September 19th sees Michigan metalcore stalwarts I Prevail release their fourth album, “Violent Nature,” and it is brilliant.
With the departure of clean vocalist Brian Burkheiser, this could have gone one of two ways, with the burden of dual-style singing falling on Eric Vanlerberghe’s shoulders. Thankfully, he nailed it, and the outcome is clear as day: the band is as good, if not even a little better, than before. The atmospheric “Synthetic Soul” opens the album in cracking fashion, drawing you in with its calm overtures before exploding in a barrage of drums and Vanlerberghe’s guttural roars, which drops back to an ambient calmer outro. “NWO” is metalcore at its most brutal, featuring screamed and roared vocals backed by cutting riffs, a thumping bass line, and banging drums with no let-up or reprieve. Interspersed with a kicking electro riff, the band leans into their heavy side, delivering a complete one-eighty on the opener, which is cracking.
Giving you some breathing space is “Pray”, a melodic number that still has a cutting edge in particularly around the chorus and the backend of the track where it goes off, a great balance of melody and heaviness. “Annihilate Me” is a heavy track, emotionally rather than musically, melodic and mournful at the same time, allowing Vanlerberghe to showcase his amazing clean vocals, which he mixes nicely with his harsh ones around the chorus and backend of the track. This one sits well with all the heavy and raucous numbers that surround it. Title track “Violent Nature” is by far and away the most brutal track on the album, possibly they’ve ever done, a non-stop barrage from Helguera’s drums and Eberhard’s fat bass line with Bowman and Menoian ripping it up on the guitars while Vanlerberghe spits out venom in an all-out assault, one of the best tracks on the album.
“Rain” reigns it in after the opening drum and guitar salvo wherein an electro beat takes over, Vanlerberghe’s echoey vocals sound distant and disconnected before coming to the fore at the chorus, which is epic and will be monster live, he switches it up to harsh as the band come in in full force giving a bit of heft to the track which goes back and forth for the duration, a real standout. “Into Hell” allows Vanlerberghe to showcase his clean vocals in earnest. The track is on the melodic side with nice kick from Helguera’s drumming and the airy guitar work from Bowman and Menoian; it dips on the heavy side at times, showing the band’s ability to switch between the heavy and light side with consummate ease. “Crimson Clover” sees Vanlerberghe really put himself under the microscope on this stripped-back ballad, proving himself big time with his clean vocals, soft and soothing for the most part, but strong when needed; they are simply amazing, the whole band, for that matter, are outstanding as they put a gentle touch to a brilliant track. The intensity on “God” is dialled up to ten as the band rip the face off you with a blistering drum beat, gnarly riffs and a brutal bass line, the vocals are savage as Vanlerberghe goes full beast mode on this one, it is relentless, the techno midsection gives you a chance to get your breath just before the brutality resumes to the end, this is awesome.
The album closes with “Stay Away”, which is very similar to opener “Synthetic Soul” with its ambient atmospheric vibe, although this is punched through with a heavy drum beat, rumbling bass and cutting riff., Vanlerberghe switches up between clean and roared vocals with consummate ease as the curtain falls.
Review: Conor
“Violent Nature” is out on the 19th of September Via Fearless Records
PRE-SAVE THE ALBUM HERE
I Prevail are:
Eric Vanlerberghe Vocals
Steve Menoian Lead guitar
Dylan Bowman Rhythm guitar
Gabe Helguera Drums
Jon Eberhard Bass