Dead PioneersSince releasing its self-titled debut album in September 2023, Indigenous Denver punk band Dead Pioneers has been on a meteoric rise, garnering international attention. Howell says he’s heard the band’s sound called “power-pop punk,” with its influences driven by mid-’90s skate punk from such bands as Screeching Weasel, Dead Boys and SNFU. He finds a solid balance in the punk spectrum, noting the band’s sound is “not quite death metal, but not pop punk, either.” Not shy about emotive lyrics, deep sociological themes and bold political statements, Poor Me represents the best of loud, meaningful punk rock. advertisement advertisementTeam NonexistentTeam Nonexistent’s self-proclaimed “queer melodic punk” fits right in with some of today’s most well-known punk bands, offering straightforward, aggressive and in-your-face lyricism.