The word "change" is a double-edged sword. The uncertainty of what may come next is perhaps the worst thing that change brings: Are there new perspectives to see? Will what is cherished be preserved or discarded? Will it be improved or even worsened if necessary?
Many questions, the answers to which are often rightly viewed with suspicion, considering the negative changes that are occasionally announced.
The new album "Is Survived By" by "Touché Amoré" also falls under such a change. However, unlike many sad examples, the five musicians from Los Angeles show how to tackle a change successfully.
Fans of the band have experienced with "…To The Beat Of A Dead Horse" and "Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me" what it truly means: Heavy, almost tearing instruments, a voice filled with despair, contempt, and a spark of longing that seeks a way out of misery, and lyrics that build metaphorical mountains and attest to the author a profound depression.
"Is Survived By" proves that one does not always have to surpass oneself, nor reinvent the wheel to create something truly good. According to the words of the song "To Write Content":
"I’ve overgrown what I used to be / I won’t fake what is expected to succeed with album three”
Jeremy Bolm, the singer and lyricist of the band, was well aware of the situation and the challenge that arose after the release of the two predecessor albums. It’s not just about not wanting to "surpass" oneself, as beautifully described above, but also about slightly reorienting oneself textually and stylistically. The mood is less depressing and desperate, the "pressure" behind the music has eased with the hustle and pace, and the music has become much more melodic. This does not mean that all these factors are no longer present somewhere ("DNA", "Kerosene" are examples that really hit hard), but the album as a whole noticeably moves in a different direction.
There is also a textual change: The question of one’s own legacy begins to gain deeper significance:
"Every love can't always stay and the dead will soon decay. With time we'll all be gone but how you lived can live on.
These lines not only contain a new theme but also a new character. These words seem to embody more courage and strength than one would expect from the band based on other songs (with "And Now It’s Happening in Mine" being an exemplary case from the debut album). The song "Anyone/Anything" also conveys an impression of self-confidence and strength, despite its sad-sounding chorus, musically as well.
The new touch is particularly noticeable in songs like "Praise / Love" or "Non Fiction", both of which are not only introduced slowly but also incredibly atmospherically. The former, in particular, stands out for me personally due to the muted microphone and the resulting "background noise", which adds even more emotion.
I find it really difficult to write about "Is Survived By" in a way that I can present everything to my personal satisfaction to make the character in relation to the story and the lyrics of this band truly clear and tangible. Because to understand and comprehend, one should not only engage with the lyrics but also with the albums that came before, to get a feel for the situation, especially if one is a newcomer to these five gentlemen.
"Is Survived By" is an album that bears witness to new beginnings, challenges, and ideas while still containing at its core what one has taken along at the beginning of its long journey. The old wants to be preserved, but one still wants to describe new paths and thoughts, to spread broadly rather than to outdo oneself. To create something that can coexist with what is, rather than sinking into one’s own competition despite the differences. The honesty of Touché Amoré is not only impressive but also incredibly authentic.
Words are not enough to grasp the significance of this development and its backgrounds. Anyone who feels a spark of "Emotional Hardcore" within them will make the delightful effort to discover worlds behind the exciting paths of this album and those that preceded it.
Connoisseurs and lovers of emotional hardcore will still feel very much at home despite the change and still sense the deep heartbeat that emanates from the band. Emotion, hopes, melody, energy, and rawness are elements that one can continually draw from "Is Survived By" without having to fear the disappointment of alienation. Identification can arise without despair, without melancholy, or without negative thoughts. What breathes life into the music is important; and "life" is not only present in the band but also particularly in their lyrics.
What remains are merely the lines of the last song, which is the namesake of this work:
"So write a song that everyone can sing along to / So when you’re gone you can live on, they won’t forget you”
Just a small side note: A heartfelt thank you also to "Basti", who with information and backgrounds about the band has made this review what it is now. Without help, aspects of this critique, despite their importance, would not exist.
Many thanks for that, my dear!
