Trauma (I Prevail album)

Trauma is the second studio album by American metalcore band I Prevail, released on March 29, 2019. The album was the fourth best-selling album of the week in the US upon release, and its second single, "Breaking Down", hit the top 10 of the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in May 2019. Two Grammy nominations were received in relation to the album: Trauma received a nomination for Grammy Award for Best Rock Album, while the song "Bow Down" received a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.

Trauma
Studio album by
I Prevail
ReleasedMarch 29, 2019
GenreRock,[1] pop metal[2][3]
Length40:50
LabelFearless
ProducerTyler Smyth
I Prevail chronology
Lifelines
(2016)		 Trauma
(2019)
Singles from Trauma
  1. "Bow Down"
    Released: February 26, 2019
  2. "Breaking Down"
    Released: February 26, 2019
  3. "Paranoid"
    Released: March 18, 2019
  4. "Hurricane"
    Released: September 27, 2019
  5. "Every Time You Leave"
    Released: July 21, 2020[4]

Background and themes

The album's creation was heavily affected by the band's earlier rise to fame, complications, and struggles with depression.[5] The band received a quick rise to fame with the release of a Taylor Swift cover of the song "Blank Space", followed by their debut album, Lifelines. However, in 2017, frontman Brian Burkheiser had a polyp in his vocal chord, halting their 2017 tour and momentum; this caused Burkheiser to spiral into depression. Despite the band almost breaking up during this time, they instead found inspiration to make an album around the concepts they had been struggling with.[6][5][7] The album's emphasis on mental health was also inspired by the death of Kyle Pavone of We Came as Romans, of which the band had toured with in 2017.[8] Guitarist Dylan Bowman outlined the album in comparison to Lifelines:

"Lifelines was about what happens in the wake of getting popular off of the cover we released on our current album. Lifelines is a continuation of that, and how it affects our lives. Trauma is more along the lines of the things that have happened since we have been touring and relationships that have been severed because of our lifestyle and how we’re away from home. A lot of people don’t realise how hard it is to keep a relationship when you’re gone nine months out of the year."[7]

The band spent 10 months of 2018 recording the album.[8][9]

Sound and composition

Band member Eric Vanlerberghe described the band's approach to the album:

This is probably the most eclectic we could've sounded on a record. We don't want to scare people away and say, 'It doesn't have metal on it, it doesn't have rock on it.' But with all these musicians and artists saying rock and roll and metal is dead, we just wanted to write a record that was a big middle finger to them all... not every song is gonna be a riff-driven song, but we didn't just drop all the rock out of it and go to a pop record. We wanted to stay true to our roots, but experiment and evolve...don't say rock is dead because there are ways to make rock fresh and different.[6]

He also said that the band was entirely in control of the album's sound and direction unlike their prior album, Lifelines, which the band felt received too much outside input on its direction.[6] The band sought to create a more original sound after the common criticism that the band's talents were squandered under the "cookie-cutter", generic sound of Lifelines.[10] Guitarist Dylan Bowman described the approach as pushing the limits of the band's sound in two directions, both as its most poppy, and its most heavy.[7]

Release

On February 19, 2019, the band announced that their forthcoming album was called Trauma.[11][12] Three songs and music videos were released in advance of the album: "Breaking Down" and "Bow Down" in February, and "Paranoid" in March.[13] The album was released on March 29, 2019.[14] It debuted at number four on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart. It placed at number 14 overall on the Billboard 200 chart, which factors in music streaming and album equivalent units.[15] As of March 2020, the album has earned 181,000 album equivalent units.[16]

A music video for "Hurricane" was released shortly after the album's release as well.[17]

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Exclaim!6/10[2]
Substream Magazine[18]
Wall of Sound9/10[19]
Dead Press![3]

The album was generally well received. Wall of Sound praised the band's efforts to "push musical boundaries", praising the album for instill[ing] a newfound appreciation of how absolutely talented these guys are because the way every song manages to stand so well on their own has to be highly praised. I Prevail have definitely outdone themselves, redefining their sound.[20] Loudwire named the album one of the best rock albums so far in a mid-year review of 2019.[1]

Two Grammy nominations were received in relation to the album: Trauma received a nomination for Grammy Award for Best Rock Album, while the song "Bow Down" received a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.[21]

Track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Bow Down"4:02
2."Paranoid"2:24
3."Every Time You Leave" (featuring Delaney Jane)3:36
4."Rise Above It" (featuring Justin Stone)3:04
5."Breaking Down"3:26
6."DOA"3:16
7."Gasoline"2:33
8."Hurricane"3:43
9."Let Me Be Sad"3:34
10."Low"2:45
11."Goodbye (Interlude)"1:42
12."Deadweight"3:04
13."I Don't Belong Here"3:41
Total length:40:50

Personnel

I Prevail

  • Brian Burkheiser – clean vocals
  • Eric Vanlerberghe – unclean vocals
  • Steve Menoian – lead guitar, bass guitar
  • Dylan Bowman – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
  • Gabe Helguera – drums, percussion

Production

Charts

References
  1. Staff, Loudwire. "Best Rock Albums of 2019 ... So Far". Loudwire.
  2. "I Prevail Trauma". exclaim.ca.
  3. Taylor, Damon (19 April 2019). "ALBUM REVIEW: I Prevail – Trauma". Dead Press UK. Retrieved 13 September 2020. ...The record’s blend of pop, rap, and metal gains its footing...
  4. "Rock > Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on July 6, 2020. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
  5. DiVita, Joe (February 27, 2019). "I Prevail Live Through Depression in 'Breaking Down' Video". Loudwire.
  6. Schaffner, Lauryn. "I Prevail: Rock Isn't Dead, But We Need to Try New Things". Loudwire.
  7. Hohnen, Mike (March 18, 2019). ""We Wanted To Push Our Sound": I Prevail On New Album 'Trauma'". Music Feeds.
  8. "I Prevail Explain Getting In the Right Headspace for New Album 'Trauma'". Billboard.
  9. "I Prevail Release Two New Videos From New Album Trauma". Kerrang!.
  10. "I Prevail Continue Honest Look Into Singer's Struggle With New "Paranoid" Music Video". www.radio.com. March 19, 2019.
  11. brownypaul (20 February 2019). "I Prevail announced their new album Trauma and teased the first single is coming…". Wall Of Sound.
  12. "I Prevail Have Announced Their New Album, And Have Set A Challenge To Get Their First Single - News". Rock Sound Magazine.
  13. "I Prevail Premiere New Rap-Influenced Single "Paranoid" / the NOISE". the NOISE.
  14. Schaffner, Lauryn. "I Prevail: Rock Isn't Dead, But We Need to Try New Things". Loudwire.
  15. "I Prevail's 'Trauma' Is One Of The Highest-Selling Albums This Week - News". Rock Sound Magazine.
  16. https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9337626/i-prevail-hurricane-atop-mainstream-rock-songs-chart
  17. "Watch I Prevail's Honest And Genuine New Video For "Hurricane" / the NOISE". the NOISE.
  18. "Review". substreammagazine.com. 2019.
  19. citylightstam (24 March 2019). "I Prevail – Trauma (Album Review)". Wall Of Sound.
  20. "I Prevail – Trauma (Album Review)". Wall Of Sound. March 24, 2019.
  21. https://www.rocksound.tv/news/read/i-prevail-just-scored-two-grammy-award-nominations
  22. "ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  23. "Austriancharts.at – I Prevail – Trauma" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  24. "Ultratop.be – I Prevail – Trauma" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  25. "I Prevail Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  26. "Offiziellecharts.de – I Prevail – Trauma" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  27. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  28. "Swisscharts.com – I Prevail – Trauma". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  29. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  30. "I Prevail Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
  31. "I Prevail Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  32. "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
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