twenty one pilots "Trench" Album Review

By: James Southworth
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars

I think that the sentiments behind the word "hiatus" have been severely changed. At least, that is the case with twenty one pilots. Yes, it has been about three years since the release of their album "Blurryface", but they have been far from quiet. The band went on a long tour which only just ended in August of 2017. Then they went back into the studio to work on new release "Trench". No matter whether you love or hate this duo, you can't deny that Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun are dedicated to their craft and their passionate Clique fanbase. Like many people, I did not hear of TOP until their monstrous single "Stressed Out" had success. I'm glad they blew up, as they deserve it. Their unique blend of pop, electronic, rap, rock, and so much more makes them unmistakable and refreshing in the mainstream landscape. Tyler Joseph is a talented rapper (though his rapping could be considered an acquired taste) and singer. Josh Dun is equally creative in the drumming department. I wouldn't say I dislike any TOP album, and I'm always interested to see what they'll do next. With the immense success of "Blurryface", there was a lot of pressure for the band to do just as well with "Trench". I would have totally understood if the band stayed in the same direction as their most successful album, as that was what made them so successful. But they don't. Instead, they do a complete 180. While "Trench" still is clearly twenty one pilots, it's impressive how different it sounds. With an interesting conceptual story and some of the band's most down-to-earth, as well as most epic moments, this is yet another excellent release from a duo that has yet to disappoint me.

This album gets off to a deceptively upbeat start with its two opening tracks. I say this because, as a whole, this album is generally a bit more slow paced than the schizophrenic feel that "Blurryface" had. As you'll soon see, this is not a bad thing. Lead single "Jumpsuit" is actually the most intense song on the album. When I first heard it, I immediately thought it was one TOP's best singles, and perhaps even best songs in general. I still stand by that statement, perhaps even more enthusiastically now. I love the sort of menacing guitar riff that plays before Josh Dun's intense drum work kicks in. This is the band's most rocking song to date, and I love every second of it. This song introduces the character of Clancy (who is a pretty clear reflection of Tyler) as well as the apocalyptic world of Dema, which is run by corrupt bishops. I would call this concept a bit loose, and thankfully it's easy to see where the symbolism lies. I like how this song has Tyler expressing his discomfort of being in the mainstream music industry, which he describes as "pressures of a new place". The intense feel of the song reflects Tyler's intense uneasiness. His repeated pleas of "Jumpsuit, jumpsuit cover me" are, I think a clear cry out to God to put on Tyler and Josh an armor of faith to protect them from the corruption within the mainstream. Tyler might be more explicit than ever about his faith on this album, and I love that. I also love the screaming in this track. Sure, we've heard Joseph scream before, but there's a certain rawness to it in this song. After this track we get the short but still straight up banger track "Levitate". The more I've listened to this track, the more I like it. This is the only song on the album where Tyler raps for the whole time, and he really shows in this song how good of an emcee he is. He drops some sick bars, and his flow is off kilter and intriguing. The drumming by Josh will make your nod your head, as it's just catchy and intense. I like how this song gives both members of the duo a chance to show off in unique ways.

"My Blood" is one of a couple of songs on this album that I could see having immense radio success. It has this nice indie pop feel to it that so many radio stations are latching on to right now. But, as always, TOP makes the sound interesting. It's hard not to feel the charm in this song as Tyler expresses his genuine love for both his family and his friends. He assures both that he will always be there for him. Though I suppose one could complain about the repetition of this track (and it is admittedly a little excessive at the end), Tyler's unique falsetto along with the booming synths make this track easy to sing along to. After the beginning four songs, I'd debate that the album only gets better. "Chlorine" is my favorite on the album, as it interestingly combines the sounds of "Vessel", "Blurryface", and even the band's self-titled debut. This song's hook is criminally catchy. But don't be deceived: for all the upbeat parts of this track, it's still incredibly dark. TOP is known for making songs that sound upbeat and cheerful but have a rather dark veneer under them. That is the case with this song, as Tyler discusses his struggles with suicide. I like the honesty of the song, and even though the track is catchy, there is a permeating dark atmosphere that gets more and more noticeable as the song goes on. It's really the ending that sold this one for me. The song suddenly changes pace and becomes softer, and with swelling electronics. Then Tyler's voice comes in, sounding very different from how he usually does. He then sends up this haunting and tear jerking plea to God: "I'm so sorry, I forgot you/Let me catch you up to speed/I've been tested like the end of/A weathered flag that's by the sea/Can you build my house with pieces?/I'm just a chemical". This song really did bring me to tears in that moment, as the emotions are just so tangible. They feel like a powerful answer to Tyler's struggles with suicide: in those moments he turns to God to ask him to rebuild him. After such a dark, epic moment, it's fitting that we get a reprieve with the simple, delightful song "Smithereens". This is a charming love song in the vein of "Tear in My Heart". I couldn't help but laugh out loud as Tyler described how he would fight for his wife, even though he incredibly small. It's a really sweet expression of his affection for her, and I can't see why people would see it any other way.

Be prepared to go back into starkly dark territory yet again with "Neon Gravestones". This might be the most brutally honest twenty one pilots has ever gotten in their discussion of suicide. This song is particularly relevant in a day and age where it seems like suicide rates are increasing. Tyler Joseph calls out our culture in its glorification of suicide. I could honestly see this song being a bit controversial because of how much Tyler calls out everyone's culpability in "making a loss a win". He even asks his own fanbase to not glorify his death, and instead to move on to other things if he were to kill himself. TOP's teenage fanbase probably needs to hear this more than anyone, as younger people are more likely to romanticize something like suicide, even if they do it unintentionally. This is a brave track. Tyler acknowledges the fact that it's good we are fighting against the stigmas behind suicide. But, that does not mean that we should be idealizing it to the point where others might think they can use it for revenge or as a "gotcha" against society (this was clearly a pointed criticism against "13 Reasons Why"). Musically, this track is pretty low key and minimalist, focusing more on Tyler's vocals. That is necessary for such a thematically heavy song. The second half of this album is interesting in its own way, having more great songs to recognize. "Nico and the Niners" was the second single for the album, and probably the one that will remind people most of "Blurryface" (especially with its usage of distorted vocal effects). This song has grown on me the more I've listened to it; I really enjoy the quirky chorus and the ending where Tyler goes in on the microphone with some killer bars. "Cut My Lip" brings back the indie pop feel of "My Blood", just in an entirely different way. Even though this isn't a favorite of mine, I still enjoy it. And then we get "Bandito", an epic song in which Tyler utilizes his falsetto to excellent effect. I love how this track builds and builds, and the payoff is just excellent. I don't really want to get into the song too much more, as it's something you need to experience for yourself. The album ends off with three more great songs: the purposefully odd "Pet Cheetah", Tyler's touching ode to his passed away grandfather "Legend", and "Leave This City", a song which proves that twenty one pilots are pure masters at making closing tracks that leave a powerful mark.

There aren't really too many songs I have huge issues or qualms with. I suppose that "Morph" isn't quite as interesting as some of the other moments on here. It's just sort of there. Even though it's not bad and has some interesting ideas lyrically, musically it doesn't captivate me as much. If I had to choose a least favorite track, it would probably be "The Hype". The main reason for this is it just sounds to me like Tyler is complaining about a life of being well-known/famous. I think his feelings about this are sincere, but I still find songs with this type of subject matter a little overdone at this point. Like I said earlier in this review, I do not mind at all that this album is more low-key and soft in many places. However, I would've loved to have heard a few more intense cuts in the vein of "Jumpsuit". Nevertheless, this is not a point that affects my enjoyment of the album in any significant way.

If you are a fan of TOP, then I think there's a very high chance that you'll love this album. It may not be what you are expecting, but then again that is the case with every album from this duo. In a mainstream scene where artists are conforming to trends, I can definitely appreciate the fact that twenty one pilots are going the other way. They could've easily gone with what they did in "Blurryface" or even made more Billboard-ready tracks. Instead, they made a loose yet interesting conceptual album with some deep thematic arcs and very challenging topics. This album has already made its way into my top 15 albums of the year, and it may even go into my top 10. Check "Trench" out for yourself. You won't be disappointed!

Favorite Songs: "Chlorine", "Bandito", "Jumpsuit", "Neon Gravestones", "Levitate"
Least Favorite Songs: "The Hype", "Morph"