Fake Names bring together veterans of Minor Threat, Dag Nasty, Bad Religion, Refused, Girls Against Boys, Soulside, Rocket From The Crypt and The Faith, channeling D.C. hardcore, '70s UK punk and guitar-driven power pop. Their third album, Punk Ruins, arrives October 23, 2026 via Epitaph Records.
Fake Names return with their third album, Punk Ruins , out October 23, 2026 via Epitaph Records. Recorded at Electrical Audio in Chicago, the 12-song set pushes the band's D.C. hardcore roots into hook-heavy punk and power pop.
Fake Names, a punk rock supergroup featuring members from influential bands like Minor Threat, Refused, and Bad Religion, is set to release their self-titled debut record on May 8 via Epitaph. The album, produced at Renegade Studios in New York, showcases a 28-minute burst of energy combining bare-bones punk with power-pop elements, delivering bittersweet melodies and rich harmonies.
Fake Names are back with their third studio album, Punk Ruins, out October 23 via Epitaph Records. The 12-song LP is the band's first new music in three years and brings together Brian Baker (Minor Threat, Dag Nasty, Bad Religion), Michael Hampton (S.O.A., Embrace, The Faith), Dennis Lyxzén (Refused, INVSN), Johnny Temple (Girls Against Boys, Soulside), and new drummer Mario Rubalcaba (Rocket From The Crypt, OFF!).
Along with the announcement, the band shared the album opener “Until It’s Normal,” a driving, guitar-heavy track that takes aim at political manipulation and fascist propaganda. The record was tracked at Electrical Audio in Chicago with producer Matthew Barnhardy, with the band recording all 12 songs in just five days.
For a band stacked with hardcore lifers, Fake Names have always worked best when they lean just as hard into melody and hooks, and “Until It’s Normal” hits that balance immediately — sharp, urgent and built around the kind of guitars that make Punk Ruins sound like it could be one of their strongest records yet.
Punk Ruins arrives October 23 via Epitaph Records. Check out “Until It’s Normal” below.