Armageddon Shop

Love this store! Discovered it a few weeks ago while down in Harvard Square. It’s a small shop and below street level. It’s easy to just walk right by but there is a sign on the side walk pointing toward the entrance. Lots of albums that are well cared for and in plastic sleeves. This place has a heavy selection of Metal, Punk, and Hardcore in vinyl, tape cassettes, and CDs. There’s a lot of obscure stuff to be checked out too. It’s a pretty small shop but very organized. Also has a cool selection of all kinds of band t-​shirts. I’ll be back here soon… to spend more money on my vinyl obsession.

My friend from Suburban Voice Magazine told me the girl that works behind the counter is very cute. She however wasn’t there on the day I stopped in. The dude that was though disappointingly was just some Portegee from Fall River. I bought an MFP demo. It sucked. Then I left.

I’d been looking for a great punk/​hardcore record shop in the area, and Armageddon is perfect! They carry a solid mix of used + new records, spanning the dawn of punk rock to present. Everything was impeccably organized and reasonably priced, and the guy behind the counter was very friendly. Will absolutely be coming back.

My favorite record shop in the Boston area? Possibly! Specializes in hardcore and metal, but my tastes run more toward indie and post-​hardcore and those genres are well-​represented as well — nice selection of all kinds of guitar-​based rock music really. LPs, 45s, cassettes and CDs are all represented in decent measure. And best of all, this place is much more clean and organized than most record shops I stop into. A real hidden gem for record dorks.

Finally completed my Sadistic Magician (dumpster grind from N. Attleboro) collection after a visit here. Burly guy behind the counter ordered a cheese pizza. He proceeded to remove the cheese and round it into a ball, then ate the ball.

I am so happy that this place is still around and going strong. When they first came to town, there was really no place left dedicated to hardcore/​punk/​metal records.
Armageddon’s greatest strength, aside from a fantastic collection of new (and most importantly, USED!) records, is the organization. I used to work at a record store so I know what a pain in the ass it can be to keep the inventory in order, so either these guys are vehement about making sure everything is where it should be, or the customers take the care to put things back in the right spot (it’s probably a little of both). Of all the times I’ve been here, I don’t think I’ve come across a single record out of order. Everything is meticulously alphabetized, and even better, all of their records are in a database so when you ask them if they have something, they can tell you for sure whether they have it. This is so great for when you don’t have time to dig around, or you’ve been digging around and then something pops into your head but you simply don’t have the strength to thumb through another record. The inventory goes beyond the standard metal/​punk also; I can go here with a friend and flip through punk records while he looks at folk records.
Bottom line, not just a great record store, but a fantastic addition to the underground music culture here in the city. And let’s face it, underground music has enough enemies in the Boston area — having a place like this is crucial.

This place is by far he place to get records in Boston. If you’re looking for metal, punk, hardcore, or indie LP’s go to Armageddon. They have a bunch of 7 inches too!

This shop is great. The guy behind the counter was knowledgeable. Plus they even had one my favorite bands from back home in Portland Oregon, I was shocked. If you’re a vinyl spinner it’s great shop to stop in.

Excellent shop right in Harvard Square. Metal, Punk, Indie LPs, CDs, T-​shirts, cassettes and patches. I love coming here to browse through the metal LPs, the selection is solid and the prices are VERY fair. They are typically listed at what you could buy for online, but without the shipping costs. My favorite thing is to come in, buy an LP or two and then go to Charlies (dive next door) for a pint of beer.
Also, Armageddon is super easy to get to on public transit, if you drive it may be tricky to find street parking.

Good selection, a lot of random stuff, not the biggest place but with so many boring FYEs, etc and let’s just say I don’t really like newberry comics that much, place held it down and kept me interested during my browse

Great shop.

I had heard of this record shop before, a buddy of mine shops there regularly and thought I’d finally hop on the bandwagon. what other day to go there then on Record Store Day? I have been sending friends there and all have come back to me with great reviews. I was super stoked to go and check out there selection and what they were all about. I am into all types of music, so i find it is very hard to judge on selection as i have no preference to what i am looking for. At first glance i walked in to a semi packed store. Record junkies everywhere, hooray! I quickly took a glance and spot there «cheap LP» section. they were having a sale originally 2.99 now 1.00 sale. I’ll take it. I had quickly got my hands on some billy idol, don’t ask, but to this day I’m still jamming out to billy idol, and i was happy to find 2 records in good condition. I had also picked up 4 other $ 1 singles/​albums. The rest of the store i had checked out had a great array of metal, punk, garage as well as world music, reggae and even an okay hip-​hop selection. I could have spent hours there, and would have. My meter was running out of time and after spending an hour or so there, i had to go. Disappointed not at the store, but at myself for not bringing enough change. At check out i was greeted by super helpful and nice employees. There was no pressure to buy more and i felt completely comfortable. I had asked how much record sleeves were as what a great day to pick them up, only to be surprised with 2 huge smiles and a «We have tons, there free!» To me, it can’t get any better. They aren’t new, shiny but i will take free slightly used record sleeves any day. It beats having to spend money and it made me even more appreciative for small independent record stores.
I love this place and can not wait to go back. I don’t know what i was thinking not going sooner. This time, ill take public transportation so i can spend hours going through there awesome selection and also will be able to take advantage of their amazing location in the square. If you are into records, i’d say this is a great place to expand your collection. They have everything from new to used and have an awesome array of metal, garage punk etc.

If you’re a metal fan who obsessively collects vinyl (like so many do), you will think you died and went to heaven (or hell. whatever your preference). The selection in here is AMAZING. I struggle with not buying anything every time I drop in here.
The punk/​hardcore/​indie selection is pretty rad. As is their $ 2.99 bins. Are you crazy underground and a fan of cassettes? Bam. This place is for you.
The bulletin board with a mess of postings for local shows is awesome, convenient and a perfect example of how music-​immersed Boston is. Need something to do in the next couple weeks? Check it out.
The staff is rad, and like all record shops, they can talk music for days (assuming your genres line up).
This place is filed under «Places I’m Proud of in Boston». And that should not be taken lightly.

Hands down my favorite record store in Boston. Why? Well, because it’s all killer and no filler and generally caters to exactly what I like: rock, punk, metal, and all the various subgenres contained within. They round that out with a nice (albeit smaller) selection of Reggae, Hip Hop, Jazz, and Indie stuff. Bonus points for carrying a LOT of local music, even more bonus points for releasing/​distributing/​pressing several local bands’ albums to their in-​house label.
It’s not big, but they pack it with new releases, old favorites, and like any good record store, their used bin can be a gold mine if you are lucky enough to time it right.
Everything is reasonably priced from the T-​shirts to the CDs to the vinyl to the hoodies. I’ve never walked out of here without a bag full of music.

Damn fine little hole-​in-​the-​wall stop. I’ve found older vinyl reissues, VU and Beefheart, for around $ 10 and newer releases for around $ 15 – 20. Fantastic selection, fantastic prices and a very cool staff. Don’t be turned off by the aggressive name, it’s got everything from folk and indie to punk and metal. Vonderful!

When walking by this store, you might get the impression they only sell metal and hardcore. That’s not true, but that’s definitely their bread and butter. Looking through the rock and other genres, I don’t feel like they’ve got much of an edge on other stores nearby. But they’ve got a huge section for Metal and Hardcore. While I haven’t listened to that stuff since I was a teenager, if it’s your bag, you’ll probably be happy here.

I was in town on business for the day. Whenever I’m outside my hometown I like to visit a local record shop. Had a great experience here. Picked up a couple of great finds and the staff really knows their stuff!

Large punk /​Hardcore /​Metal /​Garage selection, some good finds to be had, but I suspect that there’s a regular crowd who cherry picks the finest selection of used titles /​new arrivals so you do have to sift through a lot of reissues. You can hardly fault the store, selling the stuff is their business, and it always seems to happen to stores with a more selective focus. I’ll be returning for sure. Fair prices.
Highlight score: Jay Reatard «Trapped Here /​Hiding Hole /​DOA» 7″ from the ’08 Matador Singles Series (ltd. to 320) for $ 15!

Located in the former eclectic-​now-​defunct Twisted Village spot, Armageddon Shop brings the record store count in Harvard Square back to where it should be. As music junkies know, however, it’s not just a matter of taking up space and offering the same old stuff for curious prices. Armageddon Shop has to bring something new … something that would make anyone bother trying to find it in a basement and away from the bars.
I have not been to their other shop out of state, but let me just say that I have been missing out on a helluva store. Armageddon Shop primarily focuses on rock, punk and metal, which is essentially my internal soundtrack for the most part. Unlike most other music stores, Armageddon look to be going ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ on CDs and vinyl with some cassettes thrown in. Although I can’t comment on the vinyl too much (7″ and 12″ alike), I did notice that prices tend to be around $ 6 – 10 for used 12″ and a little more for the new stuff. They also have a $ 2.99 section of used vinyl, though truth be told you could find most of that kind of music (as well as condition) at flea markets for less.
The CDs were all used, but what a fine selection there was for the rock enthusiast. Priced between $ 5 – 8 or so, one can sort through a lot of material ranging from the Flamin’ Groovies to the Descendents to Mastodon. There are two entire racks on metal and punk! That is something else to behold, especially given the price range of most of the discs. Their indie section contains most of the other music the youngsters listen to these days, yet their jazz, world and reggae sections were quite small. I guess they believe that when you think of armageddon you’re not sipping a martini. Also, in case you were game for really cheap music, there is no dollar bin equivalent at Armageddon.
Aside from the music there is a wide range of t-​shirts available. Most of them are black and you may not get the size you want, but this isn’t a department store. If you want to wear that killer top you will have to contort your body somehow to get into that Small size, man!
The staff was hard at work pricing material and filing things away when I was there, but those I did interact with were informative and helpful. After browsing and talking to the staff, I realized that this is likely going to be one of places I will be pouring my money into. With an initial purchase involving the Dead Boys, the Dictators, the Undertones and Nikki & the Corvettes, I can see these visits happening a lot. Therefore, I worry for my budget, the space in my apartment, and my wife’s wrath. Totally worth it though.
Now that they’ve settled in and I’ve been by a few times to pick up good music, these guys are five stars all the way. Planet Records to Armageddon to Newbury Comics is my new Harvard Square route.

Having been to the Rhode Island location of this largely metal & punk record shop only briefly, I really didn’t know what to expect when it finally opened after a couple months of delays. But still, I’m a second-​generation metal fan and so I felt obligated to go. I did not regret it; though the shop is looking a little empty right now, the guy behind the counter was playing phone tag with someone over ordering more vinyl, and there was enough on-​hand to keep an occasional vinyl buyer occupied.
If you can’t tell from the banner on the street (black and white, with crossed V guitars), the focus in here is the metal and punk scene. I found a repressing of an old Chronic Sick album for a few bucks less than it would have cost me online, and my girlfriend found some random Japanese grind records for less than $ 10 each.
If you’re scared of this place so far, don’t be. They’ve got more than just punk & metal, and more than just vinyl. There’s a small hip-​hop section, a jazz section, some noise and avant garde, and I remember their Rhode Island store had a whole lot more, so I’m looking forward to watching this place grow. There’s also shirts and CDs, and a small section of cassettes and zines. Definitely check this place out: I don’t think there’s anyplace else in Boston where you can hold Ace Frehley’s Solo Album in one hand, and Magrudergrind’s latest in the other.
P. S. The door’s hard to find, but look for the door to the jewelry store; their door is directly next to the Armageddon Shop door, which is marked by a black and white bumper sticker.