Ok ok ok, not everyone is aware of this, but Portland has a thriving hardcore punk scene—and it’s (finally) getting the national attention it deserves. Not for lack of punks, the city’s scene saw touring bands, large and small, skip us again and again because our hardcore scene here was extremely diffused. A bunch of sects of the scene worked independently of one another, but rarely pulled together to throw their collective weight around to make something really big happen. Those days are over. In the last few years, we’ve seen  several movers and shakers, both in and outside Portland’s various hardcore scenes, collaborate to really push regional bands and events to levels previously reserved for the Bay Area, NY/NJ, and Boston.

Case in point: Northwest Hardcore Fest 2025. Organized by 777 Booking and Friends of Noise, it’ll be hosted at Portland Institute for Contemporary Art on August 16-17. These three, seemingly unconnected Portland institutions, have pooled their collective resources and powers to bring together the hands-down, hardest hitting festival in the PNW this year.

The fest announced its line-up this morning and it’s a doozy. So far, the bill has over 30 bands from all over the country with a heavy dose of the best regional hardcore that’s crushing it right now. That’s a lot to see in just two days, so I’ve wrangled together a breakdown (get it?) of festival favs for you to scope…

New Jersey has always been on the forefront of boundary-pushing hardcore and Bayway is deeply embedded in the current evolution of the genre, solidified with the release of their Bayway Takes Manhattan EP from late last year. On the EP, the band deliver that classic come-fuck-with-the-crew mentality, not only with growls, but hip-hop vocals as well. This is perhaps the set I’m personally looking forward to the most.

The monologue opening Boltcutter’s most recent EP, The Slamz Chronicles, vol. 1, says it all, “Alive in the Northwest, Boltcutter slam. Coming at you with that blown speaker blues, that chain-break chuggery, and that diesel domination. Welcome to The Slamz Chronicles, vol. 1, baby!” The song then immediately devolves into assaulting double kick drums and pig squeals. It’s something to be heard and behold. 

I literally couldn’t find a damn thing about Cry of Mankind anywhere… So that means I’m real interested now.

Much like the PNW, the Midwest is often overlooked when it comes to hardcore and Iowa’s Dose got something to say about that. These punks are looking for trouble and wanna bring you along with. Lace up your Docs for this one. 

It makes sense that culturally depressed places with a rigid religious presence, like Salt Lake City, often produce art with the most powerful messages, like the first two Used albums. Mercifully, SLC’s Mask got those stomper anthems down that will no doubt open up the pit, giving those in attendance a real religious experience.

Perhaps the biggest band playing the fest, Outta Pocket bring that real Bay shit chugga chugga—absolutely not for the faint of heart or eardrum. The last few years have seen OP running around with some of hardcore’s rising stars including Sunami and Drain, now it’s their turn.

Real Y2K hardcore heads will lose their minds with the inclusion of Shattered Realm in the festival’s line-up. Formed in ’00s Jersey, Shattered Realm have been around the block to say the least. They released their first new music in over a decade last year and their set will be an absolute treat, especially for those of us who don’t get back East as often as we’d like.

All of the bands featured above have to travel to play the fest so I wanted to give them more of a shout. That said, there are a grip of local punks playing that deserve roses as well: 2 The Teeth, Dry Socket, Mad Choice, and Slime among them.

WALL TO WALL OR NOT AT ALL!

Northwest Hardcore Fest takes place at the Portland Institute of Contemporary Art, August 16-17. Full festival passes are on sale now, find tickets here.