Mudvayne, one of the most ferociously inventive bands to erupt from the early-2000s nu-metal explosion, have finally broken their silence. Sixteen years after their last release, the band has returned with “Hurt People Hurt People,” a bruising, tightly coiled track that reasserts their place in heavy music while hinting at a fresh chapter.
Mudvayne frontman Chad Gray stated about the track: “I think I wrote this song as a reminder to myself to break the cycle. We create our own suffering, our own hurt. It’s time for us to create self-love and let go of the pain. It was never ours to begin with.”
Produced by Nick Raskulinecz — the studio veteran behind landmark records from Korn and Alice in Chains — the single channels the precision chaos that defined Mudvayne’s rise. The riffs lurch forward with jagged menace, Chad Gray’s vocals seethe with raw-tortured screams, and the rhythm section churns with the math-metal complexity that once set them apart. For longtime fans, it’s both a nostalgic gut punch and a great addition to the Mudvayne musical catalog.
The release also signals a new business era for Mudvayne. “Hurt People Hurt People” arrives via Alchemy Recordings, a new label helmed by former American Recordings A&R executive Dino Paredes and Danny Wimmer, the impresario behind some of America’s biggest rock festivals. With Alchemy already boasting acts like Staind and Chevelle, Mudvayne’s comeback single instantly positions the label as a home for modern heavyweights.
That Mudvayne went more than a decade and a half without releasing new music only sharpens the impact. Since reuniting in 2021 after a long hiatus, they’ve teased fans with live appearances, but the lack of new material hung like a question mark. Now, with “Hurt People Hurt People,” the answer is clear: Mudvayne aren’t just back, they’re intent on reclaiming their spot in metal.