Much like their distinct name, The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die continue to pen unique songs with flavor and character, and new studio album Dreams Of Being Dust (Epitaph Records), is no different.

The World is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die. Photograph by Lisa Johnson Rock Photographer.

There are harsh elements nestled alongside multi-genre compositions, softer sequences working in tandem with fierce intensity. “Se Sufre Pero Se Goza” has the staying power of a song you swear you’ve known and enjoyed for years even after only hearing it for the first time. Ephemeral singing and early-to-mid 00’s screams combine for an excellent primer for what’s to come.

The urgency and angst is alive and well on track “Beware The Centrist,” which is offset by the satisfying vocal style and cadence featured on “Auguries Of Guilt.”

TWIABP& can bring differing pieces together in a way that feels natural and belonging. The strange bedfellows of “December 4, 2024” and “Oubilette” offer sandpaper bass fills and Pink Floyd-esque vocal vibes, respectively. But it never feels misplaced or misguided or anything other than appropriate.

Opener “Dimmed Sun” feels Industrial and carries an air of Post-Hardcore with a swirling melody that calls to mind Periphery. “No Pilgrim” houses a background bass that is rough and stern but also singing which is lulling yet still compelling.

Don’t let the moniker dissuade you from giving TWIABP a chance, because the outfit is anything but some circus act. Their latest full-length brings remarkable synergy and eclectic storytelling. There is a rigidity throughout that is ever-present but not always obvious (much like a lingering mental illness). 

All in all, fifteen-plus years since forming, TWIABP continue to show they still have much to offer and much more to cry out about. 

Buy the album here:
https://theworldis.bandcamp.com/album/dreams-of-being-dust

8 / 10
MATT COOK
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