As if the creaking bones and ever-growing collection of aches, pains, and health issues weren’t a big enough sign of my advancing age, the fact that so much of the important music of my youth is now getting the box set treatment has been a flashing-red indicator that I’m practically a scene fossil now. I definitely saw this coming as a lot of the music I’d missed out on when it was being made began to be collected in box sets in recent years — pretty much all the pre-1985 greats I learned about after they’d long faded into history. These included the Dischord 7″ box set, the Gang of Four box set, and other music that happened before 1985 when I really started building my musical CV. 2025 saw the brain-warping postpunk of Scratch Acid collected into a handsome box set as well as mid-to-late 1990s groups like Swiz and Clikitat Ikatowi who I’d been actively pursuing as they were happening. Add to this box set bonanza steady waves of bygone classics getting the reissue treatment in 2025 and it became unavoidable to revisit the past with reverence.
Alien Nosejob – Forced Communal Existence LP (Anti Fade/Agitated Records)
Jake Robertson’s output is prolific to such a level that despite my efforts to pick up anything that hits U.S. shores from this Aussie wünderkind, there’ve been more than a few tracks and records from his top-shelf Alien Nosejob project that’ve eluded my grip. If you peruse this site much, you’ll undoubtably see more than a few gushing mentions of Alien Nosejob, so you know the caliber of Jake’s scrappy garage punk has earned a permanent place in the Noise for Zeros rumble bunker. Collected on this handsome LP with an excellent cover design homage tastefully lifted from Crypt Records’ Teenage Shutdown compilations, Forced Communal Existence proves to be a worthwhile investment, even for those in possession of many or most of these tunes. Included for convenient long-playing vinyl pleasure are the early 7″ releases, a couple covers from some pandemic era one-offs (The Saints/Aints, Dead Kennedys), the pair of ripping HC45 7″ EPs released by HC tastemakers Iron Lung Records, and the 2024 NFZ award-winning Cold Bare Facts 7″. It’s a no-brainer that this compilation with 23 tracks of pure Alien Nosejob satisfaction that will get more spins than most, so what tha fuck ya waitin’ for?
Clikitat Ikatowi – The Trials and Tribulations Of… Box Set (Numero Group)
The Numero Group has become the penultimate label for box sets reissues. Their deep dive into the Hüsker Dü and Unwound catalogs set the bar for amazing box sets and their recent collections of overlooked emo classics by groups like Boilermaker, Boys Life and others has made each release worth serious consideration and spend at the record store. Clikitat Ikatowi is one of those mid-to-late ’90s San Diego groups that contributed greatly to the high quantity of high quality punk that was exploding out of the area. While they were somewhat known in certain circles, I think the flood of San Diego bands that propagated during the race to find “the next Seattle” let this amazing group be overlooked by many, so this box set was more than welcome, especially as some of their records became pretty difficult to find shortly following their release. The Trials and Tribulations Of… remedies this scarcity and gives this group the recognition it deserves with a beautifully made collection of their impossible-to-find demo, their River of Souls EP, the Orchestrated And Conducted By album, plus a 24-page booklet. Even better, the remastering job on all the tracks are worth a good listen as there’s a noticeable separation of instruments and an additional heft to the rhythm section and treble of the guitars. There are also a few fun stereo effects that weren’t on the original releases, like the left-right panning guitars on the track “Indentity Crisis”. The only gripe I have is that this doesn’t include the band’s Live August 29th And 30th, 1995 LP, which deserves a reissue as well as it absolutely crackles with a live energy that further cements the band’s legend. Still, ya can’t go wrong with the Clikatat Ikatowi’s studio discography collected in such an amazing package, so don’t hesitate adding this to the top of your want list.
Dazzling Killmen – Dig Out The Switch LP (Skin Graft)
After literal decades of singing the praises of this underrated and underloved album from St. Louis’ The Dazzling Killmen, a proper remastered reissue finally materialized in 2025 thanks to Skin Graft Records. Long story short: Dig Out The Switch had long been overshadowed by the band’s sophomore Face of Collapse record as well as poor distribution from the French label that initially released a poorly-mastered version of it, making it difficult to find or assert itself as the killer full-length debut it is. One of the most anticipated reissues of 2025 at the NFZ rumble bunker, this deluxe edition properly pays respect to a crucial document of this important midwestern post-hardcore avant-noise math rock group on serpentarium green vinyl with a beautiful obi strip-adorned jacket and expanded artwork with unseen photos.
Debris‘ – Self-Titled LP (Superior Viaduct)
Thank the ever-essential Superior Viaduct label for reissuing this legendary midwestern freakshow that sounds something like Chrome by way of Electric Eels insanity and Pere Ubu intensity. Light years ahead of their time and place, which happened to be Chickasha, Oklahoma 1976, a setting that hardly seems conducive to this type of outrageous experimentation and madness, Debris’ apparently just dropped out of the sky fully formed (or malformed) into the proto-punk, psych-damaged, glam-caked anomoly that’s become a mystical grail in record nerd mythology. The head-scratching excellence and inventiveness of these alien lifeforms that were somehow miraculously captured to tape and released to an unsuspecting public nearly 50 years ago proves that the world is full of inexplicable surprises. “One Way Spit” is a classic track that gained some fans by kicking off Soul-Jazz’s Punk 45 Volume 3 with a demented madness that grabs your skull by its fleshy earlobes, and witness the track “Witness”, which is a great example of the out-of-synch weirdo psych skronk convulsions that made this such a revered cult classic from the middle of nowhere, USA. This was 1976 people! And why is it Debris’ plural? Who the fuck knows! I’m down with it no matter what because it’s so brain-meltingly awesome and unhinged in a way that demands your attention and respect.
The Drags – Dragsploitation… Now! EP Reissue (Total Punk)
Total Punk is doing the world a great service by resurrecting two smoking blasts of the 1990s garage punk underground. Albequerque’s The Drags were one of the brightest lights on the stalwart Estrus Records label, hurling some of the most manic, over-the-top garage punk with gnarled riffs that held a switchblade to your throat. While many bands of this genre from this era had the look of danger, The Drags actually delivered the tunes to fulfill that threat. The instrumental title track that kicks this thing off makes that clear with the blood curdling in-the-red screams that kick in about halfway in. It’s a track that weeds out those who aren’t crazed enough to hold onto the extra volts of electricity The Drags have packed into these grooves. 1997’s essential Stop Rock and Roll was also reissued along with Dragsploitation…Now!, but I’m especially excited to see Dragsploitation’s Art Chantry cover design on a 45rpm 12″ instead of the 33rpm 10″ size it originally was issued on. You can’t go wrong with 8 tracks of pure garage punk snarl played, loose, wild. and loud. Squares beware!
Scratch Acid – Scratch Acid Box Set (Touch and Go)
My well-loved and oft-played CD copy of Scratch Acid’s The Greatest Gift discography was beginning to be unreliable on ye olde CD player and pulling this music from a streaming service just doesn’t hit as hard as knowing that the sounds are originating from something wildly spinning round and round. That physicality just fits the sound of this essential group from Austin, Texas, who disseminated their one-of-a-kind racket from 1985 to 1987 in the form of two EPs, an LP, and legendary live shows. I was still trying to figure out punk, hardcore, and the crossover metal scene at the time and filed this band into a weirdo file that didn’t get opened until a couple years later when I was ready for it. Hearing my friend’s Bezerker EP cranked to 11 in his basement late one night is a memory that pretty much kicked off a decades-long love of this band. Renewing my vows to their body of work was a no-brainer, especially as the shiny li’l CD I’d been playing for decades was showing its age along with my ringing ears. This impressive box set collects the whole discography of the group, including the two songs from Touch & Go’s God’s Favorite Dog compilation, which weren’t on The Greatest Gift collection. Here, those two killer songs get their own 7″ record with new, original artwork, as well as semi-faithful reproductions of the two EPs, the Just Keep Eating album and a 24-page book. In a year chock full of amazing box sets, this one sits right at the top.
Season to Risk – In A Perfect World LP (Spartan)
These Kansas City noise rock legends actually had two Record Store Day reissue releases in 2025: the first vinyl version of their 2021 odds and ends collection originally released digitally and on cassette, 1-800-MELTDOWN, and this, the band’s sophomore record. This one carried more weight as it’s been scarce since its original release in 1995 and overdue for a reissue. This remastered version sounds great and was a great wake up siren for a string of tour dates that followed its Black Friday RSD release. Read more about it right here.
Sleepytime Trio – Memory Minus Plus Minus LP (Solid Brass)
Often tagged as emo, but way more interesting and aggro, sorta screamo, but not in an overly predictable and dull way, a bit mathy, but not too complicated or rigid, this Richmond quintet always hit the right notes for me. If you ever found yourself swinging to the Song of Zarathustra, sticking Pitchfork in your ear, or convulsing to the Blood Brothers, you may want to give this timely reissue a listen. While the group never put out a proper album, Memory Minus Plus Minus is a reissue of the band’s 2002 Memory Minus CD release that compiled their 12″ EP and 7″ records, plus a handful of live tracks. The live tracks aren’t included here, but you can find better live recordings on the band’s Bandcamp page, captured at the 9:30 Club in DC. Sleepytime Trio perfected the art of tightly-wound tension that ebbs and flows and releases in spiraling riffs and explosive sound, perfectly applying dual guitar and dual screamo vocals over a rock solid rhythm section. Their song “Jesus Extract” has one of the best screamo riffs ever, while the staccato intro of “All Ease” quickly builds into a beehive of swirling noise and stomp that continues to hit as hard today as it did when it was released. The remix dialed in by J. Robbins is loud and clear and brings a renewed umph to the tunes. Memory Minus Plus Minus is a plus plus in my humble opinion.
The Sultans – Shipwrecked LP (Swami)
As a fan of The Sultans’ debut album, I somehow was unaware that this masterclass in John Reis songcraft snuck out into the world in 2004 via Swami Records, despite regularly checking in on the label quite frequently. Beehive & The Barracuda’s anyone? Regardless, the recently resurrected Swami label saw fit to finally give this CD-only sophomore album a proper release on vinyl, revealing the full bounty of this long-buried treasure to the world once again. Shipwrecked may even be better than the 2000 debut Ghostship, as there’s not a stinker in the bunch — not that Ghostship had any stinkers per se, but the songs on Shipwrecked all shine a bit brighter here with that particular Midas-touch that John Reis adds to songwriting. Right from the start with “It Meant Nothing”, a smokin’ Reis riff kicks off 14 tracks that grab you and pull you in. From the bouncing guitar and bass back-and-forth on “Try To Forget You” to the stutterstep drum rolls and Crime-esque guitar details on “I Can’t Change” through the stompers “Jet Lag” and “Too Tough”, you’re dealt hit after hit of the pure brilliance that made Rocket from the Crypt, and Drive Like Jehu, Night Marchers, and Hot Snakes records such durable sonic slabs. Shipwrecked sits right up there atop the heap of excellence as one of the tightest and strongest releases in the Reid canon.
Various Artists – All The Young Droids: Junkshop Synth Pop 1978-1985 2xLP (Night School)
Great compilations reveal not only hidden treasures, but a wide-view snapshot of a particular scene at a particular point in time. All The Young Droids does just this. While the title alone is intriguing to anyone with an adventurous ear, this compilation delivers some choice cuts from the fascinating time after the punk explosion splintered into new wave and newly affordable electronics became within reach to creative bedroom-dwelling pop savants empowered by the DIY aesthetic and artistic freedom. When first flipping the record cover over to see what artists were collected here, I fully expected to see some of the early synth pioneers such as The Normal, Tubeway Army, or even Robert Rental, but alas I recognized not a single one. Further intrigued, my curiosity about “junkshop synth pop” had to be satisfied and I was pleasantly surprised with two dozen tracks of pure DIY synth pop and a deeper look into the earliest synth-powered waves of the new wave. While some of the tracks are nearly polished enough to reveal artists who strived for pop stardom, such as John Howard’s “I Tune Into You” that kicks off Side A, a track with a chorus that sounds like something you’d encounter in a mid-80s VHS tape, other tracks like Sole Sister’s “It’s Not Who You Are, But How You Are” embody the hardscrabble junkshop style of edgier ’80s synth pioneers. All The Young Droids features deep, well-curated cuts that offer an amazing view of a scene that deserves more recognition and appreciation.
Also noteworthy:
Roy Ayers – Coffy (Original Movie Soundtrack) LP (Polydor/Elemental Music)
Cop Shoot Cop – Consumer Revolt LP (Big Cat)
The Drags – Stop, Rock, & Roll LP Reissue (Total Punk)
Giants Chair – Red + Clear LP Reissue (Spartan)
Regulator Watts – The Mercury LP (Solid Brass)
The Saints – Prehistoric Sounds LP (Parlophone/Music On Vinyl)
The Stranglers – Stranglers IV Rattus Norvegicus LP (United Artists)
Six Finger Satellite – Severe Exposure: Deluxe Edition 2xLP (Sub Pop)
Swiz – Complete Discography Box Set (Hellfire / Sammich / Dischord)
U.S. Maple – Long Hair in Three Stages LP (Skin Graft)