This fall, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus mark a new milestone in their two-decade career with the release of X’s For Eyes, due out October 3 through Better Noise Music. The album brings together both familiar collaborators from their early years and a handful of fresh voices, creating a body of work that feels rooted in their legacy but not confined by it.
The record is anchored by singles that already hint at its range. “Slipping Through (No Kings)” brims with urgency, pairing sharp riffs with socially conscious lyrics that channel frustration and resilience. The video expands the idea visually with “X boy” and “X girl,” characters who navigate a world where voices are silenced — a metaphor for fighting back against disillusionment.
The follow-up single, “X’s For Eyes,” takes a more personal turn. Heavy guitars drive the song forward, but it’s the emotional plea in the chorus that leaves a mark. There’s a raw honesty in the lyrics, offering hope to someone standing on the edge, and it’s delivered with the kind of intensity that has defined Ronnie Winter’s voice for twenty years.
Longtime fans will find a special treat here too: The Lost Songs. These are tracks written before the band’s breakthrough in 2006, finally getting their first official release. They capture the youthful energy of a band on the rise, while sitting comfortably alongside the newer material. Together, they create a bridge between the past and present, giving the album a sense of full-circle storytelling.
Musically, X’s For Eyes doesn’t sit still. There are anthemic rockers built for singalongs, darker cuts that lean into post-hardcore grit, and more reflective moments that slow the pace without losing momentum. The mix of old and new feels deliberate, showing that the band still knows how to evolve without losing the qualities that made their debut such a staple of the scene.
For a group with Platinum records and two decades under their belt, this album feels less like a victory lap and more like a bold continuation. X’s For Eyes is an album that blends nostalgia with reinvention, proving The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus still have plenty left to say, and plenty of ways to surprise their audience.
X’s For Eyes wastes no time showing that The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus still know how to balance melody with muscle. The album opens with “Always the King,” a track that layers clean harmonies over subtle guitar lines before erupting into heavier hooks that appear and fade like flashes of lightning. It’s a restrained but dynamic start.
Things shift quickly with “Purple Halo,” where sharp guitar riffs and a soaring chorus feel instantly familiar to longtime fans. Ronnie Winter’s voice remains the centerpiece, and the screams that cut through later in the song remind us that the band hasn’t lost its edge. “Perfection” leans harder on drums and guitars out of the gate, then pulls back for a catchier, vocal-driven chorus. The instrumentation occasionally overshadows the vocals, but a recurring guitar hook keeps the track grounded.
The title track, “X’s For Eyes”, drives forward with a constant back-and-forth between guitars and vocals, an interplay that builds to a fast, head-nodding chorus. It’s one of the most immediate songs on the record, even as some lyrics blur into the urgency of the performance. “Bad Beat” follows with higher-register vocals and clever guitar interplay, ending with an unexpected twist — a climactic buildup saved for the song’s close, fading away instead of resolving neatly.
From there, the familiar single “Slipping Through (No Kings)” anchors the album’s thematic weight before giving way to “Home Improvement.” This track plays with contrast, sharp riffs giving way to quieter moments of guitar picking before building momentum back into harmony. “Twenty Hour Drive” experiments with distorted textures and layered harmonies, letting instrumentation take the lead while keeping Winter’s clean vocals just present enough to cut through.
The band loosens up on “Kins and Carroll,” a pop-punk leaning cut with punchy guitars and an earworm chorus. “Getting By” stands out with its shifting moods, moving from crisp, clean vocals over laid-back grooves to funk-inspired rhythms and finally into a harder, more urgent chorus. It’s playful but still packs a punch.
The album closes strong with “Worth It,” featuring Craig Mabbitt of Escape the Fate. A soaring collaboration, it combines sweeping vocals, intricate guitar lines, and an explosive scream-driven finale. A standout guitar solo cements it as a high-energy closer, leaving the record on a powerful note.
Across X’s For Eyes, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus strike a balance between nostalgia and reinvention. There are nods to the band’s post-hardcore roots, melodic anthems that feel tailor-made for singalongs, and experiments that keep the record from ever feeling predictable. It’s a varied and ambitious album that proves the band isn’t resting on past success, they’re still pushing forward, still evolving, and still delivering music with both heart and bite.
