New York hardcore legends MADBALL have unveiled their second single, “Tethered,” offering another taste of their upcoming tenth studio album, Not Your Kingdom, due out July 24 via Nuclear Blast.
Pre-order/pre-save Not Your Kingdom
Serving as the album’s opening track, “Tethered” combines the band’s signature groove-driven aggression with a deeply personal lyrical approach. Frontman Freddy Cricien reflects on the experiences that shaped both himself and the band, declaring:
“I’m bound to all the things / That I’ve done and seen / Tethered to everything / All the good the bad / That made me.”
The accompanying music video, co-directed by Cricien and Dave Causa, pays tribute to the streets of New York City that gave birth to the band’s unmistakable hardcore identity.
Speaking about the song, Cricien revealed that although “Tethered” was one of the last tracks written for the record, it naturally became the album opener.
“I love the vibe, very bouncy groovy NYHC that really transported me back to the ’90s,” he explained. “To my ears, it has a nostalgic feel but still manages to come across as something new for us. The whole album is a story, a ride of sorts, and this one really sets the pace sonically and lyrically.”
Fans can stream “Tethered” and pre-order Not Your Kingdom through the band’s official campaign pages.
Not Your Kingdom arrives July 24 and features 14 tracks:
- 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
The album was recorded at The Boneyard Studios in Nashville, with additional sessions at Chop Shop Studios. Production and engineering duties were handled by Andrew Baylis, Aiden Thompson, and Grady Saxman, while Lee Rouse completed the mixing and mastering. The cover artwork features photography by Cornell Capa, courtesy of Magnum Photos and the Cornell Capa Estate.
Available formats include CD, multiple limited-edition vinyl variants, and exclusive merchandise bundles, with the Revolver-exclusive Oxblood & Sky Blue pressing already sold out.
More than three decades into their career, MADBALL continue to embody the spirit of New York hardcore, balancing the streetwise intensity of their early years with a matured perspective that keeps their sound both authentic and vital. “Tethered” suggests that Not Your Kingdom won’t simply revisit the band’s past—it aims to reaffirm why Madball remain one of hardcore’s most enduring and influential acts.