Post-hardcore quintet Senses Fail are about to drop their highly anticipated sixth studio album Pull The Thorns From Your Heart, via Pure Noise Records. But we bet you knew that.
We figured since we’re not too far off from the release date of Pull The Thorns From Your Heart (29th June), instead of giving you the usual lengthy run-down of the album, we thought we’d share just a few of our favourite things about it.
1. The concept behind the record
“This record is the complete documentation of my transformative spiritual experience from the darkness to the light,” says influential frontman Buddy Nielsen. “It is the completion of a journey I have been on since I started making music when I was 17. I want this record to be more than just words and music but a blueprint for how through contemplative practice you can come to love, grow and blossom out of the muck of life and into the light.”
The album, although isn’t the upbeat, pop-y post-hardcore/pop punk mix that we know Senses Fail can deliver, the heaviness of the album and the passionate (and aggressive-ish) delivery of the lyrics, actually adds to the emotive concept behind it.
The lyrics are powerful and moving, inspired by Buddhist concepts of openness, love, kindness, courage and mindfulness.
2. The mix of their older sound with their newer one
Tracks like ‘Carry The Weight’, ‘Wounds’ and ‘We All Are Returning Home’ contain elements of classic, optimistic Senses Fail, mixed with a more Renacer vibe. There are some new additions too, like heavy-as-hell track ‘The Three Marks Of Existence’, which goes down a completely different padlock swinging route.
3. Mega-track ‘My Fear Of An Unlived Life’
The song is a beautiful, slow ballad that plays around with the concept of light and dark, having moments of hopeful optimism, mixed with worrying sadness. One of the major hits of the album, really solidifying exactly what Senses Fail were trying to portray.
Pull The Thorns From Your Heart is filled with emotional, meaningful lyrics, heavy breakdowns, huge hooks and catchy melodies, and reading this you’ll probably think “how generic”, but Senses Fail (as usual), do hooks and breakdowns in a way that transcends ordinary post-hardcore.
