Five years and a near-breakup since their last full-length record, Australian rock outfit Trophy Eyes have fortunately returned for the foreseeable future. The long-awaited fourth album, Suicide And Sunshine (Hopeless Records) has reinforced the connection shared between the four-piece band. In the process, they made their most vocally, musically, and emotionally diverse collection of songs yet.
Intro track ‘Sydney’ met me with a nostalgic grin, opening with what I immediately interpreted as a long-lost cousin of the band’s 2016 track ‘Miracle’. The spacey synths would lead you to believe it’s a soft opener, but then those classic John Floreani screams suddenly hit– and Chemical Miracle stans go wild. The astral soundscape then flows into the first full-length track, ‘Life In Slow Motion’. While on the lighter and more melodic side, it repeats riffs from its forerunner like a continuation of it, providing an early taste of the wide sonic spectrum Suicide And Sunshine has to offer.
This may not be enough to prepare you for the chaotic ‘People Like You’, however. A perplexing jumble of abrasive vocals and grating guitars topped off with cynical yet upbeat gang vocal chants, this may be the most “Trophy Eyes” song they’ve written yet. It takes the grit of debut album Mend, Move On and the anthemic charm of 2018’s The American Dream, making for an oddly thrilling ride of a song. It takes a sharp turn for the heartstring-tugging melodies of ‘My Inheritance’ and stirring falsettos of ‘Runaway Come Home’, right before ending the album’s first half with the tranquil interlude ‘Burden’.
Suicide And Sunshine objectively has the strongest, most extensive vocal performance from Floreani yet. He shows off every bit of what he does best, from touching croons and emotive hooks, to jarring screams and rasping belts – and now appears to have mastered the most effective balance of them all. Songs like ‘What Hurts The Most’ and ‘Stay Here’ have him abruptly jumping up octaves, making the beautifully shrill delivery of his high range hit the heart like a comet. You may need to take a breather after hearing ‘Sean’ though, as it may be one of the saddest songs ever written. Floreani sings of his late friend’s suicide over a lethargic guitar line, while his voice gradually escalates in emotion throughout its five-minute run.
Throughout its fourteen tracks, there is no point where the album starts to drag. Its pacing is adeptly planned for an engaging experience, with most tracks around the three-minute mark and the slower and heavier ones spread out. ‘OMW’ ping-pongs between a cheerful tone and fuming riffs, but shortly after you’re hearing the raw acoustic strums of ‘Sweet Soft Sound’. And then there’s the down-to-earth closer ‘Epilogue’, written by Floreani as a thank you to fans – and an honorable way to end the album they once thought would be their last.
There’s a song for every mood on here, from light to dark and every shade in between, just as the album title suggests. Only time will tell how this one ages for their fanbase, but I predict Suicide And Sunshine going down in history as one of their best, alongside fan-favorite Chemical Miracle.
Buy the album here:
https://trophyeyes.bandcamp.com/album/suicide-and-sunshine
8 / 10
COLLEEN KANOWSKY