New York hardcore legends Madball have unleashed their crushing new single “Tethered,” the second taste of their upcoming tenth studio album Not Your Kingdom, arriving July 24 via Nuclear Blast. The track captures the spirit of Madball’s past while continuing to push their sound forward. Opening with the same hard-hitting energy that has defined New York hardcore for decades, “Tethered” delivers bouncy, groove-driven sound built around aggressive rhythms and frontman Freddy Cricien’s unmistakable vocal presence. The song serves as a personal reflection on the experiences that have shaped him, confronting both the highs and lows of his life and career. As he declares in the track, “I’m bound to all the things that I’ve done and seen…Tethered to everything.”
Cricien revealed that “Tethered” was one of the final songs written for Not Your Kingdom, despite ultimately becoming the album’s opening track. He described it as having a nostalgic feeling that transported him back to the 1990s, while still sounding fresh and representing a new side of the band. He also noted that the song was chosen as the second single because it showcases the diversity and larger narrative of the record.
The accompanying music video, directed by Cricien with filming by Dave Causa, acts as a tribute to the streets of New York City where Madball was born. The visuals place the band in the environment that shaped their identity, reinforcing the song’s themes of memory, struggle, history and the unbreakable ties that continue to define them.
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