Heavyweights go bare boned and gut level in NYC session
Pop Evil just took a hard left and it f**king works.
Ditching the amps and distortion for raw nerves and stripped bare vocals, the Michigan rockers have dropped Unleaded, a live acoustic EP recorded in New York City at the Cult of Individuality showroom. Hosted by SiriusXM Octane, the setting oozed denim, grit, and low light fitting for a session that pulls the curtains back on one of hard rock’s most enduring acts.
Known for ripping through stages with slick, fist-in-the-air anthems, Pop Evil show a different kind of muscle here. The walls of sound are gone. In their place? Vulnerability, space, and Leigh Kakaty’s voice carrying the emotional weight like a bruised prizefighter walking back into the ring.
The Unleaded EP features acoustic reworks of ‘What Remains’, ‘Paranoid (Crash & Burn)’, and ‘Wishful Thinking’, plus a left field cover of Simple Minds’ ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’ that feels more haunted than nostalgic. It’s not just a novelty unplugged session, it’s a full on reimagining of the band’s DNA. Delicate percussion, layered vocals, and stripped-back guitars shift the focus from riff to reflection.
“This was a chance to show our fans who we are underneath it all,” Kakaty said on air with Octane. And that’s exactly what this is: no pyro, no pretense, just grit, melody, and meaning.
Unleaded is a quiet flex. It proves Pop Evil can go from stadium crushers to soul bearers without missing a beat.
Tracklist – Unleaded
- ‘What Remains’ (Unleaded Version)
- ‘Paranoid (Crash & Burn)’ (Unleaded Version)
- ‘Wishful Thinking’ (Unleaded Version)
- ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’ (Reimagined Version)
Pop Evil – Summer & Fall 2025 Tour Dates
Pop Evil have a handful of dates heading our way:
July 3 – Traverse City, MI – National Cherry Festival
July 5 – Algona, IA – ABATE Freedom Rally
July 18 – Timmins, ON – Rock on the River
July 19 – Brantford, ON – Call Home Festival
July 26 – Grover Hill, OH – Wetzelland
August 2 – Davenport, IA – Mississippi Valley Fair
August 16 – Escanaba, MI – Upper Peninsula State Fair
October 5 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock Festival
Details/Tickets: https://popevil.com/
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