Shinedown will appear for most of the ride, which sticks to venues throughout the States for one month.

For a band who are known for their hardcore touring, the absence from the road has been a bit tough on the Powerman 5000 crew.

“We haven’t played a proper show in two years and for a band like us, that’s pretty much toured nonstop, it’s a really unnatural feeling,” lead singer Spider One said.

Not only have they been off stages, but they haven’t had any new music since 1999’s Tonight The Stars Revolt! which spawned the huge hit “When Worlds Collide.” They were set to follow up the album with Anyone For Doomsday? but at the last minute pulled the disc.

“We were literally two weeks in front of this thing hitting the shelves when we decided to pull it,” Spider One said. “We had ads, we had a tour booked, we had posters and whatever – all done and ready to go.”

And then, nada. Following the pull, the band lost two original members.

Since then, Powerman 5000 have regrouped, added a couple new guys – bassist Siggy Siursen and drummer Adrian Ost – and now have a new album out. Transform was just released and finds the band returning to their punk-flavored roots.