Canadian alt-rock trio Jaded Truth have officially dropped their ambitious new album “Rx2”, today. This bold and gritty concept record serves as the sequel to their 2020 debut “RX” and sees the band delve deep into a dystopian narrative where addiction, rebellion, and corporate manipulation collide. This officially acts as their follow-up to last year’s Christmas single release, titled “Famn Damily”.
Bringing together sludgy grunge, heavy metal, raw punk energy, and eerie shoegaze textures, “Rx2” marks a striking evolution in Jaded Truth’s sound. While the band has always had a reputation for pushing genre boundaries and offering unfiltered lyrical content, this new album takes things a step further by embracing a cinematic, story-driven structure. Through the use of instrumental interludes and spoken-word skits, “Rx2” unfolds like a dark graphic novel brought to life through sound.
Leading the project is frontman and guitarist Kyle Woodland, who also handled vocals, lyrics, and the album’s cover art. Drummer Michael Small not only provided the rhythmic backbone but also oversaw production, mixing, mastering, and created immersive soundscapes that thread the narrative together. Longtime bassist Ryder Whiffen contributes across several tracks, with Aaron Jones stepping in on bass for others—giving the album a textural variation that mirrors the emotional chaos within the story.
Thematically, “Rx2” takes place in a world overtaken by a shadowy pharmaceutical empire. From the heavy, hard-hitting energy of “Corporation” to the uneasy, slow-building tension of lead single “Reporix”, “Rx2” offers a relentless descent into a world shaped by dependency, resistance, and eventual downfall. It’s an intense and unflinching record—one that leans fully into its theatrical concept and signals just how much Jaded Truth have evolved since forming in 2019.
The band recorded the project across various locations in their native Newfoundland, using layered production and eerie transitions to tie each chapter of the story together. Songs are frequently punctuated by narrative skits like “The Speech” and “The Doctor”, allowing the listener to become fully immersed in the album’s dystopian arc.
Jaded Truth will bring their new material to life on stage on May 31, 2025, at Erin’s Pub in St. John’s, NL. The show will also feature a Nirvana cover set—an exciting nod to one of their biggest musical influences and a fitting live tribute given the grunge-laden atmosphere of “Rx2”.
Track-by-Track Review of “Rx2” by Jaded Truth
The album launches with the song “Conjecture”, plunging the listener into an ethereal shoegaze atmosphere and lining up the narrative perfectly, destined to take us to a whole other world. It lays the groundwork with hard-hitting guitar riffs, deep bass chords, and crashing drum beats. “The Speech (skit)” follows next which feels almost a call to arms, preparing us even more so for the rest of the album through spoken-word-esque vocals backed by a hypnotically dark rhythm that is set to make an impact—especially in the political climate that we’re all living in at the moment.
Track three, “Corporation”, channels a rebellious spirit through gritty grunge guitar riffs that drive the entire backing track. The energy is further amplified by punchy drum work and narrative-led lyrics, creating a relentless track that’s tightly controlled—impressively balanced and confidently executed. This is followed by “Reporix”, the album’s first official release, which immediately justifies its spotlight. It’s a wall of sound that plunges headfirst into grunge, while seamlessly weaving in the driving rhythm of thrash metal and the swirling textures of shoegaze—warping these iconic rock genres into something distinctly their own. The track hits hard, sonically and thematically, and perfectly captures the unravelling descent at the heart of “Rx2”.
“The Meeting (skit)” is next, a 48-second spoken-word interlude that pulls the instrumentation into the background to let the voices drive the scene. It sets the stage for what feels like a tense boardroom showdown between a sinister pharmaceutical corporation and those resisting its grip. The band’s voices come through clearly and purposefully, while the presumed CEOs are warped with heavy vocal effects, making them sound like villainous overlords pulled straight from a dystopian video game. It’s brief but effective, demanding the listener’s attention and reinforcing the album’s dark, cinematic narrative.
Next up is “Shake the Feeling,” which leans into a more laid-back industrial rock vibe, giving the band room to showcase their versatility—and Kyle Woodland a chance to shine vocally and narratively. Track number seven is “The Doctor (skit)”, taking the listener into a doctor’s practice where we follow a guy called Mike who is seeing the doctor due to his current medication not resolving his issues and requesting to try an experimental medication which the doctor decides won’t help and so won’t prescribe it. The band really takes us into that moment and adds an anxiety-building backing track that is set to expand the following tracks.
“Awakening” is next, which is the longest track on the album at five minutes and 25 seconds. It follows the previous industrial rock but heightens it, twisting the addictive sound into a passionate and powerful indie-rock-inspired anthem that channels a sense of breaking free—fuelled by self-awareness, strength, and defiance. The next track is “Unraveled”, which sees the hard-hitting guitar riffs fly back in and take the lead, only they back off when the vocals kick in, allowing both the riffs and the vocals to take the spotlight throughout. This allows the band to steer the narrative even more as they delve back into grunge.
The tenth track is “Something We Don’t Know”, sending the album in a whole new direction as they touch upon ’00s-rock rhythms, bringing a more upbeat, nostalgic energy. The track introduces a fresh dynamic, with a catchy, anthemic quality that contrasts the darker tones of earlier songs, while still maintaining the emotional depth, narrative, and intensity that define “Rx2”.
This is followed by “Fortunate Ones”, which further showcases the band’s versatility, elevating indie-rock with touches of grunge, shoegaze, and even pop-rock. They blend these genres effortlessly, creating a track that stands out not only within the album and their previous releases but also in rock playlists. They tell us to “watch out”, but we still jump at the sound of white noise or glass smashing at the end.
Another short track is next, “The Manifesto (skit)”, which, as the title suggests, presents a rallying manifesto against the pharmaceutical corporations. This skit continues the narrative of “Rx2”, leading us into the final two tracks. “90 Seconds to Midnight” follows, fusing industrial rock with grunge and delivering passionate lyrics brimming with emotional strength and narrative conviction. The track features an incredible rock instrumental mid-section that truly elevates the song’s intensity.
The album ends with “Martyr”, an intense shoegaze-soulful number that washes over the listener with its dreamy textures and melancholic edge. It’s a haunting finale that leaves a lasting impression—offering a sense of emotional release, self-reflection, and quiet empowerment as the story comes to a close.
“Rx2”, by Jaded Truth, is available to download and stream, across all platforms. Whether you’re drawn to concept albums, alt-rock experimentation, or emotionally immersive storytelling, Jaded Truth’s latest release delivers a unique and powerful listening experience—one that lingers long after the final echoes of “Martyr” fade out.