ALBUM REVIEW: Darkbloom – We Came As Romans

Grief comes to us all in different ways, moreso when a collective is mourning the same person. What we the writer feel won’t be the same as what you the reader will. The most important thing about the process is how you emerge from it. Do we bend or do we break? One such example of this gruelling process comes from WE CAME AS ROMANS and their new release Darkbloom. It’s here where we would normally reiterate the latest album’s placement within the discography. While yes, Darkbloom is band’s sixth album, it’s also the first without vocalist Kyle Pavone. Following Pavone’s tragic passing in 2018, WE CAME AS ROMANS were understandably absent. Their follow up to Cold Like War (2017) fits the idea of ‘it’s okay to not be okay’ but Darkbloom comes with a plainness heavier than any breakdown could possibly be.

“The light might fade but I won’t wither away” declare the pained vocals of Dave Stephens within the title track. Usually, an opening track is a statement of intent. While the sharp crunch of Joshua Moore and Lou Cotton’s guitars create quintessential metalcore when blended with synths, it’s the lyrics which carry the real weight. It’s no secret anger is a secondary emotion, a smoke screen, for things such as sadness or fear. The harshness of Cotton’s riffs into the bridge elevates Stephens’ message of “die or grow” into the brutality the song calls for. That beautiful sharpness we mentioned returns for the outro as WE CAME AS ROMANS pull us back to assess the situation they have; this is a manifestation of their grief and the road ahead will be a difficult one.

What follows are the slew of singles which were released prior. While they need no deep analysis or reviewing from us, in context of the album, they demand attention: the angular riffs of Plagued that fade into Andy Glass’ bass-led instrumentals.; how we’re able to hear the vast improvement in Stephens’ vocals as he steps up to the plate in this reincarnation. To those who are of the opinion Stephens is replacing Pavone, that thought is only half correct. Pavone is still within this record. Moving into the glitchy nature of Black Hole and the thickness of that production value, we hear his influence. What he perfected on Cold Like War has only evolved further as Daggers’ aggression becomes measured within a churn which pulls at the pit of the stomach. Should anyone ever need to find a snippet of motivation to push through grief of any kind, not only does ZERO 9:36’s guest spot emulate the racing mind perfectly but the call of “cut out the pain to find the power” will shove like nothing else.

Darkbloom isn’t all aggression and perseverance. Its power comes from the ability to be multifaceted, housing the rawness which only comes when confronted with losing someone you care about. Black Hole may have addressed the presence of the void but the tandem of Golden and One More Day dive in head-first. These may be slower tracks but they still pack a punch. Stephens’ clean vocals on Golden’s verses pull on the heartstrings as he paints the picture of the last time we see someone and the sad realisation they’re gone. “Show me the way to feel alive again” simply drowns within the bass filled instrumental. Slivers of thick riffs glimmer in the murky depths, threatening to drag us under. One More Day does just that. It takes our heartstrings and uses them as a bungee cord. Soft piano and vocals unwrap the story of trying to save someone from themselves. The balance of screams and cleans within the chorus perfectly demonstrate the impact a chorus can have when allowed to bloom into its space. The trough of the minimal verses then make way for lines such as “I would’ve walked through your hell with you”. Devastation, anyone?

If there were to be a complaint about Darkbloom, it would perhaps come from a place of not understanding the process fully. Enter Doublespeak. The percussion-led intro from David Puckett dictates the pace of the jarring electronics which leads into a song of pure hatred. Against the context of the album, we’re unsure where Doublespeak fits. Yet it doesn’t take away from the fact the track is simply massive. From its unfinished sentences within a verse to the visceral “choke on your words” bringing the track to its knees with the heaviest breakdown on the record, this song is not to be counted out.

These flashes of vitriol are often followed by moments of sadness or a subdued few days. The Anchor and Holding The Embers may provide that but the weight of the record doesn’t let up. Do WE CAME AS ROMANS tread new ground with the comparison of grief to large bodies of water? No. The allegory is tried and tested for a reason. These moments of cliché ultimately become the subject of the track. Being weighed down by an anchor of grief is nothing new but the way these instrumentals pick up speed to mirror a torrent of water growing larger is sublime. Glass’ bass becomes as oppressive as the tide – an oppression which feeds into Holding The Embers, although that isn’t blindingly obvious until the lyrical content is taken into consideration. It’s story of holding on to something we know is no longer there, chasing a fragment of forever though everything is fleeting. Experimenting further still with production, Stephens’ screams add an edge to the second chorus, an element of texture. Floating through to the bridge where sonic layers sit atop one another, the song ignites the white-hot nature of grief and lets it fade to a slower yet still painful burn.

There is something about the closing track which makes us recalcitrant to talk about it. A moment for you, avid reader, to experience on your own. For fellow members of The Grief Club, Promise You is a difficult listen. Moore picks up the vocal mantle and directly addresses the moments before and after Pavone’s passing. A direct sequel to Cold Like War’s anthem of self-acceptance, Promise You is a wonderful yet heart-breaking tribute to their fallen brother.

“I promise you I will never stop saying your name” is a fitting final line to Darkbloom. Some may see this record as moving on from Pavone and perhaps it is in a small way. Darkbloom is wonderfully put together cementation of Kyle Pavone’s legacy. This evolution of WE CAME AS ROMANS is harsh, raw and honest. This depiction of grief is as devastating as it is spectacular. Dear reader, we very rarely implore you to listen to an album, but this is the exception. WE CAME AS ROMANS may have broken in 2018, but they have come back stronger in 2022.

Rating: 9/10

Darkbloom is out now via SharpTone Records.

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