Vinny Appice has revealed that Last In Line, the band formed by original DIO members, has quietly parted ways with singer Andrew Freeman. This was disclosed in a recent interview with Denim And Leather.
The drummer addressed the band’s current situation and their search for new vocal talent.
“We’re looking for a singer for Last In Line,” Appice said. “So, Phil [Soussan, current Last In Line bassist], Vivian and myself, we’re on the lookout and listening to different singers.”
Appice also discussed the band’s future recording plans and their approach to moving forward.
“Yeah [we have new music plans],” he continued. “We have a deal in place with earMUSIC, but we’re making this change. And we’re gonna wait until we settle down with a new singer and write some stuff and then record it. And then do some dates.”
The departure marks a significant transition for the band. The group has built a substantial catalog with Freeman over the past decade.
Wikipedia reported that Last In Line was formed in 2012 by former members of Dio’s original lineup following Ronnie James Dio’s death in 2010. The band’s name comes from the 1984 Dio album “The Last in Line,” paying homage to their shared musical heritage with the legendary metal vocalist.
With Freeman as their frontman, the band evolved from their initial tribute performances to creating original material. Encyclopaedia Metallum noted that the group started as a Dio tribute band before transitioning to writing and recording their own songs. This established them as a legitimate creative force in the metal scene.
The Freeman era proved highly productive for Last In Line’s discography. uDiscover Music documented that the band released three studio albums of original material with Freeman: “Heavy Crown” (2016), “II” (2019), and “Jericho” (2023). They initially focused on Dio covers during their formation years.
The band’s current lineup includes founding members Vivian Campbell (also of Def Leppard), Vinny Appice (formerly of Black Sabbath and Heaven & Hell), and bassist Phil Soussan, who joined after original bassist Jimmy Bain’s passing in 2016. earMUSIC confirmed that these musicians were co-writers on Dio’s classic “Holy Diver” album. They bring decades of metal experience to their current project.
The band will focus on finding the right vocalist before proceeding with their recording commitments and live performances under their existing deal with earMUSIC.
