“Back from the Dead” and back on the charts: Halestorm’s Arejay Hale talks band’s “fitting” number-one hit

“Back from the Dead” and back on the charts: Halestorm’s Arejay Hale talks band’s “fitting” number-one hit
Credit: Jimmy Fontaine

Halestorm is back on the charts with “Back from the Dead.”

The band’s latest single has hit number one on Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock Airplay ranking, marking their fifth leader on the tally.

Not only did “Back from the Dead” signal Halestorm’s return with new music for the first time in three years, it also served as their declaration of intent after being sidelined from the road for the longest time in their career due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is very representative of what we went through during the pandemic,” drummer Arejay Hale tells ABC Audio of “Back from the Dead.” “Now, it just seems so fitting that it’s called ‘Back from the Dead’ and we’re also kind of back from being dead in the water for a year-and-a-half.”

The song also reflects Hale’s struggles with his mental health amid the pandemic, as well as that of his sister and band mate, Lzzy Hale.

“The pandemic was a real test for both of our mental health and our mental wealth,” Arejay shares. “We really had to force ourselves to take care of ourselves mentally.”

The best way to do that, Hale found, was to “be creative.”

“The only thing that got me through the pandemic was songwriting,” he says.

After finally getting back on the road to play shows these past couple months, Halestorm will now embark on a big U.S. co-headlining tour with Evanescence starting this Friday, November 5, in Portland, Oregon. In addition to being excited to playing live again with good friends, Hale feels that working on “Back from the Dead,” and more upcoming new material, has made Halestorm an even better live band.

“I feel like these new songs have really challenged us as players,” he says. “I love it!”

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