BONEYARD bring stories of personal survival, social struggle and fictional adventure together on their second album, Black Static. The Canadian hard rock and melodic metal band's October 22 announcement set October 23, 2026 as the digital and CD release date, with vinyl details to be announced later. The nine-track record follows the previously released singles “Before the Fall,” “Compass Points to War” and “Hanging Tree.”
The musical approach draws on 1980s hard rock and heavy metal alongside elements of 1990s punk and rock. Drummer Jefftimus describes the intention directly: “We wanted to create something that bridges modern female-fronted hard rock with traditional heavy metal.”
Its more personal material includes “Left Me to Drown,” which draws on bassist Lezzy Osbourne's experiences with toxic and abusive relationships. The song uses a pirate-ship metaphor to address survival, transformation and empowerment. “Not this Way (Joel's Song)” takes another perspective: inspired by the true story of a man named Joel, it addresses schizophrenia, addiction and homelessness through the voice of his grieving mother.
“Pamtera and I often draw inspiration from painful personal experiences as well as difficult collective issues like human trafficking and deteriorating mental health. At the same time, we always try to weave hope and positivity into those stories,” Lezzy explains in the announcement.
“Before the Fall” extends that outlook to corruption, inequality, war and exploitation, with a message of unity and hope for future generations. Its accompanying video addresses human trafficking and missing and murdered Indigenous persons.
Elsewhere, the band turns to fictional adventure. “Hanging Tree” uses outlaws, gunfights and gallows humor in a tongue-in-cheek Western setting, while “Compass Points to War” centers on maritime battle and pirate warfare, with riffs and gang vocals supporting the narrative.
Black Static is the first full release featuring Lezzy and lead guitarist Garhardt. They join singer and guitarist Pamtera and drummer Jefftimus, with the announcement highlighting the newer members' contributions to the writing.
“Black Static is an extension of Oathbreaker, featuring another diverse collection of songs while showcasing the unique contributions of Lezzy and Garhardt. The new lineup and album are quite different from Oathbreaker, and we're excited for fans to hear where the band has gone,” Jefftimus says.
Pamtera and Jefftimus founded BONEYARD in 2015. Their independently released debut, Oathbreaker, subsequently received an international re-release through Italy's WormHoleDeath Records in 2022, including distribution in Japan. The band has shared stages with 96 Bitter Beings, KingDoom and Deadwolff. The current announcement also notes that the lineup includes a Métis drummer and a member of the LGBTQ+ community.
Calgary artist Tom Bagley returned to create the album artwork, continuing his work from Oathbreaker and incorporating the band's mascot, Misty Bone. “We give Tom a concept involving Misty Bone, and he always hits it out of the park,” Jefftimus adds.
The running order is “Met You in a Dream,” “Left Me to Drown,” “Ready for a Change,” “Not this Way (Joel's Song),” “Blood in the Bond,” “Before the Fall,” “Hanging Tree,” “Compass Points to War” and “Before the Fall (Piano Rendition).” The piano rendition closes the album by returning to one of its preceding singles.