On October 5, 2018, Twenty-One Pilots dropped the long awaited Trench after a solid year of public silence. The fans were waiting for something from the boys that would absolutely astonish them, and they got exactly what they wished for. 

 The album starts with “Jumpsuit”, the first single that Twenty-One Pilots dropped as soon as they came back. The initial sound is quite grungy, which was a shock to some fans, but a pleasant one nonetheless.

The initial quick pace of the album only continues as “Jumpsuit” fades into “Levitate”, a solid two and a half minute rap track that demands the listener’s attention. As soon as I heard the line “Welcome to Trench”, it really showed me exactly what I was in for with this album.

Just as quickly as it began, though, the fast pace quickly cooled off as “Morph” started, one of the brighter highlights of this album. Although slower than the first two tracks, “Morph” brings a decent pace as Tyler Joseph sings about finding a way around obstacles that may have initially caused him great trouble.

The next track, “My Blood” showcases Joseph’s stellar falsetto as he sings about staying with his family through their struggles. With an airy and catchy beat, it is the kind of track that compels the listener to dance.

The next two tracks, “Chlorine” and “Smithereens” are polar opposites. While “Chlorine” is a moody, relaxed track that maintains a smooth and catchy beat throughout, “Smithereens” is a lighthearted, upbeat song that feels like warm sunshine.

That warm sunshine, however, entirely disappears the moment the first note of the spine chilling track “Neon Gravestones” is heard.

A beautiful piano melody opens the track, but soon disappears as Joseph’s vocals quickly take hold of the track. As the piano fades back in to set the pace of the track, Joseph talks about his thoughts on his own mortality, and the glorification of mental illnesses we often see in media now. Joseph’s emotion is really shown in the lines
“Promise me this
If I lose to myself
You won’t mourn a day
And you’ll move onto someone else”

This is where one can hear a pained strain in his voice, almost as if he were about to cry. This is certainly the darkest track on the album, but it speaks of an important message.

Past this point, Trench definitely starts to pick up on a lighter mood. “The Hype” and “Nico and the Niners” are easy to listen to, and provide a much needed relief from the raw emotion in “Neon Gravestones”.

The mood for the rest of the album mellows out from there, as “Cut My Lip” is a slow burner that left me with an unexplained melancholy feeling. Although they are good songs, this track, along with “Bandito”, felt a bit underwhelming compared to the rest of the album.

“Pet Cheetah”, however, is a much more memorable track, and is a highlight of the album. With a creeping intro that takes the listener by surprise, “Pet Cheetah” has a varying tempo that definitely keeps the listener’s attention.

“Legend” is another upbeat track that carries the hyper energy of “Pet Cheetah”. Even though it is written in Tyler Joseph’s grandfather’s memory, it is a bright song that highlights Joseph’s best memories with his grandpa and leaves a smile on the listener’s face.

The album is concluded with “Leave the City”, a track devoted to Twenty-One Pilots’ fanbase, the “Clique”. In it, Joseph speaks directly to his fans with the ending line “They know what I mean”.

Overall, Trench was absolutely worth the wait. Complete with catchy beats and relatable lyrics, the album is an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish that forces the listener to think about subjects that are usually uncomfortable to think about. It is certainly a solid album that satisfies the mind and soul.