MADBALL vocalist Freddy Cricien has discussed the making of the New York hardcore band's tenth studio album, "Not Your Kingdom", released in July 2026 via Nuclear Blast. The record represents a significant evolution from their 1994 debut "Set It Off", with Cricien reflecting on how the band's increased experience and self-knowledge led to a considerably more confident and relaxed recording process than their early days.

Cricien highlighted that the songwriting and recording for "Not Your Kingdom" benefited from the band's maturity and clear identity after decades in the industry. The album, which was recorded in Nashville with producer Andrew Baylis following an eight-year gap since their previous release, features exclusively new compositions—though some had been written years prior whilst waiting for the right time to record. The pandemic contributed to the lengthy delay between records, but Cricien stressed that the band ultimately felt ready to move forward with the project.