write a blog in the style of billboard: Multi-Platinum trailblazer Brantley Gilbert has never shied away from the truth – especially when it wasn’t pretty. That commitment continues with his eighth studio album SINS OF THE FATHER, available now via BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville. “I’ve gotten comfortable with uncomfortable conversations, and I do have a story to tell,” shares Gilbert. “The stuff behind me is ugly, but God has blessed me immensely, and I’ve gotten to a place where I’m centered on being a good dad and husband. There’s no regrets. Everything made me who I am today. But in sharing that story? Man, I may help somebody dodge that shitty road.”
With 15 fresh songs, each one capable of standing alone, he delivers an unapologetic throw down of mature themes, from the warm buzz of nostalgic pride to fatherhood and faith, red-hot devotion and rock-bottom redemption. The moments here are often heavy – both emotionally and in guitar-driven sonic power. Co-produced with rock-schooled collaborator Brock Berryhill (Twenty-One Pilots, Kane Brown), SINS OF THE FATHER marks some of the hardest-hitting work of Gilbert’s career.
He begins with “THE ADDICTION”– a dusky power ballad defined by 12-string guitar and the craving that changed his life. “That song is the truth,” he says. “I do feel that way about my wife and kids, and there’s salvation there for me. If it wasn’t for them, would I still be on the wagon? It’s doubtful.”
Tracks like lead single “GOOD DAMN,” currently climbing the charts at Country radio, swirl with the magnetic attraction which brought his 11-year marriage together, and deeply personal “F****D ME UP” treats rock bottom like a stepping stone, with MusicRow praising, “his gripping, broken vocal on this ballad grabs ahold and doesn’t let go…it’s a powerful thing.”
Title track “SINS OF THE FATHER” was born from Gilbert’s honest concern about how his actions would impact the next generation. It emerged as the “most country” song on the album, with his unvarnished vocal joined by a twangy, drop-tuned acoustic guitar.
As the only feature on the album, the unflinching “BEGGING FOR CHANGE (featuring Jelly Roll)” was co-written by the longtime friends with Berryhill and Andrew Baylis, after Jelly Roll recognized a man from high school, now living on the street. Truly stunned and having struggled with their own sobriety, he and Gilbert set out to capture the harsh reality of a life in free fall, and what kind of change is really needed. Seeing the person, not the problem.
“That’s one of those songs like ‘One Hell of an Amen’ where you know it’s going to resonate,” Gilbert says. “Nobody wakes up one morning, like, ‘You know what? I want to be an alcoholic or a drug addict.’ I’ve been in treatment with billionaires, and I’ve been in treatment with homeless people – because addiction and homelessness, those are the two things in life that really are non-biased in any way, form or fashion. That song became a responsibility.”
Striking an effective balance between reflection and adrenaline, SINS OF THE FATHER also delivers explosive tunes like “GOOD OL’ BOYS,” tailor made for Gilbert’s six-piece juggernaut of a touring band. It’s joined by the volatile “DRIVEWAY,” with its twisting turn of romantic fate, and the venomous “COPPERHEADS,” as trap beats and hair-trigger lyrics frame a high-caliber hard rocker, dedicated to never backing down.
Fans can hear songs from the new album this Friday, July 24 as 1st Phorm Presents Brantley Gilbert and Nitro Circus at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway. The event is free and open to the public, with $10 cash parking. Gilbert will perform live as Nitro Circus executes FMX stunts over the stage, with additional activations including carshow Cars & Caffeine presented by 1st Phorm, tattoo artists, mechanical bulls, and family-friendly activities including bounce houses, food trucks and more. Get your free tickets here!