Rating: 9 / 10 Stars
I PREVAIL is: Brian Burkheiser (clean vocals), Eric Vanlerberghe (unclean vocals), Steve Menoian (lead guitar), Dylan Bowman (rhythm guitar), Gabe Helguera (drums)
JOYNER LUCAS: guest vocals
REVIEW – “DOA” isn’t just another single from I PREVAIL’s Trauma era—it’s a lyrical war cry, a bold stylistic crossover, and one of the band’s most politically and socially charged statements to date, dropped with ferocity on March 29th via Fearless Records. Featuring firebrand rapper JOYNER LUCAS, the track slices straight through the noise with no apologies and zero fear.
Sonically, “DOA” (short for “Dead On Arrival”) fuses I PREVAIL’s signature brand of metalcore with hard-hitting trap-inspired beats and vicious lyrical flow. It’s aggressive, emotional, and unfiltered—everything the title promises. Eric Vanlerberghe comes out swinging with raw fury in the verses, while Brian Burkheiser balances the weight with a haunting, anthemic chorus that delivers one of the most memorable vocal hooks on the Trauma record.
Lyrically, this is a song that doesn’t pull punches. It tackles cancel culture, media manipulation, addiction, violence, and mental health with a transparency that’s as uncomfortable as it is necessary. “I’m so sick of the fakes and the lames, with their childish claims / I’m so sick of the politics / Never been proud of it.” That one line says it all—I PREVAIL isn’t trying to fit in; they’re lighting a fire.
And then enters JOYNER LUCAS, the Massachusetts-born rapper known for his no-nonsense lyricism and fearless storytelling. His verse is surgical, weaving bars that cut into the hypocrisy of fame, social media culture, and identity in a way that’s both brutal and brilliant. It’s not often a rapper jumps into a metalcore track and elevates it—but Joyner doesn’t just match the intensity—he amplifies it.
What makes “DOA” so effective isn’t just the genre mashup—it’s the urgency. It’s I PREVAIL speaking directly from the depths of Trauma, not just as musicians, but as men staring down the weight of their own demons—and our culture’s, too. The track clocks in under four minutes, but it leaves a crater. This isn’t radio rock. This is rebellion set to a beat.
Trauma may be the album’s name, but “DOA” is its gut punch. A bold, brutal anthem that proves I PREVAIL isn’t afraid to speak up, push boundaries, and remind the world that anger is a language—and they’re fluent in it.
For more information on I PREVAIL, visit:
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www.Spotify.com/Artist/IPrevailBand