What started as a casual reunion jam in a Los Angeles rehearsal room between former DIO bandmates in 2011 has grown into a full-fledged band that has taken on a life of its own. Last In Line founders, Vinny Appice, Jimmy Bain, and Vivian Campbell, were Ronnie Dio’s co-conspirators and co-writers on the "Holy Diver", "Last In Line" (the album from which they took their name), and "Sacred Heart” albums. These records have gone on to become part of metal history, as anyone can tell you.
During that first jam, it was apparent that the chemistry of the original band was very much intact, even after a 27 year hiatus. The excitement generated by that rediscovery led to a second session, where this time they called in acclaimed vocalist Andrew Freeman. Hearing Andrew’s interpretations of the original DIO songs was a revelation and the inspiration to move forward as a band. Over the ensuing years, a handful of local LA shows led to a handful of overseas shows in the U.K. and Japan, and eventually to an offer from Frontiers to record an album of original material.
During the course of 2014 and 2015, the band wrote and recorded 12 new songs and chose longtime friend Jeff Pilson (Dokken, Foreigner) as producer. Jeff very much captured the organic vibe of the band and the very best in Andrew’s voice and delivery. Last In Line’s debut album, “Heavy Crown” was released in February 2016, hitting number 1 on the BillboardHeat-Seekers Chart, with the singles “Devil In Me” and “Starmaker” leading the charge. But the release was preceded by tragedy, when Jimmy Bain passed away at the age of 68 on January 23, 2016.
Last In Line brought in renowned bassist Phil Soussan (ex-Ozzy) to fill Bain’s spot and kept playing shows insupport of the album, headliningfestivalsand playing with such bands as Saxon and Megadeth.
In late 2017, the band gathered again in LA to start the recording of the second album, again under the direction of producer Jeff Pilson. Having really gelled as a band during the touring for the debut, the songwriting is now fully realized, personal and the band’s sound is now immediately recognizable as “Last In Line” thanks to the unmistakeable Vinny Appice rhythms, thunderous bass from Soussan and the amazing vocals from Freeman combined with the roaring guitars from Campbell.