As we hit the halfway point of 2026, rather than putting together a traditional editorial list, No Echo reached out to a diverse group of musicians, label owners, photographers, promoters, writers, and other scene contributors and asked them to share the releases that have resonated with them the most so far this year.
Some releases appeared on list after list, while others were championed by a single passionate supporter. Together, these selections provide a snapshot of what people actively involved in hardcore are listening to, talking about, and drawing inspiration from in 2026. Whether you're looking to discover a new favorite band or catch up on records you may have missed, there's plenty here to dig into. If you're on Spotify, No Echo keeps an updated playlist of new hardcore releases every year.
*Editor's Note: The lists below are presented in the order they were received and are not ranked. LPs, EPs, demos, splits, and other releases were all eligible for inclusion. Thanks to everyone who took the time to participate and share what has been in heavy rotation during the first half of 2026.
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Justin Vela (Stand Tall)
Feels Like Heaven - Within Dreams
Division of Mind - Exoterror
Killing Pace - HCPM
Condition One - Hostile Takeover
No Truth - Beyond the Confines of Morality
Antonio Marquez (SPINE)
Stingray - Enemy
Figurine - S/T
Yambag - The Psycho
World I Hate - Total Nuclear Annihilation
Giallo - Tenebrarum
Ravi (Juice, A Mourning Star, Kill Chain)
Blood & Tears - Demo
Division of Mind - Exoterror
Fentanyl - Fentanyl 2
'82 Inferno - The Elimination Demo
Crush Your Soul - Ice Water
Anthony Pappalardo (Ten Yard Fight, In My Eyes, Author)
Collateral / Burning Lord - Split
Crush Your Soul - Ice Water
Subversive Intent - S/T
Subjects - Half Alive Rehearsal
Vipers - S/T
Thomas Vanderpol (What It Meant, Reflex, Guilt Tradition, Wake of Humanity)
Angel Du$t - Cold 2 the Touch
See It Through - Together We Can
Without Love - Diminishing Returns
Square One / Turn of Phrase - Pale Skies
Terror - Still Suffer
Daniel Austin (Die Young)
The Burden - Ether Dreams
Outpost 31 - Isolation
Killing Pace - HCPM
Terror - Still Suffer
Converge - Love Is Not Enough
Matt Viel (Photographer)
Dry Socket - Self Defense Techniques
Poison Ruïn - Hymns From the Hills
Medicinal - Buildings Abandoned
Outgrow Madness - われらの狂気を生き延びる道
Pound For Pound - 6000 LBS
Jensen Ward (Iron Lung, Iron Lung Records)
Chopping Block - Disfigured
Klonns / Zenocide - Split
Dominant Hand - Eternal Victim
Reek Minds - Eternal Reek
Bonegeer - Bonepunx & Steel
Tim Shaw (Direct Order '82, Ensign)
Start Today - Nothing to You
Killing Pace - HCPM
World Peace - For No Man Shall See Me
No/Mas - No Peace
Neurosis - An Undying Love for a Burning World
Robyn Challands (TIMEPEACE, No Barriers radio show)
Mindrace - Mindrace
SPIRIT - Sold Your Soul
Stressed - A World From Ashes
Half Man - I Can See God
Lockjaw - A Reason to Endure
Jack (No Guard)
One Voice - Killers In The Psycho Dream
Against the World - Demo
Tried - Spiral
Choir Boy - I’ll Always Let You Down
xGAARGOYLEx - Maass Exxxodus
Joe Sanderson (Unreal City)
Eyes of Salt - Collapse of the Infinite
Negative Force - Negative Force
By My Blood - By My Blood
Vile Mind - Doomed Future
Suicide Eyes - The Love Is Gone
Tom Maddocks (Last Ride Records)
Feels Like Heaven - Within Dreams
'82 Inferno - The Elimination Demo
Division of Mind - Exoterror
Koyo - Barely Here
Angel Du$t - Cold 2 the Touch
Molly (Cherub Chains)
Eskrima - An Evening Out With Eskrima
Division of Mind - Exoterror
Ditch - Demo
Converge - Love Is Not Enough
Anubi - Trench Demonstration
Laurent Labec (Pelican)
Angel Du$t - Cold 2 the Touch
Killing Pace - HCPM
Terror - Still Suffer
Sin Against Sin - Demo 2
Quicksand - Bring on the Psychics
Dan Gump (Excessive Force, Life Sentence Records)
Time X Heist - Measure of My Devotion
Holder - Ruin the Best of Me
Eyes of Salt - Collapse of the Infinite
No Grave - Suffer Together
Poison the Well - Peace in Place
Mark Frandsen (Time X Heist)
Modern Guilt - Mind the Trap
Nerve Center - Damage Is Done
xForeverWarx - Upon the Weak and Broken
Sharp Tongues - Dead Weight
Spear - All I Left Behind
Sarah Kuretzky-Rossington (The Hardcore Therapist)
Converge - Love Is Not Enough
Poison the Well - Peace in Place
Start Today - Nothing to You
Common Threat - State of Decay
Angel Du$t - Cold 2 the Touch
Bram De Riemacker (Inferno Booking)
Seven Letters Never Sent - Beneath Autumn's Sun
Division of Mind - Exoterror
Severed - State of Shock
GOON DHC - For Éire You Will Repent
Balmora - These Graven Halls
Rich Thurston (No Grave)
Terror - Still Suffer
Division of Mind - Exoterror
Sunbloc - Joyride
Poison the Well - Peace in Place
Converge - Love Is Not Enough
Gary Cherney (Eyes of Salt)
Converge - Love Is Not Enough
Poison the Well - Peace in Place
World I Hate - Total Nuclear Annihilation
Angel Du$t - Cold 2 the Touch
Carpenter Brut - Leather Temple
Javier Van Huss (Contraband Goods)
Terror - Still Suffer
Subversive Intent - Subversive Intent
Ceremony - Other Hells
Forced Order - My Will Never Dies
Cosmic Joke - Referee/Agnostic (One Size Fits All)
Ace Stallings (Eliminators, Mutually Assured Destruction, R’N’RG Presents, Forum of Passion podcast)
Division of Mind - Exoterror
Killing Pace - HCPM
Mr. Radical - Promo!
The Difference - Stay Away
Start Today - Nothing to You
Bjorn Dossche (Rise and Fall, Wrong Man)
Final Gasp - New Day Symptoms
Division of Mind - Exoterror
Angel Du$t - Cold 2 the Touch
Feels Like Heaven - Within Dreams
Lotus - Forever Martial
Gap (Rexrez, Holding On Records)
Converge - Love Is Not Enough
Rexrez - Parasitic Paradise
Half Man - I Can See God
Division of Mind - Exoterror
Terror - Still Suffer
Trish (Paradise)
Blood & Tears - Brotherhood Demo
Start Today - Nothing to You
Juicebox - Ain't Shit Sweet
Compulsion - A Doctrine of Rapid Dominance
Collateral / Burning Lord - Split
Jason Lambert (Death Farm Records)
7 Swords - Demo
Descrate - Old Ghosts
Impact - Lowest Form of Life / God Complex
Severed - State of Shock
Death Cult - Death Cult
Malachi Greene (Skin Show)
xForeverWarx - Upon the Weak and Broken
Condition One - Hostile Takeover
Show Me the Body - Alone Together
Loosey - Oblivion Monster
Skinhead - The Plan
Chris Cesarini (Street Power, Mental Warfare)
Vile Mind - Doomed Future
World I Hate - Total Nuclear Annihilation
Spiritual Law - S/T
Search Warrant - LP Promo 2026
The S.E.T. - Self Evident Truth
John Gutierrez (Find a Way Records)
Edge Wave - Rising Tides
Sweat - Tear It On Down
Suicide Eyes - The Love Is Gone...
Square One / Turn of Phrase - Pale Skies
Manik - To Kill a Dead Man
Freddy Alva (Author)
Poison Ruïn - Hymns From the Hills
Vic Bondi and His Issues - S/T
Shining Sea - Ready Rock (Let the Good Times Roll)
Lost Legion - In My Skin
Loosey - A Retrospective: (2023-2025)
Timmy Lodhi (Bad World, Phazed Out, Big Bite Records)
Terror - Still Suffer
Killing Pace - HCPM
Division of Mind - Exoterror
Angel Du$t - Cold 2 the Touch
GOON DHC - For Éire You Will Repent
Hassan Dozakhi (Zanjeer)
Snake Eater - پرومو 2026
Grail Guard - Still No Future
Mock Execution - Democracy Shoved Up Your Ass
Paso - Dwanda
No/Mas - No Peace
Vince Averill (Cross Control, We Watch Wrestling podcast)
Outgrow Madness - To Outgrow Our Madness
Clockface - S/T
Medicinal - Buildings Abandoned
Sweat - Tear it on Down
Birdlegs
- Visions Beyond the Ape Cave
Adam Lentz (Revelation Records)
Youth Avoiders - Defiance
Screaming Fist - Santa Plaga
Birdlegs - Visions Beyond the Ape Cave
Giallo - Tenebrarum
Poison Ruïn - Hymns From the Hills
Duane Harris (Allegiance, Caged View, Malinformants)
Terror - Still Suffer
Colossal Rains - Feral Sorrow
Converge - Love Is Not Enough
Eärthdögs - The Cloven Hoof Chaos Conspiracy
BIG - Dance Music
Jack Chambers (Headstone)
Division of Mind - Exoterror
King Street - Parting Shots
Half Man - I Can See God
Hold My Own - Pay No Mind
Killing Pace - HCPM
Luke LaFountain & Jacob Weston (Setterwind Records)
Feels Like Heaven - Within Dreams
Suicide Eyes - The Love Is Gone...
Engine - Demo
Moral Pollution - Depravity, Vol. 2
Tried - Spiral
Gregor (Risk It!)
'82 Inferno - The Elimination Demo
Spiritual Law - S/T
Compete - Win and Lose
Terror - Still Suffer
Forced Order - Undying Spirit
Andy Franchere (B.D.R., Ill Communication)
Chopping Block - Nowhere to Run
Subversive Intent - Subversive Intent
Start Today - Nothing to You
Out of Line - Rec Center
I Am the Avalanche - Horror Show
Yudha (Firestorm)
Forced Order - Undying Spirit
Division of Mind - Exoterror
My Hands Were Tied - A Bridge to Terabithia
I Promised the World - S/T
Terror - Still Suffer
Kyle Roth (Home Invasion)
Demonstrate - Prove Me Wrong
Yambag - The Psycho
World I Hate - Total Nuclear Annihilation
In My Way - Demo
Figurine - Figurine
Tommy Ghiorso (Slugger)
G.U.N. - Death Dealer
Demonstrate - Prove Me Wrong
Shaved Ape - Loveletter to Hardcore
Haywire / Dropkick Murphys - Split
Sanctity - Demo
Davy (Game Changer)
Seven Letters Never Sent - Beneath Autumn’s Sun
Listed - Decimation
Wreckonize - Dead 2 Me / Nowhere 2 Run
Rekrucify - Demo
Feverchild - Center of the Earth
Devin Boudreaux (Rejection Pact, Internet Menace)
Start Today - Nothing to You
Feels Like Heaven - Within Dreams
Blockade - Where We Stand
The Difference - Stay Away
Converge - Love Is Not Enough
Matthias (Demon Seed, No Match Records)
Division of Mind - Exoterror
Feels Like Heaven - Within Dreams
Forced Order - Undying Spirit
Wreckonize - Dead 2 Me / Nowhere 2 Run
Andrew Kline (Strife, Berthold City, WAR Records)
Terror - Still Suffer
Forced Order - Undying Spirit
Eyes of Salt - Collapse of the Infinite
World I Hate - Total Nuclear Annihilation
Start Today - Nothing to You
Fiona (Staring Contest, Eidetic)
Turn of Phrase x Square One - Pale Skies
Feels Like Heaven - Within Dreams
Broken Bonds - New Leaves Turn
Start Today - Nothing to You
Division of Mind - Exoterror
Chris Mollet (Youth Energy Design)
Step2This - The First Step Demo
Run Up - Demo 26
World I Hate - Total Nuclear Annihilation
Sunbloc - Joyride
Blistered Spirit - Through Shattered Light
Nick Viterelli (Step By Step, Bonesplitter)
Demonstrate - Prove Me Wrong
About Face - Promo
Lose Sight - Richmond Straight Edge
Set Free - Demo
Poison Ruïn - Hymns From the Hills
Chris LaPointe (Wake of Humanity)
Feels Like Heaven - Within Dreams
Converge - Love Is Not Enough
Knumears - Directions
Neurosis - An Undying Love for a Burning World
At the Gates - The Ghost of a Future Dead
Mathieu Lecomte (Photographer)
Feels Like Heaven - Within Dreams
Crush Your Soul - Ice Water
Morko - Morkology
Basement - Wired
Incendiary - Product of New York
Nick Acosta (New Morality Zine)
Square One / Turn of Phrase - Pale Skies
Fugazi - Albini Sessions
Killing Pace - HCPM
Feels Like Heaven - Within Dreams
Si Dios Quiere - S/T
Nate Wilson (Life Abuse, Fright)
Rocky & The Sweden - Punks Pot Head
Burned Up Bled Dry - NEXT STOP... DEAD STOP...
Yleiset Syyt - Saitte Mitä Halusitte
Unanswered - Complete Discography
Andrew Orlando (Hope Collapse, Brainscan Records)
Straight Ahead -S/T
Converge - Love Is Not Enough
Noothgrush - Kashyyyk
-(16)- - Forgeries Vol 1, 1972 - 1984
Nothing - A Short History of Decay
Dave Brown (Vicious Circle Records)
Dry Socket - Self Defense Techniques
Angel Du$t - Cold 2 the Touch
Public figures - Figure It Out
Septic Death - Now That I Have the Attention What Do I Do With It?
Straight Ahead - S/T
Drew Maxey (Like Heaven, Time & Pressure)
Chopping Block - Nowhere to Run
World I Hate - Total Nuclear Annihilation
Giallo - Tenebrarum
Dry Socket - Self Defense Techniques
Hindsight - Some Things Never Change
Adam Tanner (Photographer)
Nothing - A Short History of Decay
Bitter Branches - Let's Give the Land Back to the Animals
Quicksand - Bring on the Psychics
No Guard - Promo 2026
Holder - Ruin the Best of Me
AJ (Histamine)
Poison Ruïn - Hymns From the Hills
World I Hate - Total Nuclear Annihilation
Gunner - Reality Soldier
Killing Pace - HCPM
Giallo - Tenebrarum
*Editors note: I asked Michael for his list of 5 picks, but in classic Michael fashion, he sent me 10.
Michael Thorn (Photographer, Razorblade & Aspirin zine)
Prisonnier Du Temps - Prendre Le Pouvoir Par La Force
Itsenäisyyspäivä - Kuka Kuolee Ja Kenen Puolesta?
Raw Distractions - 奇しく燃える
Shaved Ape - Loveletter to Hardcore
Indikator B - S/T
Yambag - The Psycho
Esperanza - Freedom and Equality
Burned Up Bled Dry - Last Stop Dead Stop
Dissekerad - Väggarna Rasar
Subjects - Half Alive Rehearsal
Yleiset Syyt - Saitte Mitä Halusitte
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Tagged: best of
