REVIEW: Balance And Composure - with you in spirit

As we get the skeletons out of the closet for halloween, we find ourselves back again with an old friend. Balance And Composure have released their first record in eight years, and it truly is an album we thought we would never get. In keeping with the spooky theme it's called ‘with you in spirit’.  We got an early haunt from the band in July as they played the UK for the first time in ten years, including a London show and a warm welcome at Outbreak - where they had to reschedule their slot for 11am the morning after they were originally meant to play, but still received a glorious welcome.

When a band comes back after a long time, how much can we hope for them to live up to our expectations? Recently with bands like Linkin Park and Oasis making their long-awaited comebacks that we know won't be entirely the same, but we still will feel a sense of nostalgia. With age, comes a time of reflection. At the fourth record from the Pennsylvania post-hardcore outfit, we may have lost the summer sun from 2016’s ‘Light We Made’. The band’s new approach is darker, in contention with the longer nights we are now facing heading into October. ‘with you in future'’s new sound feels like rawness and weathering of time has added to its value, pushing the overdrive for it to linger within the boundaries of grunge.

There is no doubt that this is a path we have travelled before. Jon Simmonds' vocals are as familiar as kicking up fall leaves. Catharsis and longing still take centre stage, with lyrics that crush and make you feel something. As with anything that takes a lot of thought, the construction of the songs are complex, at times layering compassionate vocals with twinkly guitars and percussion forms the heartbeat of the song; faint but keeping everything alive.

‘Restless’ may feel like an introduction filled with accountability stating "nobody knows where I’ve been", but it's cut deep for the first song on the record. With ‘Ain’t it Sweet’ feeling fully awake, with its fast paced attitude, it pushes the song to a point of frustration, until ‘Any Means’ crosses that line and plummets like a comedown. These songs feel sporadic, full of dynamic guitar parts and beautifully chaotic attempts to salvage the album’s natural rhythm. Like memory or thought, these songs can meander and take on narratives of their own in a way that always is meaningful or needed.

Whilst ‘Cross To Bear’ sinks heavy waves of overwhelming guitar parts, it feels entirely raw. Impressive pre-choruses are the standout of this track giving immense depth to the track. ‘Believe The Hype’ feels the most out of place within this record, the lyrics are desperate, showing another side to the record where optimism fades and desperation takes over. It’s a song that builds into a wall of noise, up until ‘Lead Foot’ takes over. Another lull to the album’s narrative, again it takes its time to have a much-needed period of reflection.

The record now hits a point of regular rhythm and uses it to drive it forward. ‘Sorrow Machine’ ironically feels like the first point of optimism for the track, which elevates the band’s sound, now in a major key. ‘A Little Of Myself’ returns itself to the Balance And Composure we love: apologetic, needing reassurance but undeniably human. ‘Closer to God’ is the highlight of this record. The fullness of the track with its uplifting choruses and wandering guitar make this a delight to listen to. It compliments the band’s final track, the eponymous ‘With You In Spirit’, perfectly to make for a bright and much needed conclusion.

Balance And Composure have reached a point of reconciliation with themselves and their direction as a band, to the point where they have created something beautifully tactile. Without looking to much into how we got here, it does feel like this album is a reconciliation of where they have been for the past eight years, a retelling that may have gotten a little lost in the middle, but its strength lies in its ending. A return of a very talented act that are very well-respected in the post-hardcore landscape, and we are very thrilled to have them back.

'with you in spirit' is released on October 4th via Records.

Words: Amber Brooks

Photos: Balance And Composure