Soil

Redefine (2004) continued their commercial presence on rock radio and demonstrated the band's evolution toward a more straightforward hard rock sound, shedding some of the nu metal influences of their debut while retaining the heaviness that defined their identity. The band navigated lineup changes through the mid-2000s, most significantly McCombs's departure to join Drowning Pool in 2005, before his eventual return to Soil in 2011. True Self (2006), recorded with replacement vocalist A.J. Cavalier, maintained the band's creative output during the transition period.

With McCombs back in the fold, Soil released Whole (2013) and Unchanged (2016) to a fanbase that had remained loyal through the lineup turbulence, demonstrating that the core chemistry between McCombs and the band's instrumental foundation was as strong as ever. Wake (2021) marked a creative return to form that earned strong reviews from rock critics who had followed the band since their Chicago days. Soil remain one of the more resilient and underappreciated acts in American hard rock, their Chicago roots and commitment to heavy, hook-driven music sustaining a career that has outlasted many of their early 2000s contemporaries.