Halestorm - AUSVERKAUFT

Presented by Rock Antenne & In München

Special Guest: Black Veil Brides

We turn to rock 'n' roll to affirm us, to strengthen us and to survive. It guides us through the most uncertain moments and allows us to smash down everything life throws at us with a big grin and a raised middle finger. Instead of shrinking in the face of uncertainty and darkness, Halestorm always rises rougher, stronger and louder. On their fifth album, Back From The Dead [Atlantic Records], the Pennsylvania-born, Nashville-based, GRAMMY® Award and RIAA Platinum-winning quartet - Zzy Hale (vocals, guitar), Arejay Hale (drums), Joe Hottinger (guitar) and Josh Smith (bass) - turn up the volume across the board. The musicianship is heavier. The songwriting goes deeper. The spirit shines brighter.

Ultimately, they've delivered an uncompromising and undeniable work that is Halestorm through and through.
"When you listen to this record, I want you to know that you're not alone and that you can survive anything, no matter what," Lzzy says. "Personally, I needed the music to save me. It's how I worked my way out of a dark corner. It has the debauchery. It involves self-discovery. It also keeps faith intact. I hope fans see themselves in it."

The title track not only set the tone for the creative process, but also served as a mission statement and call to arms. Throughout 2021, the band wrote and recorded in Nashville and Los Angeles, working with longtime collaborators Scott Stevens of The Exies and producer Nick Raskulinecz [Alice In Chains, Deftones]. When they wrote Back From The Dead, the floodgates opened. Rolling Stone best described the song as "a biting but cathartic roar about overcoming all obstacles - even death," and the song became the band's sixth No. 1 song on rock radio. But for the musicians, it had an even deeper meaning.

"When I wrote 'Back From The Dead,' I knew exactly what I wanted to say if I ever got back on stage," she admits. "On this record, we strived to be everything we are musically, but elevated to 11. That goes for the vocals, too. My little brother raised the bar on drums again. Joe's guitar playing is incredible, and Josh nailed it. We put everything on the table. When we made 'Back From The Dead,' we knew where we wanted to go.

Following that, the single "The Steeple" swings from a pounding groove to a cathedral-sized chorus that affirms the transformative power of rock 'n' roll. After a guitar solo, Lzzy lets out a sparrow-high scream that practically shakes the sky.

"We wrote the song about the community we have with each other," she continues. "When you're surrounded by a crowd at a show, there's a release. Think about the first concert you went to when music changed your life. As we get older, we can still heal and grow through music. This is our church, and we're all in the same boat.

Elsewhere, "Wicked Ways" kicks down the door with unbridled attitude, amplified by crunching guitars and driving drums. "It's one of the heaviest songs on the record," she continues. "I've come to terms with the fact that no one is inherently all good or all bad. We all have a dark side."

On "Strange Girl," the frontwoman uses a vocoder for the first time in the bridge, while "Brightside" vacillates between manic verses and a singable chorus punctuated by a healthy dose of sarcasm.

"It's different for us," she reveals. "When you're in a weird situation, you try to look for the silver lining, but life can really suck. That's why I've gotten a little sarcastic and mischievous in the lyrics."

At the other end of the spectrum, naked acoustic guitars and strings punctuate her soulful delivery on the introspective and incisive "Terrible Things," as she wrestles with demons and muses, "In my dreams, I believe we're not these terrible things." It all culminates in the piano-driven finale, "Raise Your Horns." She can barely hold back the tears, her voice calling out, "Raise your horns, raise 'em high, let 'em soar, let 'em fly, up through the heavens forever more."

"Thematically, it's about recognizing that you are your own hero," she continues. "We've survived the external and internal fears. We're all here together, and that's what matters. I love the juxtaposition of the title with traditional 'metal,' but the song is just piano and vocals. I want everyone to raise their horns".

Since the childhood dreams of siblings Lzzy and Arejay Hale, Halestorm has touched audiences around the world emotionally, physically and spiritually. The group received a GRAMMY® Award in the "Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance" category for "Love Bites (So Do I)." They were the first female-fronted band to reach #1 on the Active Rock radio charts, and collectively their songs have reached more than 1 billion global streams. In 2019, "Uncomfortable" was their fourth #1 at rock radio and earned them their second GRAMMY® Award nomination. Crowned "Rock Artist of the Decade" by Loudwire, they have toured with legends such as Heaven & Hell, Alice Cooper and Joan Jett, to name a few.
At the same time, Lzzy's voice has permeated all of pop culture. She has collaborated with Evanescence, Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, Apocalyptica, Mark Morton of Lamb of God and The Hu. She recorded the theme song to NETFLIX's "Thunder Force" with none other than Corey Taylor of Slipknot, Scott Ian of Anthrax and original Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo. Her numerous television appearances include hosting AXS TV's "A Year in Music," serving as a judge on HitParader's "No Cover," and singing vocals for Bella Thorne in the Prime Video hit "Paradise City." She is committed to fostering dialogue about mental health, which is why she participated in a GRAMMY® panel on mental health last fall. A symbol of young women's empowerment in rock, she delivered the keynote address at the Little Kids Rock Modern Band Summit and recently became Gibson Guitars' first female brand ambassador and host of the annual She Rocks Awards presented by the Women's International Music Network.

Ultimately, Halestorm sound as vibrant as ever on Back From The Dead.
"I'm so grateful to be in this band," she concludes. "I still love the way music makes me feel. I love writing, performing and going on stage every day. Halestorm has allowed me personally to be the best version of myself. That's what the band means to me."