There’s a pretty big chance that even if hardcore isn’t your main thing, you’ve at least heard of Cro-Mags. And if you haven’t? Well, you’ve definitely heard bands that have. From metal to rock to punk and beyond, countless artists—some sounding nothing like them—still namecheck Cro-Mags, Bad Brains, or Minor Threat as game-changing influences. These are the bands that didn’t just shape a genre—they rewired how people think about music, and how they create it.
Text and Photos: Sergio Martin
A few months ago, Comeback Kid announced their Australian tour: six shows to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their breakthrough album Wake The Dead, played in full. An album that didn’t just mark a moment for the band, but a real turning point. Faster, sharper, more melodic, and more intense than Turn It Around, it helped them stand out in a hardcore scene that was already packed at the time. Recorded at the Blasting Room with Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore, Wake The Dead sounded bigger, tighter, and more direct—polished enough to reach a wider audience without losing any of its bite.