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Kiss the Machine
2025 studio album by Puddle of Mudd From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Kiss the Machine is the ninth studio album by American post-grunge band Puddle of Mudd, released on May 2, 2025, through Pavement Entertainment.[2] The album serves as the follow up to 2023's Ubiquitous and is the first new release to feature the band's completely new lineup after lead singer Wes Scantlin fired all the instrumental band's members in 2024, after he claimed they allegedly booked a nation-wide Puddle of Mudd tour without his knowledge or consent, and further claims that one former bandmate roofied him earlier in the year.[3][4]
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Background and production
Recording for Kiss the Machine began in the Fall of 2024 and continued throughout early 2025.[5] The album was co-produced by lead singer Wes Scantlin, who described the process as a “moment of clarity,” involving long nights in the studio and a focus on emotional honesty. “I was there night after night... making sure every part of it felt authentic” Scantlin said, calling the album a reflection of his personal growth and resilience.[6]
The project was developed after a period of turbulence within the band.[7] In 2024, Scantlin fired the entire previous lineup of Puddle of Mudd, citing unauthorized tour bookings and alleging misconduct by the band's former management.[8]
Scantlin stated that Kiss the Machine was created with the intention of pushing boundaries. “We wanted to mix and match different styles together, have fun, and just create something fresh,” he said.[9]
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Composition and sound
Kiss the Machine features nine tracks and runs for 30 minutes. Musically, the album combines post-grunge with melodic hard rock. The sound is intentionally stripped-down, leaning into raw production and emotional performance. Tracks like “Beautimous” and “Maniac” deliver gritty riffs and energetic vocals, while songs like “Free” and “Firefly” adopt a more laid-back tone. The lyrics explore themes of regret, rebellion, and heartbreak, echoing the band’s previous releases.[10]
Reviewers noted that some songs experiment with unexpected elements, such as “Back Against the Wall,” which includes trap-beats. Scantlin’s vocal delivery is unpolished by design, a style some critics see as authentic and others describe as polarizing.
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Release and promotion
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The album’s lead single, "Beautimous", was released digitally on April 18, 2025, ahead of the full album release date.[11] Puddle of Mudd played the song live four times in its full lineup. A music video for the song premiered on YouTube on May 12, 2025, directed by Phil Varone.[12] "Beautimous" was later sent to Active/Mainstream Rock radio, appearing on the Secondary Market Rock Chart's “Going for Adds” list during the week of June 10, 2025.[13]
An unknown song entitled "Kiss The Machine" was played live twice prior to the album's release. However, it was not included in the final track list of the actual album. To support the album, the band announced a summer 2025 tour. Appearances included headlining the 32nd annual Crawfish Music Festival alongside Hinder and Marcy Playground, performing at the inaugural Boardwalk Rock Festival with Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Halestorm, Chevelle, and Flyleaf.[14] The band also announced additional tour dates with Everclear and Eve 6.[15][16]
As part of a grassroots promotional effort, Scantlin visited a Jiffy Lube in late April 2025 to preview the lead single, “Beautimous,” for his friend and employee Sampson.[17] In a video, Scantlin jokes with Sampson before playing the song, who dances and offers enthusiastic approval. Scantlin then introduced the song to other staff members, including one employee unfamiliar with Puddle of Mudd who reacted positively and took a selfie with him. Another employee recognized Scantlin and gave him a fist bump. Fans and media were surprised by the rare lighthearted and genuine moment for the singer, contrasting with his often controversy-laden public image and long track record of arrests.[18][19]
Critical reception
Kiss the Machine received mixed to moderately positive early feedback from critics. Screamer Magazine noted that the album “leans heavily into their post-grunge roots,” praising its raw production while acknowledging it likely won't convert longtime skeptics.[21]
CrypticRock gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, calling it “a high-quality rock album that lives up to the best material that Puddle of Mudd has put out in the past,” and praised the emotional honesty behind the stripped-down sound.[20]
Stargazer Music Magazine awarded the album a perfect 10/10 score, highlighting the lead single “Beautimous” as a standout track full of “obsession and chaos” with “lust tangled with pain” and “fame clouded by longing.”[22][23]
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Controversies
The album's release was preceded by a series of controversies involving lead singer Wes Scantlin.[24] In March 2025, he was arrested in Torrance, California on charges of felony domestic violence and drug possession.[25] TMZ reported the incident involved a physical altercation with his girlfriend, with law enforcement later discovering a controlled substance during the arrest.[26]
Earlier that month, Scantlin blamed a failed performance at Daytona Bike Week on being “roofied” by former bandmate Sean Sammon.[27] The event, a free benefit concert for children’s cancer research, was widely criticized for Scantlin’s behavior onstage, with attendees reporting stumbling, incoherent speech, and early departures.[28]
In August 2024, Scantlin was arrested following a standoff with Burbank police after a traffic stop.[29] He refused to exit his vehicle, leading officers to deploy pepper spray and a PepperBall launcher to gain compliance.[30][31] Scantlin was charged with resisting arrest and held on an outstanding warrant related to an earlier airport incident. Other prior legal issues include arrests for public intoxication, vandalism, drug possession, and trespassing.[32][33]
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Track listing
Similarly to Ubiquitous, the band's previous album, Kiss The Machine features newly written, as well as older material from Puddle of Mudd. "Maniac" and "Baby U Da Best" were originally written by former bassist, Doug Ardito, and feature Wes Scantlin as a co-songwriter. The songs date back to 2010, in anticipation of a scrapped, 6th Puddle of Mudd album. The majority of the songs are rather new material.
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Personnel
All credits sourced from AllMusic.[35]
- Wes Scantlin – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, producer
- Doug Ardito - bass guitar, backing vocals
- Michael Anthony Grajewski – bass guitar
- Duane Betts – lead guitar
- Eric Gardner – drums
- Erik Sonderlon Colvin - bass guitar, backing vocals
- Miles Schon - slide guitar
- Robin Diaz - drums, percussion
- Ryan Yerdon - drums
Technical personnel
- Doug Ardito - producer
- Wes Scantlin – co-producer, programming
- Erik Sonderlon Colvin - co-producer, mixing, mastering, engineering, programming
- Mark Nawara - production supervisor
- Norm Block - engineer
- Wesley Michener - engineer
- Se7en - graphic design
- Tim King - A&R
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References
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