Welcome back, rock city! We’ve got a massive week of legendary returns, absolute ragers from thrash royalty, and stadium announcements that will absolutely wreck your bank accounts—and your eardrums. Grab a cold one, crank the volume, and let’s get into this week’s breakdown.
BACK FROM THE DEAD: The All-American Rejects Reclaim the Throne
It’s been 14 long years since alt-rock royalty The All-American Rejects dropped a proper full-length album, but the drought is officially over. This week marked the arrival of Sandbox, their highly anticipated new LP. If you were secretly craving that mid-2000s nostalgia hit mixed with a massive, matured alternative punch, Tyson Ritter and the boys have delivered. They are back to reclaim the alt-rock landscape, and Sandbox is already flying off the shelves on vinyl.
Z-Rock Take: “Gives You Hell” just got a whole new chapter. Go stream it right now.
THRASH ATTACK: Anthrax Drops No-Frills Rager “It’s For The Kids”
Think you’ve waited a while for new rock? New York’s finest thrashers Anthrax just proved that good things come to those who wait, dropping their first taste of new music in nearly a decade.
The new single, “It’s For The Kids,” is a four-minute, relentless assault that strips the band down to its absolute, heaviest essentials:
- Pounding, neck-snapping bass and drums.
- A blistering, wild guitar solo.
- Powerhouse, Dio-esque vocal athletics from the legendary Joey Belladonna.
If this is what the upcoming full album sounds like, our necks aren’t ready.
ON THE ROAD: Journey Announces Massive ‘Final Frontier’ Tour
Get ready to hold onto that feeling. Journey has just blown the doors off the touring circuit by announcing 40 brand-new North American dates for their “Final Frontier” Tour, stretching from September all the way through late November. No word on opening acts yet, but when you have a catalog of hits that can be heard from outer space, do you really even need support? Tickets go on sale this week—set your alarms.
Other Major Tour Announcements This Week:
- Black Veil Brides: Booked a massive 16-date second leg for their VINDICATE North American tour.
- Switchfoot & Anberlin: Teaming up for an epic co-headlining fall run starting in September.
- Stabbing Westward: Hitting the road in July to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Wither, Blister, Burn and Peel.
SHUT UP AND TAKE OUR MONEY: Mötley Crüe Trading Cards Are Coming
In the “we didn’t see this coming but we absolutely need it” category, Mötley Crüe has officially partnered with Japanese toy giant Epoch Company to launch a premium, exclusive trading card collection. Dropping this December, the cards will celebrate the band’s history and their current Return of the Carnival of Sins summer tour.
We aren’t talking basic cardboard here, either. The packs will feature high-end chase cards, including:
- Authentic, hand-signed autograph cards from the band.
- Concert-used memorabilia pieces, like embedded lanyards and actual stage-used guitar picks from Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars.
Start saving your pennies, collectors.
Z-ROCK FRESH CUTS: Tracks You Need in Your Rotation
Don’t let your playlist get stale. Here are three brand-new tracks that absolutely ripped our office apart this week:
- Five Finger Death Punch – “Eye Of The Storm”: A classic, stomping, angry 5FDP track packed with heavy riffs and a monster, hooky chorus from Ivan Moody.
- Peter Frampton (feat. Sheryl Crow) – “Carry the Light”: Frampton’s first new rock material in 16 years, and teaming up with Sheryl Crow makes this a masterclass in classic rock excellence.
- Split Chain – “Scatterbrain”: If you love the Nu-Metal / Shoegaze revival (think Deftones meets grungy hardcore), this Bristol outfit is about to become your new favorite band.
What are you hearing this weekend?
Are you blasting the new Rejects, or hitting the pit to Anthrax? Drop your comments below and let us know what tours you’re buying tickets for!
Stay Loud.
Leave a Reply