4 essential Atlanta hardcore releases of 2012-2013

Manic: self-titled seven-inch

This six-song release, one of Scavenger of Death's finest to date, captures the youthful rage of Manic while making the group sound better and more polished than most of its hardcore contemporaries, in Atlanta and elsewhere. Is it heir apparent to the now defunct Bukkake Boys' top spot in the local hardcore scene? If not, it's not due to a lack of shamelessly nihilistic lyrics and brutally catchy riffs. Evidence of the band's harsh and effective attack can be heard on such balls-out aural assaults as "Leeches" and the latest Atlanta hardcore compilation's namesake, "Land of Nod." (Scavenger of Death)

Predator: 15 Song Cassette

Predator's buzz-saw attack returned from a hiatus earlier this year with this limited-run cassette. This latest offering serves as an overview of the long working relationship between Mike Beavers and Brannon Greene, and is a sign of things to come. The A-side is a mix of new material, including a cover of Quiet Riot's "Frogrammer," and modern takes on unreleased numbers from Frantic — the band that drew Beavers and Greene from Snellville to the Atlanta punk scene more than a decade ago. The flip side includes rough but engaging demos from Predator's first album and Frantic's first recordings from 2003. This isn't just a history lesson; some of the new material will most likely be mixed for a future 12-inch release. (Scavenger of Death Records)

Rapturous Grief: self-titled 7-inch

When it comes to hardcore, brevity is the name of the game: Swiftly build on your best riff and bellow lyrics that cut straight to the point. For Rapturous Grief's debut 7-inch, only one of the 10 songs is more than a minute long. Each cut of pure power violence features blasting drums, heavy riffs, and, aside from the blazing instrumental "Nullo," vocals yelled in Spanish. As is often the case with self-released, limited hardcore records, all 100 copies of its original pressing are long gone. If you don't have the time to keep your ears to the ground to keep from missing these rarities, you should at the very least keep an eye on the Internet. (Self-released)

Various Artists: Land of Nod: Atlanta Punk and Hardcore Omnibus

Like most regional punk compilations, Land of Nod is a mix of subgenres and new, established, and defunct bands that embody how an ever-evolving local music scene has sounded over recent years. Hardcore tracks include what are likely the last two officially released Bukkake Boys songs and the vinyl debuts of local grind standard-bearers God's Balls, and Predator spin-offs Acid Freaks and GHB. Though there is some variety, everything fits together, including a Gentleman Jesse song that owes more to Killed by Death deep cuts than Stiff Records power-pop. Someday, this will serve as a history lesson to young Atlanta punks. Until then, it will let outsiders know that more goes on here than the equally rich metal boom and a now slim garage-punk scene. (Scavenger of Death)