Today, Tampa-based hardcore thrashers, Cold Steel is proud to announce its debut album, “Discipline & Punish”. Produced by Arthur Rizk (Power Trip, Blood Incantation), this new full-length will be out on November 7th, 2025, via Spinefarm.
To celebrate the announcement, Cold Steel also unleashes a ferocious new single, “No Escape”, accompanied by a music video, available below.
On the new single, Cold Steel comments:
“‘No Escape’ focuses on the struggle of being yourself, the trap of becoming something you’re not, and the balance between being authentic and survival. We didn’t choose to be here, but we can choose how we play the game. We’re conditioned not to question the things around us, to fall in line and bury emotions deep. We build walls so high that we can no longer see our way out. There’s a lot in this track about identity, pressure, control, and realizing that if you don’t confront what you’ve been running from, it will eventually catch up to you”.
Cold Steel s patented brand of aggressive, hardcore thrash metal takes no prisoners on “Discipline & Punish”, the band’s full-length debut for Spinefarm. To bring the album to life, the group decamped to Philadelphia and teamed with producer Arthur Rizk (Blood Incantation, Power Trip, Cavalera). In the studio, they drew on influences like Metallica, Machine Head, and Slipknot while sharpening and solidifying their own signature sound.
On the production/mixing of “Discipline & Punish” and working with Cold Steel, Arthur Rizk comments:
“Working with Cold Steel was a lot of fun, mainly because of their attitude towards making the record. They were fully immersed and willing to go down every avenue until something memorable was achieved. Getting to collaborate with Matt Heafy was a killer experience for everyone, as he encouraged and helped with a lot of decisions. Coming from a super successful artist, that kind of validation kept the process powerful”.
Trivium’s Matt Heafy, who contributed to pre-production and arrangements while advising the band, exclaims:
“Cold Steel are a band who could change the face and sound of heavy music. Their sound defies barriers: metal kids like them, punk kids like them, hardcore kids like them. They live authentically and unapologetically in their own world and are ready to show the masses what they do best – and that’s being themselves. Get into Cold Steel if you haven’t… now”.
Pre-order & pre-save “Discipline & Punish” here.
Tracklist:
1. No Escape
2. Protocol
3. Front to Enemy
4. Blacksmith of Damnation
5. Killing Season
6. Vantage Point
7. Return to Agony
8. Fever Dreaming
9. Smoking Mirrors
10. The Coldest Death
Hailing from Tampa, Florida, ground zero for generations of extreme music, Cold Steel delivers a relentless fusion of thrash riffs, hardcore breakdowns, and metalcore muscle that they have coined “aggressive metal”.
Formed in 2021, the six-piece, consisting of Jose Menendez (vocals), Rafael “Rafi” Carbonell (guitar), Shawn Wallen (guitar), Janpierre Mojica (bass), Rafael Calderon (guitar), and Brandon Thrift (drums), quickly built a following through their explosive early EPs “Will of Spiritual Cleansing” (2021) and “Deeper Into Greater Pain” (2023), which featured fan-favorite tracks like “Bad Beat”, “Evil Eye”, and “Full Tilt”.
Their fourth show ever saw them open for Trivium, thanks to a fan poll vote, and since then, they’ve hit stages with the likes of Obituary and Weekend Nachos. Known for their high-intensity performances and no-compromise sound, Cold Steel now brings their next chapter to life under the Spinefarm banner with their debut full-length album, “Discipline & Punish”.
Line-up:
Jose Menendez – Vocals
Rafael “Rafi” Carbonell – Guitar
Shawn Wallen – Guitar
Janpierre Mojica – Bass
Rafael Calderon – Guitar
Brandon Thrift – Drum
