On September 12, Big Machine Records released *Shock to the System (Part Two)*, a seven-track EP that marks a bold change in sound for Chris Daughtry and his band. The music hits harder and pushes boundaries.
The EP opens with a quiet piano in “The Seeds” before exploding into “Divided” with powerful beats. It continues with tracks like “The Day I Die,” “Terrified,” and “Razor,” before closing with “The Bottom.” Daughtry shared, “It’s been a slow progression to getting to this point. I didn’t know I had permission,” highlighting how his split from RCA Records allowed him to break free from mainstream expectations.
This new sound reflects Daughtry’s roots. Growing up in North Carolina, he was influenced by the raw energy of grunge bands like Alice in Chains, Nirvana, and Soundgarden. This EP follows last year’s *Part One*, which featured two hits, “Artificial” and “Pieces,” that topped Billboard’s Active Rock chart. Instead of waiting to finish a full album, the band decided to release the music in parts.
Guitarists Josh Steely and Brian Craddock have been with Daughtry for two decades, but the audience is changing. New fans are joining the mix as the sound evolves. Daughtry acknowledged, “We knew that we were going to lose a pocket of our audience. I had to be okay with that and kind of rip the Band-Aid off.”
Daughtry first gained fame on *American Idol* in 2006, and three of their albums have gone platinum. Next month, the band will kick off a tour with Seether. Be sure to check for concert dates and tickets!
