News

Chicago punk band The Effigies have announced Fire Aim Ready, their sixth studio album and first release featuring new lead vocalist Geoff Sabin. The album follows the death of founding vocalist John Kezdy in 2023 and is scheduled for release October 23 via Chicago independent label Pravda Records.

Recorded at Million Yen Studios in Chicago, Fire Aim Ready was produced, engineered and mixed by guitarist Andy Gerber. The album will be available on 12-inch vinyl, CD, digital download and streaming services.

The songs were written during sessions between live dates in late 2025 and recorded quickly, with the band aiming to capture the immediacy of the material. The album draws on the riff-heavy punk and metal influences associated with The Effigies’ 1980s work, pairing aggressive vocals with lyrics addressing contemporary social and political conditions. It also features a cover of a song by The Stranglers, reflecting one of the band’s early influences.

Fire Aim Ready is the band’s first release since Burned, issued in 2024 and featuring Kezdy. Following his death, The Effigies recruited Sabin as lead vocalist while continuing to perform and develop new material. The band’s recent live appearances have included Riot Fest, Rebellion and Punk Rock Bowling, as well as a regional tour with The Black Crowes and shows across the United States.

Formed in Chicago in 1980, The Effigies are regarded as an important early band in the city’s punk scene. Their early releases—including the 1981 Haunted Town EP, the 1982 “Body Bag”/“Security” single and 1983’s We’re Da Machine—helped establish their presence in the emerging Midwest punk community. Over subsequent decades, they shared stages with acts including Naked Raygun, Big Black, Circle Jerks, Black Flag, The Cramps and Public Image Ltd.

The band’s sound has incorporated elements of post-punk, hardcore and metal while retaining a punk foundation. With Fire Aim Ready, The Effigies enter a new phase with Sabin at the microphone while continuing the musical direction established over more than four decades.

Fire Aim Ready will be released October 23 on Pravda Records.