Nestled somewhere between Bad Omens and Breathe Carolina is a lesser-known French gem that’s set to appease a wide audience. TSS –formerly The Sunday Sadness– is following in the footsteps of so many modern alternative bands in the method of genre categorization; it’s a bit of a catch-all. Elements of metalcore, alt rock, synthwave, emo, and even neo-metal can be found across their latest album, End of Time (Fearless Records)

Lead vocalist and band founder Matthieu Kirby effortlessly weaves between the French and English languages just as he does between crystal-clear clean and attention-grabbing unclean vocals. A single released in December 2023 exercised the above talents with “Would You Be My Therapy?” which kicks off with dark, low-pitched vocal rasp akin to CORPSE. Realizing the morbidity of the lyrics once translated from French to English, the tone in which these are sung is perfectly juxtaposed to the lighter English lyrics that beg for a cure. The track has amassed over 5M streams on Spotify. 

“In the Haze We Hide” is one of the softer songs on the album with ethereal synths and gentle vocals; “Felt our dreams collide / In the haze we hide.” The ending of the song picks up a heavier tone which breaks reverie and feeds into the quick-paced “Particles.” It’s a brief, mid-album instrumental track, heavy on the techno side. 

“Ending Scene” takes the lead of the heaviest track on the album, leaping from the gate with a slower but still powerful blast beat, a barrage of unclean vocals, and perfectly dark and crunchy guitars. Kirby’s cleans still soar upwards to hit a high note that shows off his vocal flexibility and talent. The rage subsides as the song fades out into a very quiet, soothing piano and a whispered voice which bleeds into the melancholy heartache of “So Long My Friend.” It’s marked by painful, cracked vocal highs that echo the pain of losing someone. 

Closing out the album is a reprise of “Would You Be My Therapy? (ft. Windwaker)” which swaps out the gritty French opening lyrics for his spin on the track. 

The amalgamation of genres isn’t haphazard; it’s tactfully placed and adds intrigue across the album without sounding disjointed. If you enjoy artists and albums that have a little bit of everything that aids to keep the ear engaged, TSS is one to add to the roster.

Buy the album here:
https://ffm.to/eot

7 / 10
JESSIE FRARY
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