Guitar stays dangerous, drums hit like body shots.

Formed in Toronto in 1996, Danko Jones — consisting of vocalist/guitarist Danko Jones, bassist John Calabrese and drummer Rich Knox — have spent nearly three decades perfecting high-octane rock ‘n’ roll, defined by muscular riffs, brisk tempos and unabashed bluster. Leo Rising marks their twelfth studio album, set for release on November 21, 2025, via Perception, with Sonic Unyon distributing in Canada.

The record opens in full sprint. “What You Need” serves as a mission statement: riff-driven, rhythmically direct and instantly engaging. Then “Diamond in the Rough” ups the ante with a guest solo by guitar legend Marty Friedman (Megadeth, Cacophony) and riffs tuned for the late-night bar revival. Equal parts of flash and melody, it carries a glam-metal streak without losing the band’s bar-room bite.

“Everyday Is Saturday Night” sustains the momentum, pairing a straightforward structure with a catchy hook that highlights the album’s accessibility. The lyric, “Mondays are now Fridays, Tuesdays are my birthday,” encapsulates the album’s theme of escape through repetition. Two follow-ups — “I Love It Louder” and “I’m Going Blind”— round out the front half. The former is all throttle and chant-ready phrasing (the title practically writes its own hook), while the latter opens into a widescreen, anthemic chorus.

In the middle section, the trio showcases its performance-based approach. “Hot Fox” and “It’s A Celebration” channel their reputation for electrifying live shows, prioritizing pace and clarity over experimentation. Long-time collaborator Eric Ratz keeps the production focused. The album’s latter tracks reveal subtle variety.  “Pretty Stuff” slows the tempo without losing tension; “Gotta Let It Go” and “I Can’t Stop” inject punk structure; and the closer, “Too Slick for Love,” brings it full circle, concluding with measured continuity.

Lyrically, Jones favors immediacy and plain-spoken directness over abstraction. Leo Rising prioritizes momentum rather than introspection, reflecting the band’s enduring commitment to the fundamentals of rock performance. By balancing repetition with refinement, the album underscores Danko Jones’s longevity and self-awareness, emphasizing evolution through consistency rather than reinvention.