I Prevail Upcoming Tours

I Prevail has grown from a young Michigan band attracting attention with a heavy reinterpretation of a pop hit into one of the most recognizable modern names in metalcore and post-hardcore. Formed in the Metro Detroit area in 2013, the group initially reached a huge online audience through its cover of Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space,” but the years that followed proved that I Prevail was capable of much more than viral recognition. Albums such as Lifelines, Trauma, TRUE POWER and Violent Nature developed a sound built around crushing guitars, electronic production, enormous melodic choruses, screamed vocals and emotionally direct songwriting. Songs including “Scars,” “Bow Down,” “Breaking Down,” “Hurricane,” “Gasoline,” “Body Bag,” “Bad Things” and “Deep End” show how widely the band can move between aggression and melody. For fans exploring I Prevail tours, concert tickets, albums or the group’s history, their story is one of constant expansion: a band that used an unexpected breakthrough as a starting point rather than allowing it to define everything that came after.

How I Prevail Formed in Michigan

I Prevail formed in Michigan in 2013 during a period when metalcore, post-hardcore and electronically enhanced heavy music were reaching increasingly large online audiences. The early group developed around a contrast that would become one of its most recognizable musical characteristics: heavy screamed vocals positioned against cleaner melodic singing.

That combination gave the band the ability to move between very different emotional intensities inside a single song. A verse could be dominated by harsh vocals, breakdowns and heavy guitar before opening into a large melodic chorus designed for an entire audience to sing together.

Founding vocalists Brian Burkheiser and Eric Vanlerberghe represented the two sides of that early vocal approach particularly clearly. Burkheiser became associated with much of the clean melodic singing, while Vanlerberghe delivered the heavier screamed vocals.

The instrumental side of I Prevail was equally important. Guitar riffs, bass, drums and electronic layers were constructed to support those rapid changes in intensity instead of forcing every track into one fixed metalcore formula.

The band began releasing music independently and quickly discovered how effectively the internet could connect an emerging heavy act with listeners far outside its local Michigan scene.

“Blank Space” and the Breakthrough That Changed Everything

I Prevail’s cover of Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” became the release that dramatically expanded the band’s audience.

The idea worked because I Prevail did not simply perform the song with louder guitars. The arrangement translated a polished pop song into the musical language of modern heavy rock, using aggressive vocals, heavy instrumentation and metalcore dynamics while preserving enough of the original melody for listeners to recognize it immediately.

That contrast attracted attention from people who were already fans of heavy music as well as listeners who knew the original pop recording.

The success became substantial enough for I Prevail’s version of “Blank Space” to receive a platinum certification in the United States. That is an unusual achievement for a young heavy band whose early popularity had developed largely through online sharing and fan discovery.

More importantly, the song gave I Prevail an audience before the band had released a full-length studio album.

The challenge was obvious: a popular cover can create attention, but it can also become a trap if listeners never become interested in the artist’s original songs.

I Prevail’s next releases therefore had to prove that the band had an identity beyond “Blank Space.”

Heart vs. Mind and the Foundation of the Early Sound

The Heart vs. Mind EP became the first substantial introduction to I Prevail’s own songwriting.

The release included tracks such as “Heart vs. Mind,” “Crossroads,” “Love, Lust, and Liars,” “Face Your Demons,” “The Enemy,” “My Heart I Surrender” and “Deceivers,” alongside “Blank Space.”

This material demonstrated that the contrasting vocal approach heard in the cover was not simply a stylistic experiment. It was part of the band’s developing identity.

Heavy passages could use screams and breakdowns, while melodic choruses brought a more accessible alternative-rock influence into the arrangement.

“My Heart I Surrender” became particularly important because it revealed a more vulnerable side of the group. Rather than relying exclusively on aggression, the song emphasized melody and emotional openness.

This balance between confrontation and vulnerability would become increasingly important as I Prevail developed.

The EP also helped move the band away from being understood only through one viral cover. Listeners now had a collection of original tracks through which they could decide whether they connected with the songwriting itself.

Lifelines and the First Full-Length I Prevail Album

I Prevail released its debut full-length album, Lifelines, in 2016. The record turned the ideas introduced on Heart vs. Mind into a more complete and varied statement.

“Scars” became one of the album’s defining tracks. Its large chorus, emotional lyrics and heavy instrumental sections provide a clear example of the combination that attracted listeners to I Prevail.

“Stuck in Your Head” leaned further toward melodic accessibility while maintaining the weight expected from the band’s heavier side.

The title track “Lifelines,” along with songs such as “Come and Get It,” “Chaos,” “Alone,” “Outcast” and “Already Dead,” allowed the album to move between several levels of intensity rather than sounding like the same arrangement repeated across every track.

Lifelines eventually achieved gold status in both the United States and Canada, confirming that the audience created during the early breakthrough had followed I Prevail into its original catalogue.

That was an important milestone. The band had successfully moved from online attention to a sustainable album-and-touring career.

The Dual-Vocal Identity That Defined Early I Prevail

One of I Prevail’s most recognizable qualities during its first decade was the contrast between clean and unclean vocals.

Brian Burkheiser’s melodic voice provided many of the large choruses and emotionally exposed passages, while Eric Vanlerberghe delivered a harsher vocal style capable of increasing the intensity rapidly.

This format allowed the group to reach listeners from several areas of modern rock.

Fans of metalcore could connect with breakdowns and screamed passages. Alternative-rock listeners could find memorable choruses. Electronic production added another layer that made some songs feel closer to modern hybrid rock than traditional metal.

The strongest I Prevail songs did not treat these elements as separate genres competing for space. They used contrast as part of the arrangement.

A clean chorus often feels larger because it follows an aggressive verse. A breakdown can feel heavier because the previous section created melodic space.

This push and pull became essential to albums such as Lifelines and Trauma.

Trauma and a Major Creative Turning Point

Trauma, released in 2019, became a major turning point in the band’s development.

The record arrived after a difficult period that included serious vocal problems for Brian Burkheiser, creating uncertainty around the band’s future. Rather than returning with a cautious version of the sound that had worked on Lifelines, I Prevail expanded its production and emotional range.

The opening track “Bow Down” immediately announced a heavier direction.

Its aggressive rhythm, screamed vocals and confrontational energy made it one of the most intense songs the band had released at that point.

“Breaking Down,” by contrast, explored mental and emotional distress through a more melodic framework.

“Hurricane” became another major example of the band’s ability to balance heaviness with a large chorus, while “Gasoline” pushed the aggressive side of the record even further.

Other songs including “Let Me Be Sad,” “Paranoid,” “Every Time You Leave,” “Rise Above It” and “I Don’t Belong Here” gave the album a much wider emotional vocabulary than a straightforward heavy-rock release.

The title Trauma was appropriate because the record repeatedly addressed pain, anxiety, isolation and the struggle to move through difficult experiences.

Two Grammy Nominations Changed the Scale of I Prevail’s Recognition

Trauma brought I Prevail recognition far beyond the usual boundaries of the metalcore scene.

The album was nominated for Best Rock Album at the 62nd Grammy Awards, while “Bow Down” received a nomination for Best Metal Performance.

Those two nominations were significant because they recognized both sides of what the band had become.

The Best Rock Album nomination acknowledged Trauma as a complete record capable of standing alongside releases from established rock artists, while the Best Metal Performance nomination recognized the intensity of one of its heaviest tracks.

I Prevail did not win either award, but the nominations marked an important change in how widely the band was being recognized.

The group that had initially become known through a Taylor Swift cover was now receiving major industry recognition for original music.

That transition is one of the clearest examples of how successfully I Prevail moved beyond its first viral moment.

Why “Bow Down” Became an Essential I Prevail Song

“Bow Down” represents the aggressive side of I Prevail particularly well.

The track begins with very little interest in easing the listener into the album. It is direct, confrontational and rhythmically heavy.

Eric Vanlerberghe’s harsh vocals dominate much of the performance, while the guitar and percussion emphasize impact rather than atmosphere.

The result is a song that works particularly well in a live setting because its structure encourages physical audience response.

It also became an important statement about the band itself.

After early success that could have encouraged I Prevail to move toward increasingly safe melodic rock, “Bow Down” demonstrated that the group was willing to become heavier when the song demanded it.

The Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance reinforced that decision and helped establish the song as one of the defining tracks in the catalogue.

Breaking Down, Hurricane and the Emotional Side of Trauma

The heavier songs on Trauma attracted significant attention, but the album’s emotional depth comes from the contrast between aggression and vulnerability.

“Breaking Down” addresses emotional struggle with a level of directness that makes the song accessible even to listeners who do not normally follow metalcore.

The arrangement still contains the weight associated with I Prevail, but the emotional focus becomes more important than technical heaviness.

“Hurricane” uses a similar balance. The verses create tension before the chorus opens into a larger melodic release.

“Let Me Be Sad” goes even further in allowing negative emotion to exist without immediately attempting to turn it into a motivational slogan.

These songs helped establish I Prevail as a band whose lyrics could address mental pressure and personal difficulty without every track needing to become a simple victory narrative.

That honesty became an important part of the connection between the group and its audience.

Post Traumatic and Revisiting the Trauma Era

I Prevail later released Post Traumatic, a collection that revisited material from Trauma through live recordings, alternate versions and additional collaborations.

The project included live performances of tracks such as “Bow Down,” “Breaking Down,” “Gasoline,” “Hurricane” and “Let Me Be Sad.”

It also included “Feel Something,” a collaboration connected with electronic producer Illenium, demonstrating how naturally I Prevail’s sound could interact with electronic music.

A version of “DOA” featuring rapper Joyner Lucas further illustrated the band’s willingness to work outside traditional metalcore boundaries.

Post Traumatic was therefore more than a conventional live release. It showed how flexible the songs could become when moved into different production environments.

That flexibility would become even more obvious on the band’s next studio album.

TRUE POWER and a More Confident Heavy-Rock Identity

TRUE POWER, released in 2022, pushed I Prevail further into a hybrid sound combining metalcore, alternative metal, hard rock and electronic production.

The album opens aggressively with “0:00” leading into “There’s Fear in Letting Go,” before moving through a sequence of tracks that repeatedly change the balance between melody and heaviness.

“Body Bag” became one of the album’s most aggressive songs, built around brutal vocal delivery and breakdown-heavy instrumentation.

“Bad Things” offered a more melodic approach, using a large chorus without removing the darker emotional tone.

“Deep End” leaned even further into accessible alternative rock, giving the band another track capable of reaching listeners outside the traditional heavy-music audience.

“Self-Destruction” demonstrated the unpredictable nature of the production, while other tracks continued mixing electronics, guitars and contrasting vocals.

The album title reflected a band sounding increasingly confident in its own identity.

I Prevail no longer needed to demonstrate that it could move beyond the “Blank Space” era. By this stage, the group had developed a substantial original catalogue with its own audience.

Why I Prevail Does Not Fit Neatly Into One Genre

I Prevail is frequently described as metalcore or post-hardcore, and both labels are useful starting points.

However, the band’s records include enough additional influences that neither label fully explains the sound.

Heavy guitar riffs and breakdowns connect I Prevail to metalcore. Screamed vocals and emotionally charged songwriting reflect post-hardcore influences. Large clean choruses can move toward alternative rock or modern hard rock.

Electronic programming, processed vocals and atmospheric production add another dimension.

Some songs even incorporate elements that feel closer to hip-hop or electronic music than traditional guitar-based metal.

This variety helps explain why I Prevail can appear comfortably on heavy festival lineups while also producing songs capable of reaching mainstream rock audiences.

The band’s best work does not ask which genre an idea belongs to before using it. If an electronic section, pop-style melody or brutal breakdown improves the song, it can become part of the arrangement.

The Departure of Brian Burkheiser

A major lineup change arrived when I Prevail and Brian Burkheiser announced that they were mutually parting ways in 2025 after more than a decade together.

Burkheiser had played a major role in the band’s early identity and had provided clean vocals across Lifelines, Trauma and TRUE POWER.

The separation therefore represented more than a routine personnel change.

I Prevail had built much of its catalogue around the contrast between Burkheiser and Eric Vanlerberghe, meaning the band needed to decide how that music would function without one half of the familiar vocal partnership.

The group chose to continue rather than close that chapter of its history completely.

Eric moved into a broader frontman role, while guitarist Dylan Bowman had already demonstrated the ability to contribute additional live vocals.

The change created the foundation for another significant reinvention.

Violent Nature and a New I Prevail Era

Violent Nature became I Prevail’s fourth studio album and the clearest representation of the band after its major vocal transition.

The album was released in 2025 and marked Eric Vanlerberghe’s first full-length I Prevail record as the band’s sole primary vocalist, handling both clean and unclean singing.

That change could have created an obvious weakness if the album simply attempted to imitate the old two-vocalist formula.

Instead, Violent Nature was constructed as a new phase.

The title track emphasizes the extreme side of the band, while “Rain” demonstrates that the melodic instinct remains important. Other songs include “Synthetic Soul,” “NWO,” “Pray,” “Annihilate Me,” “Into Hell,” “Crimson & Clover,” “God” and “Stay Away.”

The album was recorded at Blackbird Studios in Nashville and self-produced under the guidance of bassist and keyboardist Jon Eberhard.

That production choice reinforced the sense that I Prevail was taking greater control over how its next era would sound.

Eric Vanlerberghe’s Expanded Role

Eric Vanlerberghe was never simply a secondary vocalist in I Prevail. His screamed vocals had been central to the band’s heaviest material from the beginning.

However, the departure of Brian Burkheiser required Eric to expand that role significantly.

On Violent Nature, he handles both aggressive and melodic vocals, demonstrating a broader range than listeners who associated him exclusively with screams may have expected.

This shift changes the internal character of the band.

The earlier albums often created contrast by moving between two different vocalists. The newer approach creates contrast within one primary voice.

That can make transitions between harsh and clean sections feel different even when the basic I Prevail mixture of heaviness and melody remains recognizable.

For the long-term development of the band, this represents one of its most significant musical changes.

I Prevail as a Live Band

I Prevail’s music is designed to become physically larger in concert.

Heavy songs create space for breakdowns, screamed vocals and crowd movement, while melodic tracks give audiences opportunities to sing entire choruses together.

The contrast is essential.

A set made entirely from the band’s heaviest songs would lose some of the emotional range that makes the catalogue distinctive. A set focused only on melodic material would ignore the aggression that helped establish I Prevail within modern heavy music.

Tracks such as “Bow Down,” “Gasoline” and “Body Bag” can provide the most intense moments, while “Scars,” “Hurricane,” “Bad Things” and “Deep End” offer different forms of audience connection.

Electronic production also adds atmosphere between the guitars, bass and drums, allowing the live show to move between cinematic introductions, heavy drops and large melodic sections.

This mixture has helped I Prevail become comfortable in clubs, theaters, arenas and major rock-festival environments.

What New Listeners Should Hear First

Someone discovering I Prevail for the first time can begin in several different places depending on musical preference.

For the early sound, the Heart vs. Mind EP provides useful context, particularly “My Heart I Surrender” and the “Blank Space” cover that introduced the band to a much wider audience.

Lifelines is the best starting point for the first full-length era. “Scars,” “Stuck in Your Head” and the title track show how the band transformed its early formula into a complete album.

For emotional range and heavier production, Trauma is essential. “Bow Down,” “Breaking Down,” “Hurricane” and “Gasoline” reveal several different versions of I Prevail inside one record.

TRUE POWER is a strong entry point for listeners who prefer modern production and genre blending, while Violent Nature introduces the newer Eric Vanlerberghe-led vocal era.

The Albums That Define I Prevail’s Evolution

• Heart vs. Mind — the early EP that introduced the band’s original material and included its breakthrough “Blank Space” cover.
• Lifelines — the debut full-length album featuring “Scars,” “Stuck in Your Head” and a more fully developed version of the band’s dual-vocal style.
• Trauma — the emotionally expansive album that produced “Bow Down,” “Breaking Down,” “Hurricane” and “Gasoline” and earned major Grammy recognition.
• Post Traumatic — a companion collection featuring live performances, alternate versions and collaborations connected to the Trauma period.
• TRUE POWER — a heavier and more genre-fluid record featuring tracks such as “Body Bag,” “Bad Things” and “Deep End.”
• Violent Nature — the fourth studio album and the beginning of a new era with Eric Vanlerberghe handling the full range of primary vocals.

Why I Prevail Continues to Connect With Fans

I Prevail’s long-term appeal comes partly from the way the band turns emotional conflict into musical contrast.

Anger can exist beside vulnerability. Heavy breakdowns can sit beside polished choruses. Electronic production can be combined with traditional guitar riffs without either element feeling like an afterthought.

The lyrics also frequently deal with subjects that resonate strongly with modern rock audiences: anxiety, self-doubt, difficult relationships, emotional exhaustion, anger, recovery and the desire to regain control.

Those themes are broad enough to remain relatable while the arrangements provide enough intensity to make them feel physical rather than purely reflective.

The band has also demonstrated a willingness to change when circumstances required it.

Vocal problems contributed to the difficult period before Trauma. Brian Burkheiser’s later departure created another major challenge. In both situations, the group chose to rebuild rather than simply repeat the previous version of itself.

That adaptability is one reason I Prevail has moved beyond the category of a band remembered primarily for one early cover song.

The Lasting I Prevail Story

The I Prevail story is easiest to understand as a series of expansions.

The band began with an online breakthrough. It expanded that attention into the Heart vs. Mind EP. Lifelines established a sustainable original catalogue. Trauma increased both emotional ambition and industry recognition. TRUE POWER pushed the sound into a heavier and more modern hybrid. Violent Nature then proved that another major lineup change did not require the band to stop evolving.

Across those stages, certain characteristics remain consistent: huge contrasts between melody and aggression, electronic production, emotionally direct lyrics and a focus on songs that can translate into energetic live performances.

The Grammy nominations gave I Prevail significant recognition, but the band’s durability depends less on awards than on the fact that listeners continued following its original music after the initial “Blank Space” breakthrough.

For fans searching for I Prevail tours, tickets, albums or concert information, there is now a deep catalogue to explore rather than one defining era.

Early listeners may connect most strongly with “Scars.” Others discovered the band through the emotional weight of Trauma. Another group may prefer the aggression of “Body Bag” or the newer sound of Violent Nature.

That variety gives I Prevail room to continue evolving without abandoning the audience that helped build the band in the first place.

Explore I Prevail Tours and Live Performances

For fans interested in seeing I Prevail live, the concert experience brings together several versions of the band’s sound: metalcore breakdowns, screamed vocals, alternative-rock choruses, electronic production and emotionally charged melodic songs.

Setlists, venues, performance times and ticket availability can change between individual shows, so fans should always check the latest I Prevail concert information before making travel arrangements.

Whether you discovered the band through “Blank Space,” Lifelines, the Grammy-nominated Trauma, TRUE POWER or the newer Violent Nature era, I Prevail’s live catalogue now covers more than a decade of musical change. That combination of familiar songs and continued reinvention is what makes the band’s concert history particularly interesting for both longtime followers and newer listeners.