Halestorm: Ascending to Everest

Rewind the clocks to August and ahead of the release of their cinematic and powerful new album, Everest, and a major UK and European arena tour with Indian metal phenomenons BLOODYWOOD, HALESTORM guitarist Joe Hottinger sat down with Distorted Sound to discuss the band’s creative evolution, monumental live experiences, and the journey that defines their nearly three decade career.

The creation of Everest was a deliberate departure for HALESTORM, Hottinger reveals, following a new music writing process built on embracing the unknown. “We went with a new producer, Dave Cobb, a guy we had never worked with, with the intent of being uncomfortable, just to do something different. And it was totally different, you know, he doesn’t make demos.”

Cooped up in a house with a built in studio in Savannah, Georgia in the spring of 2023, Cobb’s method of capturing the initial spark of inspiration was transformative for Joe and Lzzy [Hale, vocals/guitar]. “It was so cool. We were so inspired. Like, why? Why aren’t we doing this all the time? Like, what the fuck are we doing making demos? we went in with the shirts on our back and twenty-something years of being a professional musician. So, we can handle it, you just go in there and as the ideas come and develop, let the music guide you, and it’s a fun way to put songs together, you know?”

When discussing the album’s grandiose title, Joe reflected on the band’s enduring drive. “It’s kind of like what Lzzy‘s talking about in the song. There’s not a prize at the top of the [mountain], what is at the top of the mountain? Why do people climb Everest? You do it because for some reason you’re driven to go and do something, to try to do something extraordinary. And it’s been our obsession for 27 years, growing this thing, keeping it going,” he muses. “Sometimes it’s fun to look back and see how far you’ve come, but otherwise, it’s always looking up, it’s always, always climbing.”

HALESTORM’s relentless journey has included some incredible summits, such as playing on the IRON MAIDEN tour at the London Stadium and “winning a Grammy, that was, like, insane! It’s like there are these bucket list things that are hidden on the list that you’re not allowed to see and all of a sudden they pop up and like ‘wait, I didn’t know that was an option!’.”

Most recently, HALESTORM were personally invited to play at BLACK SABBATH’s farewell show in Birmingham, with singer Lzzy being the only female vocalist on the lineup. Joe laughs, “it was funny. I was like ‘what are we doing here?’ like, ‘who sent the wrong email?’. No, Sharon [Osbourne] wanted us there and of course we were like, ‘yes, fuck yeah, we’ll be there!’”

Reminiscing about the legendary night, Hottinger says, “it was insane, like the wildest thing. It was a big love fest. Everyone was so happy to be there, from the crowd to everyone backstage, all the bands that we were hanging out with and talking to. To be around 45,000 people all on the same exact fucking page and with the same emotions, it was like a cosmic connection with everyone. It was 11 out of 10, top of the line experience.” Admitting his eyes were also sweating a bit. “Being on stage, that went so fast, it was like a blackout. Like, ‘wait, did we play? Did it go well?’.” 

BLACK SABBATH‘s profound influence on metal can’t be understated, and Joe is no stranger to their music either, glowing. “You can’t really learn riffs or play guitar and not reference a Tony Iommi riff, like that’s the shit you grew up listening to! I’ve been a huge BLACK SABBATH fan forever. Even the last record they made, I think it’s amazing. I got into rock and roll in the 90s when I was a kid. So anything on the radio, I was like ‘I love it!’”

Looking ahead, Hottinger is ecstatic for their upcoming tours. “We couldn’t wait, so we’ve been playing like five new songs since May. I love playing Watch Out, I call that my Jock Jam riff.” He jokes. “The UK leg in particular is going to be insane this is I feel like our first proper arena run. It’s going to be a celebration, and we’re going to be playing a lot of the new record, because we’re obsessed with it, and we love it, and it sounds so good in these big rooms, which is why we wrote it that way. You got to write for some big rooms sometimes and we really leaned into that on this record.”

Headlining the iconic O2 in London is nothing more to Joe than the biggest opportunity to have a great time, expressing immense excitement about their tourmates BLOODYWOOD and KELSEY CARTER AND THE HEROINES. “We got turned on to [BLOODYWOOD], and we’re like ‘oh my god, they’re ripping!’ Music is such an awesome language, especially heavy music, that it doesn’t matter where you are in the world and what sort of influences you attach to it. It’s the same language, and they speak it really well with their accent and I just think they’re incredible. So it’s an honour for us that they said yes to come out and do this run. We were very excited that they agreed to it.”

HALESTORM are not ones to slow down, from writing the beginnings of Everest on tour in 2023 to (seemingly) being constantly on tour in 2025. Their UK and European tour follows hot on the heels of their US headliners, with only two weeks of breathing room. When comparing audiences, Joe noted the unique energy of UK fans. “The US, I don’t know what happened over here, but they kind of forgot how to like do the rock show properly. I’m not saying they’re bad at all, but it sure as shit ain’t Europe or the UK, you know? In Europe, they want to be a part of it, they’re active. A little bit more fun for us on stage to play for the UK crowds.”

Despite their relentless schedule, for Hottinger, the live experience remains the ultimate source of energy. “My favourite place to be in the world is playing a show. It’s like the most present I’ve ever felt. It’s like magic, it really is.”

For first-time attendees of a HALESTORM show, Joe just wants new fans to show up and be part of that connection. “I think being present at a rock show is so magic, so just come and be present and tap into the magic with us. You get to watch one of the best fucking singers in the world do her thing, she’s got that, that thing, that magic thing, that can physically alter you with a note, and it’s so much fun to see.”

Everest is all about the climb, and when asked about an ultimate manifestation for the future, Hottinger could only point to one legendary send-off. “You know at this point, like, I want to go out like Ozzy. You go back to your hometown, you have a show, you surround yourself with your friends and your family. Raise a bunch of money for charity. Like, what a way to go, what a legend! Ozzy forever.”

Everest is out now via Atlantic Records. View this interview, alongside dozens of other killer bands, in glorious print magazine fashion in DS124 here:

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