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I Prevail "Violent Nature" Album Review: Can Eric Handle It On His Own?

by David Willis

Updated September 22, 2025

Our Rating:

8.4

Earlier this year, main vocalist Brian Burkheiser departed from the double Grammy-nominated band I Prevail. This came as a shock to many fans, and left a burning question. Will Eric Vanlerberghe be able to fill in the space that Brian has left behind? On September 19th, they dropped a new album titled Violent Nature, and it definitely had anticipation behind it.

Track One: Synthetic Soul - This track starts off full of ambiance. Soft piano, soft vocals. It has a familiar Prevail sound, but it definitely feels different. The first minute is essentially a carrier for the rest of the track, as once the guitars come in the vibes feel more aggressive for sure. The chorus on this track also feels huge. Belting out in traffic at full volume huge. Surprisingly there is a breakdown section in this track, and it compliments the previous section perfectly. This was definitely the right choice for an opening track.

Track Two: NWO - Do you enjoy bounce houses... this track feels like being inside of a bounce house. The guitars are very simple, but they are beyond tasteful. Gabe Helguera is putting in INCREDIBLE work on the drums in this song. As a track two, it's in high contrast compared to Synthetic Soul. That's a good thing. I enjoy being kept on my toes.

Track Three: Pray - Acoustic intro, strained vocal melodies, catchy chorus. "Pray" is a great track that you can throw into a weekly playlist and not skip a beat. The harder section after chorus two threw me off guard, but I thoroughly enjoy the trade offs.

Track Four: Annihilate Me - So far, I've really enjoyed the previous three tracks. They all felt unique while keeping a solid grasp on the "I Prevail" sound. On a personal note, I can't see myself coming back to this track. I felt like a filler in between two really good tracks. Just a "what could we put here?" kind of song. This song by itself is okay, but in the context of the whole picture, I just believe it fell short. Shout out to Dylan for the solo at the end though, that was perfect.

Track Five: Violent Nature - Pure unadulterated aggression. It is quite obvious why this is the title track. The entire track hits like a semi at a stop sign. Gym playlist approved. The time changes in this track feel so perfectly placed.

Track Six: Rain - There haven't been a plethora of real "riffs" on this album, but the driving riff in the intro is probably my favorite so far. There is a reoccurring theme of crushing riffs paired next to softer clean vocals, and I think it's a niche I Prevail has mastered nicely.

Track Seven: Into Hell - If you're a fan of spaced out sections with preachy choruses, this might be your favorite song on the album. It checks all the boxes for "late night drive, get lost in the lights" kind of song.

Track Eight: Crimson and Clover - Crimson and Clover is the definitive acoustic track of the album, and it felt like I was transported back to 2010. Hearing surprise heavy sections in tracks is always a great addition... but I really appreciate the full acoustic track here. It is a perfect wind-down to the album.

Track Nine: God - The aggression is back, and it is in full swing. Techy taps after the first breakdown? Super low screams to drive the riff? Easily my favorite track. That ending breakdown had everything I've been desiring from this band.

Track Ten: Stay Away - A return to the start. Ambient intro and soft vocals, then paired with some harsh yells. The percussive use of the guitar in this song is a really cool element that I wish bands would use more often. Once again, all of the instruments keep adding onto to one another in such cool ways, that I am constantly guessing where the track will go. Next to God, this is my favorite track.

Final Thoughts: To answer the first question, Yes. One hundred percent Yes. Eric Vanlerberghe did an incredible justice taking over full vocals for this release. This album is the product of 5 musicians who have mastered the craft of creating something amazing together.

The instrumental was not just a foundation for the vocals, it was a perfect carrier. This album is full of aggression, but also has plenty of space for the listener to breathe. It would appear that everyone got in such a groove of the music they were creating, they didn't realize they were becoming a little formulaic... which could be a good thing or a bad thing.

If you've never heard of I Prevail before, you can drop in anywhere on this album and have a great time. If you're a listener since the Swift cover, it will feel like visiting an old friend.