Twenty One Pilots exploded into the music industry with their 2015 album “Blurryface.” The lead single, “Stressed Out,” worked its way up to number two on the Billboard 100. The album remained in the Billboard Top 200 Albums for four whole years (it literally never left) and it became the first album in history to get every track on it certified gold. Needless to say, “Blurryface” was a success.
Naturally, the real question fans were asking is “what happens next?” With such a massive success, surely alt-rock duo Tyler Joseph and Joshua Dun couldn’t top “Blurryface.”
Yet that’s exactly what they did with their 2018 album “Trench.”
“Blurryface” covered lead singer Joseph’s struggles with depression, with Blurryface being a fictional alter-ego to represent Joseph’s deepest insecurities. But while “Blurryface” introduced us to a character, its followup “Trench” introduced us to a world.
Right away, the heavy-hitting combo of “Jumpsuit” and “Levitate” establish that the music from “Trench” will not be the same as their past work. With heavy basslines, fast-rapping lyrics and rapid drum beats from Dun, Twenty One Pilots completely evolves their sound in the best way.
Past albums by the Pilots, such as “Blurryface” and 2013’s “Vessel” included a lot of synth-heavy songs. While “Trench” keeps that theme, the genres drastically differ. After the rock ballad “Jumpsuit” and the rap song “Levitate,” Joseph proceeds to switch up on everyone song after song. Single “Nico and the Niners” blends the Pilots’ style with reggae, while “My Blood” takes a more pop route.
The album really takes a turn halfway through, when the melodramatic “Neon Gravestones” begins. The song addresses suicide, something both Joseph and Dun have struggled with in the past. It’s a deeply personal and poetic testament to those who are battling their mental health in every waking moment, reminding the fans that they are not alone.
And that’s what “Trench” does best: including everyone. Each track hits different people in different ways. The single “Chlorine” stresses the pros and cons of constantly being required to create new content, similar to how chlorine can cleanse and harm under certain circumstances. “Smithereens” is a love letter from Joseph to his wife, while the penultimate track “Legend” is a tribute to his late grandfather. The album also honors the fans more and more with tracks like “The Hype” and the finale “Leave The City.” With so many different aspects of humanity addressed in each song, there’s something on “Trench” for nearly everyone.
Then there’s the weird stuff: the lore. When marketing this album, Twenty One Pilots went dark on social media for a year and a half. They then returned with a cryptic website that released dozens of hints and updates. As the site updated itself, a world was created. It was then that “Trench” stopped being just an album: it became a safe space for fans, a haven for those who felt alone.
Which leads to something even more impressive: “Trench” manages to intertwine the Twenty One Pilots lore with lyrics about relevant topics all people face. Tracks like “Cut My Lip,” “Morph” and “Bandito” expand the “Trench” mythos beyond the site (and their trilogy of music videos) while still being listenable on their own.
That’s what makes “Trench” even more genius. Each song has at least a double meaning. Some even have triple meanings. Fans can relate to the songs while also theorizing about what each one means for the story Joseph and Dun are trying to share. The lyrics are captivating, the sound is a revitalizing breath of fresh air, Joseph’s vocals are stunning and Dun’s drumming is more powerful than ever.
I chose to write this review because “Trench” isn’t exactly as mainstream as “Blurryface.” There aren’t any songs that have reached or sound like their biggest hits (“Stressed Out,” “Ride” and “Heathens”), but this whole album is worth the listen. “Blurryface” may have been Twenty One Pilots’ big break, but “Trench” is Twenty One Pilots at their absolute best.
Rating: 11/10
The Beat @APU 