Last in Line is back with their album “Jericho” which will be released on March 31st via earMUSIC. This new album takes fans on part three of the band’s eight-year journey.
“Jericho” is a masterful continuation of their straight-up rock approach from their debut album “Heavy Crown” to “II.” This new release takes on a darker, heavier, and more ominous vibe than the previous releases. It has all the ingredients one can hope for in a rock record, memorable guitar riffs, pounding drums, melodic bass playing, and thunderous vocals. Combine that with Dio‘s musical legacy and integrity, and how can it not be a success? The band consists of Vivian Campbell [guitar], Vinny Appice [drums], Andrew Freeman [vocals], and Phil Soussan [bass].
After a long hiatus from Dio, a casual and fun reunion jam in a Los Angeles rehearsal room in 2011 turned into a fully-fledged recording project that has taken on a life of its own. The band, Last In Line, takes its name from Dio‘s second album, released in 1984. Chemistry intact, the band called in Andrew Freeman to handle the vocals and, in 2016, released their first album, “Heavy Crown”. After original Dio bassist Jimmy Bain’s untimely passing, the band brought in renowned Phil Soussan to fill in, who now has become a solid member.
Having gelled as a band while touring to support their debut album, the songwriting came fast and furious. In 2019 they released “II”, which showed a significant progression in sound while immediately being recognizable as Last In Line.
“Jericho” now follows that same formula. The result is another hard rock album driven by Vivian‘s unforgettable and powerful riffs from the opener of “Not Today Satan” to the closer on “House Party at the End of the World.” The album title is appropriate to the band as it represents the success of breaking through the walls of seemingly insurmountable challenges and obstacles while thundering forward to claim the exciting world ahead!
Pre-order the album HERE.
“Jericho” Album Artwork
Vinny Appice is most notably known for playing drums in Black Sabbath and, more recently, with Heaven & Hell. But he was also in Dio and played on a majority of albums, including their first three. Together with Ronnie James Dio, Vivian Campbell, and Jimmy Bain, they co-wrote some of rock’s most definitive metal albums “Holy Diver”, “Last In Line”, and “Sacred Heart”. Albums that not only created Dio‘s sound but help forged a genre of music known as Heavy Metal!
Correspondent Robert Cavuoto had an in-depth conversation with Vinny on how his and Vivian‘s playing contributed to the band’s rich musical legacy, how he never thought “Holy Diver” would become a classic record 40 years later, the impact the pandemic had on the creation of “Jericho”, a Spring tour, and what songs off the new album he is looking to play live. Watch or listen to their chat below and remember that for more interviews and other daily content, Sonic Perspectives is on Facebook, Flipboard, Twitter and YouTube, where you can be notified about new content we publish on a daily basis.
