DERISION CULT returns with the explosive new single “Joker’s Wild” (Kings Are Dead), a genre-defying track that fuses Chicago blues call-and-response with massive industrial metal beats. Featuring guest performances from Chicago cowpunk legend Pete Berwick and Brazilian organist Ronaldo Rodrigues, the track is a high-voltage ride through rebellion, self-exploration, and the struggle to maintain personal integrity in a world that constantly distorts reality.
Originally demoed a decade ago, the song sat untouched until producer Sean Payne immediately saw its potential for thunderous drums and raw energy. What emerged is an electrifying fusion of Buddy Guy and Albert King-inspired blues dynamics ramped up to full industrial aggression. Instead of traditional blues guitar licks, the band brought in Rodrigues to lay down a swirling, URIAH HEEP/DEEP PURPLE-style organ solo, adding a vintage experimental texture reminiscent of ‘90s industrial pioneers like SISTER MACHINE GUN. Berwick, a Chicago music veteran known for pioneering cowpunk and writing the gonzo-style biography of ‘70s Illinois band THE BOYZ, delivers a beat poet-style rap that rounds out the track’s chaotic, high-energy feel.
Lyrically, “Joker’s Wild” wrestles with the meaning of existence, caught between rebellion and submission, clarity and confusion. It’s a song about revolutions—both internal and external—about breaking free from limitations and confronting false narratives. Lines like “drowning in the doubt I sweat” and “pumps the blood right through my veins” speak to the psychological toll of overstimulation in the digital age, the struggle to cut through the noise and see reality for what it is.
This single comes ahead of DERISION CULT’s upcoming EP, Mercenary Notes Pt 2, set for release on March 14, 2025. The follow-up to 2022’s Mercenary Notes Pt 1, the new EP continues the band’s hard-hitting fusion of thrash and industrial metal, tackling themes of AI, digital control, and the fragile state of personal freedom. With REEVES GABRELS (DAVID BOWIE, THE CURE) also contributing to the project, this release is set to push DERISION CULT’s sound to new heights.
“Joker’s Wild” (Kings Are Dead) is out now. Pre-orders for Mercenary Notes Pt 2 launch today at www.derisioncult.com. Watch the lyric video here: https://youtu.be/BAQhTrCj0Mg.
About DERISION CULT:
Formed in 2014, DERISION CULT has carved out a space in the industrial metal genre with their hard-hitting fusion of thrash guitars, industrial rhythms, and provocative social commentary. Led by frontman Dave McAnally, the band’s music addresses themes of media manipulation, technology, and survival in a rapidly evolving world. Signed to Glitch Mode Recordings in 2021, DERISION CULT continues to push boundaries, collaborating with prominent names in industrial music such as Reeves Gabrels and Justin Broadrick.
DERISION CULT is:
- Dave McAnally – Vocals, Guitars, Programming
- Sean Payne – Production, Synths, Programming, Backing Vocals
- Brad Huston – Guitars, Programming
- Jesse Hunt – Percussion
Album Credits:
- Produced by: Sean Payne
- Recording Studio: Glitch Mode Recordings
- Engineered by: Brad Huston
- Mastered by: Sean Payne, Brad Huston
- Album Artwork: Jim Marcus
- Featured Guests:
- Reeves Gabrels (DAVID BOWIE, THE CURE) – Lead guitars on “Warning Signs” and “Radiation Blues”
- Pete Berwick – Vocals on “Joker’s Wild (And Kings Are Dead)” and “Influence”
- Ronaldo Rodriguez – Organ on “Joker’s Wild (And Kings Are Dead)”
- Justin Broadrick (GODFLESH, JESU) – Remix of “Warning Signs”
- Cyanotic – Remix of “Radiation Blues”
Tracklist:
- “Where Are You Now?”
- “Joker’s Wild (And Kings Are Dead)”
- “Warning Signs”
- “Radiation Blues”
- “Influence”
- “Abdication Day”
- “Warning Signs (Justin Broadrick Mix)”
- “Radiation Blues (Cyanotic Mix)”