Whether on behalf of Dodge trucks, on the show “Animal Kingdom,” on behalf of Monster Energy, ESPN, in the video game Cyberpunk 2077, or just on the radio—you’ve probably heard The Cold Stares.  

For the past decade, The Cold Stares have toured the world relentlessly as a duo, blowing away audiences across the US and Europe with a fierce, blistering live show that belied their bare bones, guitar-and-drums setup. Now, the band is embracing a whole new kind of chemistry as they launch their next chapter, adding a third member and channeling the classic power trio sound they grew up on with their explosive new album.

We recently sat down with the band’s ridiculously talented frontman, founder, lead singer and guitarist Chris Tapp about the band’s newest album THE SOUTHERN that’s pretty great.