PRESS
Chemical Burn continue to craft pulverizing metal packed with blistering riffs, hammering groove, and an unrelenting sense of urgency. Following the impact of their previous release Raining Anvils, the Bay Area thrashers now return with their most explosive statement yet: the upcoming album The Fury, set for release on Friday, May 22, 2026.
The road to The Fury has been anything but smooth. In the years since Raining Anvils, the global COVID-19 pandemic brought momentum to a halt, delaying new music and forcing a period of reflection. During that time, vocalist/bassist Mike Garnica used the downtime to mentally reset and refocus his creative vision. What followed was an intense and determined push forward—one that would ultimately redefine the band.
Amidst that rebuilding came an unexpected and devastating blow: a sudden accident forced longtime drummer Kevin Jackson into retirement, marking the end of a powerful creative era for the band. Rather than stall, Garnica pressed on, channeling that upheaval into something heavier, sharper, and more aggressive.
Working closely with Andy Green, whose drummer’s mindset helped shape the rhythmic foundation, Garnica rebuilt Chemical Burn’s sonic core from the ground up. The result is a crushing, explosive drumming approach marked by precision, power, and almost dancer-like footwork on the pedals.
The band also welcomes two formidable new forces on The Fury: Mark Miller, whose fiery and relentless drumming drives the album’s intensity, and Kosta Varvatakis, delivering searing, shredding electric guitar solos that push the band’s sound into new territory.
To capture this renewed ferocity, Chemical Burn returned to work with acclaimed producer Juan Urteaga, this time at Trident Studios. Known for his work with Testament, Machine Head, and Exodus, Urteaga once again helped channel the band’s raw energy into a focused sonic assault. “We pushed everything further this time,” says Garnica. “The songs hit harder, the energy is more intense, and the emotion behind it all is real. Juan didn’t just capture it—he amplified it.”
The Fury stands as both a testament to resilience and a declaration of intent. Where Raining Anvils explored struggle and rebirth, this new chapter embodies confrontation, survival, and unleashing everything that’s been building beneath the surface.
“This album comes from a place of pressure, loss, and rebuilding,” Garnica explains. “But instead of breaking, it turned into something aggressive and alive. This is the sound of everything we went through—set on fire.”
With The Fury, Chemical Burn emerge sharpened, tested, and more dangerous than ever.
"Groovy thrash that occasionally veers towards some metalcore-ish territory is what you’ll find on Chemical Burn’s Raining Anvils. Addictive, heavy, and chock full of monstrous riffing is probably an even better way to describe it."
— Kyle McGinn, Dead Rhetoric
"excellent effort that brings everything I love about straight up heavy metal. Nothing fancy or experimental, just some good old kicking ass and taking names."
— Bradley D, The Circle Pit
“Talk about an album that truly fits what we are all about here, this album is definitely loud and heavy!”
— Mark Keane, Loud And Heavy
“Every sweat and fiber from the band was poured into making this album the best they could and it shows. The level of quality within the context of clear-coating a machine that churns out some excellent songs is evident.”
— Andrew Duncan, Selective Memory Magazine
"Combining powerful grooves with tried-and-true metal riffs, the thrash trio are bringing you an album that easily eclipses their 2005 effort. For fans of Lamb of God and Max Cavalera‘s work in Sepultura and Cavalera Conspiracy, Chemical Burn are ready to bring down some hammers with their own brand of head-bobbingly solid metal."
— Kyle Gaddo, Heavy Blog Is Heavy