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

Album ReviewPunk RockCommentary
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.

The Sleights "Don't Worry! It Will All Be Over Soon."
Released: August 7, 2026
Format: Vinyl LP, digital download
Label: Rad Girlfriend Records
From: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

"I love The Sleights. Fuck everything." I saw that comment on one of their videos and was basically thinking the same thing. The Sleights are far from new to me, making my top 10 live shows of 2025 and my top 10 punk releases of 2025, and I have already reviewed their split with Land of the Wolves earlier this year. This album takes it to a new level; they were already great, and this is easily their best release yet. I loved it on the first playthrough but could also tell that it would grow on me even more through continued plays and will likely be one of the best albums of the year. It's fast and snotty, it's punk rock, it's loud, there are great videos to go with a couple of the songs, and it's ultra catchy. My early favorites were "LSD," "Alone," "BODAP," "Drowning," and "The Picture," but every song is good. Of course I'm playing an advanced copy, so you may have to wait until the actual release date to get this, but you most definitely need it. Check out the video for "Alone" to get you started, catch them live on their upcoming tour (which misses Michigan, dammit), and then check back to see where this ends up on my countdown of the best records of 2026.

Conservative Military Image "Americans In Dark Glasses/Cuz We're Cunts"
Released: July 17, 2026
Format: Digital Download
Label: LionHeart Records
From:Chicago, IL
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Conservative Military Image is probably the best currently active hardcore/skinhead/Oi! band. They had one of my top 5 releases of the year in both 2023 ("Casual Violence" and "One Year Of Dumb Skinhead Shit") and 2024 ("No Squares In Our Circle" and "Stab Shovel Chew"). I've caught them live more than a few times (including at Punk Rock Bowling, The Punk Rock Museum, The Sanctuary in Detroit on a headlining tour, and Detroit's Black Christmas festival). I've researched them multiple times and have never found anything other than that they have working-class values, singing about loyalty, brotherhood, and street life. I've also talked to Adam Voss several times in person, and he was an incredibly nice guy. One of the things that jumped right out when I saw this release was that the song "Cuz We're Cunts" features Cittizins. If you haven't checked out their new LP, go back and look for my review of Cittizins' "The Last Resort" (which has a guest appearance from CMI), as it's one of the best Oi! releases of the year so far, hands down. CMI put out a single song, "Legs Feed The Wolf," at the end of 2025 that I didn't review (because it was just a single song), but it's well worth tracking down. And then we get this, and it's great. "Cuz We're Cunts" may be one of my favorite CMI songs, and it's definitely near the top of hardcore/Skinhead/Oi! songs released this year. Thumbs up, and I'm hoping this foreshadows a new album and maybe another tour.

Yellow Stitches "Back With A Gang"
Released: April 17, 2026
Format: Vinyl LP, cassette, Digital download
Label: Friends Family Forever Records
From: Manchester, New Hampshire
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

It's been a full 14 years since Yellow Stitches released their "Good Times Violent Crimes" album, giving us the classic theme song "Yellow Stitches." I still play that song frequently and consider it one of my all-time favorite Oi! songs. Needless to say, I was surprised and excited to see that they are still around and have recorded a new album. They still have the same catchy gang vocals and working-class themes, songs that I cannot help but scream along to. "Sugar Oi!" may even be too catchy if there is such a thing, with piano parts that I would expect are left out of their live shows. "Can't Catch Me" and "Rolex Skins" also went directly to my current playlist, as well as their inspired cover of Sloppy Seconds' "I Want 'Em Dead." For vinyl collectors, there are all sorts of color vinyl variations if you can find them.

Michael McColgan and the Bomb Squad (Singles)
Released: July 2 - July 31, 2026
Format: Digital Download
Label: Bombsquad Records
From: Boston, MA

Michael McColgan, of course, was the original singer and co-writer of much of The Dropkick Murphys' 1998 "Do or Die" release and later founded Street Dogs. The Bomb Squad lineup has included Rick Barton (original Dropkick Murphys guitarist), Johnny Rioux (Street Dogs/Bruisers), and other Boston punk musicians. This would be more than enough to get me to listen to the new singles (which are currently just individual tracks, but I believe will eventually be released as a 5-song EP), but there has been quite a bit of buzz as well (i.e., word of mouth that these are some really great songs). "Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner" (Warren Zevon), "Blue-Eyed Son," "Working Man Survive," "Carry Each Other," and "Killing Floor" were announced to be released as one song per week for 5 weeks and came out on schedule. One cover and four originals, and they are all excellent. I would have liked to wait for the EP to come out, but these are just too good to sit on. I wanted them on my best songs of the year playlist immediately.

The Suicide Machines "Stop This Self-Doubt"
Released: July 17, 2026
Format: 12" vinly, digital download.
Label: SBAM Records
From: Detroit, MI
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

This EP is just three songs: "Never Go Quietly," which was released in June of 2025; "Thank You," released earlier this year; and a new one, "Pragmatic Blue." It looks like it's limited to 1000 on vinyl, with some really cool colored vinyl limited editions in there. "Never Go Quietly" is their trademark ska-punk and is the source of the lyrics used for the EP's title. "Thank You" is faster and fits in with their more hardcore songs (my favorite of the two). I have yet to hear "Pragmatic Blue," and I suspect that its limited presence digitally will drive the vinyl sales for this one. As I'm writing this, the band brought 50 copies home from their European tour and have them for sale, but you better hurry.

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NOFX "40 Years of Fucking Up"
NOFX "Rotten To The Score"
Released: August 28, 2026
Format: Vinyl LP, CD, Digital download
Label: Fat Wreck Chords
From: Los Angeles, CA
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

As expected, this seems to be mostly a money grab. Par for the course for Fat Mike, who does whatever he wants, whenever he wants (kudos to him). This is a 2xLP (limited to 4000 on pink/green/blue striped vinyl) priced at $50 plus shipping that contains one new studio recording ("40 Years of Fuckin' Up"), a live version of "We Did It Our Way" written for their final tour, a couple of marginal rare and unreleased demos and covers, and previously released material. There is also an instrumental score that I honestly couldn't even get through. NOFX is my all-time favorite band, and of course this was a great opportunity to listen to some of their classic songs again ("Drugs Are Good," "Separation Of Church And Skate," "Suits And Ladders," "We Called It America," and "Linoleum" are all on here). I just can't imagine anyone buying this other than vinyl collectors and NOFX completists. I caught the movie when it came through Detroit, and I enjoyed it (in a bittersweet sort of way). I also saw them 6 times on the final tour, and that was a much better way to remember them than a compilation of Mike using drugs and talking about his BDSM fetish, remembering Smelly's past heroin addiction, Mike almost dying from a gastrointestinal infection while trying to get sober, and the band contradicting themselves over the way things ended. If you are new to this band, skip the movie and this 2xLP entirely and get "White Trash, Two Heebs, and a Bean," "Punk In Drublic," "Wolves In Wolves' Clothing," "The War On Errorism," and "Pump Up The Valuum." Those are some of the best punk albums of all time, some of the best songs ever written, and can be life-changing (I know they changed my life). These final releases are only for those that followed them for their entire lives and will take anything to hold on for just one more moment (like me).

Teenage Bottlerocket/ The Queers Split
Released: July 31, 2026
Format: 7" Vinyl, Digital download
Label: Rad Girlfriend Records
From: Dayton, OH & Laramie, Wyoming

Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Two bands covering each other's songs. I love both bands, and the songs are great. Top-notch recording, great artwork, and several variations of the vinyl for collectors. The Queers renamed "Blood Bath at Burger King" to "Hoglog at Burger King," which was good for a laugh. This is a great record and a very cool collectible, but the songs are too close to the originals, and these are somewhat mediocre picks considering the profound greatness of both bands' catalogs. If Teenage Bottlerocket did a faster version of "Monster Zero" or "You're Trippin'," this could have been epic. The Queers could have done a snottier version of "Stupid Songs" or "Stupid Games," a faster/punkier version of one of their recent love songs like "She's The Shit" or "True To You," or just a cover of "I Wanna Die" or "Headbanger." Something that just packs more of a punch; this was good for one or two listens, but nothing really sets it apart. Check out my upcoming list of the top covers of the year for more of what I'm talking about (this may make the list, but it could have been #1).

Ballyhoo! "Bad Summer"
Released: August 28, 2026
Format: Vinyl LP, Cassette, Digital download.
Label: Self-released
From: Aberdeen, Maryland
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Top shelf pop punk, and they are currently on tour with Bowling For Soup (with an upcoming show in my hometown of Detroit). This isn't quite the pop punk that I love (I prefer less talent, more humor, and most importantly, shorter, faster songs). I did like it enough for a couple of plays and a review. There are a few well-placed expletives, skate punk speed, undeniable catchiness, and a great 80's hair-band parody video. I'm definitely going to watch for future releases, and keep in mind that you may like this a lot more than I did. Give it a play.

Chimpancé/Civil Protection Split LP
Released: September 8, 2026
Format: Vinyl LP, digital download
Label: Dead Lamb Records
From: Móstoles & Madrid Spain
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Chimpancé grabbed me right away with the (partial) covers of Minor Threat's "Small Man, Big Mouth" and Bad Brains' "Banned In D.C." (changed to "Banned In Madrid"). I could fill an entire playlist with Bad Brains covers, all of the same three songs, but this one is unique and well worth a listen. Chimpancé also has a couple of originals on here, and the other side of this split is 4 more songs by Civil Protection (also excellent, old-school hardcore/street punk). This is solid all around, with 8 great songs. I always encourage you to pay what you can, but they do have this up as "Name Your Price" on Bandcamp, so regardless, you should download this and add it to your collection.

Manicdotes "Eight Lives Down" + "Daddy Got Beat Up"
Released: September 4, 2026
Format: Digital download
Label: Self-released
From: Phoenix, AZ
Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.

Photo of the album cover that is being reviewed.


Earlier this year, Manicdotes released the single "Daddy Got Beat Up," which is excellent. "My daddy got beat up in the parking lot at school. It was my very first career day. I learned his job wasn't really that cool. As I watched my daddy cry and the hate in other parents' eyes, I learned about community and how it's time to lie. When Dad Works for I.C.E." I was surprised that this one didn't make the full-length, which is also excellent (the standout being "Packaged Rebellion"). They are back to their pop-punk greatness, even though, in my opinion, they shine even more when they do hardcore/street punk songs (check out their "Soros Ouroboros/I'm So Tired" EP). This release smokes, you will most definitely find it in my countdown of the best releases of the year.

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Paul Holstein
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