Shinedown
EI8HT

THE REVIEW

Time passes, music changes and evolves, and so do the tastes and needs of the audience. Staying at the top for more than twenty years is no easy feat, and when it happens, nothing is accidental.

In this context, Shinedown rightfully take their place—an unbreakable quartet from Jacksonville, led by charismatic frontman Brent Smith. With him are the crafty Zach Myers, a six-string virtuoso, multi-instrumentalist bassist Eric Bass (omen nomen), and the dynamic rasta drummer Barry Kerch. The band holds the all-time record for number ones on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart and the Mediabase Active Rock Chart, and has collected platinum records with albums like “The Sound of Madness” and “Amaryllis”.

The secret to such longevity is tied to the concept of family claimed by the band: a harmony and chemistry that have always allowed them to grow and evolve, without any friction or dangerous drift. While some “colleague” bands have settled indefinitely into their own personal “comfort zones,” Shinedown have continued experimenting, without abandoning their own identity. Today, that identity is more closely associated with alternative rock, compared to the hard rock of their earlier work; another proof that success is possible by always questioning oneself.

On May 29th, 2026, “EI8HT” comes out— the band’s eighth studio release, four years after “Planet Zero”, its colossal and worthy predecessor, which featured no less than twenty tracks. Again, the tracklist is extensive—this time, eighteen songs make up a little more than an hour of truly diverse music.

Produced by Eric Bass (who is also co-writer) for Atlantic Records and recorded at his Big Animal Studios in Charleston, the album alternates heavy riffs with dreamy melodies, creating an engaging narrative thread that always keeps the listener interested and never bored. The piano lines in the opening “At The Bottom”, also by Mr. Bass, usher in the album in a theatrical fashion.

Tracks like “Dance, Kid, Dance”, “Safe And Sound”, and “Burning Down The Disco” (the latter featuring distorted riffs and a nod to Seventies sounds), as well as “Machine Gun” (showcasing a synth-driven side and riffs reminiscent of the best Rise Against), make up the most wild and electrifying part of the setlist. Interspersed are the ballads “Three Six Five”, “Searchlight” (a real caress), “Back To The Living” and the beautiful closing track “The Pilot”, with notes that strongly recall “Nobody’s Wife” sung by the energetic, blonde Anouk, a few decades ago.

“Deep End” is a particularly positive surprise, with keyboards and a resonant voice giving a wink to the most recent works by Depeche Mode.

“Young Again”, “Imposter”, “Outlaw”, “Killing Fields”, “Back To The Living” and “Wide Open”, all sharing a syncopated rhythm, dedicate themselves to personal reflection, much like “Bear With Me”, which is more light-hearted and cheerful compared to the previous ones. The themes dealt with once again concern mental health and the worries every human being harbors about the times we are living through—where the way forward is still uncertain. “Safe And Sound”, the smash hit and lead single, pushes us to be competitive; through determined and aggressive words it gives us a friendly slap, letting us know that we must take care of ourselves and prove our worth to everyone. There’s also a celebration of life’s cornerstones, as in “Dizzy”, a delicate dedication to the most important person in our lives, the one who accompanies us on this one-way journey.

Asked about the nature of the eighteen tracks, Brent Smith explained how important it is to excite the audience as a whole, touching every chord and every taste. If the previous two records (“Planet Zero” and “Attention Attention”) were concept albums with interconnected tracks, this latest album returns to tradition and each song tells a story different from the others.

The creative process took a year and a half of work, and according to the frontman, the end result is a real “emotional rollercoaster”— something confirmed by those who have already listened to the album several times, this reviewer included.

The cover art, very essential yet highly poetic (it reminds me of Bansky’s most famous work), features a bunch of colorful flowers, ideally gifted to all the fans and everyone who has joined the journey with this latest effort.

“EI8HT” is ultimately a complete, very well-structured record, aggressive yet also fun and thoroughly emotive. It raises the bar once again and reminds us that, even as time passes, resting on our laurels is never mandatory.

Shinedown will return to Europe after a seven-year absence, including a single Italian date in November at Milan’s Alcatraz. For fans, it will be an especially emotional return; for those hearing the twenty-song, two-hour set live for the first time (as promised by the band), it will surely be a pleasant discovery.