Halestorm, the GRAMMY-winning band initially formed by siblings Lzzy and Arejay Hale with guitarist Joe Hottinger and bassist Josh Smith, has announced Everest, their sixth studio album, out August 8 on Atlantic Records.

Lzzy and the band joined me at Gibson Garage before their fan meet and greet to discuss their newest record, Everest.

Being originally from Pennsylvania, I was unaware that the band currently resides in Nashville when they are not on the road with their extensive touring schedule. I learned that most of the tour buses come out of Nashville, and with its central location, it just made sense to settle there.

Lzzy stated, "We didn't expect to fall in love with it. It was just a means to an end, and we planted roots here. At the time, we didn't have houses or apartments. We were just on tour at the time. We would come home. We'd stay with our parents for a little bit, and then we'd go back out on tour."

Halestorm began working on Everest only months after releasing their acclaimed album Back From the Dead. It was produced by the renowned producer Dave Cobb (Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile, John Prine, Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell), and his recording process is different than what they had done on previous albums.

Halestorm went to Cobb's studio in Savannah to make the record. When they got there, they brought out their bag of tricks, which included half-written songs and choruses, riffs for days, along with a few demos.

Cobb told them, "Oh, no. I hate demos. We're not doing any of that. We're going to start recording, and we're going to write a song today. And as we're writing it, we're going to record it and capture the moment. And we're not going to think about what you've written before. We're not going to think about what people will think in the future. Just live in the moment."

"It was terrifying," Lzzy reported. But the first song they wrote in the studio with Cobb was "Darkness Always Wins," which became Halestorm's first single off the new record.

Joe Hottinger was sitting on their front porch, asking, "Why does darkness always win?" Lzzy said, "Write that down."

"Darkness Always Wins" is not a song of hope, nor is it a song of despair," Lzzy explained. "It is reality. It's about history repeating itself."

She continued, "We're the kind of people who try so hard to be good and do right by others. We're in this beautiful business of smiles, and no matter how much you try to do that, evil seems always to prevail. It's frustrating. But for us, we don't necessarily fail as long as we keep trying."

It is the title track, "Everest," that most accurately describes Halestorm's journey as a band. 

Lzzy shared, "Why do people climb Mt. Everest? It's not like there's a trophy or cash prize. If anything, you could probably go broke trying to figure out how to do it. Same thing with musicians. We all come from humble means. We don't have a rich uncle in the business. We barely knew how to play our instruments in the beginning. How do you write a song for radio? How do you do this? How do you get signed? How do you meet people? How do you create a fan base? We did it all on our own. And when you're in it, it just seems like complete chaos. And it's amazing to look back at all of these little mishaps and fluke actions that ended up being meant to be. And it's pretty incredible."

Another can't-miss track on the record is "Like a Woman Can," where the band allowed a little blues and soul to peak through their rock 'n' roll curtain. It was an opportunity for Lzzy to further show off her vocal range as she channeled a little Nina Simone and Janis Joplin in this stripped-down female empowerment anthem.

"Rain Your Blood on Me" is another song for the female protagonist as they expose the war that women face daily.

Halestorm explores the theme of love lost with the songs "Fallen Star," "Shiver," and "I Gave You Everything."

And for those who yearn for their head-banging, aggressive tracks, "WATCH OUT" and "K-I-L-L-I-N-G" are for you.

Now that the band has some years on them, they realize how their music has profoundly affected their fans. Knowing that music heals doesn't mean they have the answer to all the problems, but that someone else feels exactly as you do. The final song on Everest, "How Will You Remember Me," has an important message that would not have made sense when they were younger.

The fact that the original four members have been together 20+ years is remarkable on its own. Their first album was released in 2009, and since then, hits like "Bad Romance," "I Miss the Misery," "Love Bites," "Here's To Us," and "Freak Like Me" have an army of fans begging for more, all while generating billions of streams. What makes them different than the other mainstream rock/metal bands besides having a rare female lead singer who is the powerful Lzzy Hale, is their modern take on classic rock, and their energetic live performances. They also connect with fans on a personal level and address themes of empowerment and self-acceptance in their music, resonating with a broader audience than other metal bands can.

Lzzy stated, "It's always been like the four of us against the world. It's like as long as we're golden, like the rest of the world can burn."

Halestorm continues to promote their Everest album with the "nEVEREST Duality tour," a US/Canada tour this fall with Lindsey Stirling and supported by Apocalyptica. This follows an epic run, first supporting Iron Maiden in Europe and dates with Volbeat in the US with a one-night-only performance at Black Sabbath's "Back to the Beginning" final show in Birmingham, England, on July 5, 2025, a few weeks before Ozzy's passing.

Halestorm was thrilled to be included with the 13+ bands paying homage to the one and only Ozzy Osborne. Lzzy Hale, who credits Ozzy for the unique spelling of her name, was the only female present in the assembly of male rockers.

She stated, "I didn't feel like an anomaly. I honestly didn't think about it until we were talking to the press, and people would bring it up. It was an honor to represent all of the women who grew up listening to Black Sabbath and heavy metal. This was our sanctuary. I got to talk to Sharon about it. It was a tremendous honor, walking amongst these rock gods."

Guitarist Joe Hottinger explained, "Everybody was just like stoked. It was a complete love fest. It was just this collective like, 'Can you believe we're doing this and we're here?'"

Halestorm's Everest album is a dark, deeply personal album that pushed each musician to their limits. It weaves a tangled web of melancholy, frustration, and anger alongside the vast purgatory of love and love lost. If you can catch them at one of their epic concerts in North America (or Europe in the fall), it will be worth all the effort to get there. But regardless, you can stream this evocative collection of the purest rock songs that Halestorm has ever recorded.

Be sure to follow Halestorm on their website, Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and all streaming services.

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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Instagram, Facebook, and X.