California hardcore powerhouse LIONHEART will release "Valley of Death II" on January 9 via Arising Empire, delivering a punishing sequel to 2020's "Valley of Death" that established them as one of the hardest-hitting bands in modern hardcore. The ten-track album features crushing grooves and merciless riffs that draw from the intersection of hardcore, beatdown, and heavy metal, creating a sound that is as devastating in the pit as it is through headphones.
The guest features elevate the album's intensity to another level: Matt Honeycutt of KUBLAI KHAN TX contributes his savage vocal style to "Chewing Through the Leash," while A DAY TO REMEMBER appear on the devastating closer "Death Grip," a collaboration that bridges the gap between hardcore's underground credibility and mainstream heavy music appeal. These collaborations demonstrate LIONHEART's ability to command respect across different scenes within heavy music.
To celebrate the release, LIONHEART embarks on a European headline tour in January with hardcore legends MADBALL, GIDEON, and SLOPE. The touring package is a statement of intent — MADBALL are NYHC royalty with a legacy stretching back to the mid-1980s, and sharing a bill with them positions LIONHEART as torchbearers of the hardcore tradition. The album establishes LIONHEART in full domination mode with an even darker, heavier, and more confrontational atmosphere than its predecessor. For a band that has built their reputation on uncompromising heaviness and street-level authenticity, "Valley of Death II" appears to be the definitive statement of their artistic vision.