By Meltdown
Caught up with Eric Vanlerberghe from I Prevail as the band gears up for their Summer of Loud tour, which kicks off in Florida and rolls back through Michigan in July. We talked about new music, hockey, Florida heat, and what it’s like to take on an even bigger role in the band with vocalist Brian Burkheiser's departure.
Eric caught the Stanley Cup finals on a plane down to Florida. “Couple days of rehearsal here before we start the tour. Two shows here to kick it off.” He was rooting for Edmonton, but like me, he’s always got one eye on the Red Wings. “I’ve been saying for years, just give us two more. But man, I like the young talent. We just need some stronger D.”
On Tour & Pyro at Rockville
We got into the summer schedule, which includes a return to Pine Knob just a few days after last year’s set. “Sonic Temple and Welcome to Rockville were our warmups—if you can call playing in front of tens of thousands of people warmups,” he joked.
“It was HOT. We had pyro, and the band after us had so much gear we were basically pushed to the front of the stage… we were cooking. But the crowd was amazing. Always good to be back out.”
This will be Eric’s third time playing Pine Knob, and he still can’t believe it. “It’s wild. I had to keep reminding myself—this is happening, and it’s happening in our home state, at one of the best venues in the country.”
On the New Music
Eric’s pumped for fans to hear what’s next. “We came out swinging with ‘Violent Nature’—it’s heavy. It kind of jolted the fan base. We’ve always done that with first singles. Either go big or off-center. And then ‘Into Hell’ drops, and it’s a complete left turn.”
“I’m singing all over this record,” he added. “I’ve done harmonies here and there before, but this time it’s a whole new level. We’re not changing who we are—I Prevail will always be heavy—but we’re also chasing those huge hooks.”
Eric credits his bandmates for pushing him forward. “Going into the studio, the vibe matters. Having Dylan and the guys cheering me on made a huge difference. I felt supported to try new stuff and fail safely until it clicked. It’s all reps, man. Singing every day, hours on end. We worked our asses off.”
Taking Over Vocals After Brian’s Departure
With Brian stepping away, Eric stepped up.
“There were moments we had to fill in when Brian missed tours for health reasons, and Dylan and I had to figure it out on the fly,” he said. “Now it’s more natural. Dylan’s a great coach, and I’ve had to start actually warming up now—imagine that.”
He admits that fronting the band live was intimidating at first. “Those first couple shows… it felt weird. But with a big crowd, it’s easier. When it’s 10,000 people, it’s just energy. When it’s 200 people, I start locking eyes and wondering what they’re thinking. I blacked out giving my best man speech at Dylan’s wedding… but we played Download Festival for 60,000 people and I was cool. Go figure.”
The New Record and What It Means
“This new record feels cohesive,” he said. “Without two vocalists telling different perspectives, the story feels unified. But it’s still all collaborative—we all write from real places. Always have.”
They leaned into what made Lifelines and Trauma stand out. “We asked ourselves: What worked? What hit hard? What felt timeless? And then we tried to build on that. With True Power, we learned a lot. Now we’re refining it.”
And Yes—The Horror Movie Connection
It's ironic that they wrote a song called “Violent Nature” because of the horror movie of the same name that dropped last year. “It’s funny—Steve had the title already written down. Then the trailer came out and we were like… oops. I actually haven’t watched it yet just so it doesn’t influence how I see the song.”
See You at Pine Knob
Eric wrapped up by talking about the Summer of Loud tour and the return to Detroit on July 16th.
“I love performing. I love being out there and seeing people sing the songs back. That’s what it’s all about. We’ve had a hell of a journey, and I think this new chapter is just getting started.”
Oh—and we’ll finally catch a Red Wings game together this fall. It’s happening.
🎟 Catch I Prevail at Pine Knob Music Theatre
📅 Tuesday, July 16 (with Beartooth, Parkway Drive & more)
🎫 Tickets: LiveNation.com
