It’s not hyperbole to state that Touché Amoré’s third album ‘Is Survived By‘ is the band’s most pivotal album. Released September 24th, 2013 via Deathwish Inc. Their album tackles the complicated nature of leaving a lasting legacy and the uncertainty that surrounds that; ultimately resulting in a record about learning to find the validation and love within one’s self.
Produced by the legendary Brad Wood (Sunny Day Real Estate, Liz Phair, mewithoutYou), the recording sessions were a lesson in growth for the Los Angeles quintet– vocalist Jeremy Bolm, guitarists Nick Steinhardt and Clayton Stevens, bassist Tyler Kirby, and drummer Elliot Babin – as the band transformed from a group of individuals who play hardcore songs to the established headlining act that band is today.
For the past decade, it’s been bittersweet as the band has felt less than satisfied with the record’s sound, a result of their overthinking and under-preparedness.
The album’s 10 year anniversary felt like the perfect time to tap Wood and Emily Lazar (the same team behind Stage Four) to remix and remaster the record. “I’ve always had a really hard time with the way this record sounds,” explains Bolm. “I’ve unfortunately been oversharing and vocal about that for a number of years, but when we went to Brad to remix it, the main direction that I gave him was to make this sound more like Stage Four, and I think he killed it. He found that middle ground to where everything now compliments each other and there’s far more clarity overall.”
No longer does ‘Is Survived By‘ feel claustrophobic as if each layer of sound is fighting one another. Instead, vocals flow in unison with creative, thoughtful guitar work, while the stellar rhythm section provide a fervent punch to each song. Side A favorites like ‘Just Exist‘ and ‘DNA‘ hit with a new intensity, while the lusciousness within ‘Harbor‘ feels more defined. The Side B tracks may benefit the most; the Interpol influence shines throughout ‘Kerosene‘ and the slow burn build on ‘Non Fiction‘ is heard with more definition than ever before. There is a new found sense of brightness throughout the album’s twelve tracks without losing any of the character from the original recordings. The lessons Bolm has learned over the years were also applied to the remaster. “I do feel a lot better about it,” he says. “Everything kicks and everything pumps on this remix and remaster and I feel like ‘Wow.’ I almost feel like I’m hearing these songs for the first time again.”
‘Is Survived By‘ is a cathartic record about wanting to be heard and understood and how you’ll be remembered— a perfect snapshot of understanding your past and looking towards the future. It’s why this record remains incredibly cherished by so many listeners, achieving that legacy it set out for a decade ago. “When I hear people say that this is their favorite record, it honestly makes me feel really, really good because it reminds me that my ears are different from the listeners,” the singer reveals. “That’s important to remember. So to have something that you have felt down about, be praised, I mean, you can’t ask for anything better.”
Is Survived By: Revived tracklist:
01 Just Exist
02 To Write Content
03 Praise / Love
04 Anyone / Anything
05 DNA
06 Harbor
07 Kerosene
08 Blue Angels
09 Social Caterpillar
10 Non Fiction
11 Steps
12 Is Survived By