21 Pilots is a two-man band consisting of a hard-core drummer and a singer with a high-sounding, unmatchable voice. The drummer, Josh Dun, and the singer, Tyler Joseph, have been friends for years. The band, initially created in Ohio as a three-man band playing short gigs in small clubs, has come a long way. Their last album, Blurryface, was a breakthrough success making the band as popular as it is today. Blurryface was centered around a conceptual character portrayed by Tyler Joseph. The character went by the same name as the album and was meant to be a metaphor to the insecurities of today’s youth. Joseph wore black paint on his neck and hands to represent the insecurities of his character. In the album’s hit song “Stressed Out” Joseph introduces the insecure character by singing, “My name’s Blurryface, and I care what you think.” This album; however,and the character that represents it is a far cry from their newest album, Trench.

The band just debuted Trenchas their fifth albumafter a three-year hiatus.Endorsing the album and it’s hit song “Bandito,” 21 Pilots is going on their Bandito tour around the world. They are selling out large theaters and arenas. Trenchcenters around the theme of strength, and mostly the idea of rebelling together to break social norms. This new album is a mix of different genres ranging from alternative rap and rock to indie. Every song has an edgy undertone.

In the song “Nico and the Niners,” Joseph sings “I’m fearless when I hear this on the low / East is up, I’m careless when I wear my rebel clothes.” The lyrics are depicting the new theme of strength and rebellion shown throughout the album. The song has a constant electronic-like beat in the background. The song’s beat and mood are consistent and somewhat repetitive throughout the song.

“Bandito,” though it’s the name of the tour itself, is an underwhelming and somewhat boring song. It’s not the best on the album by a long shot, yet it’s supposed to represent the whole album. In the song “Bandito” the lyrics read, “I’m a ban, I’m a bandito.” However, this repeated line does refer to the idea of a rebellious spirt which seems to be a reoccurring theme throughout each song, making this an okay choice for the promotional song.

In 21 Pilot’s rap song, “Levitate,” the song repeats, “You can learn to levitate with just a little help.” This song depicts the idea of togetherness that consistently shows up in the album. The song has a low drum beat that keeps up with the speed of the lyrics. The words are not sung fast like traditional rap, but 21 Pilots brings a new take on rap with this somewhat slower beat.

“Chlorine” is the longest song on the album at five and a half minutes. With a repetitive chorus, the song is easy to follow, but many rap versus show up throughout the song. The rap is somewhat slow compared to traditional rap. Multiple versus also repeat themselves making the song light and hummable. However, the words themselves have deep meaning and aren’t meant to invoke the feeling of happiness. Many of 21 Pilots songs are catchy but have sadder meanings than they seem to invoke. Also, Joseph’s intonation of these words are unique therefore giving the song a catchy and unpredictable vibe.

21 Pilot’s song “I Will Leave the City” is slow and somewhat brooding. It has kind of a sad and low-beat rhythm. The song is lacking the bands hardcore drumming, and the song is loosely sung by Joseph in a low voice. The song is also lacking any excitement and screaming that usually comes from this band.

The song “Jumpsuit” starts off slow but starts driving with its bouncy and repetitive chorus. The light tone makes the song pleasant to the ears, and its predictable lyrics make it a song fans can easily sing along with. Towards the end of the song, at no surprise to long-time fans and listeners, Joseph preforms with his signature screaming. Joseph usually begins screaming the lyrics when the beat gets heavy.

“My blood” is one of the only songs on the album without any rap parts. Most of the song is sung with a slow, lose rhythm. Joseph’s unique voice is heard easily in this song as he begins to sing the lyrics in high voice. His soprano singing is so unique that it outmatches his other songs, making “My Blood” a perfect addition to the album.

Overall, Trenchcontains songs sung at a slower pace than we’re used to coming from 21 Pilots, but the deep theme and meanings from the songs make this a great new album. Each song shows a different side to the band. Some songs contained rap, some songs contained screaming, and others contained lyrics song with a high voice, giving us all the parts of 21 Pilots that we know and love. The catchy beats and rhythms within the songs makes it no surprise that ticket sales for the Bandito tour are booming.