Former Hinder Vocalist Returns as Austin John on ‘Love Sick Radio’ EP

2013 was a tumultuous year for Austin Winkler. The former Hinder vocalist asked for a temporary leave of absence in the midst of a heavy touring schedule so that he could enter rehab for a second time. Several months later, the singer and the band agreed to go their separate ways. And while Hinder has gone on to record another album, not much had been heard from Winkler until now.

Now going under the moniker Austin John, the singer has returned from his three-year hiatus with a new EP called Love Sick Radio. "It's a very exciting time for me," says the vocalist. "It's been a long time in the making and I think a lot of people will be pleasantly surprised at the musical direction I took when I stepped into the studio to make this record. It's quite a bit different from Hinder or anything that I've done."

After exiting Hinder, Winkler says he decided to take a different approach to his songwriting. Instead of trying to adapt to what he thought fans wanted to hear, he decided to take a few risks. "To be as open and honest as I can be with nothing to lose," says the singer of his approach.

The disc also features guest appearances by Sophie Summers on a song called "The Plague" and country star Jessie James Decker on a track called "Howlin'." Other tracks on the EP include "Clique 2 Follow," "Carry You," "Road to Paradise" and "Hate That I'm Loving You." If you wish to check out the EP, it's currently available of Amazon and iTunes.