For more than two decades, Leigh Kakaty has been grinding. From the blue-collar trenches of the underground hard rock scene to the top of modern rock radio, the Pop Evil frontman has fought tooth and nail every step up the ladder to success. He’s seen the highs of chart-topping singles, gold records, sold-out tours to the crushing lows, from personal loss to the ever-changing tides of a fickle scene. What Remains, the band’s latest and heaviest album yet, is the sound of that evolution laid bare. Building on the energy of 2023’s Skeletons, What Remains is a thunderous, arena-ready mix of hard rock and metal, with Kakaty pouring his heart, mind, and soul into every line of every song. “There are a lot of things I’ve buried for a long time,” he admits. “This album is about confronting them.”

That battle started long before Pop Evil became a household name. Born in North Muskegon, Michigan, Kakaty first learned discipline and determination not from music, but from high school basketball. The drive to improve, the early mornings in the gym, the will to win, it all translated to music when an injury took sports off the table. And music became his purpose. “I was hustling and learning every day to make my dreams come true,” Kakaty recalls. “Studying never interested me. Neither did getting a regular job. Pop Evil gave me a reason to get up every day. It became a crusade.”

That dogged pursuit paid off. The band’s 2008 debut Lipstick On The Mirror and its follow-up, War Of Angels, put them on the map. Then came 2013’s Onyx, delivering their first No. 1 single and putting them up there with hard rock’s bigger players. But success came with a price. When Kakaty lost his father, the grief nearly shattered him. “I was completely lost… I didn’t know if I wanted to do Pop Evil anymore,” he says.

The turning point came with 2017’s self-titled album and the breakout hit “Waking Lions.” Writing that record, Kakaty says, “pretty much saved my life.” It reminded him why he started this in the first place - to make music that connects, that helps people, that heals. That mission fuels What Remains. “You’re always chasing that one song that connects with someone,” he says. “But that process has to start with yourself. There’s a lot of personal healing on this record, a lot of things I needed to get out for my own mental well-being. I’m finally at a place where I can confront my demons.” What Remains is the sound of a band that refuses to back down.