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

Album ReviewCommentaryPunk Rock
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.

U.S. Bastards "Negligent Discharge"
Released: June 19, 2026
Format: CD, digital download
Label: Beefhog Records
From: Richmond, Virginia
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

This comes 10 full years after their classic "Out Of Luck" LP (check out "Tit Dirt" and "You're Gonna Fucking Die"). I generally think of U.S. Bastards as speed rock (although they describe themselves as "Speedrockin' Crime Metal") in the same league as Zeke, Speeddealer, Against The Grain, early Nashville Pussy, and The Hookers. That's high praise, but the great thing is that they also throw down some serious hardcore songs as well. The first two singles that were released were "Knife Crime" and "Scenester Deceiver," which were enough to draw me in but are more from their speed rock side. Sure, listen to those, but the real gems are "Everybody Sucks," "Police Violence," "Put The Gun In Your Mouth," "Ripsnorter" and the faster, more hardcore songs. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that I caught these guys live in Detroit last year with Against The Grain, and in a moment that was one of the highlights of my year, they all stripped down to g-strings and covered Turbonegro's "Prince Of The Rodeo." They cover Motorhead and Judas Priest songs on this one, which are OK, but they should have done Turbonegro. This is easily one of my favorite records of the year so far. Fans of Turbonegro, Motorhead, Zeke, Speeddealer, Against The Grain.

Belvedere "Seven Years of Bad Luck"
Released: June 19, 2026
Format: Vinyl LP, CD, Digital download
Label: Thousand Islands Records
From: Montreal, Québec
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Belvedere is practically the definition of skate punk. They have put out 7 full-length albums and have been around for the better part of 30 years. They tour relentlessly, worldwide, and should be on everyone's radar by now. This new 11-song album opens with the blazing fast "Seven Years," giving us sing-along vocals with well-placed screams that make all the difference. Of course I prefer the faster, angrier songs like "Seven Years," "The Armageddon Stomp," and "I Hope This Email Finds You Dead" (at only 59 seconds), but I'm guessing Belvedere fans, as well as skate punk fans in general, will appreciate it all. Fans of Strung Out, Authority Zero, The Corps, Satanic Surfers, Drunktank.

Green Day Tribute Volume One & Two
Released: July 24, 2026
Format: Vinyl LP, digital download
Label: Coffin Curse Records
From: All over
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed. Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

As you know from reading my prior reviews, my preferred subgenres of punk rock are hardcore and street punk. I like my music fast and raw, screaming and offensive. Although I recognize the brilliance of Green Day, I would not consider myself a huge fan (with the exception of the song "Platypus (I Hate You)"). Honestly, when I saw this two-volume tribute being released, I thought two things: do any of the bands speed the songs up and make them hardcore, and does anyone cover "Platypus (I Hate You)?" But on closer inspection, I saw the list of bands that contributed and was truly impressed. Smacked, Making Friends, Regal Beagle, Raincheck!, Krang, Brutal Youth, The Bad-Ups, Too Bad Eugene, One Reason To Rise, The Remote Controls, and Fight Back Mountain are all bands that I have recently reviewed or have in my queue. I gave it a listen. To be honest, most of the covers were (likely) too close to the originals and not what I hoped for, but The Remote Controls cover of "Platypus (I Hate You)" saved it and prompted the review. Fans of the bands that I listed, and Green Day, should absoultely love this. The rest of us can just download The Remote Controls song.

Sludgeworth "Second Time Around"
Released: June 19, 2026
Format: Vinyl LP, CD, digital download
Label: Red Scare Industries
From: Chicago, IL
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Dan Schafer, Adam White, Dave McLean, Mike Hooten and Brian Mcquaid is the classic 1989-1992 line-up (checkout their "What's This?" album from 1991), and the same line-up for the new album 35 years later. They technically reunited in 2022, and put out a few songs in 2024, but this is their first new full length album (which also comes with a tour supporting Teenage Bottlerocket that I'm headed to later tonight in Detroit). Sludgeworth was started as a side project when Dan Schafer (aka Dan Vapid) and Brian Mcquaid (aka Brian Vermin) left Screeching Weasel, and it eventually became their main band. This album isn't quite as fast as Screeching Weasel, Teenage Bottlerocket or even their first album, but the production and songwriting are top notch, with catchy harmonies and just enough speed and Ramones influence to sound undeniably melodic punk. Of course I wish the songs were a little shorter and faster, but they make up for that in other ways and I'm looking forward to seeing them live (watch for an upcoming story in In-Spite Magazine). Fans of The Riverdales, The Methadones, Teenage Bottlerocket, Screeching Weasel, The Remote Controls, The Bad-Ups.

Ratboy "Crash!"
Released: June 26, 2026
Format: Vinyl LP, CD, digital download
Label: Hellcat Records
From: Chelmsford, Essex, England
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

18 songs, 41 minutes, and honestly if I were blindfolded and told that this was the new Rancid album I would believe it. That's no surprise, being on Hellcat Records and with Tim Armstrong lending a hand on the production and songwriting. Reports are that this was recorded in two garden sheds on the property of rock legend Suzi Quatro, I'm sure there's a story there. This has a lot of ska influence and a few parts where I thought I could have been listening to The Clash. I consider both of Tim's bands, Operation Ivy and Rancid, to be legends and it's hard to understate their influence on my life. Given that, you can probably surmise that I love this. Hey, Ho, Let's Go! Fans of The Suicide Machines, Rancid, The Clash, The Transplants, The Ramones or ska-punk in general.

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GRPPLNG "H's All Around" EP
Released: May 18, 2026
Format: Digital download
Label: Self-released
From: Detroit, MI
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

GRPPLNG is melodic / pop punk from Southeast Michigan (my neck of the woods), but there is a lot going on here. The members include Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin of the Motor City Machine Guns. Nope, that's not another local band; these guys are professional wrestlers (multiple-time TNA/Impact World Tag Team Champions). They signed with the WWE in 2024 and were featured on SmackDown. I grew up with The Bump-N-Uglies wrestling and playing punk rock shows, albeit more on the ECW side (bloody matches using tables, chairs, ladders, fire, fluorescent light bulbs, razor blades, barbed wire, and bringing in guests like Madman Pondo). GRPPLNG ended up on a mini-tour with Teenage Bottlerocket that came through Detroit with Sludgeworth, so I got to see them live, and the entire night was amazing. I haven't seen them wrestle (yet), but I'm guessing I would be wishing it was a bit more on the ECW side. The same with their music; it's incredibly good melodic/pop punk, but I prefer my music a bit more raw (screaming, offensive, fast, and mosh pit-inducing). That being said, I enjoyed these four songs with "Hallowed" and "Hellbound" being my favorites. "H's All Around" may refer to the four songs that all start with the letter "H" or the fact that the songs are about heartache, happenstance, hubris, and hope. Check them out live if you get the chance. I've done that, so my next goal is to find some of their WWE footage. Check my Instagram @one.one.three.eight for photos from the tour with TBR.

Haggus "Mincecore Manifesto"
Released: June 26, 2026
Format: Vinyl LP, Digital download
Label: Tankcrimes
From: Oakland, CA
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

When I first heard Mincecore via Haggus' brilliant 2025 "Destination Extinction" I became an instant fan (check out "Do You Love Mincecore?" and "What's Fucking Left?"). Mincecore has everything that I love about hardcore built right in, with their message, personas, and ski masks just adding to the intrigue. Mincecore (an offshoot of grindcore that is more punk than metal) by definition makes it hard to understand the words, so one of the things that they did very right with their first release, was the lyric video for "Do You Love Mincecore?". They do that again, this time for "Decease The Police," and trust me, you have to start by watching the video and following along. If you aren't screaming along by the next play (video optional), move on to the next review. Let me leave you with a message from singer Hambone, as I'm sure he would want me to pass this along. "Now, more than ever, is no time for silence or fence-walking. The billionaires and oligarchs will use everything in their power to keep you too distracted, overwhelmed, and exhausted to notice we are headed for a global fascist state. Their interest benefits no one but themselves and will bleed this planet dry. Every aspect of life under the capitalist boot is designed to profit off mass suffering while selling you on convenience. Do not let them fool you. No one is free until we’re all free. 1312."

The Dead Krazukies "Cipher"
Released: June 16, 2026
Format: Vinyl LP, CD, cassette, digital download.
Label: SBAM Records
From: Hossegor, France
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

When I think of The Dead Krazukies, their cover of Bad Religion's "Sinister Rouge" comes to mind. "Burnout" from "Icarus" and "Mindfucker" from "From The Underworld" are also in my permanent rotation. I'm most definitely a fan, so this album went immediately to the top of my list to review. Maider Gallais has one of those unique and awesome voices that are unmistakable the moment that you hear them. The first song that I played, actually it was the video, was "Blackwall." It's got their trademark sound and great production, but I can't help thinking it sounds like a band about to go big time. I could easily see this song getting radio play and finding them a spot on tour with a major label band. That's great, but not exactly what I'm looking for (my taste is more with shorter, faster, low-production hardcore and punk). I gave this a couple of plays, and did end up finding a few songs for my playlist. "Before The Storm" and "All The Noise" were my favorites, and keeps them on a list of bands to watch out for future releases. Fans of Bad Religion, Rise Against, Strung Out, The Offspring, Propaghandi.

Concrete Sundays "Bigfoot"
Released: June 7, 2026
Format: Digital Download
Label: Self Released
From: Stockholm, Sweden
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Concrete Sundays are from Stockholm, Sweden, and like beer and pizza. More on the light side of punk rock than I prefer, but they have catchy melodies, a good sense of humor, and a punk rock beat. In the end "Stab a Nazi" and "Asleep on the Night Bus" ended up on my playlist. Worth a listen for sure. Fans of The Dead Milkmen, Angry Samoans, Worthington's Law.

Dead City "Out On Bail"
Released: May 11, 2026
Format: Digital Download
Label: Dead City Punx
From: Los Angeles, CA
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

I'm glad that I came across this, as I hadn't heard them before. I started out by checking out their 2021 EP "Fuck The Opps" which is 7 songs of solid, fast, screaming hardcore with none breaking two minutes (check out "Meth Psychosis"). Amazing. They followed that up with "Banned From L.A." in 2022, 8 more songs along the same lines of lo-fi blistering hardcore (check out "Blood Must Be Shed", "Die Long" and "Fuck Peace"). After those, I was super hyped-to hear this new one and it didn't disappoint. This one is only three songs, but they are all fire. Get this! Fans of Commitment, Vipers, Mr. Radical, Direct Order '82, Asspatch, Negative Approach and sing-along lo-fi hardcore.

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Paul Holstein
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