Trace Remain Releases Thrilling Debut Album “Leverage the Tides”
“It’s been a long time coming” is about the first thing you are inclined to say as “Leverage the Tides” by Trace Remains kicks off with its first song, “Sold My Soul”. The debut album from Pittsburgh’s post-hardcore quintet has been a long time coming, evolving over seven years since the band formed in 2017. With nearly 15 years of prior experience in influential individual projects, each member brings a wealth of expertise and well-earned credibility within Pennsylvania’s music scene and beyond.
Joining lead singer and guitarist Joey Vesely are guitarists Joel Grimes and John Perry, bassist Jon Rigatti, and drummer Jesse Tranfo. The band’s name is inspired by the track ‘All Through A Life’ from Rites of Spring, an emotive hardcore band led by Fugazi co-founder Guy Picciotto.
Trace Remains is a name that carries some weight. Their strong work ethic and DIY approach have garnered them respect and a solid reputation in a notoriously demanding rock niche, and with good reason: They sound like true consummate professionals, and this album is exactly what they and their fans deserve.
At just 9 songs, “Leverage The Tides” shows why brevity is the soul of wit, adopting a tightly packed and layered sound hung around punchy and catchy lyrics. This dynamism befits some of their post-punk roots that skew contrivances in favor of a snappier and more exciting pace, and while the album does take its time to let each song ‘breathe’, you will not find one sluggish moment.
One of the key aspects and strengths of this album is in its ebb and flow; for instance, “Sold My Soul” is a dark, grungy, and prog-infused opening that cements the band’s capacity for complexity and virtuosity (big shout-out to drummer Jesse Tranfo), meanwhile, the following track “Fire In the Hole” is almost purely visceral, hardcore punk and borderline Metal raw intensity. Thematically, this is also expressed by the lyrics and subjects addressed, which range from meditations upon the state of the world to relatable inner observations of the various personal dramas we can face in life, with singer/guitarist Joey Vesely describing himself as a “Student Of Life” who writes primarily from observation and without a hint of pessimism.
Staying true to its themes, “Leverage the Tides” builds in power and intensity as it progresses. While tracks like “Read It and Weep” and “Over the Dying” deliver forceful, high-energy moments, the closer takes a completely different route. “Bruised Not Broken” wraps things up with a fantastic ballad, featuring a cold, minimalistic sound with a beautiful interplay of piano and acoustic guitar. This song offers us yet another color off of the band’s impressive palette, and while this one’s a shade of blue, it is also surprisingly catchy. Truly a grand finale, and my personal favorite in the album.