Oh boy, are you guys ready for some serious face-melting, ear-shredding, and possibly some spontaneous mosh pit eruptions in your living room? 🤯 Because MADBALL just dropped the official music video for “Don’t MisStep” and it’s a wild ride! The song is taken from their tenth studio album, “Not Your Kingdom”, which came out on July 24 via Nuclear Blast. Buckle up, folks, this is gonna be a bumpy ride! 🎸
So, what’s the big deal about “Don’t MisStep”? Well, for starters, it’s a lightning-fast, hard-hitting track that’s practically begging to be played at maximum volume while you’re throwing down in the pit. The music video was co-directed by MADBALL frontman Freddy Cricien and Dave Causa, because who needs sleep when you can just make music videos all night, right? 😴 The video also features additional filming and footage by Drew Stone and Leon Rockel, because why not? 🤷♂️
But let’s talk about the album, “Not Your Kingdom”. It’s a real treat, folks. MADBALL delivers their trademark tales of survival, but this time with a deeper, more introspective edge. It’s like they’re trying to make you feel all the feels, but also punch you in the face repeatedly. 🤕 The lyrics offer a raw look into Cricien’s perspective on the current state of the world and the human condition, because who doesn’t love a good existential crisis? 🤔
The Album Lowdown
So, what’s on the album? Well, let’s see… there’s “Tethered”, “Flammable”, “Rebelude”, “Rebel Kids”, “Don’t MisStep”, “What Say You”, “Stab Wounds”, “Sunrise”, “Life’s A Mural”, “Family First”, “Clockwork”, “IWI”, “The Ride”, and “Chase A Dream”. Wow, that’s a lot of songs. I mean, I’m not complaining or anything, but I’m pretty sure I need a nap just thinking about it. 😴
But seriously, the album was tracked at The Boneyard Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, with additional interludes recorded by Jeff “Stress” Davis and Chuck Treece at Chop Shop Studios. Because, you know, Nashville is the new hub of hardcore music or something. 🎸 The album was produced and engineered by the team of Andrew Baylis, Aiden Thompson, and Grady Saxman, with final mixing and mastering handled by Lee Rouse. I mean, it’s not like they had a whole team of professionals working on this album or anything. 🙄
A Little History Lesson
So, you might be wondering, who is MADBALL and why should I care? Well, let me tell you, they’re a New York hardcore band that’s been around since the late 1980s. They originated as a side project of AGNOSTIC FRONT, because why not start a band with your half-brother, right? 🤷♂️ The band developed after AGNOSTIC FRONT frontman Roger Miret would let his younger half-brother, Freddy Cricien, take the microphone and perform lead vocals during AGNOSTIC FRONT shows. Because, you know, family is all about stealing the spotlight. 🤣
But in all seriousness, MADBALL has been making music for decades, and their previous album, “For The Cause”, was released in June 2018 via Nuclear Blast. The record was mixed and mastered by renowned producer Tue Madsen at Antfarm Studios in Denmark, because who doesn’t love a good Danish production? 🇩🇰 It was co-produced by Tim Armstrong (RANCID), who is also featured on the album, because why not have a little RANCID action in your life? 🤘
In conclusion, MADBALL’s new album “Not Your Kingdom” is a must-listen for all you hardcore fans out there. It’s a wild ride, full of face-melting riffs and existential crises. So, go ahead, give it a listen, and try not to mosh too hard in your living room. 🤯🎸
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
