New & Noteworthy: Bright as Metal Releases - 8/15

New & Noteworthy is Metal Insider’s column highlighting some of the newest rock and metal releases coming out. The last couple of weeks have seen new music from the likes of Good Charlotte, Halestorm, Attack! Attack!, Babymetal, Chevelle, Rise Against, Ellefson-Soto and Incite among the many outstanding works hitting shelves. Don’t forget to check out our playlist below. Enjoy!

August 15, 2025

August 15, 2025 Release Highlights:

Chevelle. Bright As Blasphemy (Alchemy):
The rock band takes production into their own hands with their 10th studio effort. Said the band about the album, “Human Existence encompasses both inherent challenges and potential. It’s up to you how to pass the time.”

Rise Against, Ricochet (Loma Vista):
The punk band’s 10th studio album is, according to frontman Tim McIlrath, “about our collective inter-connectedness,” saying “We started with the title track and that being about how we’re all — whether we like it or not — stuck in the same room, so to speak. Everything you do is going to affect somebody; everything you throw will affect the next person. We’re connected to other countries, other economies; we’re connected to undocumented immigrants. We’re connected to every decision our leaders make. It’s all one big ricochet effect.”

Ellefson-Soto, Unbreakable (Rat Pak):
The duo of metal heavyweights David Ellefson and Jeff Scott Soto return with their second collaborative album, which their label describes as “a sonic assault packed with catchy riffs, melodic vocals, and thoughtful lyrics that blends their classic metal roots with modern rock intensity.”

Incite, Savage New Times (Reigning Phoenix):
The groove/thrash metal band’s sixth studio effort is described as the “heaviest, most unforgiving chapter in their legacy. With razor-sharp guitars, bone-crushing breakdowns, and riot-inciting anthems, this record is built for battle – unyielding, unrelenting, and unapologetically brutal.”