Vicious Cycle is the twelfth studio album by
Lynyrd Skynyrd, released in 2003. It was the first album recorded by the band following the death of original bassist
Leon Wilkeson, who appears on two songs, "The Way" and "Lucky Man", and the song "Mad Hatter" is a tribute to him. The album is the first to feature bassist
Ean Evans, the first mainstream album with
Michael Cartellone on drums (who had previously appeared on Christmas Time Again), and the last album that guitarist
Hughie Thomasson played on before he died. It included the single "Red, White & Blue" which peaked at number 27 on the
US Mainstream Rock charts.