A Pumpkin-punchin' Post-Halloween Punk/Hardcore Playlist Featuring Beloved Ghouls, DETOXI, Discourage, Get Married, INTEGRITY & Senses Fail/Saves The Day

So, as many of you may well know by now, my wife and I are first-time parents of a now 4-month-old(!) baby and while I'm still trying to find a healthy balance between writing here on The Witzard, as well as a handful of other sites, and hanging out with my growing family, it admittedly isn't always easy. So, while I ran a bunch of Halloween-centric features over the course of the past two weeks or so, I didn't exactly have time to cover everything that came out on or around Friday for Halloween after our last post before the weekend. However, with that said, there were a bunch of ghoulishly great Halloween jams—both originals and covers—released this year. Now, with all that said, I'm proud to present to you A Pumpkin-punchin' Post-Halloween Punk/Hardcore Playlist. I've included Bandcamp links for most of these, as that's my preferred steaming platform (in addition to Spotify) and some of these picks selected are available as Bandcamp-only exclusives and some are available on other streaming services, as well. For continuity's sake and to help keep this a bit more streamline and less all-over-the-place, I just decided to keep these picks to exclusive Punk, Hardcore, and Punk-adjacent sonic tricks and treats. Below, I selected and embedded my personal favorite track(s) from each release, but, additionally, for my fellow Spotify users, assembled a companion playlist, as well. Enjoy these festive releases, ghouls and gals!


Beloved Ghouls is a Thrash Metal super-group, supposedly, formed around 2012 composed of Derrick Green of Sepultura, Dave Lombardo of Slayer, and Gary Holt of Slayer & Exodus. Although, this Halloween, they shared their first widely-available recording, "Terrorized." It's produced by the legendary knob-twister Ross Robinson (Korn, Glassjaw, The Blood Brothers, Slipknot, Limp Bizkit) and mixed by Steve Evetts (Every Time I Die, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Lifetime, Saves The Day.) "Terrorized" features additional ghoulish accompaniment from keyboardist Jason Schimmel and bassist Jeff Johnson with guest vocals from Jeremy Bolm of Touché Amoré. Proceeds raised from the song's sale will directly benefit Save Our Stages. "Beloved Ghouls are all lifers who live to give back to the music that gave us all so much," explains Robinson. "Hopefully, this track resonates for you like it did for each of us while making it. Just laughing and being fully stoked while swimming in our Thrash Metal roots... we are all excited to donate to Save Our Stages, it's such an important cause. We must work to keep our music venues alive." "It brought me an overwhelming amount of joy to collaborate with friends and colleagues who I have great admiration for to create such a kicka** song," says Derrick Green. "Truly a remarkable experience that I'm thankful to be a part of." Beloved Ghouls' "Terrorized" is now available here on I Am Recordings in partnership with SideOneDummy Records.


DETOXI is a Deathrock/Horror Punk band hailing from Ventura, California. Its current line-up features vocalist/guitarist Derek Jennings, bassist Oscar Estrada, drummer John Crerar, and keyboardist Matt Barks. Collectively, DETOXI's members have played with Ancestors, Catholic Spit, Dad Brains, D*ck Circus, The F***ing Wrath, MAäSK, The Missing 23rd, Night Demon, and Stop Breathing. They've previously released a 2018 EP entitled Death of A Nation and a 2019 full-length, First Flesh, as well as contributing a new song, "Corpse Window," to Indecision Records' recent comp. NARDCORE FOR LIFE. Now, DETOXI have returned with yet another new track just in time for adding to your festively freaky playlists. "Beyond The Grave" premiered over at CVLT NATION late last week and was available for FREE download on DETXI's Bandcamp page through Halloween Weekend. "It's off their upcoming release, the In Laughter EP, that will be out sometime soon... and once you hear this bleak and addictively melancholy tune, you're going to want more! I know I do—I'm going to be dressed like a Deathrock street cheetah and howling to The Blue Moon with DETOXI on Repeat! Goth Haus LA picked them as Band of The Month in August 2020 and they definitely deserve it. With this as the teaser for the new EP, I'm really looking forward to hearing it all. Right now, watch the freaky video for "Beyond The Grave" and stay tuned for more about DETOXO..." CVLT NATION Co-founder Meghan MacRae shared within their feature.


Discourage are a self-described "Youth Crew-inspired Hardcore from The Bay," who, also, describe themselves as "a forward-thinking Hardcore band" based out of Oakland, California. It's unclear who exactly the members of Discourage are... but their Bandcamp page further explains, "Stemming from Oakland, CA, Discourage embodies fast, angry, and true-to-roots Hardcore screaming for social awareness and a clarion call against apathy and ambivalence. Drawing influence from early 2000's Hardcore, such as Carry On, Ensign, and Mental, they fuse that sound with the grit and fury of their local Oakland Hardcore Punk scene that birthed Look Back & Laugh and TØRSÖ." Since initially forming sometime sround 2018, Discourage have since released a number of splits alongside Kind Crew, LIFT, FAIM, and Time & Pressure, as well as a 2018 self-titled 7-inch and promo cassette entitled PNW Tour 2018. Discourage recently re-emerged with their first proper long-form release, an EP entitled Forlorn Hope, issued by Patient Zero Records. It appears as though there were a number of super-limited edition vinyl variants meant to evoke/pay homage to Bob's Burgers, Black Sabbath, that clenched fist Arthur meme (sub-titled "when the groupchat keep roasting you,") test pressings, half-green/half-yellow vinyl, and a standard green-colored vinyl. Now, Discourage have returned once more with a festively appropriate cover of AFI's "A Single Second." Quietly self-release dover the weekend DIS-courage's version is currently available on a Name-Your-Price basis from their Bandcamp page. "A Single SEcond" originally appeared on AFI's third studio album, Shut Your Mouth & Open Your Eyes, released on Nitro Records in 1997, as well as a 2004 compilation fittingly titled AFI. Discurage deliver a pretty faithful. spot-on rendition on "A Single Second" in homage to AFI, who, it's pretty safe to say, are one of their influences.


Jaake Margo, Randy "Bones" Moore, Dylan Moore, Kayla Gonzales, Tarif Pappu & Nick Kenrick make up San Jose-baed California Rock "N" Roll band Get Married. They've previously released material on both Asian man Records & Wiretap Records, including a 2018 full-length entitled Songs for The Sleepless. Just in time for Halloween, Get Married have arisen once more for a new 5-song EP released in partnership with their current label, Wiretap Records. 5 hits from HeLL features... you guessed it, five Misfits covers! As its title suggests, this collection was concocted in homage to The Misfits' fabled 1080 album, 12 Hits from Hell, and its notoriously cancelled 2001 re-release on Caroline Records, 12 Hits from Hell: The MSP Sessions, as well as their similarly-titled 1981 EP, 3 hits from HeLL. Here, across 5 hits from HeLL, Get Married share their renditions of five of The Misfits greatest staples from across the short-lived discography from their original Glenn Danzig-fronted incarnation, "Halloween" (of course!) "Astro Zombies," "Skulls," "Angelf**k," and "Hybrid Moments." The latter being one of my personal favorites, as well as blink-182, Transplants, adn Machine Gun Kelly drummer Travis Barker. Now, I've heard my fair share of Misfits covers and I can honestly say, this is one of my favorite collections of covers orchestrated by one singular band. It's most definitely worth shelling out a few bucks in exchange for hours of endless amusement!


INTEGRITY are a long-standing Cleveland, Ohio-bred Metalcore (Metal/Hardcore) band fronted by Dwid Hellion since 1988. However, they've been based out of Belgium ever since 2003 and have released a staggering 12 full-length albums and several EPs, re-issues, and compilation appearances. In recent years, INTEGRITY have appeared on a number of interesting releases, including SDK X RFTCC with Bleach Everything. Now, INTEGRITY's side, "SDK," stands for "Septic Death Karaoke," and consists of five Septic Death covers; while Bleach Everything's side, "RFTCC," stands for "Rocket from The Crypt Covers," boasting appearances from now-deceased POWER TRIP frontman Riley Gale, Mike Kennerty of The All-American Rejects, and Christopher "Royal" King of This Will Destroy You. Most recently, Dwid Hellion appeared on a cover of The Misfits' "Halloween II" alongside memebrs of Dillinger Escape Plan, Incendiary, and Life's Question for Two Minutes to Late Night's long-standing Quarantine super-covers series. Now, in a similar vein, Dwid Hellion has returned with a cover of Motörhead's "Cradele to The Grave" from Their 1987 album, Rock 'N' Roll. Along with Hellion, INTEGRITY's line-up on this particular recording includes long-time guitarist Domenic Romeo and drummer JOsh Brettell (Exosus, Ilsa.) INTEGRITY's "Cradle to The Grave" cover was recorded by Kevin Bernsten at Developing Nations Studios and mixed and mastered by Arthur Rizk.


Last, but certainly not least, on our A Pumpkin-punchin' Post-Halloween Punk/Hardcore Playlist is Through Being Ghoul, a 4-song split EP by Senses Fail & Saves The Day. Sesnses fail hail from Ridgewood, New Jersey and have been active since 2002. Their current line-up includes James "Buddy" Nielsen, Gavin Caswell, Greg Styliades, Jason Milbank, and Steve Carey. Saves The Day are a like-minded Pop-punk/Melodic Hardcore band hailing from Princeton, New Jersey, who have initially formed in 1997. Their current line-up appears to include Chris Conley, Arun Bali, and Rodrigo Palma, along with, maybe, Dennis Wilson & Claudio Rivera. It appears as though both bands have been long-time friends and supporters of each others' music, having even toured together, along with The Early November & Say Anything, across The US in 2005. Now, some 15 years later, Saves The Day & Senses Fail have re-grouped for a collavorative split 7-inch and digital EP. Through Being Ghoul's title is, of course, a thinly-veiled allusion to Saves The Day's 1999 sophomore album, Through Being Cool, and its cover even seats The Wolfman, Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy, Jason Voorhees, and Senses Fail's Mr. Skeleton/Reaper mascot all seated in similar positions. For their side of the split, Senses Fail cover THe Misfits' "We Are 138" & "Attitude" from Static Age (1978-96) while Saves The Day take on "Some Kinda Hate" & "Where Eagles Dare" from Static Age and Legacy of Brutality (1985) respectively. Senses Fail's covers are so spot-on, they could easily be mistaken for The Misfits' originals, if you don't listen closely enough, while Saves The Days' covers take on a whole new life here as prosective Pop-punk chart-toppers. Both Senses fontman Buddy Nielsen and Saves The Day frontman Chris Conley spoke with Bring The Noise. about how and why they selected each track. While colored vinyl editions are already entirely sold out, Senses Fail & Saves The Day's Through Being Ghouls split is currently avilable digitally, via Pure Noise Records/Equal Vision Records.