Jeremy Bolm's Loss Contributes To Best TA Album Yet
Touché Amoré are a band that have become a huge influence in Post-Hardcore, since their formation just under a decade ago.
Touché's sound is probably the most iconic in the modern hardcore scene; featuring loud, noise-driven guitars and the emotionally charged lyrics being screamed out by front-man Jeremy Bolm. Bolm's lyrics are also a trademark of Touché's music, Bolm is very confessional with his listeners, and he delivers words that offer a guiding light for those suffering from depression, anxiety or self-hate.
Touché's first two albums, 2009's To The Beat Of A Dead Horse and the phenomenal 2011 release Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me, portrayed someone in a struggle to live with themselves, stuck in a spiral of anxiety and worthlessness, through a range of claustrophobic riffs combined with the desperate screams from Bolm, which stand as a cry for help.
'Stage Four' takes a step away from the themes of self-despair and takes a look at another specific story from the mind of Jeremy Bolm.
In 2014 His mother passed away following a long battle with cancer, the loss broke Touché's front-man who was only left with the memories of the final years he had with her. These memories have become the songs on 'Stage Four', Touché Amoré's finest work yet.
The album sees the guitars take a more melodic-inspired shift over the previously utilised noise, and Bolm's passion is captured perfectly in tracks 'Water Damage' and 'Palm Dreams' where Bolm employs clean vocals, reminiscent of what you'd hear from Sunny Day Real Estate or The World is a Beautiful Place, not glamorous by a long shot, but powerful enough to get the meaning across.
'Eight Seconds' is, without a doubt, the most powerful track on the album, capturing the moment Bolm found out about his mother's passing, whilst on-stage in Gainsville. It's a more traditional Touché Amoré track, clocking at 1:30, but it packs a huge punch in the despairing message of loss and existential pain. It also makes for a beautiful transition into 'Palm Dreams' where Bolm re-visits his mothers home, this track also features some of the finest guitar work by the band in their, almost, 10-Years of existence.
To summarise. With 'Stage Four' Bolm has not just brought the memories of his mother to life for all to experience, he's also gave her a new lease of life as a martyr for all of us to find comfort within. And for that I say Thank You.
9/10
POST HARDCORE / SCREAMO / MELODIC HARDCORE
FAVE TRACKS: Displacement - Eight Seconds - Water Damage
LEAST FAVE TRACKS:
