Touche Amore

Touche Amore have made a name for themselves in the hardcore scene with the release of their past record To The Beat Of A Dead Horse and a slough of 7inches and splits. While some Internet drama has led to a backlash against the band, this new full length Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me can be held as a pinnacle in the post hardcore genre with a beautiful combination of passionate lyrics, gritty riffs and powerful interludes, all of which comes together to be one of the best releases of 2011.

The thirteen songs on the record come to just over twenty minutes and they flow between one another seamlessly making a listen from begging to end painless. The reoccurring idea of the record is one of coming to terms with problems in your life, understanding them and working towards making them better. Jeremy Bolm’s lyrics, while not very straightforward, are both smart and memorable full of lines that stick with you and make you think. The listener will always believe where the words come from and the pain behind them, something that is very hard to do. The album is by no means heavy, leaning farther towards strong melodies and this will turn people away from the band, however this does not prevent the music from getting hectic with at times busy complex percussion that help keep the pace up and the listener interested.

The record is excellent as a whole and stand out tracks are hard to pin. “~ (Tilde)” is one of the best opening songs on a record I have ever heard starting off peaceful and easing into a strong energy that is seen throughout the record. “Amends” the closing track is both short and sweet leading the record out with immense power. The thirteen tracks are overall consistent and it’s the catchy one-liners and strong melodies that will keep the listener coming back.

The melodic post hardcore genre has seen resurgence as of late with other bands like Defeater, La Dispute and Pianos Become the Teeth getting hype. Parting the Sea Between Brightness and Me is a record that sets the standard for the genre. I don’t need to tell you to go listen to it because someone else probably already has.

9.0 / 10 — Adam Houtekamer