Madball: Negative Things Inspire Us
When a band like MADBALL returns, they don’t ease back into the conversation, they kick the door clean off its hinges. Eight years after their last full-length, the New York hardcore institution have re-emerged with Not Your Kingdom, a record built from disruption, distance, and a world that forced everyone to confront themselves. Speaking with frontman Freddy Cricien, it becomes clear that this album wasn’t born from nostalgia or obligation. It was born because it had to be.
The long gap between records wasn’t intentional. Life shifted, the pandemic hit, and inspiration became a scarce resource. “Everyone’s life kind of got turned upside down,” Cricien says, reflecting on the period where creativity felt impossible. Yet, somewhere in the later stretch of that strange era, ideas began to surface. Riffs, lyrics, fragments, all floating around without a home. “There were songs floating around for a few years,” he explains. “It felt right when we actually started putting them together.” Once the band began sharing ideas from afar, momentum returned. They traded riffs long-distance, stitched songs together between tours, and slowly rediscovered the spark that had carried them through decades. “It started to come together pretty organically,” Cricien says. “We had more songs than what we put on the album, but we picked the ones that told the story properly.”
That story is one of renewed ferocity. Not Your Kingdom hits with the urgency of a band refusing to soften with age. Part of that comes from unexpected creative shifts within the lineup. Drummer MJ, long known for his multi-instrumental talent, stepped forward with guitar riffs for the first time. Cricien still sounds energised talking about it. “He’s been a secret weapon I didn’t really unleash before,” he says. With longtime guitarist Hoya no longer in the band, space opened up, and MJ filled it with ideas that surprised everyone. Guitarist Mike Gurnari brought his own standout material, and suddenly MADBALL found themselves in a creative feedback loop. “We all inspired each other,” Cricien says. “There’s no lack of frustration or angst in the world… we wanted to make a statement. It’s album number ten.”
Recording the album was unconventional. With members living in different states, early work happened remotely, stitched together through voice notes and shared files. Eventually, the band converged in Nashville, where Cricien now resides, and the songs snapped into focus. Sleeper tracks revealed their strength. Producer Andrew Baylis captured tones that elevated everything, and once Lee’s mix arrived, the band knew they had something special. “They’re all different from one another but still MADBALL,” Cricien says. “It’s not stale.”
Listeners seem to agree. Tracks like What Say You, Rebel Kids and The Ride have already become fan favourites, songs that hit hard enough to make gym-goers push their limits. Cricien laughs hearing that. “Mission accomplished,” he says. “Those aren’t even the typical ones people pick, so I appreciate that.” The album’s title, Not Your Kingdom, carries a rebellious weight. While some listeners might connect it to political figures, Cricien clarifies the sentiment is broader. The phrase comes from a lyric in What Say You, chosen because it encapsulated the album’s spirit. “I’m an independent thinker, a sovereign spirit,” he explains. “You hold the keys because you’ve got the money and the politics, but you don’t control me.” It’s a message aimed at anyone who believes they own the world, a reminder that hardcore’s roots lie in defiance, autonomy and refusing to be dictated to. Cricien admits that spirit felt lost in parts of the scene during the pandemic, and reclaiming it became a driving force behind the record.
Perspective naturally shifts over eight years, and Cricien acknowledges that openly. Life changed, families grew, the world exposed its cracks. “Negative things inspire you, good things inspire you,” he says. “It’s how you translate it.” For MADBALL, that translation has always been about channelling energy into music rather than destructive outlets. Some viewpoints remain concrete, but new experiences inevitably reshape others. The result is an album that feels both seasoned and urgent.
Releasing new music in today’s climate is its own challenge. The hardcore scene underwent a generational shift after the pandemic, with a wave of young fans discovering heavy music through bands like KNOCKED LOOSE and TURNSTILE. Cricien speaks about it without a hint of bitterness – only admiration. “I’m not one of those old jaded gatekeeper types,” he says. He remembers when MADBALL were the young disruptors confusing the old guard. Now, he watches newer bands transcend the genre entirely. TURNSTILE once opened for MADBALL; KNOCKED LOOSE were booked for a tour that was cancelled the week the world shut down. “Now I’d have to open for them,” he says with a grin. “I have no ego about that. If young guys take the baton, it only helps the culture.”
The nostalgia boom has also brought unexpected moments. Cricien laughs recalling teenagers in LIMP BIZKIT shirts flooding Manchester streets. The 90s revival has touched hardcore too, something that benefits MADBALL, who began releasing albums during that era. But he’s quick to clarify: Not Your Kingdom isn’t a throwback. “We’re not putting out an album that sounds like Set It Off,” he says. “We’ve had decades of material since then.”
Through all the shifts, MADBALL remains grounded in the same ethos they’ve carried since day one. Work hard, stay hungry, and never rest on laurels. Even now, with ten albums behind them, they play shows with the energy of a band proving themselves for the first time. Crowds change, generations move faster, but the fire stays lit. “We’re still in the trenches,” Cricien says. “Maybe that keeps us fresh.” Reflecting on their legacy, he doesn’t romanticise or rewrite history. There were missteps, strange decisions, unpredictable turns, but the band endured. “I’m proud of how far we’ve gotten,” he says. “We’re still in the game, still putting out the stuff we’re putting out. And there’s more to be done.”
Not Your Kingdom isn’t just a return, rather, it’s a reaffirmation. A reminder that hardcore’s heartbeat is still loud, still defiant, still evolving. And MADBALL, decades into their career, remain one of its most vital voices.
Not Your Kingdom is out now via Nuclear Blast Records. View this interview, alongside dozens of other killer bands, in glorious print magazine fashion in DS132 here.
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