A decade of lore and world building came to a bittersweet end with the release of Twenty One Pilots’ 8th studio album, Breach. Explored over 5 albums, the story takes place in Dema, a dystopia located on the fictional continent of Trench, where Clancy and Torchbearer lead an uprising against the nine ruling bishops. The band uses this world they’ve created as a grand metaphor for mental health.
Twenty One Pilots’ music is well known for its intricate lyricism, and songwriter Tyler Joseph uses literary and rhetorical devices to both tell a story and open up about his own struggles.
While Breach continues this formula, some lyrics feel a bit...lackluster...compared to those of previous albums. There are a couple songs that feature choppy and surface-level choruses. And Breach’s first single, 'The Contract,' is almost entirely chorus, including both pre- and post-choruses, with only a single verse and a very brief, repetitive bridge.
This isn’t a glaringly obvious pattern, though, and is easy to miss when lyrics are only one component of a song. Outside of that…the album fits seamlessly with the rest of the band’s discography.
Some would argue that lyrics fall secondary to the most important part of music: how it sounds. And sound is, undoubtedly, one of Breach’s biggest strengths. The album successfully connects to earlier releases in the storyline without feeling overdone. Even though Twenty One Pilots is a two-person band, they play every instrument themselves, and that dedication shines through. The drums, piano, and bass especially resonate. A few songs also use synth and autotune, but never in a way that feels artificial, often complementing and elevating the foundation laid by instruments or Joseph’s voice.
My favorite song on Breach is 'Tally,' with 'Rawfear' being a close second and 'One Way' not far behind. This isn’t just an album, though…it’s an experience — one best enjoyed from start to finish. And...one perk of doing so is that you’ll get to hear a voicemail transition from drummer Josh Dun which, in my opinion, deserves its own recognition. I always love a good transition.
Since its release, Breach has not only gone number one, but it’s also set a new record for opening-week vinyl sales. To me, that’s the perfect way for the band to close this chapter of their music.
Despite my enjoyment of this album and its chart-topping success, it’s definitely… not for everybody. But then again… Twenty One Pilots never has made music that’s mainstream or generic.
Overall, I’d rate Breach a 7.5 out of 10. If you liked any of what you heard in this review, though, definitely go give it a listen. And, if you’re looking for a new rabbit hole of convoluted lore to go down… welcome to Trench (if you know, you know).