Freddy is also looking forward to utilizing Eric's rich history in production with metal artists, and his fresh outlook on producing Empire. "He's going to use bigger production, and I like that, but he's not going to approach it like a Cannibal Corpse record because the vibe is different, and sometimes that dynamic works. He's a guy that's used to working with different things but he knows how we want our stuff approached. Eric wants to make a statement with doing a MADBALL record because he's so into the death metal background. I'm really psyched about it, really excited. If he was totally oblivious to who we were and what hardcore music was, I'd be skeptical. But that's not the case at all. He's more diverse than his resume shows, at least from speaking with him personally. He's a solid engineer and he has the ear."

The members of MADBALL are icons in the underground and that underground now spills forth into the streets. Since forming in 1988, MADBALL has been responsible for some of the most important releases in the genre, from the seminal Ball of Destruction EP (1989) to the landmark albums Set It Off (1994), Demonstrating My Style (1996), Look My Way (1998), Hold it Down (2000), Legacy (2005), and their latest release, Infiltrate the System (2007).

Fans of MADBALL should expect the sound that they have always loved, but some evolution as well. "There's a certain sound that we're known for, and as much as we want to evolve with the times, we also have to keep in mind that there's a certain standard and integrity with MADBALL, and we have to preserve that," mentions Cricien. "Real deal hardcore kids totally appreciate that. That said, the foundation always has to be a certain sound, but we always bring new elements into our sound. There has to be some evolution. It might appeal to people outside of the hardcore realm, but in the end, it's going to be a MADBALL record."