May Album Releases: Sevendust, Shinedown, Godsmack & More
One
5/1 Sevendust: One
The band’s fifteenth studio album features the single “Is This The Real You?”
“It was as honest, natural, and pure as any song can be,” said Sevendust guitarist John Connolly talking about “Is This Is The Real You?” “If you really want to know what Sevendust sounds like in 2026, ‘Is This The Real You?’ gives you a good idea.”
Is This The Real You?
Live At Mohegan Sun
5/1 Godsmack: Live At Mohegan Sun
Recorded live on October 26th, ’24 at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT, the show featured the band’s greatest hits and marked the final curtain for longtime members: guitarist Tony Rombola (guitar) and drummer Shannon Larkin.
The concert film is available as a Blu-ray/CD and on 2 LP vinyl.
When Legends Rose Live
Live Plus Five
5/1 The Dead Daisies: Live Plus Five
The album captures last year’s blistering performance at the U.K.’s Stonedead festival plus five bonus tracks from shows across Europe and the U.S.
Stonedead festival was one of the highlights featuring the latest setlist and songs from the history of the band including our last album ‘Lookin’ For Trouble’,” explained guitarist Doug Aldrich. “Now, we’ve gone next level and added five extra tracks from epic shows in the U.K., France and L.A.!”
Long Way To Go
5/1 Haste The Day: Dissenter
The Metalcore band’s seventh set features the tracks “Shallows” and “Oblivion.”
“‘Oblivion’ is a cinematic, apocalyptic Metalcore track that leans into scale and emotion,” comments the band. “The song balances heaviness with atmosphere, creating a sense of finality and awe. Lyrically, ‘Oblivion’ tells an apocalyptic love story — grappling with loss, reconnection, and what it means to step into the void at the end of all things.”
Oblivion
Geoff Tate
5/3 Geoff Tate: Operation Mindcrime III
It’s the third and final chapter in the “Operation: Mindcrime“ series. The first two Operation Mindcrime albums were created by Quennsryche. Tate got the Mindcrime rights when he left the band.
“I just hope everybody can give it a spin, check it out. And especially with headphones. It’s a wonderful headphone album,” Tate stated. “We spent a lot of time dialing all the details in that I find to be very important with the record. And it really sounds great with the mixing and the engineering on it. It’s so modern, so huge.”
Operation Mindcrime III
5/8 Black Veil Brides: Vindicate
“This record is rooted in the feelings of revenge and vindication,” notes frontman Andy Biersack of the band’s seventh studio album. “These are emotions that can either push us forward or hold us back. There’s a duality to them. They can fuel growth, drive ambition, and help us rise above what’s tried to break us, but they can also become destructive if we let them consume us. Each song explores a different side of that struggle.”
Vindicative
Certainty
“The record is heavy because it has to be for it to make sense with the narrative,” offered Biersack.
Born To Kill
5/8 Social Distortion: Born To Kill
The band’s long-awaited eighth album and first set in fifteen years is a signature blend of defiance and world-weariness.
The title track was the lead single.
Social Distortion’s debut album, “Mommy’s Lille Monster” dropped in ’83. It was their first to chart on the Billboard 200.
“Hard Times And Nursery Rhymes.” the band’s last album before “Born To Kill” was an ’11 release.
Born To Kill
Outstanding Power
5/8 Lovebites: Outstanding Power
“We are very excited to announce that we have signed a deal with Napalm Records,” stated the Japanese Power Metal band,. “Together with Napalm Records, whose passion for heavy Metal matches our own, we will ensure the success of our upcoming album, ‘Outstanding Power’.”
Lovebites formed in 2016. Asami (lead vocals) and Midori (guitars, backing vocals) are the only original members still with the band.
The Castaway
Emotion Factory Reset
5/22 Armored Saint: Emotion Factory Reset
“When we start coming up with songs, I always say we can do whatever we want,” commented singer John Bush. “Use all our influences through the years, diverse music that we listen to and love, and let that seep in and bring something new out of us. It leads to something more adventurous.”
“Every album has been pretty different from the previous one, a snapshot in time.,” added bassist Joey Vera.
Close To The Bone
A Clockwork Reverie
5/22 Vision Divine: A Clockwork Reverie
Frontman Michele Luppi left Vision Divine in ’08, after a five-year stand, and landed with Whitesnake. Luppi returned to Vision Devine last year.
A short time later, the band announced the departure of keyboardist Alessio Lucatti. As a result, Vision Divine announced the return of former keyboardist Oleg Smirnoff (’02- ’05).
The EP’s lead single was “18 (It Feels Like Heaven).”
18 (It Feels Like Heaven)
Ei8th
5/29 Shinedown: Ei8th
“This album is over a year in the making,” explained Shinedown singer Bretn Smith. “Without question, as a band we pushed ourselves like never before.”
The band’s eighth studio effort – hence the title – was produced and mixed by bassist Eric Bass making it the third album to be handled by Bass following “Attention! Attention!” and “Planet Zero.” It was written and recorded in Bass’ Big Animal Studio in Charleston, SC.
Dance, Kid, Dance
Safe And Sound
All In Now
5/29 Dogstar: All In Now
Dogstar, featuring actor Keanu Reeves, will release its fourth studio album. It’s the follow-up to the band’s first album in two decades, “Somewhere Between The Power Lines And Palm Trees,” which dropped in ’23.
“It felt like our last album was our ticket into a party,” says guitarist/vocalist Bret Domrose. “And now we’ve shown up to the party — the three of us.”
“‘All In Now’ just whacks you in the head,” shares drummer Rob Mailhouse.
All In Now
Be Sweet To Me
5/29 Violet Grohl: Be Sweet To Me
Grohl’s debut album features the tracks “THUM” and “595.”
David Wolter, EVP/head of A&R, added: “Violet brings a rare combination of perspective, artistry, and reverence for the craft. She is the future.”
Prior to the launch of her solo career, Grohl provided backing vocals on the Foo Fighters’ “Medicine At Midnight” and “But Here We Are” albums and performed as part of the tribute concerts for late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins.
THUM
595
5/29 Lynch Mob: The Final Ride
“Captured loud, raw, and exactly how it was meant to be heard, this is Lynch mob firing on all cylinders,” enthused guitarist and leader George Lynch.
In advance of the album, the band shared a live rendition of “Wicked Sensation.”
The live set follows last November’s release of Lynch Mob’s ninth full-length studio record “Dancing With The Devil.”
Wicked Sensation
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