The Joy Thieves share 'No Anchor' feat. Chris Connelly, teasing 'Apocalypse Pending' album

May 5, 2026

After Chicago alt-rock outfit The Joy Thieves' boisterous April with the release of ‘The Wrong End of Your Rifle’ and bombastic video from Lumbra Productions, they present the second taste of their full-length album 'Apocalypse Pending', out June 5th via Armalyte Industries. 'No Anchor' doesn’t just make noise, but detonates with intent—leaving scorch marks where complacency used to stand.

‘No Anchor’ examines how increased isolation in our modern world has pushed people towards amorality and an increased sense of hopeless nihilism. Featuring Chris Connelly (Fini Tribe, Revolting Cocks, Ministry, Pigface) on vocals, this song articulates a world slipping free of moral gravity. Longtime mavericks at the edge of collapse, the band captures the zeitgeist with such precision.

While the first track vents our collective fury at a world where corporate giants and billionaires operate with total impunity, this new single shifts the lens toward the resulting decay of the individual, exploring a chilling world where the absence of a moral "anchor" leads to total societal and personal dissolution.

Revolving around musicians-producers Dan Milligan and James Scott (a.k.a. Joy Thieves Productions), The Joy Thieves is a musical supergroup that includes members of Ministry, Stabbing Westward, The Rollins Band, Killing Joke, Pigface, RevCo, PIG, David Bowie, Blue October, Machines of Loving Grace, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM, Naked Raygun, Foetus, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, Pegboy, Nitzer Ebb, Die Krupps and more.

“These days, it seems like people are capable of being pushed or tempted to exist in a state where they are alone. No moral compass. No ethics. No empathy. No forgiveness. No anchor. In a society where guilt seems to be gone, people can act however they want,” says Chris Connelly.

Dan Milligan adds, “When I was writing the music for ‘No Anchor,’ I purposefully used ever-changing, off-kilter guitar riffs that seem to stray farther and farther from the song’s key as it progresses. Because the music never truly repeats, or settles down, it creates the sickening sense that everything is unresolved, and it’s only going to get worse."

Since signing with London alternative-industrial label Armalyte Industries in 2018, The Joy Thieves have delivered 11 critically-acclaimed releases. 'Apocalypse Pending' is the newest addition -- produced, engineered and mixed by Joy Thieves Productions at Populist Recording + Mastering.

Joy Thieves Productions crafts their surprisingly cohesive signature sound from the contributions of its ever-growing 80+ roster of members, drawn from a diverse range of genres, including industrial, rock, punk, darkwave, hip hop and experimental music, they produce a sound created by “all of us, and yet, none of us”. Creating a sound all their own, their music is aggressive, yet precise; confrontational, but refined; and harsh, yet melodic.

This new song cycle began with producer-drummer Dan Milligan re-recording iconic hip hop breakbeats with modern drum sounds. ‘The Wrong End of Your Rifle’ began exactly that way -- with a modern re-imagining of the one of the most famous breakbeats of all time (‘Ashley’s Roachclip’ by The Soul Searchers). This formed the basis upon which the entire track was built.

For a band with members all over the world, The Joy Thieves' music feels very Chicago. Anchored by their love of industrial rock, their music immediately outgrows the restrictions of the genre by stretching into the new realms, creating a sound that both honors the past while pushing its evolution into the future.

As of May 5th, 'No Anchor' is available from digital music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp, where ‘The Wrong End of Your Rifle’ can also be found. The 'Apocalypse Pending' album, now available for pre-order, will be released on June 5th

CREDITS
'No Anchor' written by Chris Connelly & Dan Milligan
'The Wrong End of Your Rifle' written by Chris Connelly, Dan Milligan, Derek Christopher, Dee J Nelson
Produced, engineered & mixed by Joy Thieves Productions
at Populist Recording + Mastering, Wheaton, IL
Mastered by James Scott at Populist Recording + Mastering
Add. production by Derek Christopher (Penfield Studios), Mark Pistel (Room 5 Studios), Jeff Harris (JH Studios), Steven Archer (House of Wolves), Dee J Nelson (DJN Music), Jane Jensen (Autozen Music), DJ Darryl Hell (HellLab Studios)
Art direction by Destiny Justic Scott
Original artwork by Charlie Athanas for Burning City

Released via Armalyte Industries

The Joy Thieves unveil video for 'The Wrong End of Your Rifle' feat. Chris Connelly

April 21, 2026

Chicago alt-rock outfit The Joy Thieves are back with ‘The Wrong End of Your Rifle’, along with a new video by Joel Lopez at Lumbra Productions. This is the first single from their full-length album 'Apocalypse Pending', out June 5th via Armalyte Industries. Featuring Chris Connelly (Fini Tribe, Revolting Cocks, Ministry, Pigface)on vocals, this ripping track addresses the intense frustration we’re all feeling over corporations and billionaires seemingly able to do whatever they want, whenever they want, without consequence.

Revolving around musicians-producers Dan Milligan and James Scott (a.k.a. Joy Thieves Productions), The Joy Thieves is a musical supergroup that includes current, former, and touring members of Ministry, Stabbing Westward, The Rollins Band, Killing Joke, Pigface, RevCo, PIG, David Bowie, Blue October, Machines of Loving Grace, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM, Naked Raygun, Foetus, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, Pegboy, Nitzer Ebb, Die Krupps and more.

A jagged, cynical critique of the intersection between state violence, corporate greed, and digital voyeurism, ‘The Wrong End of Your Rifle’ portrays a world where human life is devalued and even the most violent acts are packaged as content or conveniently filtered, filmed yet ultimately ignored by the screen-numbed masses.

“When the billionaires are accountable for nothing, and force their will by suppression in the streets, we have to become inventive. As we are forced to watch corporations create for-profit prisons, we must remember that we can't argue or reason with bullets,” says Chris Connelly.

Since signing with legendary London alternative-industrial label Armalyte Industries in 2018, The Joy Thieves have delivered 11 critically-acclaimed releases. Produced, engineered and mixed by Joy Thieves Productions at Populist Recording + Mastering, 'Apocalypse Pending' is the newest record to blaze a mind-bending trail.

Joy Thieves Productions crafts their surprisingly cohesive signature sound from the contributions of its ever-growing 80+ roster of members, drawn from a diverse range of genres, including industrial, rock, punk, darkwave, hip hop and experimental music, they produce a sound that The Joy Thieves describe as being created by “all of us. And yet, none of us”. This approach has allowed the band to create a sound all its own. Aggressive, yet precise. Confrontational, but refined. Harsh, yet layered with melody.

Many of the songs on the new album began with producer-drummer Dan Milligan re-recording iconic hip hop breakbeats with modern drum sounds. ‘The Wrong End of Your Rifle’ began exactly that way -- with a modern re-imagining of the one of the most famous breakbeats of all time (‘Ashley’s Roachclip’ by The Soul Searchers). This formed the basis upon which the entire track was built.

“At the very beginning of the creation process for Apocalypse Pending, the goal was to blend the existing Joy Thieves’ sound with elements of the golden age of hip hop, and I think ‘The Wrong End of Your Rifle’ does that as well as any song on the album,” says Dan Milligan.

For a band with members spread all over the world, The Joy Thieves' music feels like it could have only been made in Chicago. Anchored by their love of industrial rock, their music immediately outgrows the restrictions of the genre by stretching into the new realms, creating a sound that both honors the past while pushing its evolution into the future.

‘The Wrong End of Your Rifle’ is out now, available from digital music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. The 'Apocalypse Pending' album will be released on June 5th.

CREDITS
Single written by Chris Connelly, Dan Milligan, Derek Christopher, Dee J Nelson
Produced, engineered & mixed by Joy Thieves Productions
at Populist Recording + Mastering, Wheaton, IL
Mastered by James Scott at Populist Recording + Mastering
Additional production by:
Derek Christopher at Penfield Studios
Mark Pistel at Room 5 Studios
Jeff Harris at JH Studios
Steven Archer at House of Wolves
Dee J Nelson at DJN Music Studio
Jane Jensen at Autozen Music
DJ Darryl Hell at HellLab Studios
Art direction by Destiny Justic Scott
Original artwork by Charlie Athanas for Burning City
Video by Joel Lopez at Lumbra Productions

Released via Armalyte Industries

The Joy Thieves erupt with scathing 'The Wrong End of Your Rifle' single feat. Chris Connelly

April 7, 2026

Chicago alt-rock outfit The Joy Thieves are back with ‘The Wrong End of Your Rifle’, the first single from their full-length album 'Apocalypse Pending', out June 5th via Armalyte Industries. Featuring Chris Connelly (Fini Tribe, Revolting Cocks, Ministry, Pigface) on vocals, this ripping track addresses the intense frustration we’re all feeling over corporations and billionaires seemingly able to do whatever they want, whenever they want, without consequence.

Revolving around musicians-producers Dan Milligan and James Scott (a.k.a. Joy Thieves Productions), The Joy Thieves is a musical supergroup that includes current, former, and touring members of Ministry, Stabbing Westward, The Rollins Band, Killing Joke, Pigface, RevCo, PIG, David Bowie, Blue October, Machines of Loving Grace, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM, Naked Raygun, Foetus, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, Pegboy, Nitzer Ebb, Die Krupps and more.

A jagged, cynical critique of the intersection between state violence, corporate greed, and digital voyeurism, ‘The Wrong End of Your Rifle’ portrays a world where human life is devalued and even the most violent acts are packaged as content or conveniently filtered, filmed yet ultimately ignored by the screen-numbed masses.

“When the billionaires are accountable for nothing, and force their will by suppression in the streets, we have to become inventive. As we are forced to watch corporations create for-profit prisons, we must remember that we can't argue or reason with bullets,” says Chris Connelly.

Since signing with legendary London alternative-industrial label Armalyte Industries in 2018, The Joy Thieves have delivered 11 critically-acclaimed releases. Produced, engineered and mixed by Joy Thieves Productions at Populist Recording + Mastering, 'Apocalypse Pending' is the newest record to blaze a mind-bending trail.

Joy Thieves Productions crafts their surprisingly cohesive signature sound from the contributions of its ever-growing 80+ roster of members, drawn from a diverse range of genres, including industrial, rock, punk, darkwave, hip hop and experimental music, they produce a sound that The Joy Thieves describe as being created by “all of us. And yet, none of us”. This approach has allowed the band to create a sound all its own. Aggressive, yet precise. Confrontational, but refined. Harsh, yet layered with melody.

Many of the songs on the new album began with producer-drummer Dan Milligan re-recording iconic hip hop breakbeats with modern drum sounds. ‘The Wrong End of Your Rifle’ began exactly that way -- with a modern re-imagining of the one of the most famous breakbeats of all time (‘Ashley’s Roachclip’ by The Soul Searchers). This formed the basis upon which the entire track was built.

“At the very beginning of the creation process for Apocalypse Pending, the goal was to blend the existing Joy Thieves’ sound with elements of the golden age of hip hop, and I think ‘The Wrong End of Your Rifle’ does that as well as any song on the album,” says Dan Milligan.

For a band with members spread all over the world, The Joy Thieves' music feels like it could have only been made in Chicago. Anchored by their love of industrial rock, their music immediately outgrows the restrictions of the genre by stretching into the new realms, creating a sound that both honors the past while pushing its evolution into the future.

As of April 7th, ‘The Wrong End of Your Rifle’ is available from digital music platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp. The 'Apocalypse Pending' album will be released on June 5th.

CREDITS
Single written by Chris Connelly, Dan Milligan, Derek Christopher, Dee J Nelson
Produced, engineered & mixed by Joy Thieves Productions at Populist Recording + Mastering, Wheaton, IL
Mastered by James Scott at Populist Recording + Mastering
Additional production by:
Derek Christopher at Penfield Studios
Mark Pistel at Room 5 Studios
Jeff Harris at JH Studios
Steven Archer at House of Wolves
Dee J Nelson at DJN Music Studio
Jane Jensen at Autozen Music
DJ Darryl Hell at HellLab Studios
Art direction by Destiny Justic Scott
Original artwork by Charlie Athanas for Burning City

Released via Armalyte Industries