Orange County’s finest are back with a vengeance: SOCIAL DISTORTION‘s long-awaited eighth album, Born To Kill, will be released May 8, 2026 via Epitaph Records.
Born To Kill is more than the conclusion to a 15-year wait between SOCIAL DISTORTION albums, it’s a revelation: 11 songs of pure, unadulterated rock ‘n’ roll fury, joy and catharsis, all imbued with the signature blend of defiance and world-weariness that has made founder Mike Ness a poet and sage to the dispossessed for more than 40 years.
The first SOCIAL DISTORTION album since Ness‘ recovery from a bout with cancer, Born To Kill brims with aggressive optimism. The album wastes no time letting the listener know where its heart is, with its title track and mission statement dropping nods to Lou Reed (“Rock ‘n’ Roll Animal gonna come your way!”) and Iggy and the Stooges (“The agenda is yeah to Search and Destroy”) and an homage to David Bowie (“It’s a Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide”) following a few songs later on “Partners In Crime.”
Co-produced by Ness and Dave Sardy, and featuring guest appearances from Benmont Tench of TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS and Lucinda Williams.
SOCIAL DISTORTION will support Born To Kill with an extensive North American tour. The tour kicks off August 25 in Phoenix and plays a total of 23 shows in 21 cities before concluding October 3 in San Diego.