“You wear rebellion like it’s fashion.“
When you’ve been together as a band for almost 40 years, questions inevitably begin to arise. That can be sparked by a shift in sound or the departure of long-time members, in this case, founding bassist Jorge “Hoya Roc” Guerra. Whatever side of the fence you sit on, it’s impossible to ignore the legendary status of New York hardcore giants Madball. After an eight-year wait, they’re back with Not Your Kingdom, an album that, with the return of the classic logo and artwork heavily reminiscent of Set It Off, immediately suggests a return to the band’s roots.
The opening track, “Tethered“, sets a really strong tone. Built around catchy and groove heavy riffs with lyrics that reflect on the band’s eight-year absence. Featuring a breakdown that will make you want to put your dancing shoes back on after many years of mosh retirement. This track does exactly what an opening track should by warming you up and making you eager to hear where the album is about to take you.
“Flammable & Don’t Misstep” Me keeps a momentum going. With lots of bursts of energy, and fast, side-to-side riffs, over time dropping into some of the album’s strongest groovy breakdowns. It’s easy to imagine these tracks becoming some of the standouts at a Madball show, with plenty of opportunity to get the pit moving.
Given its title, “Stab Wounds” carries an attitude you would hope for. The low-end bass and chugging guitars give the track a satisfying weight, alongside solid drum work in tandem. There are a lot of moments exactly like these that are a reminder of the band still knowing how to write riffs that make you want to move, from their years deployed on stage.
There’s no denying that Madball‘s sound has evolved over the years. With records like Set It Off and Demonstration of My Style being so raw, abrasive. Over the years the band have moved in different directions. Still is very much a hardcore punk record, but one that’s noticeably cleaner and more restrained in its songwriting. The emphasis has shifted towards constant bursts of fast parts & lots of grooves, with familiar gang vocals that feel a lot lighter than the good old days, especially for a band that was once defined by memorable breakdowns. A welcome change for some, and for others, a noticeable degradation in the band’s impact. Not Your Kingdom often feels caught somewhere in the middle.
That conflict is most apparent on the lead single, “Rebel Kids”. Musically an anthemic hardcore song, but lyrically it falls really flat. It doesn’t offer the perspective you’d expect from one of hardcore’s longest standing voices, the song relies on surface-level observations that lack the depth. For a band that has spent decades at the heart of a genre so deeply rooted in social and political expression, a song that points at anti-political correctness is almost an imposter to the genre and is very out of touch & taste. Madball are leaning into sing along punk songs for the masses here.
The same issue continues elsewhere. “Life’s a Mural” and “The Ride” lean heavily on simplistic sing along choruses that just feel forced. Freddy Cricien‘s vocal delivery throughout a lot of the record also feels restrained. He has an unmistakable voice that is still instantly recognisable, but the songwriting is really not doing him any favours.
As the album progresses, an issue of repetition rears its filthy head too. Many of the songs follow a familiar formula of frantic fast parts that lead into groove passages, teasing the possibility of a huge breakdown and for a moment, it feels like the kind of section that would have a room full of people throwing windmills and spin kicks, before quickly returning to another burst of speed. It feels like the band are constantly building towards a defining breakdown, leaving a lot of the songs as a disappointment by the time a small dance section does hit. Those transitions are incredibly awkward, and these songs suffer because they are never allowed to breathe – “Family First” is the clearest example of this.
By the second half, things begin to wear a bit thin. With tracks struggling to distinguish themselves, with similar pacing, structures and vocal hooks. The short instrumental, don’t add much beyond atmosphere and ultimately pad out an album that is already concise, despite its relatively short runtime.
The biggest disappointment here is the disconnect between the album’s presentation and execution. Bringing back the classic logo and artwork naturally raises expectations of a return to Madball‘s harder, grittier roots, yet the music itself often feels sanitised and held back. The record feels like a version of Madball that’s been smoothed around the edges, accessible enough for newer hardcore fans, lacking the urgency and aggression that made the band’s classic records so influential.
Ultimately, Not Your Kingdom feels like a record that exists between two generations of Madball fans. It appeals to the older fans who have grown with the band, stepped away from the pit, and now return for the nostalgia of hearing those familiar sounds even if lighter in tone. On the other hand, it serves as an accessible introduction for a newer generation discovering hardcore for the first time & a platform to explore the genre deeper.
