Mirror Touch - Volumes New Album
Introduction: who are Volumes
Since I started following metalcore, few bands have given me the feeling of witnessing a metamorphosis in real time like Volumes. Originating from Los Angeles and active for over a decade, the band has always known how to blend the technical precision of djent with the visceral force of metalcore, creating a groove that sticks to the skin and the listener’s memory like a sonic tattoo. Over the years, lineup changes and even the loss of members have not slowed their ambition and now, with Mirror Touch, they release their fifth album amid conflicting expectations within the scene.
The experience of listening to Mirror Touch
As Mirror Touch started to unfold in my headphones, it felt like falling into a pool of contrasts: there are moments when you’re thrown against the tank walls by pulverizing riffs, and others when you’re gently carried by almost sunlit melodies. The album opens with a burst of raw energy, sharp guitars, frantic drums, and that signature dual vocal attack, throwing you straight into the core of the intensity I still love about Volumes.
What impressed me the most was this carefully calculated emotional swing. In dense, crushing tracks, the band still manages to maintain that sense of groove that makes your head move instinctively, while in the calmer passages they explore an emotional ambience that breathes and soothes, almost as if the album itself had lungs, alternating between sonic exhalation and inhalation.
Musical analysis and structure
What defines Mirror Touch is its duality: on one side, we have Volumes trademarks, complex polyrhythms, cutting breakdowns, and a technique that borders on the mathematical, and on the other, a melodic impulse more evident than on previous works. While some tracks follow the exact path that established the band, others dive into more accessible soundscapes, sometimes bordering on pop-metal in their chorus construction.
This choice to balance aggressiveness with expansive melodies may please those who, like me, listen on headphones and want to feel their heartbeat sync with the music. But it’s also inevitable to notice that parts of the album leave less of a mark than its explosive beginning or monumental finale. It feels a bit like watching a movie that starts with fireworks and then takes you on a contemplative walk, not every moment shines with the same intensity.
Strengths and weaknesses
The greatest strengths of Mirror Touch lie in maintaining a solid sonic identity, even when the band decides to flirt with more melodic paths, proving that Volumes still knows how to structure songs in a cohesive and well-thought-out way. The way heaviness and melody intertwine creates a rich texture, with transitions that keep the listener attentive and engaged. On the other hand, not everything reaches the same level of impact: some passages sound overly comfortable for a band known for pushing boundaries, and certain production choices end up softening the aggression too much, which may frustrate those expecting a more constant and brutal attack.
Verdict: an album that divides sensations
In the final balance, Mirror Touch is like a polished mirror: it reflects various facets of the band, some sharp as blades, others smooth like heated glass. After witnessing Volumes evolve across multiple releases, recompose, and redefine its own identity, I see this album as a chapter that still echoes the band’s familiarity, but also suggests that they have room to reinvent themselves in ways that go beyond what they’ve already done.
For those who enjoy the tension between brutality and melody, Mirror Touch deserves at least a few spins on the turntable (or in streaming). It’s not perfect but it’s honest, and in metal, that always counts.
