If you’ve been following the Michigan metalcore scene for the last decade, you know the name I Prevail carries a certain weight. But let’s be real—2025 has been a weird, emotional, and eventually triumphant rollercoaster for the band and the fans. When the news broke that the I Prevail new album 2025 would be titled Violent Nature, the hype was immediate, but so was the anxiety.
Why the nerves? Well, the landscape shifted. Hard.
The Elephant in the Room: Life After Brian Burkheiser
We have to talk about it. You can't mention Violent Nature without mentioning that Brian Burkheiser is no longer in the band. After ten years of being the "clean" voice that balanced out the chaos, Brian and the band mutually parted ways in May 2025.
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It wasn't a sudden "we hate each other" moment. Far from it.
Brian had been battling Eagle Syndrome for years. If you aren't familiar, it’s a rare condition where a small bone in the neck or a ligament basically starts poking into the throat and jaw area. It sounds like a nightmare because it is. He had surgeries. He took time off. But ultimately, the road called for a different path.
A lot of people assumed he quit because he couldn't sing anymore, but inside sources—like those mentioned by Blunt Mag—actually clarified that Brian made a full recovery. He beat the disease. He just chose to step away from the band's "grind mode" to focus on his health and his new son, who was born in January 2025.
So, where did that leave the music?
Violent Nature: A New Sound or Just a New Era?
When Violent Nature finally dropped on September 19, 2025, the question on everyone’s mind was: Who is going to sing the pretty parts? The answer was Eric Vanlerberghe.
Honestly, it’s impressive. Eric didn’t just stick to the gutturals we know and love. He stepped up to handle the clean vocals too, with guitarist Dylan Bowman backing him up on the harmonies. The result? The I Prevail new album 2025 is arguably the heaviest thing they’ve ever put to tape.
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By removing the traditional "good cop, bad cop" vocal dynamic, the songs feel more fluid. They’re darker. They’re more atmospheric.
The Tracklist Breakdown
The record, produced by the band's own bassist Jon Eberhard, is a tight 10-track experience. No filler. No 7-minute prog epics. Just raw energy.
- Synthetic Soul: The opener. It gives off major Linkin Park vibes—specifically that eerie, electronic tension you’d find on A Thousand Suns.
- NWO: This is a straight-up assault. It’s got blast beats from Gabe Helguera that will make your head spin.
- Pray: A mid-tempo track that deals with the "madness to melancholy" transition.
- Annihilate Me: The fourth single. It’s the perfect bridge between their old sound and the new, cinematic direction.
- Violent Nature: The title track. It’s short—only about 130 seconds—but it’s pure primal rage.
- Rain: This one is about acceptance. It’s melodic, slick, and has been a staple on rock radio since it dropped in July.
- Into Hell: Released in June, this track showed everyone that Eric could carry the lead role alone.
- Crimson & Clover: Don't get confused—it’s not a cover. This is an acoustic ballad where Eric really lays his soul bare.
- God: If you like "Bow Down," you’ll love this. It is "disgustingly heavy," as some reviewers put it.
- Stay Away: The closer. It’s got a swirling, Deftones-esque vibe that leaves you wanting more.
Why This Album Matters Right Now
The "Summer of Loud" tour in 2025 was the first real test. Sharing the stage with heavy hitters like Beartooth, Parkway Drive, and Killswitch Engage, I Prevail had to prove they weren't just "the band that does the Taylor Swift cover" anymore.
They succeeded because they leaned into the change.
Most bands would have panicked and hired a "Brian clone." I Prevail didn't. They stayed internal. They trusted Jon Eberhard to produce. They trusted Eric to evolve.
What's really cool is how the fans reacted. Usually, when a founding member leaves, the comments section is a war zone. But because the band was transparent about the split being mutual and health-focused, the community rallied. Violent Nature debuted high on the charts because it felt authentic. It didn't feel like a corporate product; it felt like a band surviving a crisis.
What’s Next for I Prevail?
If you missed them in 2025, don't worry. The "Violent Nature Tour" is hitting the road hard in 2026.
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They’ve got a massive North American run starting in February 2026 with Three Days Grace and The Funeral Portrait. After that, they’re heading across the pond for a UK and European leg in September and October 2026, supported by Polaris and Amira Elfeky.
Basically, they aren't slowing down. If anything, the new lineup has given them a second wind.
Actionable Steps for Fans
- Listen to "Synthetic Soul" first: If you want to understand the new direction, this is the blueprint.
- Check out the "Case Files": If you're still curious about Brian's departure, look up the Osborne Head and Neck Institute's documentary. It shows his actual surgery and recovery process.
- Grab Tickets Early: The 2026 dates are already selling out in cities like London and Chicago. Don't wait.
- Follow the New Era: Keep an eye on Eric’s interviews—he’s been much more vocal about his journey with stage fright and taking over the full frontman role.
Violent Nature proved that a band's identity isn't tied to one person. It's tied to the collective energy. Whether you're a day-one fan from the Heart vs. Mind era or you just discovered them through their collab with Halestorm, the I Prevail new album 2025 is something you can't ignore. It's loud, it's messy, and it's exactly what the genre needed.