Preceding the release of upcoming full-length album Nuclear Cockroach, solo alternative project Illegal Mind—headed by principal songwriter Maxx Dee—has released the standalone single Never Wanted. The track follows recent single Riding Eleanor, marking the next stage in the project’s transition into a solo entity.

Built on repetition and restraint, Never Wanted moves away from traditional themes of outward rebellion, focusing instead on social conditioning, personal autonomy, and selective participation in societal norms.

Maxx Dee commented on the core concept driving the single:

“I didn’t leave the system. I just stopped syncing with it. ‘Never Wanted’ came from thinking about all the expectations people put on themselves and each other—the idea of chasing things you’re told should make you happy, only to realize they were never really your goals in the first place.”

Looking ahead to the upcoming full-length Nuclear Cockroach, Dee notes a shift toward a faster, more aggressive songwriting approach compared to previous work:

“It’s probably the most punk rock album I’ve ever written. It’s fast, melodic, energetic, and heavily influenced by the music that got me into alternative rock, punk, and hardcore in the first place. If From The Ashes was about surviving the apocalypse, Nuclear Cockroach is the soundtrack to adapting to it and moving forward no matter what.”

Never Wanted is available now on all major digital streaming platforms.