Armor for Sleep "The Rain Museum" Album Review
Fifteen years of anticipation.
Those four words could have been enough to keep Armor for Sleep’s new album, The Rain Museum, from ever seeing the light of day. For a band who had previously only released three records over the span of just five years (albeit, the first two are classics in their own right), the palpable excitement around the announcement of The Rain Museum felt colossal. For the first time in over a decade, all eyes were on Armor for Sleep; and miraculously, they delivered on even the loftiest of expectations.
Tracks such as lead single ‘How Far Apart’, as well as album standouts ‘World Burn Down’ and ‘Tomorrow Faded Away’, feel like reuniting with an old friend. These songs serve as prime examples of the loud and anthemic exercise in catharsis that Armor for Sleep has made their calling card over the course of their career. That said, even the safest moments here manage to avoid ever feeling like a re-treading of old ground.
Instead of trying to pick up where they left off and run the risk of sounding dated, there was a clear attempt by Armor for Sleep to do one thing - sound like who they are now, not who they were the last time they released music. The Rain Museum truly shines when the band is able to push their sound into previously uncharted waters. ‘Rather Drown’ replaces the distorted rhythm guitars for piano and synth layers, while leaving every other expected element of an Armor for Sleep song intact, leading to one of the most surprising moments on the record - and it works. ‘New Rainbows’ is likely the best this band has ever sounded writing a ballad, a career high point, and one of the best-written songs of their discography. The final surprise on the record comes in the way of ‘A Teardrop on the Surface of the Sun’, an emo-rock-meets-post-rock behemoth of a track, and something this band has never come close to attempting before.
The only real misstep comes in the form of the title track - an instrumental introduction, and one that offers little to no impact on the rest of the record. The track culminates in a fade out and a few seconds of silence before ‘How Far Apart’ truly gets things moving. It’s the only moment here that feels like filler, and is definitely a bit of a confusing choice, especially at the top of such a strong track listing.
Years of expectations often leave artists in impossible circumstances, and trying to please everyone often leads to failing to please most. Thankfully, on The Rain Museum, Armor for Sleep seemingly created exactly what they aimed to, while not straying far from that core sound that earned the band such a cult following. The Rain Museum stands as a triumphant return from one of the genre’s greatest, one ripe with promise for what comes next. One thing is certain, it truly is great to have Armor for Sleep back.
7.5/10
