One thing I’ve always loved about American post-hardcore is the genre’s willingness to tackle difficult subject matter head-on. Cancer kills almost 10 million people per year worldwide, and yet it’s rare to find songs (let alone entire albums) which directly reference the disease and detail the visceral impact it has on the families and friends of those afflicted. As the name implies, Stage Four is a walk down those anxious halls. It details lead singer Jeremy Bolm’s mothers passing at the age of 69 to lung cancer while also serving as a nod to the fact that it is also Touché Amoré’s fourth album in their discography. At times heartbreaking, empathetic, gut-wrenching, and hopeful, Stage Four is a touching meditation on the meaning of personal loss and a powerful album that sticks with you long after its conclusion.
Standout Songs: “Flowers and You”, “Rapture”, “Eight Seconds”, “Skyscraper”
Matthew. 