Torchbearer – Vindication

After the critically acclaimed debut full-length album called Solace and two excellent extended play releases such as Pass In The Night and Against The Tide, London-based noisemakers Torchbearer return with another blistering track that will unquestionably appeal to all the fans of perfectly executed hardcore sound. Vindication comes without warning, strikes hard, and leaves a tremendous mark thanks to the brilliant ideas and exceptional musicianship these folks invested in their new track. Perhaps Torchbearer mainly explores the fundamentals of contemporary hardcore sound, but Vindication also carries some of the finest properties borrowed from other complementary music genres. You’ll notice how metalcore, post-hardcore, thrash metal, sludge, and crossover inspired these guys to write, compose, and produce one of the best tracks you’ll hear this year. Still, these additional elements serve as more than necessary enhancements, accentuations, decoration, and other crucial details that define some of the best modern hardcore numbers.

Vindication arrives like a more than necessary punch in the face with cleverly arranged guitar shreds, riffs, leads, solos, and other virtuosities. It’s nearly mindblowing how both guitar channels harmoniously deliver a colossal slab of well-articulated noise while the thick layer of low-end notes lurks right beneath them and provides more than enough density and clarity to the beforementioned orchestrations. Nothing could sound so profoundly dynamic without exceptional drumming performance built upon fast, energetic, heavy beats, breaks, drum fills, and other percussive acrobatics. The entire band works like a singular organism that sounds like it could tear everything in a broader radius. This band also has one of the best vocalists you’ll hear on hardcore/metalcore/post-hardcore scene, and he perfectly matches Torchbearer‘s aesthetics and sound. Torchbearer is a perfect example of how hardcore should sound in 2023, and there’s no doubt Vindication will become your go-to track whenever you need some excellent underground music. The single is available on all streaming platforms.