s just that when you’re listening to it you’re reminded that you could be spending your time with other more satisfying Bloc Party releases that made you fall in love with them in the first place. Life is too short to listen to a band’s sixth-best album.

Play it again: “The Love Within”
Skip it: No comment.

 

5. Alpha Games (2022)

“Alpha Games” may be their latest full-length album but, perhaps surprisingly, it contains some legitimate classics from the band. All you have to do to identify them is listen to more than the 10 seconds of each track that you did when you first perused this album. How dare you skim a Bloc Party album. Show some damn respect.

Play it again: “In Situ” “Callum Is a Snake” “Traps”
Skip it: You decide.

 

 

4. Four (2012)

With Bloc Party’s fourth official release, we see the band evolve yet again, despite some fans’ desire to keep them in a little box that just has the year “2005” written on it. The album still contains energetic and eloquent songs like they always do, but this release also gets heavier at times with songs like “Kettling,” “We Are Not Good People,” and “So He Begins to Lie.” At this point, it’s almost like Bloc Party is showing off how much they can evolve in a single lifetime. Stop making us all feel bad for not changing our ways or trying new things in decades.

Play it again: “Team A” “Octopus” “Day Four”
Skip it: Not applicable.

3. Intimacy (2008)

If we were ranking Bloc Party album covers by horniness, this one would easily win. Unfortunately, we’re judging on musicianship here. With “Intimacy,” Bloc Party seemed to have combined the raw energy of “Silent Alarm” with the technological advances of “A Weekend in the City.” The result is a nice compromise of what Bloc Party fans want (more “Silent Alarm”) and what Bloc Party actually wants (I have no idea. Something with electronics maybe?). Either way, this one is more enjoyable than what some curmudgeons might have you believe.

Play it again: “Mercury” “Letter to My Son” “Ion Square”
Skip it: No need to.

2. A Weekend in the City (2007)

The further you dig into Bloc Party’s discography, the more you realize their B-side game is one of the strongest in music history. And one of the greatest parts about “A Weekend in the City” is the tracks they recorded that didn’t even make the cut. It’s almost like the band has a terrible gauge of which of their songs actually belong on the main album. Finally, we figured out something Bloc Party is bad at and a weakness in their process.

Play it again: “Hunting for Witches” “I Still Remember” “Song for Clay (Disappear Here)”
Skip it: Hold on, still trying to find one to skip.

1. Silent Alarm (2005)

No surprises here. When you think of albums with no skippable tracks, this one is elite. It’s got something for everyone too. If you want to roll down your car windows, blast music, and point directly at oncoming traffic in an aggressive manner, play “Helicopter” and “Luno.” If you want to dance like no one’s watching because you don’t have any friends, put on “Banquet” and “She’s Hearing Voices.” If you want to hear the most beautiful piece of music ever recorded in human history, jump to “So Here We Are” and “This Modern Love.” If you need to perform your little ceremonial rituals where you sacrifice a live goat, queue up “Compliments.” With Bloc Party, everyone wins.

Play it again: Yes
Skip it: No

Every “Star Trek: The Next Generation” Character Ranked by Who Would Make the Best Third

The pandemic was rough, but we came out of it with two positive things: A renewed appreciation for bingeable classic television, and a willingness to start experimenting sexually.

If you and your partner have been fantasizing about a three-way for a while now, and you’re both ready to make it so, logic dictates that it should be with one of the characters from Star Trek: The Next Generation. But which TNG mainstay will give you the most positive experience? We’ve run the simulations and ranked every character by how much you’ll want to boldly go invite them out for drinks and to “see what happens.”

28. William Riker

Good lord no. Beard or no beard any threesome involving First Officer Riker would be a nightmare. Best case scenario he rebukes your advances and reminds you “On this ship we do sex by the book!” Worse case, he’s all horned up and agrees. You walk into his quarters and he greets you in a silk robe that is way, way too short, even for sex. Riker is definitely the kind of guy who serves raw oysters to people he’s about to fuck, so there’s that to deal with. Then when you think he’s finally going to get down to business, out comes the “seductive” jazz trombone. How this lame hack ever wound up with Deanna Troi we’ll never know, but don’t make her mistake!

27. Wesley Crusher

Well, first off, we’re pretty sure Wesley is underage during the entire run of TNG, so that’s a hard no. Even if he wasn’t though, he would still be a bit too uh, you know… Wesleyish. This character basically existed as a way for Gene Roddenberry to insert himself into Star Trek, do you really want to let him insert himself into your relationship? A quick Google search into Roddenberry’s personal life and attitude towards women will tell you no, hell no you do not.

26. Mot

You don’t want your first threeway to be with a know-it-all, especially one who cuts your hair.

25. Katherine Pulaski

Anyone who can’t see the basic humanity in Data is not emotionally equipped for healthy group sex.

24. Gowron

Sex with any Klingon carries certain risks, both due to their temperament and, probably, their anatomy. You’ve seen their foreheads, imagine what they’re working with down there! Add to that the fact that Gowron is a politician through and through, with, presumably, the deviant appetites of the elite, the rewards here are just not worth the risks.

23. Ro Laren

She slept with Riker despite being the only character to adequately hate them, and while both parties suffered memory loss at the time, you just can’t trust those instincts.

22. Reginald Barclay

Reginald acts out self-aggrandizing sexual fantasies with copies of his co-workers on the holodeck, and that’s just the part of his depravity they allowed on television in the early ’90s. You don’t want to know how far Reg’s rabbit hole goes.

21. K’Ehleyr

Half Klingon, half human, all woman. Talk about a total K.I.L.F. K’Ehleyr identifies more with her human side and tries hard to keep those explosive klingon tendancies in check, until she finds herself in a combat situation or, presumably, the bedroom.

20. Tomalak

The main difference between Romulans and Vulcans is that Romulans fucking FUCK. None of that life of quiet meditation and mate every seven years nonsense. While undoubtedly a skilled cocksman, Tomalak can be duplicitous and deceitful. Don’t just take his word that he’s tested and had a vasectomy in college.

19. Geordi La Forge

Geordi is the kind of guy who would talk a big game leading up to the threesome but at the end of the day, he’s a try-hard clingy mess who has no idea what he’s doing romantically. Get a few more at-bats under your belt and we’ll talk, okay Geordie? No, holodeck girls don’t count.

18. Worf

Well, he did win Counselor Troi over, so he must be doing something right in the bedroom. Then again, so did Riker. As a Klingon raised by Russian humans, Worf is out of place wherever he goes, and even the most basic emotional situations can make him flush with awkwardness. Get a few Romulan ales in him and he might be fun, but the breakfast would be excruciating.

17. Lore

While presumably equipped with the same sexual functionality and flawless mechanical stroke as his brother Data, Lore’s unstable emotional matrix makes him a selfish lover.

16. Miles O’Brien

Miles is a great guy and probably a fine lover, but we have a hard time believing that the most Irish man in space is open-minded toward things like group sex.

Top 21 Straight Edge Anthems to Play on the Way to Fight Your DUI in Court

So you hit up the Taco Bell Cantina happy hour with some co-workers, slammed spicy margs till last call, were forcibly removed from the premises, got behind the wheel, passed out at a stoplight and woke up in jail with puke on your company polo and a big fat DUI on your record. Now you’re licenseless (and jobless once HR catches wind), but you’re not totally hopeless. Actually, you’re an inspiration. That’s right. The entire genre of straight edge music exists thanks to poor lifestyle choices like yours. And now’s the time to get empowered by the very movement your boozy ass started!

Here are 21 fist-raising, finger-pointing straight edge anthems that’ll give you enough PMA to fight your DUI in court with the same ferocity you fought that bartender who cut you off. (Listen to the playlist as you read this informative piece, click here)

Minor Threat “Straight Edge”

Failed sobriety test and body cam footage be damned, as you begin defending your “innocence,” start with the song that started it all. As subtle as an Xd up fist to the face, there’s a reason why this track is the genre’s namesake. Nobody’s safe from edge evangelist Ian MacKaye’s vice-hating vitriol. Coke snorters. Glue sniffers. Speed freaks. Middle-aged middle-management binge drinkers like you. Listen up, then lawyer up, ideally with an attorney as good at winning as this song is at calling out losers.

Youth of Today “Thinking Straight”

Butt-chugging Tecates in the Taco Bell bathroom with Nick from IT is pretty much the exact opposite of what Ray of Today is preaching here. But if you take anything away from this youth crew ripper – other than everything fun in life is terrible for you – it’s this: don’t dwell on past mistakes. Keep your eye on the prize, which for you is sweet-talking the judge into letting you slide with some detox and a few community service hours.

Earth Crisis “Gomorrah’s Season Ends”

This ‘90s metalcore vegan straight edge moshterpiece™ is a charcuterie board of beefy riffs that can tenderize even the toughest tofu. Lyrically, it’s about maintaining integrity in the face of temptation. And no one knows more about integrity than the judge you have to tapdance before. Play this straight edge screed as you approach the bench and let the lyrics do the talking, instead of that public defender you’ll probably get appointed.

Chain of Strength “True Till Death”

Chain of Strength look like they all met at Foot Locker back in ‘88 and bonded over hi-tops, Youth of Today and making a fucking difference. This anthem is SoCal youth crew with a capital X, and if you want to avoid serving hard time, your family, friends and especially lawyers will need to be “True Till Death,” or at least true ‘till the trial is over.

Project X “Straight Edge Revenge”

You know you’re straight edge when your full-time straight edge band isn’t edge enough to satisfy your need to express more straight edgeness. Formed by NYHC’s drug-free-est, Project X was a short-lived side hustle that gifted the genre with one of its angriest and most enduring anthems. Speaking of side hustles, you’ll probably be needing a few of those to offset the massive debt your DUI has put you in.

Wide Awake “Last Straw”

Wide Awake isn’t a household name like your Minor Threats and your Gorilla Biscuitses, but “Last Straw” goes fingerpoint-for-fingerpoint with anything on Revelation Records or Dischord.
None of this info will help as you justify to the jury why you rimmed your margarita glass with cocaine instead of salt. But this youth crew classic does kick off with a minute-long mosh, which means make your opening statement fucking count.

Bold “Nailed to the X”

Know who else was nailed to an X for his beliefs? That’s right, Jesus. You’ll hear his name dropped often at your court-ordered AA meetings. Until then, focus on why this NYHC sXe classic, while not religious, is as quotable as John 3:16 and something you should steal a verse or two from for your testimony. “Straightforward actions, common goals. Working together with straight clean souls.” No further questions, your honor.

Judge “Fed up!”

“Fed Up!” is really, really pissed at you for your weak, boozy ways. But this isn’t the judge you need to worry about. It’s not that judge in the robe, either. The judge you should fear is the 81-year-old retired war veteran who gladly volunteered to serve on your jury and didn’t do two tours in Vietnam so you can get shitfaced and teabag the salsa verde. Now that guy is fed the fuck up.

Ten Yard Fight “Proud to be Straight”

Named after the second-best Nintendo football game, Ten Yard Fight wouldn’t be here if they had called themselves Tecmo Bowl. We’re splitting hairs, but straight edge – like the law – leaves zero room for semantics. You’re drug-free or you’re not. You blew a .45 on the breathalyzer then turned it into a bong in front of the cop, or you didn’t. You’re either “Proud to be Straight,” or you’re you.

Side By Side “Living a Lie”

Two people you never lie to: your judge, and any edgeman. Both are bullshit super smellers. So let this underrated slab of sXe NYHC be a cautionary tale as you consider pulling a fast one over your honor with excuses like, “I was overserved,” or “My stepdaddy never played catch with me.” Instead, tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Even the part where you shat your khakis.

Uniform Choice “No Thanks”

Possibly the only straight edge song ever to say please and thank you, this politely profane plea to think before you drink would have come in handy when you stuck your head under the beer tap while the bartender’s back was turned. But here we are. Spin this Orange County classic when the boys hit you up to grab a cold one the night before your hearing.

Insted “Not For Me”

You wonder if the boys in Insted had a few in them when they misspelled their own name, but the lyrics to this uplifting straight edge salvo prove otherwise. Obviously alcohol is very much for you, and according to the toxicology report pills, weed, cocaine, ketamine and model glue are too. Don’t add jail wine to that list. Follow the sober wisdom of this anthem and “try for better,” which clearly means finding the lawyer with the punniest billboard headlines to represent you.

SSD “Xclaim”

SSD stands for Society System Decontrol. These Boston legends also stand for unity, loyalty and a drug-free lifestyle. So when it comes time for you to take the stand in court, make sure you stand for the exact opposite of whatever it is you stood for the night you could barely stand up and no one could understand one fucking word coming out of your sloppy mouth.

Slapshot “I’ve Had Enough”

Slapshot is the second athletics-themed straight edge band from Beantown on this list, which is funny because since when has Boston been known for sports? Anyway, being the Ivy-league alcoholic you are, “I’ve had enough” are three words that are simply not in your vocabulary. And since Slapshot’s singer goes by the name “Choke,” you should probably just do whatever he says.

Floorpunch “Washed up at 18”

Man, what you’d give to be washed up at 18 again. What Minor Threat would call the “salad days.” Back when getting your stomach pumped was a badge of honor. But now look at you. Despite what Jersey juggernauts Floorpunch think, it’s never too late to clean yourself up, and by that we mean literally clean yourself up. Shower. Shave. Definitely change out of the clothes you got arrested in. Jesus dude, we know you’re in a rut but do you want to win this thing or not?

Gorilla Biscuits “First Failure”

When you fuck up like you fucked up, you get criticized. By family. By friends. By literally every track on this playlist. Except this one. “First Failure” isn’t a straight edge song per se, but where most sXe bands are quick to hate, Civ, Wally and the gang are giving you a big ol’ hardcore hug. Technically, this is your eighth or ninth failure, but the message still tracks. “Brush the dirt off (in your case vomit), get up and try again!”

Bane “Count Me Out”

If you’ve seen Bane live, you know their singer doesn’t even need to be in the band. Edge classics like “Count Me Out” are so anthemic, the crowd literally sings every lyric for him. That’s called working smarter not harder, which means you should hire a lawyer who’s a lush just like you. Someone with some deewees under his belt, who’s seen the inside of a cell and both sides of the bench. Who knows the loopholes, and will be the first one to get you fucked up when you win your case.

Have Heart “Armed with a mind”

Heart counts for something, but not everything. That’s why these straight edge torchbearers also come “Armed with a Mind.” You however need heart, smarts, legal counsel, lots of money, a tight alibi and above all, a fucking ride to your hearing. If you were Have Heart, fans would crowd surf your carless ass to the courthouse. But unfortunately you’re just some dude, and you’ll probably roll up on a Bird scooter wearing a thrift store suit that fits like a Hefty bag.

Carry On “X’s Always Win”

Obviously, Carry On never played tic-tac-toe. But if you only listen to one song, this is it. Not because it’s the best, though it might be, but because it’s only :53. And if you want to win in court as much as Carry On wants to win at straight edge, you’ll need that extra time to prep your case against the mountains of damning evidence, eyewitness accounts and surveillance footage of you funneling tequila while somehow deepthroating a churro.

Throwdown “Don’t Lose Sight”

Seeing that you mistook a cop car for your Pontiac Vibe, then drove most of the way home in reverse, including an Arby’s drive-thru, you seem to be more of a live-in-the-moment fella. Since there’s a strong chance you’ll be going away for a very long time, if not forever, let this straight edge metalcore headbanger be your crash course in longevity, self-discipline and clean living – three friends you’ll definitely need on the inside.

Strife “Force Of Change”

It should be obvious by now that straight edge is sacrosanct. To some, the only thing worse than not being edge is breaking edge. Strife is one band (there are multiple on this list) whose X has been replaced with an asterisk by gatekeepers over time. However, you have consistently been a drunk since forever, and one listen to this ‘90s hardcore fist raiser will reveal your loyalty to alcohol is just as strong as any straight edger’s commitment to abstaining. So, congrats…?

Newly Sober Punk Vows Never To Drink Again After Experiencing First-Ever Bowel Movement With Single, Clean Wipe

SEATTLE, Wash. — Newly sober punk Dustin Patterson swore off alcohol after he experienced his first-ever bowel movement with a single, clean wipe, confirmed sources who didn’t need a graphic explanation.

“It was euphoric,” Patterson reminisced. “For the first time ever, I wiped and there was nothing that looked like black tar on the toilet paper. I thought this only happened to people who drank green smoothies or water instead of whiskey. I looked in the toilet and just thought, ‘Wow, that’s a good-looking log.’ This single event made me want to stop drinking alcohol altogether. Every morning after binge drinking, I would reap smelly, sloppy consequences that looked clinically upsetting. It was like this for so long, that I forgot what a normal BM was like.”

Dustin Patterson’s AA sponsor Richard Telly says that this specific phenomenon has turned people’s lives around.

“The first clean wipe that a person struggling with alcoholism experiences changes them in a way that the church fails to achieve,” Telly explained. “Yes, the spiritual aspect of AA is helpful in more ways than one, but taking your first perfectly crafted dump is what I’ve witnessed to be the single most profound awakening. We tend to overlook the power of the body performing at its peak. This moment has created more sober punks than any religious experience.”

Gastrointestinal doctor Harold Santos describes Patterson’s experience as shocking, given his regularly heavy alcohol consumption.

“Judging by Mr. Patterson’s daily bottle of Jack, it’s no surprise that his bowel movements have been akin to liquid fire for the past ten years,” said Dr. Santos. “While literally any improvement in his diet would have made a huge difference in his digestion, this particular development is truly shocking. I’m quite pleased to say that Mr. Patterson has achieved what we call a ‘ghost poop,’ or a no-wiper. In the Victorian era, it was referred to as ‘a phantom fecal.’ This kind of life-changing positivity is exactly why GI doctors get up every morning and inspect buttholes for a living.”

Despite Patterson becoming the medical community’s poster boy for bowel health, several local museums have declined to accept his “shit sculptures.”