ALBUM REVIEW: Lament – Touché Amoré

TOUCHÉ AMORÉ have been somehow managing to not only grow their popularity with each release but deepen their cult status as the most consistent post-hardcore band ever. Bursting onto the scene with the rapid-fire debut To The Beat Of A Dead Horse, followed by the emotionally charged Parting The Sea Between Brightness and Me set the scene for the eventual blossoming that the band would perform with their following records. 

The evolution the band made on Is Survived By, introducing more structure into their songs and sewing the entire record together with overarching themes of finding yourself on the journey to success, made sure it was this album that introduced the world to a new TOUCHÉ AMORÉ. But it was Stage Four that firmly cemented the band as a true creative tour de force, with the impeccable pairing of Jeremy Bolm‘s lyrical journey of coming to terms of his mother’s death by cancer alongside the musical canvas made by the rest of the band asserting it as the best release of 2016 and one of the best releases of the decade itself.

Now with their latest release Lament it seems another switch in gear is what the band are looking for. Further increasing the structure of their writing, Lament is a record that feels more cohesive whilst simultaneously lacking the consistent underlying themes that ran through the two records prior. Making the right decision to not try and one up Stage Four on the emotional factor and shifting their attention to broader ideas and themes, TOUCHÉ AMORÉ have made their most varied and diverse record since their inception. 

From the slow burn of Limelight, to the rapid riffing of Feign or Exit Row this is an album that allows TOUCHÉ AMORÉ to stretch their creative wings as broad as they will go. The Americana influence makes A Broadcast glow as a highlight of the album, and is juxtaposed with the almost angry I’ll Be Your Host as Bolm references how he hates the fact people feel the need to tell him about their own losses in life after Stage Four dropped. The breadth of emotion explored here is far wider than the case studies on sadness that previous albums have been. Reminders is a welcome optimistic ride through an almost radio friendly song that further proves how far TOUCHÉ AMORÉ have come from their frantic early years. And make no mistake, the energy that has made this band such an exciting band to listen to both on record and live is very much alive and well, and from the opening screams of Come Heroine to the crescendo of A Forecast, Lament is an expertly paced record that feels effortless in its execution. 

Everything is bolstered by the brilliant production work of Ross Robinson. The clear mix offers every instrument room to breathe and the clever writing of each member gives the songs the unique spice that has helped them stand out amongst the pack from day one.  How clear it is to both see the progression the band has made whilst instantly recognising it as TOUCHÉ AMORÉ quickly becomes one of the best things about the album, and it becomes even more astonishing when you realise that this band really don’t have a song you could call ‘bad’. With Lament there is a real sense that TOUCHÉ AMORÉ are cementing themselves as masters of their craft and affirming their status as being head and shoulders above the quality of their contemporaries. 

For all this genuine and deserved praise, when compared to the heights Is Survived By and Stage Four hit Lament doesn’t quite hold up. Despite the addition of more structure into the songs, the lack of collective concept throughout the record does make the tracks feel more like individual moments instead of a collective of standout moments. Still, there is no denying the incredible work TOUCHÉ AMORÉ have done with Lament, and any comparison to their back catalogue does come down to splitting hairs. This will be the easiest album to introduce your friends to an excellent band and long time fans will find plenty to enjoy and appreciate from start to finish. TOUCHÉ AMORÉ have turned into the sort of band we feel lucky to have making music, because they are just so damn good at it. 

Rating: 8/10

Lament is out now via Epitaph Records. 

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