ArtistDirect News
Raunchy Announces Return with New Album Prisoner Set for August 14, 2026
After a twelve‑year silence, Danish metal outfit Raunchy is back with a new album, Prisoner, slated for release on August 14, 2026. The record is the band’s seventh studio effort and the first full‑length project since 2014’s Vices.Virtues.Visions.
The announcement follows a March 2026 post on the band’s social media, where the group confirmed that the long hiatus would end with a fresh album. Prisoner will be issued on Mighty Music, the label that handled Raunchy’s debut releases, marking a return to the company that launched the band in the early 1990s.
Production duties were taken over by long‑time collaborator Jacob Hansen, who has produced every Raunchy record since Velvet Noise (2001). Hansen returned to the project to record, mix, and master the album at his Hansen Studios in Denmark. The lineup on Prisoner consists of Mike Semesky and Jeppe Christensen on vocals, Jesper Andreas Tilsted on guitars and keys, Lars Christensen on guitars, Jesper Kvist on bass, and Morten Toft Hansen on drums.
The track list for Prisoner is: 1. Frostbite 2. Stranded 3. Frameworker 4. Darkest Self 5. Designed Despair 6. Higher Truths 7. Masquerade 8. Revealing I 9. Vanishing Act 10. Prisoner
The single Darkest Self is already available on all major streaming platforms, giving listeners an early taste of the album’s blend of melodic heaviness and synth textures that has defined Raunchy’s sound over the years.
Raunchy formed in 1992 and has released six studio albums to date. After the early releases Velvet Noise and Confusion Bay on Mighty Music, the band moved to Nuclear Blast, Lifeforce and Massacre Records for subsequent projects. Returning to Mighty Music in 2026 signals a full‑circle moment for the group.
Jacob Hansen’s involvement has been a constant in Raunchy’s career. The Danish producer, engineer and former Invocator guitarist has worked with a wide range of metal acts, including Volbeat, Amaranthe and The Black Dahlia Murder. His role on Prisoner continues the partnership that began with the band’s debut.
Recording began with drum tracking in 2021, and the rest of the sessions were completed in Hansen Studios over the following months. The production reflects the band’s reputation for combining melodic elements with heavy riffs and electronic layers.
With Prisoner set for release, Raunchy will re‑enter the market after a decade of inactivity. The album’s launch on Mighty Music and the availability of Darkest Self on streaming services provide a clear path for the band’s comeback. Industry observers will be watching to see how the group’s sound has evolved in the intervening years.
The release of Prisoner on August 14, 2026 will be the first time Raunchy’s new material is distributed through a label that supported their early career. The album’s arrival after a 12‑year gap underscores the band’s longevity and the enduring interest in their hybrid metal style.
The band’s next steps will involve promotion of the album across digital platforms and potential touring arrangements, although no tour dates have been announced at this time. The focus remains on the album’s release and the re‑establishment of Raunchy’s presence in the metal community.
In summary, Raunchy’s Prisoner is a significant return, produced by long‑time collaborator Jacob Hansen, released on Mighty Music, and featuring a lineup that has remained consistent with the band’s core members. The album’s launch on August 14, 2026 marks a new chapter for the Danish metal group after a prolonged period of silence.
The announcement follows a March 2026 post on the band’s social media, where the group confirmed that the long hiatus would end with a fresh album. Prisoner will be issued on Mighty Music, the label that handled Raunchy’s debut releases, marking a return to the company that launched the band in the early 1990s.
Production duties were taken over by long‑time collaborator Jacob Hansen, who has produced every Raunchy record since Velvet Noise (2001). Hansen returned to the project to record, mix, and master the album at his Hansen Studios in Denmark. The lineup on Prisoner consists of Mike Semesky and Jeppe Christensen on vocals, Jesper Andreas Tilsted on guitars and keys, Lars Christensen on guitars, Jesper Kvist on bass, and Morten Toft Hansen on drums.
The track list for Prisoner is: 1. Frostbite 2. Stranded 3. Frameworker 4. Darkest Self 5. Designed Despair 6. Higher Truths 7. Masquerade 8. Revealing I 9. Vanishing Act 10. Prisoner
The single Darkest Self is already available on all major streaming platforms, giving listeners an early taste of the album’s blend of melodic heaviness and synth textures that has defined Raunchy’s sound over the years.
Raunchy formed in 1992 and has released six studio albums to date. After the early releases Velvet Noise and Confusion Bay on Mighty Music, the band moved to Nuclear Blast, Lifeforce and Massacre Records for subsequent projects. Returning to Mighty Music in 2026 signals a full‑circle moment for the group.
Jacob Hansen’s involvement has been a constant in Raunchy’s career. The Danish producer, engineer and former Invocator guitarist has worked with a wide range of metal acts, including Volbeat, Amaranthe and The Black Dahlia Murder. His role on Prisoner continues the partnership that began with the band’s debut.
Recording began with drum tracking in 2021, and the rest of the sessions were completed in Hansen Studios over the following months. The production reflects the band’s reputation for combining melodic elements with heavy riffs and electronic layers.
With Prisoner set for release, Raunchy will re‑enter the market after a decade of inactivity. The album’s launch on Mighty Music and the availability of Darkest Self on streaming services provide a clear path for the band’s comeback. Industry observers will be watching to see how the group’s sound has evolved in the intervening years.
The release of Prisoner on August 14, 2026 will be the first time Raunchy’s new material is distributed through a label that supported their early career. The album’s arrival after a 12‑year gap underscores the band’s longevity and the enduring interest in their hybrid metal style.
The band’s next steps will involve promotion of the album across digital platforms and potential touring arrangements, although no tour dates have been announced at this time. The focus remains on the album’s release and the re‑establishment of Raunchy’s presence in the metal community.
In summary, Raunchy’s Prisoner is a significant return, produced by long‑time collaborator Jacob Hansen, released on Mighty Music, and featuring a lineup that has remained consistent with the band’s core members. The album’s launch on August 14, 2026 marks a new chapter for the Danish metal group after a prolonged period of silence.