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Touché Amoré returns with a brand new album, titled "Spiral In A Straight Line" (gotta love titles with deeper meanings) on October 11th, via their new label, Rise Records. The record comes almost 4 years to the date after their previous work, "Lament".
Allow me to preface this text with a disclaimer. I first discovered Touché Amoré in the early '10s through "Honest Sleep", and I immediately fell in love with the dissonance and Jeremy Bolm's raspy vocals. It was something very different to what I was used to, having grown up with a "nothing-but-metal" mindset and in my journey of discovering different facets of music, I was mesmerized by something I couldn't fully sonically understand but at the same time felt some connection to. Then I read the lyrics and I felt seen, as if someone had worded my deepest fears and emotions in ways I would never be able to. I followed Touché Amoré religiously, "Parting The Sea..." still being one of my comfort albums, until I experienced "Is Survived By". This was the pinnacle of TA artistic expression in my books and the records that followed never hit home with me, which in turn led me to quietly abandon the band.
"Spiral In A Straight Line" manages to mend the situation. While not being dramatically different than its predecessor, there is a nuanced retrospection throughout the record, evoking feelings like they did over a decade ago. The band bridges their amplified sound with their dissonant past in an extraordinary way. They're not trying to replicate their playing from their early 20s, but they're approaching similar wavelengths as seasoned musicians/songwriters instead. In a way it feels like the band is paying homage to their roots and at the same time refuses to settle, still exploring the post-hardcore spectrum.
To me, "Spiral In A Straight Line", feels very nostalgic. I would imagine that OG listeners like myself will be revisiting sounds that dominated the (European dare I say) scene back when TA was starting -not emo per se but not in total melodic hardcore territory either. Opener and lead single "Nobody's" kicks off in a brighter tone, followed by "Disasters", which despite its upbeat character, introduces some darker hues and the band's signature "dysrhythmia" that we are accustomed to. Second single, "Hal Ashby", signifies the change in tone, with a noticeable shift in the intensity. It's the following track, however, that drives a nail into the heart. "Force Of Habit" feels like a familiar darkness which engulfs the listener, as the tempo slows down and the bass comes more to the forefront, combined with an gut-wrenching vocal delivery.
"Mezzanine" is more reminiscent of older Touché, cranking up the post-hardcore element while "Altitude" introduces a deepness that translates to a visceral performance on all levels. "This Routine" and "Finalist" also feel quite familiar with the punkier vibe we saw on the opening track. The rollercoaster then descends once more as the melodic strum of "Subversion" hits. The clean lower vocal register drives the track fittingly, enhancing its character and building intensity until we hit the crescendo where Bolm and guest Lou Barlow converse in different tonalities. As we reach the end we are met with "The Glue", probably my least favorite track on the album although I admit the structure is quite interesting, and "Goodbye For Now", the most Touché Amoré composition in this record. The track explores various territories and tempos in four minutes and twenty seconds, perfectly encapsulating the band's trajectory and evolution so far. The recurring guest, Julien Baker, adds a layer of tenderness, balancing out the turbulent outcome.
Overall, "Spiral In A Straight Line" is the album that rekindled my love for Touché Amoré. Sometimes they're not easy to follow but they're always authentic and that to me is their biggest asset. It may not reinvent the wheel but the record reminded me of the reasons I first started listening to the band. While it's the natural next step from "Lament", it's grounded, it's honest and it manages to create a different path and expand the band's creativity even further. The title is a brilliant and poignant pun which connects it with the lyric content, as we seemingly grieve new losses -not as tragic as we did on "Stage Four" but leaving scars nonetheless. It takes courage to be vulnerable and to let people see the darkness in you. In that aspect, Jeremy Bolm masterfully creates an experience that anyone can relate to, no matter how different their lives may be.
8.5/10
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