Though he was most often compared to "American Idol" runner-up Adam Lambert last year during his rebel-yelling run to a #4 finish, classic rock lover James Durbin will end up being measured against another head-banging "Idol" finisher when his debut drops in November.
Durbin will release his debut, Memories of a Beautiful Disaster, on November 21 on Wind-Up Records (home to Evanescence, among others). That just happens to be the same day that season-five fourth-place finisher said he will serve up his band's third album, Break the Spell.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Durbin's debut was produced by veteran hard-rock helmer Howard Benson, who has worked with My Chemical Romance and, yes, Daughtry.
While Daughtry's sound leans toward gritty, swelling arena rock, during his time season 10 Durbin was an unabashed fan of old-school metal, a genre he vowed to revive if given a chance.
Shortly after his elimination, Durbin told MTV News that he wanted to work with Dream Theater's Mike Portnoy, reunite with guitar legend Zakk Wylde and bring out his "secret weapon," his best friend from home who is a shredding guitar player. Given the chance, he said what he wanted most was to re-create the sound of his favorite record, the 1983 debut from late Black Sabbath metal screamer and solo star Ronnie James Dio, Holy Diver.
"I'm gonna keep it real my post 'Idol' career. I'm not gonna pretend to be somebody else on the show and then do something completely different with my career," Durbin promised. "I know who I am, I know what I wanna do, and I know where my fans are. And I know what they want."