‘Everest’ peaks fans interest

By Jenna Munswami

The American rock band Halestorm brought an inspiring sound to their sixth studio album, “Everest,” released on Aug. 8.

The album features 12 songs accumulating to a total running time of 48 minutes. It is worth taking a break throughout your day to give it a listen if you are in search of hard rock music and a powerful female lead singer.

“Everest” opens with the song “Fallen Star.” As soon as I hit play, it was clear to me that the entire album was going to be good — exactly what you want from a leading track. It immediately starts off with heavy instrumentals; this was energizing and a great way to draw listeners in. Lzzy Hale, the band’s lead vocalist, was as strong as ever. Her vocals were not as heavy as some of their past songs, but instead, had matured beautifully. No matter what subgenre of rock you listen to, understanding the lyrics off the first listen can be a challenge, so I have to give my compliments to Hale. Her voice was well complimented by her fellow band members who also deserve praise for their work. The transition from a slow, calmer section back to heavy instrumentals flowed perfectly. If there is one song worth listening to off the album, it would be “Fallen Star.” 

The second song is the album’s title track, “Everest.” This song was thematically beautiful and brought the image of the entire album to life. In an interview with American Songwriter, Hale revealed that this was the first song written for the album. 

“We were likening it to people who want to climb Mount Everest,” Hale said when questioning herself as to why she does music for her career. “We knew that we don’t fail as long as we keep trying.” 

The band took that feeling and incorporated it into this track. It was slower and not as heavy as the previous song, but Hale’s voice stayed powerful. Her vocals were reminiscent of Halestorm’s older music; and you could feel the raw emotion in every line. The guitar solo was especially gorgeous and kept the vibe of the song while not fully taking over. Through this song, listeners can hear how far Halestorm has come in their career.

My personal favorite song on  “Everest” is  “K-I-L-L-I-N-G,” which is the tenth track. Similar to “Fallen Star,” there is an incredible instrumental start. From the first few seconds I could tell that this was going to be a fun listening experience. Hale’s vocals were especially impressive here due to her singing fast lines in what seemed to be a single breath. Bassist Josh Smith also made me love this track even more with the bass riffs. Overall, “K-I-L-L-I-N-G” had flipped the vibe of the album with its punk feel.

The rest of the album had a few more heavy rock tracks with slower, sentimental songs in between. The switch in genres did feel a bit jarring, but every song was enjoyable in its own way. Emotion filled every lyric and rhythm that was played. 

“Everest” is an artistic testament to the heights that any musician can climb. In an interview with V13, Smith said, “We always want more. We always want to challenge ourselves. If we get to keep doing this and if it continues to build, then we’re so thankful for it.” The band originates from Red Lion, Pennsylvania, which is not that far from Rider University, so why not support a semi-local band and give their new album a listen for yourself?

Jenna Munswami is a junior communications studies major