Top 5 Thursday #7: Top 5 PAHC Bands

By Ryan Germ and Scott Danshaw

PAHC, the scene Scott and I were raised in and are still part of today. It’d be idiotic if we didn’t have our regional favorites, and today we’re going to go through our Top 5 PAHC bands of all time.

Scotty D’s List

1. Kid Dynamite: “Shorter, Faster, Louder.” Not only is it the name of their second record but it’s the perfect description for what, in my humble opinion, is the best Dan Yemin band. Every song has singalong potential and makes the room want to move. Anytime I turn this band on I can just picture the First Unitarian Church packed wall to wall pulling back and forth like a riptide trying to rip you under. No one does it like KD.
2. Ink & Dagger- If you aren’t a member of the Philadelphia Society of Future Vampires then go the fuck home. Hands down one of the most innovative hardcore punk bands from the Philly area. A band that blended theatrics, post hardcore & punk in perfect measurements to create a masterpiece. SPM forever.
3. Horrorshow - One of the best hardcore bands of the 00’s. Lead by Nothing frontman Domenic Palermo, Horrorshow made some of the most aggressive hardcore in Philly until their demise. Take a listen to their record “Notes From The Night The Never Ended” it’s a front to back banger  after banger album from the opening track “Practicing Uncertainty” to the album closer “Rorrim” they showcase what Philly hardcore is all about.
4. Pissed Jeans- I think Pissed Jeans are one of the best hardcore punk bands going today about rven just from Pa. They truly encapsulates that gritty, raw energy of the hardcore punk of the 1980s but keep such a fresh take on the style. 
5. Soul Glo: Five words fellow Shadowtalkers: “WHO GONNA BEAT MY ASS”. Absolute fire, that is all. 

Ryan Germ’s list:

1. Blacklisted: Yeah this was a lock, Heavier Than Heaven is one of the greatest records in hardcore history. It’s hard, punk, just perfect. Eye For An Eye is the PAHC anthem in my opinion. Great band and they’re the epitomy of PAHC.
2. Ink & Dagger: I&D is obviously a favorite of mine. I mean I’ve said this many times but look at the name of the blog you’re reading. Enough said, but I’ll say more. Drive This 7 Inch Wooden Stake and Fine Art are both top tier records which pioneered that whole wave of horror punk post hardcore that everyone in the 00’s were doing. Drive This is a perfect eerie hardcore record for Halloween, and Fine Art perfectly incorporates elements of digital hardcore in the vein of Atari Teenage Riot before modern breakbeat artists did. A band always ahead of the curve since day one. RIP SPM
3. Mother Of Mercy: A lot of younger people around my age don’t know about this band which is a disservice. So I’m going to tell you about them. Fronted by the legendary Bob Wilson these guys brought a modern and extra aggressive edge to crossover thrash as best shown on their record III. The 2 step parts are smooth like butter, Bobs vocals sound like he’s possessed by a demon, and the riffs are so good. Go check em out if you never peeped.
4. Cold World: Love, Hate, Kings, Queens. You die alone in a Cold World. Those are lyrics from their eponymous song, and let me tell you that song goes hard as fuck. Their breakdowns are super thick, the samples are placed well, and it’s a perfect mix of punk-ness and hard shit.
5. Title Fight: Yeah this had to come. Their considered pop punk and emo by some but let’s face it, Last Thing You Forget is a melodic hardcore record. Their influence is felt throughout the mainstream in 2026, and even though I could pick a band I love deeply like Horrorshow or Wrong Answer or Punishment, I had to choose a band I love and that had the biggest influence on modern emo.