11 Criminally Underrated Hardcore Bands | Jeremy Bolm of Touché Amoré's Picks

Hardcore is, by its very nature, and underground culture in which bands come and go fast, often not getting the shine they deserve until they're already broken up. Touché Amoré frontman Jeremy Bolm is a lifelong hardcore savant and champion of the underground, so we had him tap into his encyclopedic knowledge and pick the 11 most criminally underrated hardcore bands ever - from the brutally heavy to the tastefully melodic.
See his picks above and let us know some bands you think deserve some love in the comments below!
"Haunting Of The Flesh" track by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio
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#hardcore #underrated #toucheamore #jerembolm #acme #dangers #noreply #thepowerandtheglory #praise #reneeheartfelt #ritualmess #spiritualcramp #thirdface #totalfury #willhaven #converge #deftones #screamo #metal #melodichardcore #metalcore #pg99 #orchid #saetia #list #top10

[@deathwishinc]

This rules.

[@qxzine1136]

00:21 - Acme 01:17 - Dangers 02:18 - No Reply 03:08 - The Power & The Glory 03:47 - Praise 04:40 - Renee Heartfelt 05:44 - Ritual Mess 06:28 - Spiritual Cramp 07:13 - Thirdface 08:00 - Total Fury 08:30 - Will Haven

[@RockyRMR]

ACME: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mWe7mZR8a6p8a5I

[@trippwilsonphoto]

Spiritual cramp and creative adult.

[@belzorahollow3888]

Jeremy is the cooler older brother that shows you a new band every day and seemingly has an endless supply music whether it's tapes, CDs, vinyl, etc...

[@drumanddrummer2959]

Dude! Drummer from DestroyerDestroyer here, I remember touring with your band Thriller and I immediately recognized you! You dudes were so solid in every way. So glad to see you’re doing well and still educating the scene. Much love bro!

[@adrianelliott2870]

I still show people destroyerdestroyer to this day. Much respect.

[@dt-hf8vz]

y’all crashed at my pad and left a bucket of kfc behind the couch. shit was funny af

[@NattyIce100]

You're the drummer from Destroyer Destroyer?! Littered with Arrows is one of my all time favorite albums!

[@dt-hf8vz]

@@NattyIce100 that album still holds up. one of my favorite albums ever

[@jorgefalcones1753]

I am writing all this thing down. Jeremy Bolm is like an encyclopedia of hardcore punk

[@mrbrightside4u]

Love that he's asking for recommendations in the end. That's exactly how you get to that level of knowledge.

[@iwatchvideos1]

Jeremy has never steered me wrong with his music recs

[@spectralbeuys2952]

I'll never understand how a genre can be so nostalgic and groundbreaking at the same time

[@davei6452]

What lol

[@andhenevercameback7117]

love this guy. one of the coolest voices ever. pure chaos yet strangely vulnerable

[@schillinger7814]

Cursed. One of my favourite bands ever. All three albums were monsters but their first, "One" is my favourite.

[@johnnyscifi]

My favourite Canadian band rip (nothing fits, but whatever did?)

[@greglane334]

I agree fully. I grew up with Two and it's probably my favourite hardcore album ever

[@malignantmorningstar6289]

I like III best but yes, all three are amazing.

[@batmanderdad]

Everything Chris Colohan has been a part of is gold. As a life long Canadian hardcore kid he is without a doubt a true national treasure.

[@WheelchairOperator]

There was a period of time 10+ years ago where I could listen to Model Home Invasion on repeat for like three hours straight. Lmao.

[@MZFKLoose]

The "Will Haven" who have been saving me for many many years with their feeling and creativity. They are really DEVASTATINGLY UNDERRATED!

[@cwilliams666]

Saw them on my birthday last year. The opening bands were fucking terrible, but WH killed it!

[@ghost_to_a_ghost]

fucking LOVE Will Haven. Grady's voice, everything. Their music is often uplifting and extremely heavy. Perfect mixture of dark and light. Glad to see some other fans here. 😎

[@jayc.bustin]

Jeremy Bolm is such a wealth of knowledge - it's wild!

[@rl1049]

The new Wormrot record "Hiss" is shaping up to be something special. Sounds like a proper mix of hardcore and grindcore.

[@timbailey7646]

amen to this

[@asherdratel9917]

Skipped a big work event once to see Dangers open for Touche at Chain Reaction, definitely the right choice.

[@akashkapil9948]

Definitely the right choice. RIP Chain Reaction

[@Drownmeout344]

@@akashkapil9948 Rip Chain Reaction?? Since when?

[@Kangasconrad]

@@Drownmeout344 i was just there last week

[@brandonp.9371]

Jeremy always has the low on the underground, I do want to add “Premonitions of War” One of the heaviest bands I’ve ever heard.

[@troyfrink]

WOW I haven't even thought about them since 2004. Thanks for the blast from the past!

[@theSinisterBend]

Left of Kowloon is the audio equivalent of getting hit in the face with a cinder block. That record kicks your ass from start to finish and Eric Rutan's production on that record is top notch.

[@gregxedge]

🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌

[@brandonp.9371]

And apparently A. Turner did the artwork?!?!? Educational posts here Is it possible to get heavier than “Layover” second song on album? I honestly can’t think of anything.

[@CrookedTooth616]

“Not a Word” is one of the heaviest songs ever created.

[@northlakeghost]

Awesome video, thanks to Jeremy for the recs. (Also, appreciate the editing on this with the record graphics and song clips - makes a big difference!)

[@Brandnewshoes]

Jeremy's hardcore history knowledge is ridiculous.

[@davidmacdowell9806]

for real! i grew up in the early 80's with nyxhc and this stuf is pussy shit.

[@brennand933]

So psyched to see Acme mentioned. They were basically Converge before Converge

[@pentagrimes]

That whole German Scene was immense - Systral, Carol, Acheborn..serious business.

[@monzaede6416]

@@pentagrimes Mörser!

[@djbrotherelectric]

I glad you brought up far!!!! That's an amazing band that I can't believe a lot of people aren't aware of!

[@adamsteinbacher2629]

El Diablo's a great record but Carpe Diem will forever be their masterpiece. So fucking dark and oppressive sounding from beginning to end. Open the Mind to Discomfort is maybe my 2nd favorite WH release.

[@Doer231]

Word

[@katarokkar]

WHVN is nuts too. All those albums are brutal

[@keirontweedy9420]

Totally agree. Carpe Diem is a banger

[@Cheeseburger.Launch.Sequence]

El Diablo was cool because it came out of nowhere. It was so simple.

[@screambluemurder101]

So fucking true. Carpe diem is a wild ride start to finish. Put that album on travelling at night time. Takes me back to being 17 again. Dark crushing heaviness. Fucking great 👍🏻

[@CodyGudmundsen]

Dangers is one of the greatest bands of all time. Hardcore or nay. It's a privilege to know them personally.

[@antoniodevelasco6616]

Cool brag

[@100slayter]

10 of my Fav lesser known Hardcore band and best album Carpathian - Isolation (Punk Hardcore) Mom, Dad and the Kids - Self Title (Choatic Hardcore, album that got me into Hardcore and Choatic Hardcore) Vices - Between My Mind And The World (Motivational Punk Hardcore) Vanity - The Cast Shade (Unique Hardcore) Statues - Together We're Alone (Choatic Hardcore) Totally Unicorn - Horse Hugger (Party Hardcore) Life Pilot - High Noon (Southern Choatic Hardcore) Vacant Home - Reflect, Respond (Melodic Hardcore) Ratking - All Bite (Surf Hardcore) Speed - Gang Called Speed (Alt Hardcore) P.S. last 5 a still active bands

[@dandadrumman]

Will Haven is indeed criminally underrated. They are so fucking good. It's one of those bands that your favorite band probably loves but some how they get overlooked by most people. My friend showed me them in 1997 and it blew me away. I got to see them on tour with Slipknot in 1999/early 2000. Really they should be at the top of the list.

[@marcosisnothere]

Haven’t met anyone else who’s listens to them

[@dandadrumman]

@@marcosisnothere yeah. I only know a handful. It is insane they aren't more popular.

[@bengongillbonny7377]

They headlined the first avenged sevenfold shows

[@ghost_to_a_ghost]

@@marcosisnothere same here....and i therefore love saying "check THIS SHIT OUT" and putting on some Will Haven lol

[@thatblue1982]

Betrayal from Woodland Hills, CA. Especially the album titled "The People's Fallacy" from 2008. My friend played the album on his speakers at work and for 21 minutes and 25 seconds I actually enjoyed my job. MASTERPIECE. They were in high school when that album came out. Unreal.

[@markmarquez606]

That album is straight Gas.

[@VastChoirs]

I've actually never listened to his band, but this guy has great taste. All of this recommendations have been absolute gold.

[@shanebarron4726]

Touche Amore has never put out a bad record you should check them out

[@ProdYaMom]

They aren’t hardcore tho :/

[@oliverbock5659]

Cool that you mentioned AcMe, three other cool bands were Threadbare from Minneapolis, Hour Glass from Buffalo and Groundwork from Tucson Arizona. Some Canadian screamo bands like Uranus or One Eyed God Prophecy are also on my list, only to name five bands from the nineties, there is so much more.

[@Cheeseburger.Launch.Sequence]

Absinthe from Tuscon too. Hourglass ripped. Another band in that early, early metaliic hardcore scene Transcend, similar to Threadbare.

[@splipinski1980]

Great list!

[@oliverbock5659]

@@Cheeseburger.Launch.Sequence thanks for mentioning Transcend and Absinthe they also need more listeners. On Hourglass: Tastes are different, but i think they ripped it in a good way.. Could also mention Chokehold, Strain, Undertow or Unbroken. Morning Again or Culture with Damian Moyal one of the coolest dudes in hardcore, or even Channel or Canon from that period. You can also add some swedish bands from Umea too also some other German bands like Zorn, Age or Carol or a band like Blindside from Belgium. The list could be so much longer and thats only the 90ies. Not mentioned the Metalcore/mathcore stuff like Botch, DEP, Rorschach, Deadguy, Kiss It Goodbye, Coalesce and so on.

[@oliverbock5659]

@@splipinski1980 thank you very much, also for your music taste!

[@Cheeseburger.Launch.Sequence]

@@oliverbock5659 Plus the entire French scene. Ananda, Ivich, Fingerprint Jasmine! I also ripped up the Atlas Shrugged lp and first Starkweather ep recently too.

[@sirloin26f]

Wow thank you so much, for all these recommendations, I had a memory unlocked! Completely forgot about dangers!

[@mikesbadopinions9671]

Etown Concrete - Tons of bangers Burnt by the Sun - Some if the heaviest tones ever All out War - In your face Metal/Hardcore Arson - Their full EP Words Written in Blood is uploaded on KZbin 18 minutes it rips and nobody has ever head it! Shutdown - good old fashioned NYHC

[@B1tterAndThenSome]

Obligatory YOU WILL MOVE comment here!

[@aplus1080]

F'ing llllllooooooove burnt by the sun. I feel like the past never happened because they don't get any credit for anything.

[@westonmckee8592]

Thanks for introducing me to Third Face! Much appreciated

[@HDCE-nv1uy]

martyr a.d. never got a lot of love. Not sure if it's well known, or if anyone really cares for that band. But it was always a hidden gem to me. And a special shout out to Owen Hart too!!!

[@juliantorres8818]

Great band! 👍🤘

[@JohnDoe-zw5og]

Yeah, The Human Condition...holy shit. What a goddamn album.

[@sinnermeister]

Damn, been decades havnt heard that name.

[@ambassadortourettes753]

Wil Haven 👌👌👌👌seen them live 👌thanks for reminding me 🤘

[@jeremydepace5810]

This is such cool content. More of this please.

[@mitchellscott9767]

I've met Jeremy after a show....I love his voice and scream....so talented and influential.

[@microchrist6122]

Just saw This dude in Colorado Springs and he commands a crowd man 💪

[@schillinger7814]

"Call Me Armageddon" is amazing!!! Got it when it came out and was blown away.

[@csblack72780]

California Cursed by Drain is excellent, and They'll never Take Us Alive by Zig-Zags are both favorites of mine from the last couple of years. Stoked to hear the call outs for Quiksilver and Superheaven as well. Those folks are awesome!

[@thebreakdownbarber]

Definitely will be checking these out. I’ve been into the band Sufferer for the past couple of years. It was made up of dudes from a few other bands and they did one concept album that went through the day of someone with extreme depression and anxiety and I felt like every song was written for me and it’s so intense in the best way that I always recommend it to anyone who’s into hardcore or post hardcore

[@rileyhughes5613]

I saw Dangers play with Touche Amore a few years back. My best friend and I went for Touche, and left Dangers fans. The music, the lyrics, the energy, and the stage presence were truly unparalleled.

[@juliantorres8818]

Love Hardcore. Gonna check these bands out!

[@UglyMofo13]

Beautiful slayer hoodie

[@matth2736]

Finally!! Renee heartfelt are recognised!!! Loved them since 2008!

[@mattreviver]

Acme was sick.

[@creekandseminole]

So awesome he mentioned Will Haven. If you like them I'll suggest Downset as well.

[@cd5642]

Anger….Hostility towards the opposition!

[@HausOfPain]

Not sure what Downset and WHVN have in common…

[@johnonokes7967]

@@HausOfPain they’re both awesome 😊

[@bean5848]

Show Me the Body is probably one of the most boundary pushing hardcore bands out right now imo

[@OliverWilkeBerlin]

Killer list. I mean, how in the world can you go wrong with blasting the almighty ACME as a beginner?! So good, thanks for the whole list.

[@RamManNo1]

Turmoil & Earth Mover

[@schillinger7814]

Turmoil!!!!! So good and very underrated.

[@ashleyschafferbmw8711]

Bought the Ritual Mess LP / 7” on Jeremys recommendation back in the day. It’s great.

[@GuillotineKing]

OMG Will Haven!!!! I'm family friends with FAR and Deftones... Impressed, also, Willhaven is writing new music as of last year

[@wowbenwtf]

Such a kind and knowledgeable dude. Love him.

[@notoriouswes215]

Thank U for this list im def gonna check'em out 👍🏻

[@andrewyonki3059]

I'm so excited to see other people who have heard of Renee Heartfelt, and to also give them the recognition they deserve. I saw them in a church basement in 2005 and I have listened to the Mary Magdelene EP ever since. I was incredibly happy to see the complete discography came out a few years ago and it really reminded me about how unique and special that band was.

[@defroach]

Great recommendations....dude is very engaging....very knowledge..

[@eircification]

I could listen to him talk about music for days. What a cool ass dude

[@Silverfox471]

Jeremy, great reviews of a few bands I wasn’t aware of! Please check out High Vis from London, post hardcore melodic, done by seasoned veterans, possibly the best band in England!!!

[@froggirec]

as a 'kid' who kinda lost track of (and interest?) in hardcore since the early 2000s i sometimes find stuff, that actually manages to reignite that spark. i will check out some of the bands on that list. thanks. might wanna add Eyelid "if it kills" + ask: how overlooked? i really love that record.

[@B1tterAndThenSome]

Yeah, that Eyelid album was incredible!

[@BrainCailes]

So happy he brought up Total Fury, they deserve waaaaay more love

[@radiolosflores]

Renee heartfelt is soooo good, Magdalene 7" is a gem

[@barnziee]

OMG yes Jeremy good picks! That will haven record was my gateway into heavy and hardcore. Saw them open for Korn in like 96-97. Actually ran into them in an airport in london a couple years ago and thanked them for changing my life (of course I was talking to the new guy that had just joined the band a couple years ago. lol) Really stoked to check out thirdface.

[@swilletted]

Awesome list!

[@zeroethsort1071]

A couple lesser known punk bands I like are an Australian band called 'Hightime', particularly their latest EP and their album 'Mother Crab', and an Israeli skatepunk band called Not On Tour.

[@stevenmarsh7155]

Absolutely LOVE Hightime. 🤘 I'll check out the other one.

[@ghost_to_a_ghost]

so happy to see Will Haven on this list. i first discovered them back in 2001 when Max had Grady on the song "Pain" from the Primitive album. Aside from Chino's appearance on that song (which was also great), i was hooked the second i heard Grady's voice. so unique. i've been a fan for over 20 years. i do not understand why more people don't know about Will Haven. super talented guys and they're also super nice.🤘

[@darrellwestrick2110]

I have that Acme CD. It's pretty awesome. I'd like to recommend NoMan from DC/NVA. Basically Majority Rule with a a female singer. Really really good.

[@robertsylvester3542]

Old school hardcore, with a bit of metal

[@gunderlawe1]

I totally agree, The Power and The Glory was criminally overlooked. That Lp is so damn good.

[@deluge71]

I can't believe that I just heard another human being endorse Acme. In just a couple of words: THANK YOU. I was starting to think that I was the only one who still remembered them.

[@OliverWilkeBerlin]

No, you’re definitely not the only one, my man 🤛🏻

[@kenengle5474]

The Sacramento Hardcore scene in the 90s with Willhaven, Training for Utopia, Focal Point was a great. While still having Deftones and Far playing the cattle club

[@jasonmacqueen1017]

wow good list, but Turmoil always seems to be forgotten.... Also Eyes - underperformer up and coming band from Denmark, should be getting more love as well as lifesick also from Denmark

[@froggirec]

Turmoil's "anchor" 7"?? luuuuuuuuv that record!

[@RamManNo1]

Turmoil is the best hc band ever!

[@johnonokes7967]

Good shout, turmoil were great 🤘

[@andrew182matches]

This was so wonderful and as a Nashvillian I'm pumped to see Thirdface get some love.

[@fredd3233]

I love this kind of videos, when artists recommend their favourite bands. I've discovered some great doom bands thanks to Mike Scheidt's recent video, I'll definitely check these bands that Jeremy talked about!

[@bezerah3695]

This guy is a FUCKING LEGEND in modern hardcore/emotive music I don’t care what anyone says. This is LIT.

[@willieluncheonette5843]

Bob Evans " Adult World" Recorded in their basement 1990. Can listen to the whole LP on their bandcamp site.

[@thundertower]

Good good picks. I was at a spiritual cramp show years ago and dude was there, hanging out lol.

[@allusernamestakenlol]

Method from Des Moines, IA is fucking insane. Their EP Constant Weight was all around an incredible piece of hardcore art. I always thought they should have been a much bigger deal.

[@Drwho-ou7tb]

Awesome video. My favorites that never made it super big would be Morning Again, Cave In, and my personal favorite because I love the singers voice is an old christian hardcore band called Strongarm,specifically the "Advent of a miracle" record. Maybe Blood 4 Blood but I think thats more nostalgic for me than actually a great band.

[@srsucioguapodelsur8845]

Advent of a Miracle blew my mind wide open when I was a kid, CRIMINALLY underrated

[@phillg2012]

That is pretty down y’all mentioned Will Haven!! That was also the record I got to see them perform back in 2000 . I was 16 at the time

[@StalinBballin]

Saw Dangers with Shook Ones in 2019. It was a great experience.

[@adrianelliott2870]

I’ve looked everywhere for this Slayer hoodie Jeremy is wearing. Any ideas when it was released or if it was a collab?

[@connors2587]

It's a hoodie with artwork from the Slayer Def Jam Demo. The hoodie itself is pretty hard to find.

[@craigstuckey319]

Will Haven kick ass. It's a shame they've been forgotten. I always considered them more noise than hardcore though.

[@louderthangod]

The intro to Slopez is one of my all time favorites. Have you checked out Abominable Iron Sloth. Hats Made of Veal is an absurd name for a song but an amazing riff.

[@craigstuckey319]

@@louderthangod I'll have to check that out.

[@phillg2012]

Also just saw Will Haven last December as well!!! Still put on a killer show!!

[@jamesgwarrior1981]

I love Jeremy so much!! 🤘🏾🤎

[@SembraviFrankSinatraierisera]

Cool dude🤙

[@Red-ss5lv]

I was lucky enough to known about Jeremy Bolm since before he started Touche Amore. I Clearly remember we were walking almost next to each other and he ended holding the door for me to enter my first metal show. He had long emo bangs and was wearing a military cap with flair pins. He was in a band back in the day named Thriller, where he played guitar and back up vocals.

[@CameronForrester]

Thanks Jeremy, when I heard ‘Superheaven’ and ‘Basement’, I knew that was a recommendation for me.

[@godspill]

damn it Acme! need to dig in my records again

[@13068]

Praise are 🔥

[@matthewjames206]

This was very insightful. My pick for an underrated band is These Arms Are Snakes 🍻

[@theaspiration]

100%

[@_D_E_N_N_I_S_]

Dangers -anger is one of my favorite albums. Praise is so good.

[@alejandrobarquero1347]

I hope more content like this

[@zacknelson7839]

Unsurprisingly he has excellent taste!

[@kentrey]

I bought a Sunny Day Real Estate cd and a Speedy Ortiz vinyl from Jeremy. Cool stuff.

[@BlueBeetle1939]

big fan of touche amore it's great skate music these are some solid recommends too

[@TheCondorjc]

Never heard of any of these bands. I shall check out.

[@kymberly1777]

yoooo omg i just saw spiritual cramp last weekend!!

[@dariiofernando]

The Power & the Glory is awesome, if you like converge check that band for sure

[@PatBrennan24]

PRAISE! Yes - such an underrated band. I love them so much

[@IDIOTEQTube]

Awesome. Thanks! Praise is more like a rock band today though.

[@Cheeseburger.Launch.Sequence]

If you like Acme check Systral. First No Reply 7 inch was on Mankind. Who also released way overlooked HC band The Missing 23rds first LP.

[@shrektical7674]

Saw them in austin with vein fm...so sick

[@diegobandz666]

I wish I watched this earlier, it’s 9pm and Spiritual Cramp is playing in my area

[@TheCakeIsntReal]

never listened to Touché Amoré, but I knew Acme so I'm gonna check everything