BUTCHER BABIES Share New Single 'Leaving California' From Upcoming Album 'Nightbloom'

BUTCHER BABIES have unleashed their new single and official music video, "Leaving California", available now via Judge & Jury Records, a powerhouse record label and production company founded by multi-platinum producer Howard Benson (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, SEETHER, SKILLET, OF MICE & MEN) and Neil Sanderson of THREE DAYS GRACE. Produced by Benson, the track marks the fifth single from BUTCHER BABIES' new album, "Nightbloom", due out October 2.

"Leaving California" captures the emotional conflict of leaving behind a life that once felt permanent in pursuit of an uncertain future. The song is both deeply personal and universally relatable, reflecting on the courage it takes to embrace change. The track serves as a key chapter in an album that functions as a deeply personal love letter to BUTCHER BABIES vocalist Heidi Shepherd's past reflecting on the experiences, relationships, heartbreaks, and hard-earned lessons that have shaped her over the last 25 years. It's a record rooted in self-reflection and growth, honoring where she's been while embracing the strength and clarity of who she has become today.

Shepherd shares: "The writing of this song began in July of 2020 as I saw my industry, family, and friends all one by one leaving California; a place I truly believed would be my forever home. I built my life there. I traded in my 20-year comfort of sandy beaches, ocean air, and the walk of fame for the big unknown. During that time, I wasn't only breaking up with California, I was moving on from a life that I am so grateful to have experienced, but needed a change. I was leaving a relationship that gave me so much for so many years, but had run dry. On the drive out of town, I found myself humming this chorus melody into my voice notes, documenting in real time, my shedding of that skin. 'Leaving California' is about that bittersweet moment where new beginnings seem daunting, yet, oh so, exciting."

Producer Howard Benson immediately connected with the song's message. He said: "I really relate to Heidi's lyrics on 'Leaving California' .It's very of the moment and timely, but the lyrics are also deeply personal. On the track, the band captures the conflicting emotions of the lyrics with their scorching performance!"

Neil Sanderson of THREE DAYS GRACE also praised the new material, saying: "I knew the sky was the limit when I heard the new BUTCHER BABIES record. I said, 'This is a decades-long band out there being OG's in a time when people are worried about A.I. They are what rock is supposed to be — dangerously human.' And 'Leaving California' just jumps outta the speakers for me."

"Nightbloom" is already receiving strong support from SiriusXM Octane, further building anticipation for its October release.

BUTCHER BABIES will continue their extensive 2026 world tour with a nationwide U.S. run alongside Chad Gray (MUDVAYNE, HELLYEAH) beginning in late summer and extending into the fall. The band will also appear at Louder Than Life in Kentucky, bringing their high-energy live show to fans across the country. The band's reputation as a live act has remained one of their defining characteristics, earning them repeat festival appearances and loyal fans worldwide.

"Nightbloom" track listing:

01. Lost In Your Touch
02. Sincerity
03. Blame It On The Wind
04. Broken & Beautiful
05. Are You Waiting Up?
06. Black Clouds Over Georgia
07. Fever In My Neck
08. Songbird
09. Leaving California
10. Black Dove

BUTCHER BABIES have spent more than a decade carving out their own unmistakable place in heavy music. Formed in 2009 and currently based in Las Vegas, Nevada, the band has built a reputation on explosive live performances, fearless experimentation, and a sound that refuses to be confined to a single genre. Blending the aggression of thrash and groove metal with soaring melodic hooks, a punk-rock attitude and an ever-evolving range of influences, BUTCHER BABIES have become a force all their own.

The band made an immediate impact with their 2013 debut, "Goliath", introducing audiences to their raw energy and uncompromising approach. They continued to expand their sound through "Uncovered" (2014),"Take It Like A Man" (2015),"Lilith" (2017),and the 2023 double album "Eye For An Eye... / ...'Til The World's Blind". Across each release, BUTCHER BABIES have consistently pushed beyond expectations, embracing heavier extremes, anthemic melodies, and increasingly personal and dynamic songwriting.

Now, BUTCHER BABIES are entering their most exciting chapter yet. Their infectious new singles released through Judge & Jury Records offer the first glimpses into a bold new era for the band; one that feels heavier, more focused, more melodic, more vulnerable, and more fearless than ever before. Each new release reveals another side of what BUTCHER BABIES have become, while hinting at what may be the band's most ambitious and promising record to date.

More than fifteen years into their career, BUTCHER BABIES aren't interested in repeating the past. They're still evolving, still taking risks, and still challenging expectations of what this band can be. If their latest material is any indication, the next chapter isn't simply a continuation of the BUTCHER BABIES story; it's the beginning of something entirely new.

Drawing inspiration from the crushing weight of PANTERA and SLIPKNOT to the genre-bending spirit of NO DOUBT, the band has never been interested in following a predetermined formula. That versatility has carried BUTCHER BABIES around the world, where their relentless touring and high-octane performances have earned them a fiercely dedicated global fanbase and opportunities to share stages with some of the biggest names in heavy music.

BUTCHER BABIES played their first concert since the official departure of co-vocalist Carla Harvey on July 27, 2024 at the Stonehenge festival in Steenwijk, The Netherlands.