Seamlessly blending poetic, emotionally charged melody and ferocious hardcore punk energy, Californian quintet Touché Amoré have consistently dropped some of the post-hardcore genre’s most vital records since their 2008 self-titled debut. Now, on their sixth full length Spiral In A Straight Line, Touché Amoré use a more varied sonic palette than ever to explore some of their deepest, most poignant material to date.
While fans of the band are sure to feel comfortable with the broad strokes of Spiral In A Straight Line, Touché Amoré make it clear from the outset that they’re not just going through the motions. Frontman Jeremy Bolm’s passionate screams are as on point as ever and the production from the iconic Ross Robinson, also known for his work with Slipknot, Korn and At The Drive In, sounds as crystal clear as it did on 2020’s Lament but there’s a renewed sense of freedom on Spiral In A Straight Line with the band leaning more heavily into their hardcore roots on tracks like ‘Disasters’ and ‘Mezzanine’ and further into pop, indie and shoegaze elsewhere on the album without losing an ounce of what makes them unique. Touché Amoré have been around the block enough times to recognise what makes them special but are self aware enough to know when to shake up their formula.
A fantastic example of the experimentation on Spiral In A Straight Line is single ‘Hal Ashby’ which takes what fans know and love about the band’s sound while putting a unique spin on a well worn blueprint. Taking inspiration from director Hal Ashby, whose films often explored misunderstood protagonists, Touché Amoré embark on their own exploration of misunderstandings with a steady, emo style lead guitar line contrasted against blistering punk drums with Bolm’s harsh vocals flowing between rapid-fire shouts and cathartic howls. ‘Hal Ashby’ takes Touché Amoré’s melodic post-hardcore and throws in a melancholic emo edge, taking the band’s usually introspective sound to new heights.
Despite refining their sound and experimenting just enough to stay sounding fresh, Spiral In A Straight Line is definitively a Touché Amoré record, with plenty of the emotionally driven screams and driving rhythms that fans have come to love. Tracks like album opener ‘Nobody’s’, with its chunky guitar riff in the chorus, or the rapid and uplifting ‘Finalist’ could slide neatly into any spot in Touché Amoré’s discography. While it’s great to see something new on Spiral In A Straight Line, fans will be excited to hear that Touché Amoré can still deliver the same kind of hits they’ve always been known for.
Joining Touché Amoré on Spiral In A Straight Line are a pair of very special guests who elevate their respective tracks, adding contrasting clean vocals to Bolm’s iconic scream. ‘Subversion (Brand New Love)’ sees the quintet joined by Dinosaur Jr. bassist and singer Lou Barlow whose breezy alt-rock vocals provide a perfect counterpoint to the sharp screams throughout the rest of the album before the track explodes into a duet with Bolm’s throat-ripping harsh vocals. Closing track ‘Goodbye For Now’ features vocal contributions from singer-songwriter and one third of indie supergroup Boygenius, Julien Baker whose ethereal voice soars alongside an airy lead guitar line above Bolm’s screams and hard-hitting percussion from drummer Elliot Babin. These two guest vocalists bring an essential extra dimension to Touché Amoré’s sound that the band simply couldn’t create on their own, elevating their tracks while providing a brief respite from the album’s more aggressive moments.
Spiral In A Straight Line leaves enough of Touché Amoré’s signature sound intact to appeal to longtime fans while experimenting with sounds from indie, shoegaze and pop, keeping the album fresh and exciting. With some of the band’s most memorable singles to date, Touché Amoré continue their streak of incredibly cathartic, vital post-hardcore releases.