Is Survived By
Touché Amoré
Released by Deathwish Inc.
Is it finally Touché Amoré’s time to shine?
Since the release of their stellar 2011 album Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me, the Los Angeles-based quintet has attracted considerable attention. From being covered by mainstream websites such as Pitchfork Media to being featured on major tours—including a forthcoming US trek with AFI—it would appear that Touché Amoré is gradually escaping the clutches of the tightly-knit punk community.
Despite the inevitable pressure the band must be feeling, fans can rest knowing that Is Survived By, their latest Deathwish-released album and third overall, not only exceeds the hype but stands as their finest effort yet.
Right off the bat, the furious opener “Just Exist” makes the listener know that the melodic hardcore act have crafted a tighter and better-produced album than anything they’ve done before. Filled with frantic guitar work and tight drumming that manages to always keep up with frequent tempo changes, it becomes clear over the album’s 12 tracks that guitarists Nick Steinhardt and Clayton Stevens, along with drummer Elliot Babin, have been practicing.
The songs on Is Survived By continue to follow the band’s trend of leaning more towards the emotional side of the punk spectrum, rather than just simply playing fast and furiously. The band is even able to surprise the listener with melodic numbers such as “Harbor,” which starts slowly and builds to an epic climax, and “Praise / Love,” a beautiful interlude that precedes “Anyone / Anything.”
However, the album’s true highlights come in the form of the one-two-three punch that is the final three tracks.
Beginning with “Non-Fiction,” one of the band’s best slower numbers that works as an effective emotional tearjerker, the following “Steps” brings things back to Touché Amoré’s regular punk speed except now sporting one of their most infectious choruses yet. The closing title track manages to merge the emotional lyricism of the former and the heavy riffing of the latter to result in possibly the band’s finest song yet.
The album’s nearly 30-minute run time also means the album doesn’t run out its welcome.
This is also beneficial as it prevents singer Jeremy Bolm from doing the same thing. Despite featuring a muscular voice that will no doubt incite sing-alongs from the band’s most die-hard fans, his lack of vocal range remains the band’s biggest problem.
While Bolm’s vocals have somewhat improved here, he still generally sounds the same in every song. It’s not too terribly distracting as his voice fits the heavy music well, but it will be interesting to see if he’ll be able to keep up with a band that keeps evolving musically with each release. Considering how good Is Survived By is, I have faith that Touché Amoré will figure something out.
