from october 2016 to october 2017, while the band was writing and recording new music, they released eight new songs total for pledgers who pre-ordered new album on pledgemusic. on october 9, 2017, it was announced that a new album, "sheep among wolves", was to be officially released on december 5, 2017, in celebration of their 20th anniversary as a band. the album featured a three-piece lineup of schwab, king, and wolves at the gate and the overseer drummer abishai collingsworth.