Rock is not dead. Certainly not to Kraddy. For someone who still listens to Led Zeppelin on the reg, giant riffs and ballsy drums will always be in style. Matthew Kratz recently put out a mix of his favorite skate tunes, chock full of Bad Brains and Sepultura, so of course his new tracks are going to reflect that inner teen that yearns for Tom Morello-esque sludge riffs and reverb-laden Bonham snare.

"Black Box" is our first glimpse of Anthems of the Hero. It's big, it's brash, and we have to assume the inspiration came from endless hours of playing Guitar Hero on the tour bus. Even the beautiful artwork is eerily reminiscent of fake strings and buttons. Click click click! "Box" is unlike anything else we're hearing, and it's full of slow builds, sudden drops, and straight up rock 'n' roll. The gutiar is screaming back into fashion, and Kraddy is holding the reins. Or the pick. Or whatever makes that metaphor make sense. It's only a matter of time before Ben Samples throws acapellas from "Jukebox Hero" all over this. The album is out Oct. 10th.

Kraddy - Black Box