Afraid of Heights (Billy Talent album)
2016 album by Billy Talent

Afraid of Heights is the fifth studio album by the Canadian rock band Billy Talent, released on July 29, 2016. It is the band's first album in four years following 2012's Dead Silence.
It is the first album recorded without drummer Aaron Solowoniuk who had suffered a multiple sclerosis relapse and had to take a hiatus from recording and performing to focus on his health. Jordan Hastings of Alexisonfire and Say Yes recorded the drums for the album and played on the supporting tour. The album sold approximately 53,000 units in its first week.
Recording and release
On January 5, 2016, the band posted a photo of a Condenser microphone on their Facebook page, with the caption "It begins", alluding to the beginning of the recording for the album. On January 15, 2016, drummer Aaron Solowoniuk announced through a YouTube video that he would not be able to play drums for the foreseeable future due to a multiple sclerosis relapse. He also announced that Alexisonfire drummer, Jordan Hastings, would be recording the new album with the band, as well as performing on the tour supporting the album, though Solowoniuk would still be in the studio with the band and involved in a smaller capacity.
On May 12, 2016, the band released the first single off the album – "Afraid of Heights", for free streaming on Alternative Press. A day later, the single was released through YouTube, iTunes, Spotify and other digital retailers.
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Object files, edition statements, performance records and contemporary criticism preserve different stages of the work’s history. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 19, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q24067238. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 2016 and 2012.
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