Starting a band isn’t easy, and Trace Remains knows it. For about twenty years, they’ve been searching for the right people to join the cause while refining the artistic vision they want to project. After releasing a few singles, their debut album, Leverage the Tides, is finally here. This Pittsburgh-based quintet is already a beloved fixture in the city’s DIY scene, and now it’s your chance to dive into the post-hardcore style your playlist has been craving. Don’t worry—the album’s nine tracks are packed with meaningful lyrics; they’re not just shouts into the void.
“The pain of a breakup, the elation of a new relationship, and non-sexy things like frustrations with overconsumption of resources and climate change interest me as a writer,” says Joey Vesely, the band’s singer and guitarist. To prove they had plenty to say, they gifted us the single Sold My Soul. Vesely explains that the song is about life’s decisions—reaping what we sow, making mistakes along the way, and refusing to let those missteps define us.
Their second single, Silent Bell, is a fusion of styles, featuring introspective guitar solos and hopeful lyrics that encourage looking toward the future without sinking into despair. Rounding out the singles is Over the Dying, a track that delves into the sorrow of loss, exploring its dimensionality with poignant lyrics such as:
“All through the dying roots / Straight towards our dying home / Holding the dying arms / It’s over / Look through the dying eyes / All through the dying heart / It’s over.”
The title track, Leverage the Tides, captures the essence of the band with a sound that traverses atonal post-hardcore, raw post-punk, and infectious alt-rock. This is their defining style: abstract yet meaningful lyrics. Listening to their music, you realize that each person can interpret it differently, discovering shared nuances while leaving room for imagination. That’s the magic of these songs—they can accompany you through various moods, each day offering new layers of meaning.
Defy You and Read It and Weep share this same energy. These two tracks could easily serve as the soundtrack for a contemporary western film. Picture an American father driving his pickup truck, one hand on the wheel, the other holding a cigarette, brushing his mustache. Every so often, he adjusts his dark sunglasses. Not all songs are made for movies, but these fit perfectly. Their rhythm keeps you on edge, wondering what’s coming next, though you’re never quite sure when it will arrive.
The album closes with Bruised Not Broken, a devastatingly beautiful conclusion to a well-rounded debut. There’s no better way to end than with a track that embraces melancholy, reflecting on the hard truths we must face and the losses we couldn’t hold onto before they slipped away. This is a song that lets go of everything we’ve been carrying for too long. It’s about opening yourself up completely and feeling the vulnerability of the act itself.
