Categories: Interviews

Dive Into The Touché Amoré World – Metal Junkbox Q&A

Touché Amoré has been tirelessly touring Europe since the end of January and is about to wrap up its last UK show on March 5th at the Electric Ballroom in Camden. The final stop will be Athens a couple of days later, before they head off to complete their South American tour. This Los Angeles-born post-hardcore group is traveling across the globe, promoting their sixth studio album, Spiral in a Straight Line, which was released last year. The album continues their legacy of blending traditional hardcore, screamo, and melodic elements as a foundation, topped off with the deeply emotional lyrics of vocalist Jeremy Bolm.

The human experience is a shared one, where our lives run in parallel, putting us through similar situations?yet our individual character shapes how we react to these moments. Touché Amoré writes songs that bring these bubbling thoughts, feelings, and questions to the surface, helping listeners process and validate their own emotions through music.

Being part of that collective experience, I found myself with many questions after listening closely to their new album. Fortunately, I didn?t have to turn to Google for answers?I had the chance to ask Jeremy Bolm himself during their UK tour, as the band checked British cities off their list, leading up to their show in London.

I hope this Q&A satisfies your curiosity as well.

1. Going back to your first album and the song ?Hipsterectomy? how do you feel about the state of the scene today? Is it a still a dying movement?

It?s a little funny to comment on that song because thats the only song in the history of the band that I did not write. Our original drummer wrote it. The band was still figuring out our dynamic and he wanted to write one so thats what happened. I think the scene from what I can tell is doing just fine.

2. Your lyrics are extremely personal and in the new album ?Spiral In a Straight Line ? there was a lot of questions weaved into the narrative. Since it?s release, did you find any answers?

Answers are pretty non-linear. Even if I think I have some grasp or understanding of something in the moment, that moment can lose its meaning depending on the days or months following. We?re all just learning to the best of our abilities and trying to navigate through that experience.

3. When creating your music, is it the lyrics that drive the sound or does the sound sometimes drive what you write? Interested in your creative process as a band.

Lyrics always come last. When we?re writing an album I will wait till we have a few songs written musically so I can feel out the energy and assign a kind of feeling to them. ?This one sounds more somber?, etc.

4. What would you tell your younger self after performing some of the older songs? Do you feel like you grown out of the certain material? Do you choose your set list based on that or would you play something live you no longer feel is relevant to you?

Relevance isn?t super important to me because I imagine most performers change, outgrow where they were at the time of writing specific songs. Relevance is gained by the reaction of the audience when we perform. If I can see in someone in the crowd?s eyes that they?re moved by something we?re playing, thats enough for me to let a song live on. As for what I?d tell my younger self, it would probably just be some life advice like ?dont take such and such for granted or too seriously?.

5. You?re currently touring UK & Ireland, with another tour announcement for South America. What each part of the world you performed in contribute to your performance and creativity? Brushing with the same scene but in different parts of the world must be extremely inspiring!

We always get a thrill out of being in a city that birthed music we love and are influenced by. Being in Manchester tonight for example or Glasgow a few nights ago. Some of our favorite bands are from there and it?s hard not to be wrapped up in those feelings.

6. You performed at an array of different shows sizes. Which venue format is your favourite and why? By that I mean do you prefer small and intimate shows, or festival scenes or arenas.

I?ll always prefer a 300-500 cap room with no barrier but with enough room on stage to enjoy it. Thats my all time favorite.

7. Would you ever consider writing anything else other than post-hardcore/screamo? Do you feel like there is an expectation of diving into the more painful emotions? Is there any genre you?d consider exploring?

Oh I?d love to be able to make other kinds of music but I haven?t quite figured out what that is just yet. The music TA makes has always felt like the best outlet for me to get out what I need to get out, but as a music listener, there?s plenty of other types of music I?d take a stab at if I could. I?d love to make an album that sounds like Death of a Ladies Man by Leonard Cohen.

8. You?re doing quite a lot of great work with the underground bands through your record label. Any bands you?d like the world to know especially in our readership in UK?

Thank you for that. Everyone should listen to SMILE from Germany.

9. Each scene navigates through its good and bad sides. Do you have any advice to hardcore bands that are just starting out on how to navigate the toxicity within the community? In conversations with bands here in UK, this theme seems to pop up sometimes. They all look up to you as a person and band, I?m sure they would love to read about your advice and experience.

Just keep your priorities straight and play the shows you want to play to the people you want to play to. Don?t alienate yourself or others. Never act too cool for anything.

10. Touche Amore is an established band however, I?m curious if you?re still coming across any firsts in your careers as a band and personally? This is to echo your podcast ? interested to point this question back at you!

We just played Belfast for the first time which was a total joy. Anytime we get to play somewhere new, I consider that a great day. We?ll be playing Athens, Greece for the first time as well at the end of this tour!

We appreciate the time Jeremy gave us in between the busy tour schedule and hope that our readers made some incredible memories attending the band?s shows in UK. See you in the Electric Ballroom?s pit and please look out for the gallery and live account of the performance.

Touché Amoré Next Shows: