PMA in full effect 5 of the best from H20

By my count, it’s been a full decade since H2O dropped their last record, Use Your Voice (2015). I think I speak for a big part of the Hardcore community when I say we’re overdue for a fresh batch of H2O anthems. The New York veterans haven’t slowed down—they’re still tearing up stages, currently touring with The Bouncing Souls until mid-December.

Hardcore itself is thriving in 2025. The scene has never been more diverse in sound and style, and for the first time, you could argue Hardcore is dining at the very top table of the mainstream. We have finally arrived! Knocked Loose are filling arenas, while bands like Scowl, Speed, and Knocked Loose have even made it onto the Coachella stage in recent years. All of that before I mention the impact of Turnstile’s remarkable rise to the top.

Formed in New York City in 1994, H2O quickly found themselves on the radar of the city’s legendary hardcore scene, thanks in no small part to their high-energy ‘super posi’ frontman Toby Morse. Before H2O even existed, Morse was a familiar face rolling with Sick Of It All as their roadie in the early 90’s, often crashing their encores to belt out “My Love Is Real.” Those impromptu performances lit the spark that would soon ignite the birth of H2O. It’s fair to say Toby displayed a very different vocal style to the melodic razor tones he is known for these days.

Three decades deep and H2O are still pumping out the kind of tracks that make you want to shout every word back at the stage. Their catalogue is full of ragers, anthems, and sing-alongs that have soundtracked sweaty basement shows and festival pits alike. Narrowing it down isn’t easy, but here are five H2O cuts that, for me, define everything great about this band.


WHAT HAPPENED

I remember catching that iconic Michael Rappaport skit introducing H2O’s video on MTV back in 2008: I got three words for you—H2O GO! My autistic brain immediately thought, isn’t that three letters? But I didn’t care—honestly, it was the coolest intro to any hardcore video I’d ever seen.

Up until that moment, I wasn’t a massive H2O fan. That song changed everything. Partly because it features Lou Koller from Sick Of It All and Matt Skiba from Alkaline Trio on the same track, and somehow it works perfectly despite their totally different vocal styles—amazing.

The lyrics also hit hard. Hardcore had always been a scene I loved, but at the time, shows in my hometown felt more like fashion contests—kids flexing their latest Carhartt drip or Terror merch. If you weren’t rocking the right garms, you were instantly a poser. As a dirty punk kid, I hated that shit.

Hearing Toby Morse vent frustrations about the scene reminded me that my feelings were valid too. That track didn’t just sound sick—it reminded me why I loved hardcore in the first place.

‘When it began, for those who don't know
It didn't matter how you looked or what you wore to a show
Dress codes, FUCK NO! we didn't care
About the brand of your jeans and all that shit in your hair

But now the biggest part is all about the image and not the art
Fashion before passion!
And at nights, it makes me mad that I should have to ask’

Hardcore is a way of life. Not a sound, or a look. To me, it’s always been about how you feel inside. H20 embody that ethos!

FAMILY TREE

Off their debut record, Family Tree stands out as an undeniable anthem—an ode to brotherhood that deserves to be mentioned alongside classics like Pennywise’s Bro Hymn and Bouncing Souls’ Manthem. Pure, classic 90s US punk.

One of the many things I love about H2O is how they’ve always worn their influences with pride, paying homage to the bands and the scene that shaped them. On this track, they tip their hat to NYHC legends Warzone reciting their iconic mantra:

Don’t forget the struggle
Don’t forget the streets
Don’t forget your roots
And don’t sell out.

H2O embody everything great about hardcore. They give respect where it’s due, while planting their own flag firmly in the ground. The roots of their tree spread far and wide, but they’ve never lost sight of where they came from. Family Tree is two minutes and fifty-five seconds of infectious, positive energy—capturing everything that makes the band so integral 30 plus years later. 

5 YR. PLAN

Another one off their self-titled debut, 5 Yr. Plan is the defining H2O anthem. The track captures the frustrations familiar to many musicians—limited education, lack of financial security, and the precarious reality of life on the road, where survival often depends on friends and day-to-day resourcefulness. Musically, it’s driven by an infectious three-part harmony that ranks among the most memorable in hardcore, lending the song both immediacy and uplift. The chorus line, “My friends look out for me like family,” has since become a highlight of the band’s live shows, transforming performances into communal celebrations of solidarity and resilience. Few songs in the genre manage to fuse vulnerability and positivity so effectively.

 MEMORY LANE

H2O take listeners on a nostalgic journey with Memory Lane, a standout from their fourth studio album, GO. Lyrically, it’s arguably one of the band’s strongest songs. Like much of H2O’s work, it’s highly relatable — penned by guitarist Rusty Pistachio, yet it’s easy for listeners to attach their own experiences and interpretations to it. The song captures that universal feeling of reflecting on life’s choices, the quiet moments when we question the paths we’ve taken.

GO itself remains H2O’s most controversial record, being the band’s only major-label release. At the time, signing with a major label was a contentious move within the hardcore scene, where authenticity and DIY ethics were fiercely guarded. That being said Memory Lane exemplifies the strengths that define H2O: poignant, heartfelt lyrics delivered with sincerity, and a rare vulnerability that underscores the idea that even big tough guy pit warriors experience moments of reflection.

 FTTW

Faster Than the World, the title track from H2O’s third album and their first on legendary Epitaph Records, hits hard from the first note. It’s fast, melodic, and driven by a killer bassline from Adam Blakely — grooves that Matt Freeman would approve of. The song captures H2O’s life on the road, touring from Japan to Europe and everywhere in between.

Even on an album packed with classics like One Life, One Chance and Guilty by Association, Faster Than the World stands out. Featuring guest spots from hardcore and punk legends like Roger Miret, Tim Armstrong, and Dicky Barrett, it’s a perfect example of H2O bringing the worlds of hardcore and punk rock together like no one else.


A special mention must go to their 2002 cover of ‘it was a good day’ by Ice Cube. What an absolute power move. It’s great as well! Very catchy, I wonder if Ice Cube has it heard it?