Punk Rock Record Reviews: The Best of 2026, Part Eight.

Punk RockAlbum ReviewCommentary
Written By Paul Holstein

I listen primarily to punk, with my preferred subgenre being street punk. Speed rock, garage, skate punk, hardcore, pop punk, oi!, ska, grindcore, crust punk, mincecore, psychobilly and even rockabilly fit the bill if done right. If I can catch a live show, it gives the release an edge. Here are a few releases from 2026 that I recommend you check out. These are in no particular order; however, I’m only reviewing releases that are in contention for the best release of the year. If I’m reviewing it, I liked it. When the New Year rolls around, I’ll put them in order and do a final article of the best of the best. Drop a comment at the bottom if there is a 2026 release you think I should check out; I most definitely will.

Worthington's Law "Funnier, Punkier, Bandier"
Released: May 29, 2026
Format: Vinyl LP, digital download
Label: Sell the Heart Records, Engineer Records, Cobra Cafe, Feral Hive
From: Durham, North Carolina
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Worthington's Law "Stairway to 7-Eleven" made my top 50 of the year last year (check out "Just Some Men In The Frozen Aisle"), with my only real complaint being the cover art. Well, this year they are back, and this time I love the cover art. I'm old enough to remember getting the TV Guide in the mail every week, and I even collected them for the cover art for a few years. The title "Funnier, Punkier, Bandier" is also fitting. While this is a band that prides itself on being funny (an important component of punk rock, and most prevalent in "Cybertruckin' MFer"), they don't forget that punk rock is also fast and loud and catchy. "AFV Normalizes the Surveillance State," "All My Friends Are Punks," and "Binaca!" are all fast and catchy, and "When The Leaves Fall" even gets a bit emo. This is great all around; these songs are all solid, and this is going to be good for many, many plays. They keep getting better, and my prediction is that this one will make it much higher up in my top 50 of the year (last year they were #42). The videos are really well done as well. I'll post a couple of them. Watch them all; you won't be sorry. Fans of The Queers, The Jasons, NOFX, The Ramones.

Manic Hispanic S/T
Released: May 05, 2026
Format: Vinyl LP, digital download
Label: Smelvis Records
From: Costa Mesa, CA
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

According to Discogs, Manic Hispanic is an American "Chicano punk" supergroup from Costa Mesa, California, originally formed in 1992 by Steve Soto of Adolescents... and later recruited members of various other notable local acts, including The Grabbers, Final Conflict, Death By Stereo, 22 Jacks, X Members, and Punk Rock Karaoke. I'm still kicking myself for missing their club show a few years back at Punk Rock Bowling, but I'm sure there was some other band I just had to see. I've spun a few of their records in the past, but I can't remember ever liking one as much as this. My favorites were "Barrio Hero" (The Dropkick Murphys' "Barroom Hero"), "I Want A Mexican World" (Bad Religion's "I Want To Conquer The World"), and "Bob" (NOFX's "Bob"), but there were also great versions of songs from The Damned, Rudimentary Peni (hence the cover art), The Subhumans, and more. The vinyl has limited editions on "Bandera" and "Mota Neon" color vinyl, as well as a tortilla picture disc.

Iron Reagan "Demonitization"
Released: September 18, 2026 (earlier for streaming and download)
Format: Vinyl LP, digital download.
Label: Relapse Records
From: Richmond, VA
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

I really wish their recent Detroit show had been headlining at a local club, rather than on the big stage with Killswitch Engage, Machine Head, and Havok. I would have most certainly gone. I loved their "Crossover Ministry" (check out "Dead With My Friends") album back in 2017, and I caught them live in 2019 at The Sanctuary. I'm actually an even bigger fan of the fact that singer Tony Foresta did a short run as the singer for RKL (who I caught in Las Vegas at Punk Rock Bowling a few years back). This is the original lineup, 6 songs in 10 minutes, and pure thrash. The title tracks "Demonitization" and "Make It Ugly" went to my current playlist. I heard that some of the background vocals were done by Haggus, who also has a new album out soon (I'm a fan of Mincecore). Fans of Crippled Fox, Dirty Rotten Imbeciles, The Accused, Toxic Holocaust.

Burned Up Bled Dry "Next Stop... Dead Stop..."
Released: March 27, 2026
Format: Digital Download
Label: Prank Records
From: Fayetteville, AR
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Arkansas hardcore band that has been around for 30 years and put out a couple of EPs back in the late 1990s (including one on Slap-A-Ham Records). This is their first full-length release, containing 26 songs in 25 minutes of screaming fast 80s-style hardcore but leaning towards powerviolence/crust. There is both new material and older songs, a few under 15 seconds and even more under 30 seconds. "Next Stop Dead Stop", "Not Your Nightmare", and "Bullshit In Bullshit Out" were my favourites after a couple of play-throughs and were welcome additions to my current playlist. They are set up on Bandcamp so that you can buy the entire album, or download individual songs for free (donate if you can, but either way, at least grab a few of these songs). Fans of Infest, Crossed Out, Drop Dead, or even modern street punk and hardcore should check this out.

Hellripper "Let's Get Drugs/ Mainline"
Released: June 2026, free with Decibel Magazine #260
Format: 7" Flexi
Label: Decibel DB186
From: Aberdeen, Scotland
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Hellripper does “Let’s Get Drugs" and "Mainline” by Zeke as a Decibel Magazine Flexi Series exclusive (free in the June 2026 issue). James McBain is the sole member of this black/speed metal band (yes, with themes of witchcraft, Satan, and the occult). Not normally my genre, but when playing serious covers of Zeke, any band from any genre will get my attention. He also chose my favorite Zeke song, "Let's Get Drugs." I really wish I could find a digital download so that I could add this to my playlist, but apparently, it's only the flexi disc or YouTube. If I had my turntable going, I might subscribe. Well-done cover, not better than the original, but it gets as close as can be expected. Look for this on the countdown of the best covers of the year. Also, if you are a collector, check out their other flexis, as there are some good ones (it looks like last month they had NO/MÁS doing "Banned In D.C." by Bad Brains, and before that Cro-Mags, Motörhead, Haggus, The Hellacopters, Napalm Death, and so many more).

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The Dwarves "Jenkem"
Released: June 05, 2026
Format: Vinyl LP, CD, Digital download
Label: Greedy Media
From: San Francisco, CA
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed. Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed. Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Let me start by saying that I love this album and fully expect it to be one of my top albums of the year in my end-of-year countdown. This is the first album this year that I paid full price for a digital copy of, without hearing a single song. BUT, the hype that this was going to be old-school fury, matching the mayhem and debauchery of "Blood, Guts, and Pussy" or even "Thank Heaven For Little Girls," was overstated. The first song, "Confused," starts in the right direction, but with other songs that have lyrics like "...too messed up to mess around" (we all know what those lyrics would have been on any of their early recordings) and not a single expletive in any of the song titles, this is not The Dwarves in their out-of-control heyday. The limited-edition covers are great (props to John G. of Punk News), but there's no blood or nudity. They do get a lot of things right, though. Nearly every song is under a minute and a half; a few are screaming more than singing; there are well-placed expletives (just no longer in the choruses); the themes of sex and drugs are still there; and the songwriting is top-notch. They even delve slightly into politics with "Hey, Melania." "Confused," "We Are The Scene," and "I'm Dead" were my overall favorites, but I can't help feeling like a little more speed, sleaze, screaming, and 4-letter words, and this could have been a 10/10 album of the year. I had to look up what the title meant, and it didn't disappoint: "Jenkem is a purported inhalant and hallucinogen created from fermented human waste. In the mid-1990s, it was reported to be a popular street drug among Zambian youth, created by placing feces and urine in a bottle or a bucket, sealing it with a balloon or lid, and leaving it to ferment in the sun; afterwards, they would inhale the gases generated."

Against The World "Demo"
Released: May 20, 2026
Format: Cassette, Digital download
Label: Edgewood Records
From: Richmond, VA
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

There are a TON of hardcore releases coming out, and most of them are just too slow, heavy, and over-produced for me. This is how a hardcore demo should sound, it's short, fast, raw, and pure DIY. There are only 4 songs here, but all four are screaming in-your-face hardcore with just enough breakdown for the hardcore kids to get in their two-step. For my review to match the simplicity, I'll leave it at this - get this!

Lickspit "Techno-Feudal Orbit Conquest"
Released: May 13, 2026
Format: Digital download
Label: Self-Released
From: Czech Republic
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

I first heard this band when they did a split with Crippled Fox, my current favorite thrash band. They are a perfect choice for a split, and may even be faster and crazier. This is a four-song EP with three songs well under a minute and then an inspired cover of the G.L.O.S.S. classic "Give Violence A Chance". I'll be honest that it's the cover that really won me over; it will very likely be my favorite cover of the year. You need this just for that, and of course, get the entire G.L.O.S.S. discography if you don't already have it.

Problem "Working Class Slave"
Released: May 25, 2026
Format: Cassette, Digital download
Label: 1753 Noise
From: Los Angeles, CA
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Self-described as "Loud, tough, and punk, the way it should be!" is right on the mark, with an Oi! at the end. "Working Class Slave" and "Witness Eliminator" went right to my current playlist, but all four songs are top-shelf Oi!. No song over 2 minutes, fast, and angry. This is "Name Your Price" on Bandcamp, so donate if you can, but either way download this and add it to your favorite Oi! playlist.

Razortooth "S/T"
Released: May 6, 2026
Format: Digital download
Label: Razortooth Records
From: Scotland, UK
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Top-shelf Oi! from Glasgow, Scotland. 5 new songs, plus three live songs from their previous EP. "Skinhead Rock And Roll" was my favorite, and the one that went to my current playlist. Fans of Haymaker, Problem, Takers & Users, Oil!, Tear Up, Violent Way.

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Paul Holstein
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Luicidal w/Detroit 442, The Lowcocks, and Sushi.