Artist of the Day: Touche Amore

Whether you like it or not, Touche Amore is one of the leaders of the new post-hardcore scene. They carry a torch for a new generation of emotion-fused anthems alongside bands like La Dispute and Defeater in a sea that once held such acts as Thursday and Glassjaw. The band keeps picking up speed, regularly drawing piles of stage divers at hardcore festivals and on no-barrier stages throughout the United States and abroad. Touche Amore's pulverizing sound treads territory between a traditional hardcore band and screamo, but with an accessible aesthetic that is neither clean nor harsh. As the band gears up to release its forthcoming third album Is Survived By, we've got some first impressions to share of what is sure to be one of the best albums of the year.

Touche Amore's earlier material is quite raw and fast with almost no accents of technicality. Sure, there are calculated parts and some sense to the madness, but Is Survived By takes the band to a whole new level. It's a difference between night and day when compared to Parting The Sea Between Brightness and Me. The songs feature a strong dissonance carried by jangly guitars and persistent reverbs. It's a strong evolution from their split with Pianos Become the Teeth, showcasing the band's songwriting more than their aggression. "DNA"'s frantic drumming frenzy is characteristically heavy, while "Anyone/Anything" shows a more upbeat, mid-tempo shade that the band has never explored before. "Social Caterpillar" is sure to be a new fan favorite which is a three-minute journey through all colors of the band, past and present.

Frontman Jeremy Bolm's vocal approach is more calculated as well, with slight variations on his trademark throat-shredding.  Bolm's vocals are less harsh, half-sung in parts throughout the record which has already drawn connections to La Dispute's Jordan Dreyer in opener "Just Exist." It adds a different flavor to the songs, which already sound more emotional due to the noodled guitars that paved through each weaving musical piece. Overall, the band's progression culminates in the three-song combo of "Non Fiction," "Steps" and "Is Survived By." Quite possibly the best songs the band has ever written, the members tear through the fastest parts of the record and juxtapose them with heartfelt interludes that will cement this album as one of the strongest albums of the year.

Touche Amore's Is Survived By will be released on September 24th through Deathwish, Inc, and you can preorder the album here. We will have our full review of the album up in the coming weeks, so be sure to listen to the released singles again to get psyched for this emotional rollercoaster. You're going to love it.

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