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

Punk RockCommentaryAlbum Review
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 2025 release you think I should check out; I most definitely will.

Terror "Still Suffer"
Released: April 24, 2026
Format: Vinyl LP, CD, digital download
Label: Flatspot Records
From: Baltimore/ Brooklyn
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Absolutely brutal beat-down hardcore, one of the best bands to ever do it, and they never let up. Unless you are participating, this is a mosh pit that you don't want to be anywhere near. Terror will be one of the highlights of this year's Tied Down Detroit festival when they tear it up with Blood For Blood, Carry On, Negative Approach, Bad Beat, Pigpen, and so many more. I first heard their "One With The Underdogs" LP over 20 years ago, and "Spit My Rage" still ranks as one of the best hardcore songs of all time. This is right up there with some of the best music they have done. "Erase You From My World," "Still Suffer," "To Hurt The Most" were my picks for my current playlist, but it's solid all of the way through (although ending with an 8-minute song was probably unnecessary). Get this and be ready to two-step. Fans of Blood For Blood, Comeback Kid, Rotting Out, End It, Bad Beat, Madball, Shai Hulud.

P.H.S "Greatest Hits Vol. II"
Released: January 24, 2026
Format: CD
Label: Proud House Records
From: Detroit, Michigan
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

"Oh my God, didn't they tell you? Tell me what? Punk rock is over." These guys are from Detroit; they play punk rock, and they do a Dwarves cover live. What more could I ask for? If you look back, I've reviewed several of their live shows, which featured lots of beer, mosh pits, and more beer. I also reviewed the singles "Disturbed," "Hamtramck," and "A.A. Is For Pussies" when they were released. This takes those songs (and a bunch of other odds & ends) and uses them to fill out a full-length 13-song CD with songs averaging about 2 minutes each. The CD starts out with "Hey Mr!" and "Just Say Maybe," which both smoke. I was already a fan based on the singles that I reviewed, but these are my new favorite P.H.S. songs. "Fuck You, America" and "Eat Your Kids" also made it to my current playlist. Almost certainly one of the top local releases of the year, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's also way up on the top 50 of the year overall. Fans of Guttermouth, Dwarves, 30 Foot Fall, NOFX, Bickley.

One Reason To Rise "Lost & Found"
Released: March 20, 2026
Format: CD, Digital download
Label: Punk Rock Radar, Sound Speed Records.
From: Bogota, Columbia
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

1R2R (One Reason To Rise) is skate punk from Bogotá, Colombia, that started nearly 10 years ago in 2017. Overall the songs are a little long for me, so I gravitated first to the shortest song, "Rad Dad," and that turned out to be my favorite from the release. In the end, both "Rad Dad" and "Wake Up!" ended up on my current playlist (but all of the songs, save the final acoustic track, were catchy and fast at the right times). 1R2R also has a song on the upcoming Green Day tribute on Coffin Curse Records (I'm not a Green Day fan, other than the song "Platypus (I Hate You)," but I'm hoping some of the bands speed the songs up and turn them into solid punk rock / skate punk songs), so I'll be hearing them again soon most likely. They also do a great cover of Bad Religion's "Pessimistic Lines" on one of their earlier releases. Fans of BigWig, Propagandhi, Strung Out, Cigar, Pennywise, Millencolin.

Picket Line "Dead To Me"
Released: April 17, 2026
Format: Vinyl LP, digital download
Label: Mind Eraser Records
From: Seattle, WA
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

12 songs of solid hardcore/Oi!, leaning towards the beat-down hardcore sound. It's hard to put my finger on exactly what makes me keep listening initially to some bands while moving on almost immediately for others, but this band has it. The Bandcamp link played "I Hate (therefore I am)" as the default, so that was the first song that I heard, and I liked it immediately. Once that song ended, I jumped up to the top to play the whole thing. "And as you raise your fist, I hope you drown in piss" from "Straight To The Top" had me singing along about manipulative, power-hungry people (which this world seems to have a lot of these days). Kudos for having the lyrics on Bandcamp; they are worth following along. This is better than the usual, and "I Hate (Therefore I Am)," "Dead To Me," "Straight To The Top" all went to my current playlist for repeated play. Fans of Blood For Blood, Wisdom In Chains, Sheer Terror, Agnostic Front, Shai Hulud.

Here's Your Warning "S/T"
Released: April 17, 2026
Format: Vinyl LP, digital download
Label: Retreat To Nowhere Records
From: Portland, OR
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Here's Your Warning was formed in 2017, and they have been working on this album ever since (recording it five different times). SoCal punk done right; taking their time (even if only done out of necessity) appears to have paid off. Snotty vocals, short songs, politically charged lyrics, and the right amount of speed are a recipe for a perfect old-school punk rock sound. At times this brought me back to the 80s, when I first discovered bands like The Dead Kennedys, D.O.A., and The Exploited. "Fuck You Donnie," "The Mirror," and "The Other Side Of Fear" were my picks for my current playlist. I would say that I'd be eagerly awaiting their next release, but their page says that they broke up just before the LP was finally released. No one said punk rock was easy. Fans of The Exploited, The Casualties, D.O.A., The Adolescents, The Dead Kennedys, Dayglo Abortions.

Manicdotes "Clairvoyant"
Released: June 4, 2026
Format: Digital download
Label: Self-Released
From: Phoenix, Arizona
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

They are back to their "All Cats Are Beautiful" EP sound, which is not a bad thing. I'm not going to lie, their "Soros Ouroboros/I'm So Tired" EP from a few months ago was a different sound, and I was hoping for that—but these guys play hardcore and Ramonescore equally as well. "Clairvoyant" is another ultra-catchy song to add to their discography. I asked them about the vastly different sound between releases, and they said that Soros was the result of Adam taking the reins (Adam, get back at it!). All I can hope for is a little bit of both when the full album drops in September. I'm reviewing this single ("Clairvoyant") before it's been released, so I don't have a link to it. Keep an eye out for it around June, followed by their full length in September. In the meantime, do yourself a favor and track down their "All Cats Are Beautiful" and "Soros Ouroboros/I'm So Tired" EPs. You won't regret it.

Dummy Toys "The Point of No Return"
Released: April 30, 2026
Format: Digital download
Label: Self-released
From: Qingdao, China
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Dummy Toys are an all-female "fast and furious" band from China (not a place that we see a lot of punk rock bands out of). Their 2023 album "War is Nightmare" made my list of the best albums that year, and I considered them to be top-shelf street punk (check out the title track and "Stop Your Control"). Fast forward to 2026, and their follow-up "The Point of No Return" finds them still fast and furious, but maybe too much on the metal side this time around (I am hoping that "The Point of No Return" doesn't allude to moving from punk into metal). That being said, I still loved this album, and "Ocean of Tears," "No More Discrimination," and "No Means No" all made it onto my current playlist. Fans of Acidez, Rumkicks, The Casualties, Total Chaos, The Varukers, Chaos UK.

Guitar Wolf "More Jet"
Released: March 13, 2026
Format: Vinyl LP, digital download
Label: Goner Records
From: Tokyo, Japan
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Their first album in 7 years (but keep in mind that they have been around nearly 40 years). Major props for being an incredible live band; Seiji GuitarWolf's stage presence is undeniable. I missed their club show at a recent Punk Rock Bowling but did catch them on their last tour with Nashville Pussy (who also have new music coming out this year). I'd classify them more as garage than punk, but they most definitely have a place in my collection. Screaming, noise, slamming beers, holding the microphone in their mouths while jamming, stage diving, running through the audience during the shows, and those Japanese accents. You just have to see them for yourself. Maybe not the best hardcore/punk album of the year, but very possibly the best live show. If you are into garage bands like The Oblivions, The Dirtys, The Hentchmen, Teengenerate, this will be right up your alley. If they tour this and come to my area, I'll be at every show.

Crippled Fox "So Fast, So Good... So Long!"
Released: May 2, 2026
Format: Digital Download
Label: Drinkin' Beer in Bandana Records
From: Budapest, Hungary
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Self-described as "...thrashcore/fastcore/crossover thrash, circle-pit, stagedive, bandana, Venice Beach vibe...since 2008," and that pretty much nails it. They were high on my list of the best releases of 2025, with several splits that they did (check out "Very Serious Bandana" and "Sad Little Man"). They also released an EP earlier this year, "Metal Recycle Forever," which already put them on my list of the best releases of 2026 (check out "Unskateable Shoes" and "CxFxTxFx"). I was pleasantly surprised not to find any of the prior songs on the new LP, meaning that I get the pleasure of slamming around my basement to 13 completely new songs (9 of which are under a minute long). I sure hope that the title "So Fast, So Good, So Long!" doesn't mean that this is the end of the band. I mean, NOFX did "So Long and Thanks For All The Shoes" but then just kept on releasing classics. This is a band in their prime, and we need more; they haven't even toured through Detroit yet (although I know coming all the way from Budapest is a big ask). Props for having the lyrics on Bandcamp, and "CxFx 1980" gave me goosebumps on the first listen; it's so good. If you love hardcore, and specifically thrash, this album is essential. Fans of DRI, Capitalist Casualties, Drop Dead, Infest, and of course Spazz!

Off With Their Heads "ShitheelDon'tKnowWhatsHappeningInJerkoff"
Released: May 1, 2026
Format: Digital download
Label: Self-released
From: Chicago, IL
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

When I saw the notification that Off With Their Heads! was releasing their first recording in a few years and it would be available for one day only on Bandcamp, I jumped on it. I'm a huge fan, and I didn't know what to expect, but I had my fingers crossed for a banger. I don't think I could have asked for anything better. If you read a lot of my stories, you know that I've been a fan of F.Y.P. for many years and consider their album "My Man Grumpy" to be a 10/10, nearly flawless album. I got to see them live at Punk Rock Bowling a few years back, and it was amazing. Probably the highlight of the festival that year, and what really blew my mind was how much they still sounded like the original recordings (I assume recorded when they were much younger). Off With Their Heads! must be fans as well, as the new song is a medley of three classic F.Y.P. tracks: "Shitheel," "I Dunno What's Happening To Me," and "Jerk Off." The only thing that could have made it better would have been to also include "Pappy," but it's hard to complain. This will be in the running for the best cover song of the year (I do an annual countdown of those) and hopefully will be part of a bigger OWTH release later in the year (with some new songs). Did I mention how much I look forward to the annual OWTH Halloween show at Small's Bar in Hamtramck, Michigan, as well? I'm guessing by the time this goes to print, the song will no longer be available on Bandcamp, so I'll link the original recordings from F.Y.P. in case there is someone on the planet that hasn't heard them, and you'll just have to wait for OWTH to make this available again.

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Paul Holstein
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