Defying a sadly and increasingly pervasive trend in today’s heavy music scene, Comeback Kid have managed to not only maintain but expand the energy and urgency of their groundbreaking debut and sophomore LPs over the course of a decorated 25+ year career. Luckily – at least for their fervidly loyal fanbase – there’s a lot to be angry about these days… 

Chosen Hell, the band’s eighth and latest LP, further distills the potency of the musical elements that have defined CBK since the beginning while once again evolving their creative spectrum, weaving in influences of blazing modern metal, piss-and-vinegar punk, and even vulnerable melodicism that adds compelling contrast to their longstanding and beloved sonic foundation.

“We’ve always been a band that understands and embraces our identity, but it’s also important to us that we keep pushing our boundaries,” begins frontman Andrew Neufeld. “In the past, there may have been ideas we stifled because we thought they were outside the core of what Comeback Kid should be, but we felt comfortable exploring those things this time around.”

The quintet, comprised of Neufeld, guitarists Jeremy Hiebert and Stu Ross, bassist Chase Brenneman, and drummer Terrance Pettitt, cut Chosen Hell with heralded producer/engineer Will Putney at his Graphic Nature Audio studio in New Jersey – an exercise that clearly elevated the impact, power, and passion of these 11 tracks. “He’s also been a supporter of ours from the get, so he knows where we’re coming from and really understood our vision,” shares Neufeld. “We all played to our strengths as best we could, and I think that’s really apparent in the final product.”

The album blasts out of the barrel with “Target on My Back,” immediately establishing the aural assault listeners have in store. Among the most potent and impactful offerings from a band that built their career on the back of tracks just like it, gut-wrenching growls contrast with subtle but soaring clean vocals for a blistering exercise in dynamism. 

“Vindication” brings the metal further to the forefront with zero decline in intensity, making clear the band aimed to outdo themselves this time around – and equally clear they soared past the target. 

Two selections add new names to Comeback Kid’s long and diverse list of guest vocalists, with Spiritbox frontwoman Courtney LaPlante injecting her raw guttural glory into “Shedding Season” while Incendiary’s Brendan Garrone augments the ferocity of “Yesterday’s Gone” with his trademark swagger.

The title track pairs deeply introspective lyricism atop a punishing aural arsenal, with CBK exploring the spectrum of morality and ethics – good and evil; right and wrong; and our collective ability to make choices between said extremes. “Sometimes we’re just incapable of choosing the ‘right’ thing, and we find ourselves in situations that hold us back and are detrimental to our own well-being,” Neufeld muses.  

Indeed, while there’s plenty in the world at large that’s worthy of wrath, much of Chosen Hell’s lyrical themes are deeply personal. “Heartland Elegy,” arguably the purest punk offering on the record, pays homage to longtime friend and former CBK bassist Matt Keil, who passed in 2025 following a 19-month bout with ALS. “Lost and Found” similarly delves into the deep anguish of personal loss and the traces of themselves that people leave behind, the track itself slowly decaying as Neufeld sings poignantly over a softly strummed acoustic guitar. 

“Overall, I was able to let my guard down a little bit while writing for this one, and took more input from everybody else,” adds Neufeld. “It was really collaborative that way, which is also kind of new for us.”

It’s that blend of familiar musical fury laced with novel elements that’s earned Comeback Kid its loyal following and overall longevity – along with their ability to relay said fury from the stage. Through the years, they’ve toured relentlessly alongside iconic acts from every corner of heavy music – hardcore icons like Hatebreed and Sick of It All; punk pioneers including Dropkick Murphys and Bad Religion; metal masters like Gojira and Parkway Drive; and even rock radio mainstays like Rise Against and Alexisonfire.

And thankfully for their faithful, CBK has no interest in slowing down. Fresh from a run celebrating the 20th anniversary of their seminal second LP, Wake the Dead, in late 2025, the boys are keen to hit the road again across multiple continents later this year and well into 2027 – and this latest work will prove equally as chaotic and cathartic from the stage as it is the stereo. 

There’s still plenty to be angry about, but Chosen Hell is a masterclass in processing that pain and rage and outputting something truly transcendent – a reward for conquering the hardships we all encounter. And if Comeback Kid can carry forward this trend of continually exceeding their own standards, then we can only eagerly await what might come next… 

Defying a sadly and increasingly pervasive trend in today’s heavy music scene, Comeback Kid have managed to not only maintain but expand the energy and urgency of their groundbreaking debut and sophomore LPs over the course of a decorated 25+ year career. Luckily – at least for their fervidly loyal fanbase – there’s a lot to be angry about these days… 

Chosen Hell, the band’s eighth and latest LP, further distills the potency of the musical elements that have defined CBK since the beginning while once again evolving their creative spectrum, weaving in influences of blazing modern metal, piss-and-vinegar punk, and even vulnerable melodicism that adds compelling contrast to their longstanding and beloved sonic foundation.

“We’ve always been a band that understands and embraces our identity, but it’s also important to us that we keep pushing our boundaries,” begins frontman Andrew Neufeld. “In the past, there may have been ideas we stifled because we thought they were outside the core of what Comeback Kid should be, but we felt comfortable exploring those things this time around.”

The quintet, comprised of Neufeld, guitarists Jeremy Hiebert and Stu Ross, bassist Chase Brenneman, and drummer Terrance Pettitt, cut Chosen Hell with heralded producer/engineer Will Putney at his Graphic Nature Audio studio in New Jersey – an exercise that clearly elevated the impact, power, and passion of these 11 tracks. “He’s also been a supporter of ours from the get, so he knows where we’re coming from and really understood our vision,” shares Neufeld. “We all played to our strengths as best we could, and I think that’s really apparent in the final product.”

The album blasts out of the barrel with “Target on My Back,” immediately establishing the aural assault listeners have in store. Among the most potent and impactful offerings from a band that built their career on the back of tracks just like it, gut-wrenching growls contrast with subtle but soaring clean vocals for a blistering exercise in dynamism. 

“Vindication” brings the metal further to the forefront with zero decline in intensity, making clear the band aimed to outdo themselves this time around – and equally clear they soared past the target. 

Two selections add new names to Comeback Kid’s long and diverse list of guest vocalists, with Spiritbox frontwoman Courtney LaPlante injecting her raw guttural glory into “Shedding Season” while Incendiary’s Brendan Garrone augments the ferocity of “Yesterday’s Gone” with his trademark swagger.

The title track pairs deeply introspective lyricism atop a punishing aural arsenal, with CBK exploring the spectrum of morality and ethics – good and evil; right and wrong; and our collective ability to make choices between said extremes. “Sometimes we’re just incapable of choosing the ‘right’ thing, and we find ourselves in situations that hold us back and are detrimental to our own well-being,” Neufeld muses.  

Indeed, while there’s plenty in the world at large that’s worthy of wrath, much of Chosen Hell’s lyrical themes are deeply personal. “Heartland Elegy,” arguably the purest punk offering on the record, pays homage to longtime friend and former CBK bassist Matt Keil, who passed in 2025 following a 19-month bout with ALS. “Lost and Found” similarly delves into the deep anguish of personal loss and the traces of themselves that people leave behind, the track itself slowly decaying as Neufeld sings poignantly over a softly strummed acoustic guitar. 

“Overall, I was able to let my guard down a little bit while writing for this one, and took more input from everybody else,” adds Neufeld. “It was really collaborative that way, which is also kind of new for us.”

It’s that blend of familiar musical fury laced with novel elements that’s earned Comeback Kid its loyal following and overall longevity – along with their ability to relay said fury from the stage. Through the years, they’ve toured relentlessly alongside iconic acts from every corner of heavy music – hardcore icons like Hatebreed and Sick of It All; punk pioneers including Dropkick Murphys and Bad Religion; metal masters like Gojira and Parkway Drive; and even rock radio mainstays like Rise Against and Alexisonfire.

And thankfully for their faithful, CBK has no interest in slowing down. Fresh from a run celebrating the 20th anniversary of their seminal second LP, Wake the Dead, in late 2025, the boys are keen to hit the road again across multiple continents later this year and well into 2027 – and this latest work will prove equally as chaotic and cathartic from the stage as it is the stereo. 

There’s still plenty to be angry about, but Chosen Hell is a masterclass in processing that pain and rage and outputting something truly transcendent – a reward for conquering the hardships we all encounter. And if Comeback Kid can carry forward this trend of continually exceeding their own standards, then we can only eagerly await what might come next…