Jul 20, 2026 · By Justin Pickrell
Walls of Jericho Are Back and Kurt Ballou Recorded It
Walls of Jericho have announced System Error: Humanity, their first studio album in more than ten years. Fifteen songs, out November 13 via Napalm Records, produced by Kurt Ballou. Lead single The Ascent is out now with a video.
It is the follow-up to 2016's No One Can Save You From Yourself — a long time to be gone for a band that spent the 2000s being one of the few metalcore acts that never once sounded like it was performing toughness.
Why does the Kurt Ballou credit matter?
Because Ballou does not polish bands, he catches them. The Converge guitarist's production work (Nails, and a long list of others) is defined by leaving the ugliness in — drums that sound like they are in a room, guitars with edges still on them. Pairing that with a band whose entire reputation is built on their live show is the correct decision, and vocalist Candace Buckingham said as much: the goal was to capture the chaos, intensity, and raw energy of our live show rather than chase perfection.
Who is on the record?
Two guest spots worth flagging. Randy Blythe of Lamb of God appears on Broken Mouths Can't Speak, and Guy Kozowyk of The Red Chord turns up on the title track. Both are the kind of features that make sense on paper and on tape — no clean-vocal chorus imports, no streaming-playlist bait.
What is 'The Ascent' about?
Buckingham described it as a crushing blend of dissonant riffs, massive breakdowns, and raw intensity, and framed the lyrics around confronting yourself one hard truth at a time — shedding ego, silencing the noise, and finding that real strength is not at the summit but in the discipline and honesty it takes to climb.
That is a more useful idea than most of what gets shouted from a stage. The summit is a photograph. The climb is the part that actually changes you, and it is mostly unglamorous, unwitnessed, and repetitive. Same reason nobody films the fourth set.
The details
- Album: System Error: Humanity, 15 songs.
- Out: November 13, 2026 via Napalm Records.
- Producer: Kurt Ballou (Converge, Nails).
- Previous LP: No One Can Save You From Yourself, 2016.
- Guests: Randy Blythe (Lamb of God), Guy Kozowyk (The Red Chord).
- Formed: Detroit, 1998.
Source: No Echo.
Twenty-eight years in and still not soft. Respect the standard — the Barbell tee, or everything else.
FAQ
When is the new Walls of Jericho album out?
November 13, 2026, via Napalm Records. It is titled System Error: Humanity and contains 15 songs.
Who produced System Error: Humanity?
Kurt Ballou, the Converge guitarist known for his production work with Nails and a long list of hardcore and metal bands.
How long has it been since the last Walls of Jericho record?
More than ten years. Their previous full-length, No One Can Save You From Yourself, was released in 2016. The band formed in Detroit in 1998.
Editorial coverage. Deadweight is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists featured. All music and media belongs to the respective artists and labels.
More from Deadweight
Strength News · The Pit · The Work · Shop all