Being a Twenty One Pilots fan is not unlike riding a rollercoaster, where every high point inevitability gives way to an equal and opposite low: for many, the difference between 2018’s ‘Trench’ and 2021’s ‘Scaled And Icy’ couldn’t be clearer. Those same fans should be pleased to hear, then, that new record ‘Breach’ makes 2024’s ‘Clancy’— a respectable project in its own right— sound like a demo. Though it isn’t without its flaws, the duo’s eighth record makes quite a case to be their very best.

Joseph and Dun’s work has always been fairly difficult to pin down as far as genre is concerned, and ‘Breach’ is no different: if anything, their latest work pulls from more styles and influences than ever. Opener ‘City Walls’— an absolute standout from the project, in our eyes— jumps between ideas like it just can’t sit still, plowing through some gnarly rock guitar lines and rapped verses before culminating in the typical alternative pop chorus you’d normally expect from Twenty One Pilots. ‘Breach’ juggles these diverse sounds constantly across its thirteen tracks, yet somehow manages to wrangle them together into the most cohesive and consistent album the duo have put out to date: the blaring riffs of ‘Drum Show’ and gentle balladry of ‘Cottonwood’ are worlds apart, yet somehow settle in together quite naturally as part of this tracklist. If there’s a single point of praise to take away, it’s that the new album has Joseph and Dun sounding like no-one but the best version of themselves.

In many ways, ‘Breach’ acts as a culmination of the Twenty One Pilots discography up to this point. For one, the project seeks to resolve the long-running, multi-album narrative the duo began on 2015’s ‘Blurryface’ (though anyone looking for a deep analysis of that tale had better look elsewhere, as the story is as indecipherable and tucked away on ‘Breach’ as it ever was). Even divorced from that context though, there’s a confidence to this record that shines through both its musical and lyrical choices— that self-assuredness, more than anything, is what separates the project from 2024’s ‘Clancy.’ Where Joseph’s rapping, for instance, always felt a little disconnected from what surrounded it— take the track ‘Levitate’ for instance, which stood out quite substantially on ‘Trench’— no idea really rocks the boat on ‘Breach:’ the group have somehow managed to smoothly incorporate Bring Me The Horizon-esque harsh vocals, and they work every single time.

As far as the songs are concerned, this is undoubtedly the steadiest album in the Twenty One Pilots catalogue. To get our criticisms out of the way from the off, closer ‘Intentions’ has very little to offer on a musical front— though the track works as a meditative moment at the end of the record, it’s not one we feel compelled to return to at all. We might also turn our attention to the opening leg of the record, as ‘Breach’ takes a moment to find its footing after ‘City Walls’ kicks things off so successfully. Cuts like ‘RAWFEAR’ and ‘Garbage’ are certainly dependable, but they’re unlikely to really hook the listener in the same way that others later in the tracklist might: single ‘Drum Show’ is, conversely, very distinctive, though it’s a shame to hear the cut’s explosive nature neutered by a disappointingly barebones guitar tone.

Really though, these tracks only comes up short compared to what’s around them: simply put, so much of the writing here is very strong. Single ‘The Contract’ has only continued to grow on us with every listen, as the song’s driving electronic rhythms and wild vocal processing sounds even more exciting as part of the full album. By contrast, much of the rest of the record is far less arresting, though is nonetheless well worth your time. There’s a lot to love about the emphatic balladry of ‘Downstairs,’ as the track works to go bigger, bolder, louder than almost anything Twenty One Pilots have penned before— it’s a welcome contrast to the upbeat melodies of ‘Robot Voices,’ which runs the risk of becoming irritating simply by how instantly catchy the tune is. As we’ve already noted, ‘Breach’ consistently nails a massive variety of ideas across much of its runtime: the explosive rapping of ‘Center Mass,’ sentimental piano lines of ‘Cottonwood’ and steady synth pop of ‘One Way’ are all lined up next to one another, and each cut is as indispensable as the last. 

In some ways, ‘Breach’ almost feels like a safe bet— a very odd thing to say, given just how genre-bending and adventurous a lot of its ideas can be. At the end of the day, that feeling simply arises from the confidence and consistently that the duo’s latest project presents to us. Between its smart lyrical themes, out-of-the-box sound choices and sharp writing, ‘Breach’ has come out of nowhere to earn itself the title of ‘best Twenty One Pilots album:’ it’s not a record that’ll knock your socks off, but rather one to simply be enjoyed to the fullest. This is the project Joseph and Dun have always been building to: now that it’s here, we’re pleased to confirm that the wait was worth it.