The Black Star Riders are a hard rock band that grew out of the re-formation of Thin Lizzy. Their roots go back to 2010, when longstanding guitarist Scott Gorham was re-forming the group (again); there have been several resurrections since 1996. Reunion members included Gorham, original drummer Brian Downey, and former keyboard player Darren Wharton, with bassist Marco Mendoza, vocalist Rick Warwick, and a series of guitarists including Viv Campbell, Richard Fortus, Damon Johnson, and Christian Martucci. The band issued their debut album, All Hell Breaks Loose, in 2013, and continued to hone their signature blend of classic rock and roots-driven hard rock on subsequent outings like The Killer Instinct (2015), Another State of Grace (2019), and Wrong Side of Paradise (2023).

Thin Lizzy played shows in 2010 and 2011 and also began to write material for a new album to be recorded under the band's name. Gorham and Downey weren't comfortable using the Thin Lizzy name to cut new songs out of respect for the late Phil Lynott. The Black Star Riders' moniker was decided on in late 2012, inspired by the name of an outlaw gang in the film Tombstone. Before their debut recording sessions, Downey left the group, citing his inability to endure the long and rigorous touring schedule that would be demanded of a new group. Wharton also left to concentrate on his primary band, Dare. Gorham recruited former Alice Cooper and Megadeth drummer Jimmy DeGrasso to complete the lineup. The Black Star Riders' debut album, All Hell Breaks Loose, was produced by Kevin Shirley and released by Nuclear Blast in the late spring of 2013. 2014 saw the departure of Marco Mendoza and the arrival of Ratt and Lynch Mob bassist Robbie Crane. It also saw the release of the band's sophomore outing, Killer Instinct, which featured the singles "Finest Hour" and the driving title cut.

In 2016, the band issued a new single, "When the Night Comes In," in anticipation of the release of their third studio long-player, Heavy Fire, which arrived in February 2017. That same year, drummer DeGrasso departed the band, replaced by Black Label Society's Chad Szeliga. European and U.S. tours followed into 2018 before founding member Damon Johnson left to focus on his own solo career. Replaced by Stone Sour's Christian Martucci, the newly refreshed line-up returned to the studio in early 2019 to record their fourth album. Produced by Jay Ruston (Stone Sour, Uriah Heep), the resulting album, Another State of Grace, was issued in September and reached number one in the U.K. Rock & Metal Albums Chart. Gorham left the group in 2021 to focus solely on Thin Lizzy. Szeliga also departed, making room for new drummer Zak St. John. The band inked a deal with Earache Records and decamped to the studio with producer Jay Ruston. The group's fifth long-player, Wrong Side of Paradise, was released the following year. ~ Thom Jurek