Madball – Not Your Kingdom
Shinigami Records/Nuclear Blast Records
9,0/10,0
Brief:
NYHC kings Madball remain one of the few legacy acts capable of seamlessly bridging the gap between the old-school era and the modern heavy music landscape. To say hardcore is in the band’s DNA is an understatement—it is their lifeblood. On their tenth studio album, Not Your Kingdom, the band delivers their trademark tales of survival, but with a deeper, more introspective edge. The lyrics offer a raw look into Freddy Cricien’s perspective on the current state of the world and the human condition, marking their most personal release to date.
The first glimpse into the album arrives with ‘Rebel Kids.’ An anthemic track at its core, it leans into the band’s classic groove and unrelenting energy while striking a chord with the new generation of hardcore fans. The accompanying music video was co-directed by Freddy Cricien and Dave Causa, with Causa also handling filming and editing duties.
MADBALL’s Freddy Cricien comments, “Funny enough, Rebel Kids was the first track written for this album and actually was completely put together probably 2 years ago … or so. The sentiment, vibe and message of the song really became the catalyst for what came after. We all loved the song immediately but I couldn’t have known it would be the first single. We have several songs that we feel could be first “out of the gate”. But in the end Rebel Kids made the most sense musically, lyrically etc. We look forward to releasing this song and album. It’s a special one for us and we’re hoping the rest of the world feels the same once they hear it!”
Not Your Kingdom was tracked at The Boneyard Studios in Nashville, TN, with additional interludes recorded by Jeff “Stress” Davis and Chuck Treece at Chop Shop Studios. 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. The striking cover art features photography by the legendary Cornell Capa, courtesy of Magnum Photos and the Cornell Capa Estate.
Decades in, MADBALL remains the gold standard of New York Hardcore—proving they are not just survivors, but masters of the craft. Their live performances are a masterclass in controlled chaos, dripping with a ferocity and raw integrity that most bands can only hope to emulate. They’ve stayed sincere, stayed dangerous, and stayed at the top. Ain’t nothing changed.
[Edited Press Release]
Tracklist:
- Tethered
- Flammable
- Rebelude
- Rebel Kids
- Don’t MisStep
- What Say You
- Stab Wounds
- Sunrise
- Life’s a Mural
- Family First
- Clockwork
- IWI
- The Ride
- Chase a Dream
Main Focus Tracks:
- Tethered
- Rebel Kids
- What Say You
- Life’s a Mural
- The Ride
Other Recommended Tracks:
- Don’t MisStep
- Stab Wounds
- Family First
- Clockwork
Line-Up:
Freddy Cricien – lead vocals
Mike Justian – drums
Mike Gurnari – guitars, backing vocals
Paul Delaney – bass, backing vocals
Comments:
Not Your Kingdom is pure hardcore! Well produced, well played, contemporary and full of attitude. None of those dated hardcore albums that make you reach for the genre’s old-school icons instead. If anyone still had any doubts that Madball is a legend of the genre, listen to Not Your Kingdom. Destroooooy!
COMPRE AGORA: Madball – Not Your Kingdom | SHINIGAMI RECORDS
Photo Credit: band
Contacts:
Video:
Selected Discography:
Set It Off (1994)
Demonstrating My Style (1996)
Look My Way (1998)
Hold It Down (2000)
Legacy (2005)
Infiltrate the System (2007)
Empire (2010)
Hardcore Lives (2014)
For the Cause (2018)
Not Your Kingdom (2026)
