I PREVAIL's ERIC VANLERBERGHE On Lineup Change: 'There Was Little Bit Of Uncertainty, But It Had To Be Squashed Down With Confidence'

During an appearance on The Joe Vulpis Podcast, Eric Vanlerberghe, vocalist, songwriter and founding member of the band I PREVAIL, spoke about the group's latest album, "Violent Nature", which was issued last September via Fearless Records. The LP marked a major turning point for the band as they ushered in a new chapter, with Vanlerberghe as the only lead singer tackling both clean and unclean vocals. Eric said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "You can't deny there's a new sound [on 'Violent Nature']. It's me singing. So there's a little bit of uncertainty of, 'All right, we're gonna keep writing to how we know we're gonna…' Me and me and [guitarist] Steve [Menoian] have been writing lyrics and music for the band since day one, and that's never changed. So the core is still intact, but the mouthpiece that it's coming out sounds different, and that's just undeniable. It's gonna sound different. But we focused on just keeping true to what I PREVAIL was sound-wise, what we're writing about lyric-wise, what the songs feel like. So there was that little bit of uncertainty, but it had to be squashed down with confidence of, like, no matter what happens, we're not just gonna give up and hang our hats up. We built this over 10 years. I don't wanna let it go just yet. Whatever it's gonna take — if it means touring more, if it means putting out more music quicker, if it means… whatever it is. We're not quitters. We're just gonna keep pushing."

As for where he would like to see I PREVAIL go from here, Eric said: "I'd love to just keep growing… I wanna take this to the biggest level that it can be taken to, and who knows what that is. Who knows if God strikes me down tomorrow, but until then me and the boys are just gonna keep grinding and working.

"I'll put it this way, man: I, growing up, found some bands that really inspired me, really helped me through the dark teenage angst, and I took a lot out of music, I took a lot out of those lyrics, I took a lot out of just that music," he explained. "And I just wanted to put something back out. And you take and you give, and I feel like we've been blessed to do that over the last 11 years and I wanna do that for another 20."

Brian Burkheiser had handled the clean vocals in I PREVAIL since the band's formation but was forced to step away from the group's touring activities due to his battle with Eagle's syndrome, a condition associated with the elongation of the styloid process or calcification of the stylohyoid ligament, clinically characterized by throat and neck pain, radiating into the ear. In Burkheiser's absence, co-vocalist/growler Vanlerberghe had handled the bulk of the singing in I PREVAIL, with the help of guitarist Dylan Bowman.

Last summer, I PREVAIL completed the "Summer Of Loud" tour alongside BEARTOOTH, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE and PARKWAY DRIVE as co-headliners. Main support on the trek came from THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, THE AMITY AFFLICTION and ALPHA WOLF.

In October 2024, I PREVAIL released an expanded edition of its 2022 album "True Power", featuring one new song and three reimagined tracks. The updated version included the new single "Hate This Song", the band's collaborative track with ALL TIME LOW, along with reimagined versions of the album singles "Bad Things", "There's Fear In Letting Go" and "Deep End".

Rising to an arena level and receiving two Grammy nominations — "Best Rock Album" for "Trauma", and "Best Metal Performance" for "Bow Down" — I PREVAIL saw its "Hurricane" single top Billboard's Mainstream Rock Airplay chart in 2020, officially the top song on U.S. rock radio at the time. A number of their singles have since been certified gold and platinum, and they have been praised by press far and wide, including Forbes, Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter and NPR.