Back from the Dead (Halestorm album)

Back from the Dead is the fifth studio album by American rock band Halestorm. It was released on May 6, 2022, through Atlantic Records.[1] The album was preceded by its title track, "Back from the Dead", which was released as a single in August 2021,[3] followed by "The Steeple" in February 2022.[4]

Back from the Dead
Studio album by
Halestorm
ReleasedMay 6, 2022
Recorded2021
Studio
  • Rock Falcon (Nashville, TN)
  • The Barn (Springfield, TN)
  • The Cabin (Los Angeles, CA)[1]
Genre
Length37:41
LabelAtlantic
Producer
Halestorm chronology
Vicious
(2018)		 Back from the Dead
(2022)
Singles from Back from the Dead
  1. "Back from the Dead"
    Released: August 18, 2021[3]
  2. "The Steeple"
    Released: February 4, 2022[4]
  3. "Wicked Ways"
    Released: July 16, 2022
  4. "Terrible Things"
    Released: May 24, 2023

Background and production

Halestorm began working on their fifth studio album slightly before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. During the lockdown period, the band was forced to cease their customary schedule of frequent touring while finding ways to financially support their staff and crew. The band began formal work on the album in early 2021.[5]

Back From the Dead was the second time Halestorm worked with Nick Raskulinecz as their producer.[6]

Music and lyrics

Many of the album's lyrics are informed by singer/guitarist Lzzy Hale's experiences of self-discovery as a musician disconnected from fans and bandmates during the pandemic.[4]

"This album is the story of me carving myself out of that abyss. It is a journey of navigating mental health, debauchery, survival, redemption, rediscovery, and still maintaining faith in humanity."[7]

Hale has also shared that the song "Strange Girl" was intended to be an anthem for a teenage girl who had come out to her parents immediately before COVID.[8] She was stuck with them due to lockdown despite them not being supportive, so she had conversations with Hale and other fans online.

Critical reception

The album received generally favorable reviews from critics, often based on Lzzy Hale's performance. Wayne Parry of ABC News noted that "Hale manages to pull it off with a deft songwriting touch and a surprising sense of melody that belies the bombast."[2] According to Steve Beebee of Kerrang!, "Lzzy Hale owns the best voice in modern rock – but even she’s never sounded quite this enflamed" and called the album "the best 38 minutes of pure rock you’ve heard this year."[9]

In the words of Chad Bowar of Metal Injection, "This album does a better job of getting closer to the energy and passion of the band's live shows than the last one [Vicious] did."[10] According to Ed Ford of Rock N' Load, "If people wanted to know what the perfect rock album sounds like, give this a blast, you won’t hear much better."[11]

Accolades
Accolades for Back from the Dead
Publication List Rank
Metal Hammer The Best Metal Albums of 2022 So Far
–[12]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Lzzy Hale and Scott Stevens, except track 6 by Lzzy Hale, Zac Malloy, and Scott Stevens; and track 8 by Lzzy Hale, Joe Hottinger, Josh Smith, and Arejay Hale

No.TitleLength
1."Back from the Dead"3:30
2."Wicked Ways"3:27
3."Strange Girl"3:42
4."Brightside"3:27
5."The Steeple"3:27
6."Terrible Things"3:36
7."My Redemption"3:33
8."Bombshell"3:07
9."I Come First"3:13
10."Psycho Crazy"3:25
11."Raise Your Horns"3:19
Total length:37:41
Japanese edition bonus tracks[13]
No.TitleLength
12."Back from the Dead (Acoustic)"3:39
13."Back from the Dead (Live)"3:43
Total length:45:14
Back from the Dead: Deluxe Edition [14]
No.TitleLength
12."Mine"4:19
13."Heavy MeNtal (Fuck Yeah)"3:00
14."Legendary"3:28
15."Wannabe"3:36
16."You Only Die Once"3:39
17."Alien"2:47
18."Special"3:43
Total length:62:12

Personnel

Halestorm

  • Lzzy Hale – vocals, guitar, piano, synthesizer
  • Arejay Hale – drums, backing vocals
  • Joe Hottinger – lead guitar, backing vocals, synthesizer
  • Josh Smith – bass guitar, backing vocals, synthesizer

Additional personnel

  • Scott Stevens – production (all tracks); engineering, digital editing (track 1); acoustic guitar, string arrangement (6)
  • Nick Raskulinecz – production (all tracks), gang vocals (1)
  • Ted Jensen – mastering
  • Chris Lord-Alge – mixing
  • Nathan Yarborough – engineering
  • Nick Spezia – engineering (6)
  • Rock Falcon – drum technician
  • Calvin Roffey – guitar technician
  • Tyler Dragness – guitar technician
  • Adam Chagnon – additional engineering
  • Brian Judd – mixing assistance
  • Alan Umstead – concert master, violin (6)
  • Craig Nelson – bass (6)
  • Andrew Dunn – cello (6)
  • Kevin Bate – cello (6)
  • Ron Sorbo – percussion (6)
  • Caroly Bailey – violin (6)
  • Catherine Umstead – violin (6)
  • Janet Darnall – violin (6)
  • Jung-Min Shin – violin (6)
  • Maria Conti – violin (6)
  • Mary Kathryn Vanosdale – violin (6)
  • Tiago Nunez – programming (8)

Charts
Chart performance for Back from the Dead
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[15] 90
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[16] 24
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[17] 58
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[18] 166
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[19] 94
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[20] 13
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[21] 12
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[22] 34
Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[23] 62
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[24] 29
Scottish Albums (OCC)[25] 6
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 12
UK Albums (OCC)[27] 9
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[28] 1
US Billboard 200[29] 36
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[30] 2
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[31] 4

References
  1. "Halestorm: Back from the Dead". AllMusic. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  2. Parry, Wayne (May 5, 2022). "Review: Halestorm's new album is a roar (and lots more, too)". ABC News. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  3. Rosenberg, Axl (August 18, 2021). "Halestorm Debut New Single "Back From the Dead"". MetalSucks. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  4. Lewry, Fraser (February 4, 2022). "Halestorm announce new album Back From The Dead, launch single The Steeple". loudersound. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  5. CrypticRock (May 6, 2022). "Halestorm – Back From the Dead (Album Review)". Cryptic Rock. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  6. Cooper, Ali (May 2, 2022). "Lzzy Hale on how a pandemic couldn't stop Halestorm from creating their fifth album". Alternative Press Magazine. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  7. Blabbermouth (February 4, 2022). "HALESTORM To Release 'Back From The Dead' Album In May; 'The Steeple' Single Out Now". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  8. Small, Aaron. "HALESTORM – "We Are All The Same And We Are All Not Alone"". bravewords.com. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  9. Beebee, Steve (May 4, 2022). "Album review: Halestorm – Back From The Dead". Kerrang!. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  10. Bowar, Chad (May 6, 2022). "Album Review: HALESTORM Back From the Dead". Metal Injection. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  11. Ford, Ed (May 5, 2022). "Halestorm // Back From The Dead // Album Review". Rock N. Load. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  12. "The Best Metal Albums Of 2022 So Far". Metal Hammer. May 7, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
  13. "Halestorm / ヘイルストーム「Back From the Dead / バック・フロム・ザ・デッド」 | Warner Music Japan". ワーナーミュージック・ジャパン | Warner Music Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved February 4, 2023.
  14. "Halestorm Announces 'Back from the Dead: Deluxe Edition'". Blabbermouth. October 28, 2022. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
  15. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 16 May 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1680. Australian Recording Industry Association. May 16, 2022. p. 6.
  16. "Austriancharts.at – Halestorm – Back from the Dead" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  17. "Ultratop.be – Halestorm – Back from the Dead" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  18. "Ultratop.be – Halestorm – Back from the Dead" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  19. "Halestorm Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  20. "Offiziellecharts.de – Halestorm – Back from the Dead" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  21. "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2022. 19. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  22. "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2022-05-23" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  23. "Billboard Japan Hot Albums: 2022/05/18 公開". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  24. "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. May 16, 2022. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  25. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  26. "Swisscharts.com – Halestorm – Back from the Dead". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 15, 2022.
  27. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  28. "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  29. "Halestorm Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  30. "Halestorm Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
  31. "Halestorm Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 17, 2022.
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