Just Before The Drop: #18
Featuring: Neck Deep, MxPx, Dance Gavin Dance and more. Check out the newest issue of your weekly, curated modern punk & hardcore music recommendations.
Hi music junkies!
Alright, let’s dive straight into this week’s picks. We’ve mixed it up to cover a bunch of flavors, so there’s something for everyone. Hope you dig it and that it fires you up for the weeks ahead!
Let’s go! Lukas & Adi.
You Should Se Me Now
by Neck Deep | selected by Adi
In the European pop-punk scene, Wales’ own Neck Deep are right now to the genre what Lamine Yamal is to Barcelona - still young but already doing so much good, and it looks like the future is theirs.
These guys dropped their fifth full-length at the start of 2024, just wrapped an insane Australia tour, and immediately hit us with a new single that could’ve slotted perfectly onto their fourth album, All Distortions Are Intentional, complete with that uplifting hook
Good things come to those who persevere
And it takes blood, sweat, distance and tears
No fear, no excuses.
They’re also gearing up to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Life’s Not Out to Get You, the record that put them on the map. And hey, surprise singles aren’t anything new for them - remember the absolute bangers She’s a God and STFU? So I wouldn’t hold my breath for a totally new album just yet, but it’s killer that they’re keeping the momentum rolling!
Check out previous issues of Just Before The Drop!
Two-Headed Trout
by The Callous Daoboys | picked by Lukas
These seven Atlanta wildcards have been tearing up the math-core scene since 2016, mixing jaw-break riffs, glitchy samples and even violins into their sonic mayhem. Their name’s a cheeky spoonerism of the Dallas Cowboys, and over three EPs and now three full-lengths, they’ve gone from underground buzz to signing with MNRK Heavy. On May 16, 2025, they dropped their third LP I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven, a concept-driven ride that balances dystopian storytelling with pop-leaning hooks.
Two-Headed Trout is one of the standout cuts from the new album. The band somehow balance utter chaos with “earworm” hooks, and this track’s patient build - those glitchy keyboards, jagged riffs, then that madcap chorus - shows how they’ve sharpened their groove without losing that gonzo edge. Frontman Carson Pace even talks about mixing pop sensibilities into their patented bedlam, so you get both the bite and the bait in one session. Slam this one on repeat if you’re craving something that’ll twist your brain and make you move.
Bet you can’t guess the main motif they swiped straight from that mega-popular Hollywood flick - it’s crazy how spot-on the themes line up. Any guesses which one? And if you’re not already hip to this crew, I’ve got to put you on their past achievements they’re seriously impressive. Truly a talented squad.
One Zero Zero
by MxPx | picked by Adi
May 16th is a day etched in gold for Lagwagon fans and anyone who’s ever ripped up the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 soundtrack - shoutout to Joey Cape’s classic tune. And guess what? On that exact day we got fresh wax from another skate-punk legend.
Veterans MxPx have teamed up with Direct Hit! to drop a limited-edition vinyl split where both bands slam out One Zero Zero. I’ll leave it to you to pick which version slaps harder, but really, it’s not a battle - it’s a perfect nod to those ’90s skate-punk vibes that’ll have you dusting off your board, sliding into your faded jeans, and cleaning up those old Vans. At least, that’s the dream MxPx and Direct Hit! are betting on.
State of Disrepair
by Scary Kids Scaring Kids | picked by Lukas
SKSK are back on the hype train with State of Disrepair the first taste of their soon-to-drop album Maps Written in Water (July 11, 2025). After regrouping in 2019, these Arizona post-hardcore veterans flipped the script - each cut on the new record features a guest, and here they tapped Paul Rose (ex-Cover Your Tracks) for extra grit in the vocal parts. Musically, it’s that classic mix of frantic riffs and big, open-hearted choruses, but production-wise they’ve leveled up: crisp keys, stacked vocals, even a hint of cinematic drama.
We’ve only got two cuts out so far, but it’s already clear this album’s gonna grab attention of many. If you’re into those late-’00s emo-screamo vibes with a slick, modern polish, this is something for you. And if you somehow haven’t peeped this squad before, you’re seriously missing out - they helped shape the scene back in the day. Go stream their Self-Titled ASAP.
Look Out For Me
by Turnstile | selected by Adi
Yes, we know Turnstile just popped up in JBTD recently, but seriously - this crew is climbing the punk ranks like they’ve unlocked god mode!
On June 6 they’re dropping their long-awaited fourth LP, and they’ve been blessing us with single number four (each one backed by a killer video). Plus, just days ago the full recording of their May gig at Baltimore’s Wyman Park Dell surfaced - and… I’m speechless. You’ve gotta watch it. The whole thing is drenched in ’90s vibes (nope, that’s not your dodgy Wi-Fi), and the crowd energy is exactly what you can expect when they roll through Europe. They kick off Never Enough release day with a multi-week Euro run - Portugal, Spain, Austria, the UK, France, Belgium, and Poland, here we come!
Sink
by The Bunny The Bear | selected by Lukas
Yo, check this - The Bunny The Bear just unleashed their full-length saga The Moments That Cost on May 9, 2025, and Sink still (as released already couple months ago) hits like a shot of pure adrenaline. Brooke Tybor’s clean vocals slice through the chaos with a newfound confidence - you can hear her growth front and center - while Matthew “The Bunny” Tybor’s frantic screams bounce off azor-sharp guitars.
They’ve always been genre-blenders, but on this LP they’ve dialed up the production polish (shout-out to Tough Luck Music and mixer Kyle Dameron), so every synth stab and breakdown lands with surgical precision. Lyrically, it’s about drowning in your own doubt before clawing back up - a perfect mirror for the album’s theme of paying dues for your next chapter. Sink proves these guys are in top form.
Motor City
by Somerset Thrower | picked by Adi
If these dudes name Jimmy Eat World as their main inspo - and have already shared stages with Rival Schools, Taking Back Sunday, or Glassjaw - you know it’s time to get hip to them. And trust me, it’s gonna hit you right in the nostalgia.
Hailing from Long Island, they’ve been grinding for a solid decade, though they drip-feed us new tunes like it’s some secret sauce. Their third LP drops this July, and just now they unleashed the second single, Motor City Frank Traficante’s gritty, raw vocals will snag your attention instantly next thing you know, you’re digging through their back catalog. When I spun Motor City, I couldn’t help but think The Ataris. Mix that with Jimmy Eat World vibes and Rival Schools energy, and you’re in for something tight. They’re one of the most slept-on bands we’ve covered on Just Before The Drop, but that’s about to change.
Midnight at McGuffy’s
by Dance Gavin Dance | picked by Lukas
Finally! They’ve been teasing this sooooo long!
Sacramento’s scene-stirrers return with Midnight at McGuffy’s the wild first single from Pantheon (Sept 12, 2025, Rise Records). This is the first full-length to feature Andrew Wells as the main clean vocalist, and he kills it - his tone rides the punk-funk grooves while Jon Mess’s screams cut like broken glass.
Layers upon layers of vocal harmonies, dizzying guitar tricks, and those jazzy time signature shifts make it pure DGD: way too technical to ever be mainstream, but so damn catchy you’ll be singing it in your sleep. Check already released All the Way Down to get an additional prove that they’re serious with this one.
The video’s a glitchy fever dream, too - grab your headphones and get lost in the madness. Must watch!
Beautimous
by Puddle of Mudd | picked by Adi
You might’ve caught Beautimous a couple weeks back, but when it comes to Puddle Of Mudd, you gotta make an exception and catch up. I wish I could say frontman Wes Scantlin’s legal drama was ancient history, but… I can’t. Two months ago he got arrested for DUI, before that he was busted for carrying a gun through an airport, and in March the cops rolled up on a domestic dispute at his place - and found illicit substances, too.
And in the middle of all that chaos, the band drops their seventh album. Just hours ago the video for the lead single Beautimous hit the web - there’s Wes out in the desert with some mystery woman shaking her hips. No clue if it’s the same one from that L.A. bust, but one thing’s for sure: you can never be bored with Puddle Of Mudd. Well, really it’s Wes Scantlin you can’t be bored with - he’s the only original member left, and the “former members” list clocks in at 17 names.
Wasteland
by Bury Tomorrow | selected by Lukas
OK. We’ve been already writing about their new album - waiting for it super impatiently. And so, from the finally released Will You Haunt Me, With That Same Patience Bury Tomorrow serve up (for the last time in a while) Wasteland.
Dani Winter-Bates lays down a half-rap, half-scream verse over chugging guitars before they kick into a bruising breakdown - then, curveball, the last minute drips in lo-fi trap elements that’ll catch you off guard, finishing with the short screaming, very intense part. It’s classic Bury Tomorrow grit - anthemic choruses, brooding atmosphere - but they’re not afraid to tweak their formula. If you’ve been sleeping on UK metalcore’s finest, Wasteland is your wake-up call. Turn it up, let the low end smack you, and revel in the crossover chaos.
One of the best from the new LP, great finisher to this week’s JBTD!
And finally, the full playlist! 🤘
You can play it along, or just save within your Spotify account. Be safe, Lukas & Adi.