HardLore Podcast – "The Best 1990's Hardcore Band (Tournament Bracket)"

Hosts: Colin Young & Bo Lueders
Date: October 9, 2025
Episode Theme:
A passionate, deep-dive tournament bracket to finally crown the single best hardcore band of the 1990s. Colin and Bo hash out matchups, discuss scene lore and band history, enlist expert tiebreakers, and reveal the band that defines 90s hardcore.

Episode Overview

The episode's main purpose is to determine—through an NCAA-style bracket—the absolute best hardcore band of the 1990s. Having already crowned the hardest, heaviest, and best 80s band in previous episodes, the hosts aim to settle years of debate and listener kvetching around which 90s band reigns supreme.

Colin and Bo’s approach:

• Bands are eligible if their definitive work was released in the '90s, even if they technically began in the late '80s or finished their most important records in the early 2000s.
• Listener input determined some of the bracket and there’s a special slot for an "honorable mention" write-in.
• The show’s real goal: celebrate the era, discuss the scene’s evolution, and appreciate as many bands as possible—not just the winner.

Key Discussion Points & Tournament Structure

1. Setting the Rules (01:01 – 02:45)

• Hosts clarify eligibility: bands whose most influential output was in the '90s, not necessarily those who started or ended there.
• Acknowledge inevitable omissions and listener complaints:

  “We’re so sick of your whining...this time we found a way to include more bands and avoid the comments that drive me insane.” (01:34, Gian)

• 32-band bracket, with seeding to make sure top-tier bands don’t eliminate each other too early.

2. Early Bracket Rounds: Left Side (02:49 – 17:37)

Notable Matchups & Commentaries

• All Out War vs. Buried Alive
  Winner: All Out War

  “Thanks to the sheer depth of the All Out War discography, they are still making great records. That’s hard to say about any of these bands.” (03:14, Gian)

• Biohazard vs. Damnation AD
  Winner: Biohazard

  “First three alone...genre, multi-genre bending, changing classics.” (05:07, Gian)

• Blood for Blood vs. Stigmata
  Winner: Blood for Blood

  “Blood for Blood was OK ingrained into my DNA.” (07:00, Gian)

• Integrity vs. Fury of Five
  Winner: Integrity

  “Integrity spawned a genre of people replicating them...in terms of impact, we have to give it to Integrity.” (09:21, Gian)

• Life of Agony vs. Ten Yard Fight
  Winner: Life of Agony

  “River Runs Red is one of the greatest albums musically ever in existence... Ever.” (11:43, Gian)

• Death Threat vs. Disembodied
  Winner: Death Threat
• Marauder vs. Crown of Thorns
  Winner: Marauder

  “Crown of Thorns got hosed in this matchup...anybody up against Marauder was a tough matchup.” (15:29, Gian)

• Hatebreed vs. Snapcase
  Winner: Hatebreed

  “Hatebreed wins here. Historic blowout.” (16:21, Gian)

Early Observations:
Hosts repeatedly stress the impact, depth, and longevity of bands as deciding factors. Unapologetic personal biases occasionally surface, balanced by attempts at objectivity or well-reasoned defense.

3. Right Side Bracket – International & Diverse (17:46–37:48)

Notable Matchups

• Earth Crisis vs. Turmoil
  Winner: Earth Crisis

  “There’s tens of thousands of people still vegan straight edge today because of Earth Crisis.” (19:05, Gian)

• Ringworm vs. Deadguy
  Winner: Ringworm

  “Most of their definitive records in the 2000s, but Promise is so early and so good, they have to be 90s.” (20:09, Gian)

• Cold as Life vs. Kickback
  First call-in tiebreak required—Taylor Young sides with Cold as Life
• AFI vs. Bastard
  Winner: AFI

  “90s AFI— that’s a hardcore band, 100%.” (25:07, Bo)

• Strife vs. Trial
  Winner: Strife
• Floorpunch vs. Unbroken
  Winner: Floorpunch

  “Floorpunch is for the fucking rascals.” (28:13, Gian)

• Madball vs. Only Living Witness
  Winner: Madball

  “Madball is such a perfect hardcore band.” (30:14, Bo)

• Vision of Disorder vs. 25 ta Life (Honorable Mention Write-In)
  Winner: VOD

  “In terms of just like a better band, it’s VOD.” (36:40, Gian)

4. Second Rounds – The Big Names Clash (38:02 – 53:37)

• All Out War vs. Biohazard: Winner: All Out War

• Integrity vs. Blood for Blood: Winner: Integrity (via tiebreak call to Gian from King Nine)

  “Blood for Blood, but I love Integrity more.” (40:31, Gian, King Nine)

• Life of Agony vs. Death Threat: Winner: Death Threat

  “If the word is hardcore, then the word is Death Threat.” (42:47, Gian)

• Marauder vs. Hatebreed: Winner: Hatebreed

  “I don’t think you can say Marauder is a better hardcore band than Hatebreed.” (45:47, Bo)

• Earth Crisis vs. Ringworm: Winner: Earth Crisis

• Cold as Life vs. AFI: Winner: Cold As Life

• Floorpunch vs. Strife: Winner: Floorpunch

• Madball vs. VOD: Winner: Madball

5. Quarterfinals & Semi-finals – Tension and Heartbreak (53:37–71:30)

Quarterfinal Debates:

• All Out War vs. Integrity:
  Winner: All Out War (via Emma from Dying Wish, guest tiebreaker)

  “[All Out War] literally don’t think they’ve ever put out anything bad ever.” (56:49, Emma)

• Death Threat vs. Hatebreed:
  Winner: Hatebreed
• Earth Crisis vs. Cold as Life:
  Winner: Earth Crisis
• Floorpunch vs. Madball:
  Winner: Madball

  “What is hardcore without Madball?” (63:04, Gian)

Semi-finals:

• All Out War vs. Hatebreed:
  Winner: Hatebreed
• Earth Crisis vs. Madball:
  Winner: Madball

6. The Grand Final: Hatebreed vs. Madball (71:32–82:49)

Deliberation and Tiebreakers:

• Hosts wrestle with the legacy, influence, and catalog of both bands.

  “Did Hatebreed make a better record than Set It Off?” (75:00, Todd) “Hatebreed is probably the band that is most influential across the board when it comes to hardcore.” (78:10, James)

Guest Tiebreakers:

• Todd (TXJ): “I’m going with Madball. There’s just something about those songs, man.” (75:42)
• James: “Hatebreed is probably the band that is most influential across the board when it comes to hardcore. I would probably have to pick Hatebreed.” (78:10)
• Brian Garris: “I have to go Hatebreed. Satisfaction hits in a new way every time I listen to it.” (79:44 & 79:48)

Hosts accept the tally:

“My heart says Madball. But I do think Hatebreed is probably the answer.” (81:18, Gian)

Winner: Hatebreed

“There you go. Hatebreed is our winner.” (82:03, Gian) “That makes sense.” (82:03, Bo)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the Difficulty of the Bracket:

  “This fucking sucks immediately. It sucks.” (02:49, Bo)

• On What Defines a 90s Band:

  “You look at the end of the day, one is a hardcore band now, one is not.” (50:49, Gian, on Cold as Life vs. AFI)

• Paying Respect to Scene Staples:

  “If you don’t like Madball, you’re misguided and stupid, you know?” (30:41, Gian)

• On 90s Hardcore Impact:

  “Earth Crisis, Zeitgeist...the levels they reached, statement dude made.” (18:57, Gian)

• Choosing Hatebreed Over Marauder

  “I don’t think you can say Marauder is a better hardcore band than Hatebreed.” (45:47, Bo)

• Guest Decider Logic

  “Did Hatebreed make a better record than Set It Off?... That's what it comes down to.” (75:00, Todd)

• Final Reflection

  “This bracket is...one of the greatest playlists in history. At the end of the day, that's what it's about–discovery and sharing what we wish we had shared with us when we were 14, 15.” (82:15, Gian)

Final Four & Winner

Mount Rushmore of 90s Hardcore (Final Four):

• All Out War
• Hatebreed
• Earth Crisis
• Madball

Winner:
Hatebreed is crowned the definitive 1990s hardcore band, recognized for their massive impact, consistency, scene-changing records, and ability to bridge worlds.

“Hatebreed is the winner and we'll see you next week.” (82:49, Gian)

Listen-Worthy Segments with Timestamps

• [01:01] – Rules of the Bracket; Defining "90s Hardcore"
• [03:14] – All Out War vs. Buried Alive, and philosophy on "depth of discography"
• [09:21] – Integrity’s impact and genre-spawning status
• [18:35] – Earth Crisis’s cultural and scene influence
• [22:24, 56:49] – Guest/Caller tiebreakers for the most contentious matchups
• [45:47] – Marauder vs. Hatebreed heartbreak and debate
• [75:03] – Finals deliberation, guest rationales on Hatebreed vs. Madball
• [81:18] – Closure and crowning of Hatebreed as winner

Tone and Style

• Casual, direct, and packed with personal and scene-specific references
• Unfiltered passion for the genre and bands
• Willingly self-critical and transparent about personal preference
• Heavy use of guest opinions and community input to resolve stalemates
• Plenty of humor, slang, and good-natured ribbing

Summary Wrap-up:
This episode of HardLore is a must-listen for both nostalgists and the uninitiated, offering a living playlist of 90s hardcore essentials, spirited debate, and expert scene analysis. The crowning of Hatebreed is both a tribute to their indelible footprint and a celebration of how rich, diverse, international, and immortal 90s hardcore truly was.