BY: ADMIR DURAKOVIC
Managing Editor
Twenty One Pilots have returned to top form with the release of their third studio album “Trench.”
Twenty One Pilots are a band that blend rock, electronic, pop, and hip-hop into their work to create their moody sound.
Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun, the two members of Twenty One Pilots, first started turning heads with their album “Vessel,” containing popular songs like “car radio” and “migraine.”
It wasn’t until their next album “Blurryface” and the commercial success of the song “stressed out” that the duo made it in the mainstream.
“Trench” is essentially the follow album and response to all their success.
Most of the themes on the album are tied to the character of “Clancy” who lives in a place called “Dema.”
The band left plenty of cryptic images and clues on their social media platforms as to what “Clancy” and “Dema” are like.
Essentially, “Dema” is a place that “Clancy” was once fond of but has now become disillusioned with. The idea is that “Clancy” and “Dema” are an allegory for the bands’ newfound popularity and/or the concept of religion.
The album contains plenty of lyrics that play on the tropes of rebellion, free-thinking, and general agnst.
However, themes aside, the album is filled of plenty of catching songs and simplistic lyrics. A lot of the songs on the album are presented with several layers but are presented in a way that if the listener never gets past the first layer/presentation of the songs, they can still enjoy the music for its sound alone.
Tyler Joseph flows from his pop singing to his rapping almost seamlessly.
The intro track “Jumpsuit” starts out with a repetitive hook where Tyler repeats the title of the track over an instrumental grows more intense as it goes on. The production of this song (and album as a whole) makes it an entertaining listen regardless of the lyrics.
The song “morph” blends hip-hop and rap and talks about issues regarding death and mortality. The verses are filled with rap while Tyler tests the upper limit of his pitch on the chorus.
The next song “chlorine” is a high point on the album, talking about chemical substance abuse and dependence. The line “sippin’ on straight chlorine,” was delivered in the same style as the “Sweet like a chica-cherry cola” line from Savage Garden’s breakout single “I want you.” Once listeners hear the opening line of chlorine, they’ll be hooked sipping on straight chlorine.
Twenty One Pilots slow down their sound with the song “Bandito.” The song is essentially an much more moody version and mix of the songs “Halo” by beyonce and “Time to Pretend,” by MGMT, mixed with a bit of “Car Radio,” from twenty one pilots’ earlier albums.
For a band that blends so many styles, it’s not uncommon to hear pieces that may seem familiar from other works. Twenty One Pilots manage to combine all these different sounds to deliver a project that is enjoyable to listen to on the surface, but also has plenty of layers for fans who really dig into the meanings behind their lyrics.
For anyone looking for a new and unique mesh of styles, genres, and themes, “Trench” would be an album worth giving a listen to. “Five” is out now on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, and Google Play.
