I Prevail nails it with ‘Trauma’
The development of I Prevail is incredible. Going from a really good metalcore album to a potential game changer, they just won’t stop getting better. I remember telling a friend right after we heard the Heart vs. Mind EP, “These guys are going to be one of the biggest bands on the planet by their third album.” This did nothing but make me believe that even more. Trauma, released March 29, is another step forward in the life of I Prevail. All the way from a Taylor Swift cover, to headlining massive shows, the boys from Michigan nail it again.
Bow Down starts us off strong, with I Prevail throwing up a big middle finger to their critics. Being the first single released, there has been plenty of time to listen and re-listen to it, and it only gets better the more you hear it. This is the perfect song to lead off the album. | 9.5/10
With Paranoid, they take us in a different direction. The third single released ahead of the album, we get a much different sound than anything they have done before. When Brian said this album would not be like anything they’ve done in the past, nobody could have guessed this is what they meant. But it works. The accompanying video brought us into the mind of Dr. Burkheiser (Yes, Brian is a doctor now) as he takes the wrong pill ahead of an open heart surgery. I Prevail continues their album strong with a great follow-up to Bow Down, that shows us what else we can expect. | 10/10
Following Paranoid, we get the first non-single of the album. Everytime You Leave features Delany Jane. I had absolutely no idea who Delany Jane was, but she was great. It’s soft, but it’s still I Prevail. It’s great, I like it, but it’s not my favorite. | 8.5/10
Here is where we jump off the bridge and into the hole of something completely different. Similar to Delaney Jane in Everytime You Leave, Rise Above It features Justin Stone, who I have never heard of, but his part was great. I am completely down for this. The different elements thrown into this song do nothing but add to each other, and I am so happy to see them expand how much they’re willing to do. | 9/10
The second single released before the album, Breaking Down has some very serious and powerful elements. The song, especially when accompanied with the video, shows how people live and deal with depression on a daily basis. The most important part being: They don’t deal with it. They dove into something many are afraid to even take a dip in. Writing has always been a strong part of I Prevail, and they nail everything here. This is my favorite song from the album. | 10/10
DOA takes us back to the Rise Above It sound. Honestly, I’m not huge on the song. It’s good, and I will probably continue to listen to it, but out of everything else here, it’s probably my least favorite. | 8/10
“Let’s burn it f***ing down!”
This song just makes me feel warm inside. | 10/10
The road life is hard. Throwing away everything you know to follow a dream is hard. Being successful is hard. Life is hard. Hurricane, with a video released on April 2, really brings us into their struggles with the band and life outside it. From Brian missing his brother’s life, to the heartbreaking loss of Eric’s best friend, they tell us their tale, and they take us on a journey through what it took to get to and maintain their spot. It’s extremely powerful and uplifting, and it also maintains that I Prevail sound you could expect to hear. | 9.5/10
Another slow song, but I’m not complaining. It’s great. And, as I said before, one of I Prevail’s stronger points is the writing. I like it. | 8.5/10
When Low first started playing, I wasn’t sure I would like it. But about 15 seconds into the song, I realized that it’s great. This continues the idea that this album was nothing but from the heart. Great. | 9/10
Short, beautiful and emotional. Not grading.
Going closer to Bow Down again, I Prevail continues to put something for everyone in their album. It’s a great song, but not the best here. | 8.5/10
It took a full album for me to realize how much better and more powerful Brian’s voice it. This doesn’t just show it, but it highlights it. Brian’s work has not been in vain, and he will hopefully continue to do stuff like this as they move forward. Great, emotional song, and a great way to close out an incredible album. | 9.5/10
Overall, the album gets a 9/10. This is a great sophomore album from a great band that continues impress (and possibly prove me right). It’s so easy for a band to go for a shift, and they lose who they were before, but I Prevail doesn’t do that. It also could have been hard to balance so much variety in one album, but damn it, they made it work. They didn’t reinvent the wheel, but they did modify it. I Prevail rolls through stronger than ever.
