Cody Jinks
In My Blood - Some Metal Dagone Country Jammin and Introspective Poetry
Traveling for a project this past week with a buddy of mine who runs his own firm - we joined forces for a project - we were talking music a bit. He asked what new metal bands I liked.
In terms of new music I told him I tend to lean towards “outlaw” country and just hard rock generally speaking. Including this guy. I discovered Cody through Zakk Wylde in an interview about some bike rally he put on a few years ago. Zakk was talking about him and how much he likes his work ethic and playing so I checked him out. Cody in his 20s was in a metal band out of Texas that went not much of anywhere.
I started listening to him running in the desert. Then I heard do a Guy Raz interview on Geat Creators.
Cody talked about his metal days and his DIY country stardom (and hard living) with Guy (who I love).
As a DIY business owner, kid bred on country music turned metal head, like Cody I could relate. Cody took some more and different risks than I, and lived a bit harder than me, but still, could relate.
I went harder into his back catalog. And I’ll admit I’ve become a bit of fan boy. With limits. I get tired man and I got too much to do, so I’m not following him around all over the country and I refuse to stand in line for merch - I’ll over pay on eBay and have it shipped.
Given my constant travels for Revival I got lucky and saw Cody and band play in Cedar Rapids, Iowa last year. Wow!!! What a show. As rock n roll if not more than some of the rock bands. Pretty ass kickin show. And hell most of his walked on stage to metal songs!!! You know them roots.
There’s just a metal and even indie get in the van type sensibility to him and his guys even though they got big rigs on the street with Cody’s face on them. And he’s really doing some cool stuff like his hippies and cowboys tour, and club gigs this winter.
This new record, is probably the first new music I’ve picked up in 2025.
I’m not a music reviewer, as you can see above it’s mostly how this stuff relates to me. Because I don’t know you (actually that’s not totally true, I do some readers). And I don’t know technical stuff about music; just how it makes me feel and think. But maybe we can somehow bond through word and relate through similar experiences.
Back to my buddy’s question about new metal and hard rock. I’d love to find some. But for the most part, at this time in my life, guys like Cody speak to me more. I love Jessie Dayton (another Texas doing a slightly different brand of country fried thing with some overdriven guitars), Whiskey Myers (Texas again, but super rockin shit), Tyler Childers, and Billy Strings do more country and blue grass type stuff. Somehow Rival Sons got by me as a new band, but I’ve discovered them now they are about 15 years into their career, so that gives a pretty straight ahead hard rock band to follow. But no metal that’s younger than say around 1999 vintage.
About this record, which just hit July 25th.
See the Man so far is my favorite track. Familiar song about can’t buy your friends, fans, or happiness, and neither will booze or drugs take you to the happy place you seek; great reminder even for a 51 year old bloke who knows this shit all too well - thanks Cody!
Lonely man is another country standard about an older man looking back at his younger self wondering what the hell he did with those years of too much drinking and wasted years as he sees the grey hair and lines in his face. Yep I know that one to first hand. Nothing new. Love it anyway because I can relate, not proud, but it’s a bit of my story and I thank god I’m here given a few twists of fate that could have gone the other way.
Monsters. All about the dark side in all of us. We have a choice with them. Recognize that in me also.
This is the stuff I love about country. It’s a lot of introspective poetry. What I loved about Ozzy. Just as Sabbath was a stark look at society. Cody and Ozzy are a stark look inside themselves. And these are working class guys. I’m the son of an enlisted Navy man who was the son of tool and die maker. Not pleading poverty here, but I come from scrapin man. Cody has a line in from Outlaws and Mustangs from his last record Change the Game. “We pay a price for going our own way.” That’s the type of lyric Merele Haggard might have sung on the radio that got my dad pumped up with me sitting next to him running errands on a Saturday singing to that song.
Jon Doe from X has said not much more punk rock than Merle Haggard. I say can’t more metal than Cody Jinks.
Great record.
Cody, as I mentioned is bonded with Zack Wylde. He cut a track with Lamb of God’s Mark Morton on Mark’s solo record. He’s got some serious metal cred. I bet he could been have in the mix at B2B last month. I think these would agree with me. Papa Het to; and he’s a huge Waylon Jennings guy who seriously influenced Cody as did Merle.
But Cody’s on his path. A great one. Been working his ass for the past 3 decades now with the country thing and turning out some great records. Sure he loves the cred but he’s a true original and in his own class. Still would love to see more collaborations between him and other metal guys like he did with Mark Morton.
Looking forward to seeing him down at little place in Tucson called the Encore this November. Stay tuned for that show review.