Matt Cory Wins Rock Band of the Year at the 2025 Manitoba Loud Music Awards
We’re beyond excited to share that Matt Cory took home Rock Band of the Year at the 2025 Manitoba Loud Music Awards, held at The Met in Winnipeg!
This night was unforgettable — the energy, the people, the celebration of loud, unapologetic music in Manitoba. To be recognized among so many incredible bands means the world to us.
A huge thank-you goes out to our fans, friends, and everyone who voted and came out to the shows this year. Your support is what keeps this dream alive.
We also want to give love to our brother Dane Neufeld and his partner Kendra Martinussen, who made the trip from Calgary to be there with us. Dane recorded the album and played a ton of shows with us this summer, so it was amazing to have him there for this win.
We couldn’t be prouder of what this band has built, and this award feels like a massive step forward.
Here’s to more music, more shows and keeping the volume up.
– Matt Cory
Live Review: Matt Cory & Leddwyn at The 40 , OCT 17, 2025
The 40 was buzzing recently as Matt Cory hit the stage, debuting a slew of new material and introducing fans to his new guitarist, Aidan Chapel. The set leaned heavily on tracks from the upcoming album Hollow Son — including the title track and the dark, Alice In Chains–inspired verses of Last Dance.
Crowd favorites like Ghost Rising and Lit Up and Out of Line had the room moving, but one of the biggest surprises came at the end of the night: a thunderous cover of Ozzy Osbourne’s No More Tears, closing the show on an explosive high note.
Leddwyn delivered a powerhouse set that kept the energy high from start to finish, making it the perfect pairing for an unforgettable night of rock at The 40.
Matt Cory Plants His Flag with Defiant New Single “Die on This Hill”
Canadian rocker Matt Cory is charging forward with a fierce statement of identity and grit in his upcoming single “Die on This Hill,” dropping July 18 on all streaming platforms. Raw, unflinching, and fueled by the weight of lived experience, this track isn’t just another addition to Cory’s catalog—it’s a battle cry.
Built on thick riffs, pounding drums, and a gripping vocal delivery, “Die on This Hill” showcases Cory’s full-band energy in peak form. With every verse, you can feel the tension and the release: a soul standing against the storm, unafraid to bleed for what matters.
Lyrically, the song hits like a declaration of war against conformity, doubt, and external pressure. The opening lines—“Smoke rolls in, settles in my lungs / Weight of the world sittin’ on my tongue”—set the stage for a personal and universal anthem about conviction and self-possession. Whether it’s judgmental voices in the crowd or inner demons clawing at the edges, Cory makes one thing clear: he won’t be moved.
“I wanted this song to sound like what it feels like to stand your ground when everything’s trying to shake you,” says Cory. “It’s about knowing exactly who you are and refusing to apologize for it.”
The chorus drives it home with lines that will no doubt become a fan chant at live shows:
“This is my ground, my blood, my will… I’ll die on this hill.”
It’s not just catchy—it’s defiant. Anthemic. A statement of purpose.
The bridge strips the mask off false personas with sharp, concise venom:
“Wear a new face / Talk a big game / All that you are / Nothing but shame.”
No filler, just fire.
Sonically, “Die on This Hill” blends 90s grunge grit with modern rock muscle. There’s a clear nod to the raw intensity of bands like Soundgarden and Alice in Chains, while maintaining the melodic sensibility and storytelling that has become a signature of Cory’s songwriting.
Perhaps most exciting for long-time fans is that “Die on This Hill” is a full-band effort—each member bringing their unique touch to the arrangement. The result is a unified sound that amplifies the song’s theme: standing together, unshaken.
In a world of curated identities and constant noise, Matt Cory’s latest single cuts through like a scream in the silence. “Die on This Hill” isn’t about being right—it’s about being real.
Out July 18 on all streaming platforms.
who is
matt cory?
Matt Cory is a powerhouse in Canadian rock, hailing from Brandon, Manitoba, delivering hard-hitting riffs, soaring melodies, and raw, unforgettable emotion. As the frontman of his self-titled project, he fuses the grit of ’90s grunge with modern hard rock, drawing inspiration from legends like Ozzy Osbourne and Three Days Grace to create music that’s both intensely personal and arena-ready anthems.
2025 was a landmark year, with Matt and his powerhouse band—Dane Neufeld on guitar and vocals, Ian Morris on bass and vocals, and Craig Metruk on drums—winning Rock Band of the Year at the Manitoba Loud Music Awards. The lineup has also recorded a full-length album, set for release in spring 2026, capturing the fire, energy and intensity of their live shows.
Beyond the stage, Matt inspires the next generation as a guitar teacher to over thirty students weekly, living by his mantra: “I don’t succeed unless you succeed.” Whether performing, recording, or teaching, Matt Cory is building a legacy of powerful, honest and electrifying rock music.
