Halestorm Preach Devilish Hard-Rock Dogma in New Song ‘The Steeple’

Halestorm spell-out their hard-rock mission statement on the new track “The Steeple,” a defiant redemption song that finds the band’s Lzzy Hale emerging from the wilderness of pandemic isolation.

“This is my kingdom / this is my cathedral / this is my castle / these are my people,” she howls. “It’s been a long road outta hell / up to the steeple.” The dramatic high point, though, comes not in the chorus, but after guitarist Joe Hottinger’s intricate, spiderweb solo, when Hale repeats the chorus a cappella.

The Grammy-winning band released “The Steeple” as a preview of their upcoming album Back From the Dead. Due May 6, the LP, produced by Nick Raskulinecz with co-production from Scott Steven, is the follow-up to 2018’s Vicious. Back in August, Halestorm released the album’s title track, a biting but cathartic song about overcoming obstacles in both life and death.

“We started writing this album about three months B.C. (Before COVID). Once we went into lockdown and were unable to perform and tour, I fell into a dark place and something of an identity crisis,” Hale said in a statement. “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.”

Halestorm, rounded out by Hale’s drummer brother Arejay Hale and bassist Josh Smith, recently wrapped up a co-headlining tour with Evanescence. They’ll head to the U.K. later this year.

Back From the Dead track list:

1. “Back From the Dead”
2. “Wicked Ways”
3. “Strange Girl”
4. “Brightside”
5. “The Steeple”
6. “Terrible Things”
7. “My Redemption”
8. “Bombshell”
9. “I Come First”
10. “Psycho Crazy”
11. “Raise Your Horns”