Bury Your Dead, and Walls of Jericho

Listening to Bury Your Dead with the volume cranked to 11 leaves the sensation of getting punched in the face. Now that's hardcore. The Connecticut five-piece's live show will pummel you with blast beats and then, like a deranged drill instructor, order your bruised body off the floor to take more abuse. As strange as this may seem, it's invigorating. No wonder Bury Your Dead is responsible for the hardcore scene's love of "mosh 'n' roll."

Windmills and spin-kicks are just the beginning. Walls of Jericho picks up where Bury Your Dead leaves off. The band's enigmatic vocalist just happens to be a woman, and unlike in hardcore's sister genre, metal, Candace Kucsulain's fronting the band isn't an issue with audiences. This woman can kick your ass, and her vocals demand respect. She fronts a group of tough Detroit kids who've annihilated crowds at big gigs like Hellfest in Syracuse, New York, and Riot Fest in Belgium, but now they're back to playing smaller venues. One can only hope the Mason Jar will still be standing after the set.