It was almost exactly 3 years ago when Michigan metalcore titans WE CAME AS ROMANS made peace with the tragic loss of their co-vocalist Kyle Pavone by releasing the beautiful, melancholy-tinged “Darkbloom” after a 5-year radio silence. Now, they are back with a new album, entitled “All Is Beautiful… Because We’re Doomed,” out on August 22nd, 2025, via SharpTone Records. Now that the band has wrestled the grief out of their system, the lyrical lens is zoomed in on the never-ending battle between the best and worst in our human nature. Musically, the new selection rolls out the band’s familiar fortes – banging metalcore riffs, almost deathcore-brutal (or even “djentrified”) breakdowns, and arena-sized singalong choruses, with the odd electronic glitch here and there. For me, BRING ME THE HORIZON‘s 2015 album “That’s the Spirit” is probably forever going to be the almighty lodestar, with which I shall compare every metalcore album ever to be released, because it has the perfect balance between beefy riffages and pop hooks. The stark, dynamic contrast between the light and the shadow is what makes things more compelling and interesting – and, in this respect, “Darkbloom” fared outstandingly well – let’s see how its successor turns out.
The album title is a rephrasing of the widely held notion that it is the ephemeral nature of life that gives it depth and meaning – and the band’s philosophical takes on our human condition do not stop here. Released as an early single, “Culture Wound” zooms in on the question that has haunted mankind from the dawn of time: are we humans inherently good or bad? Well, the song does not provide us with a definite answer, but showcases the djentier side of WE CAME AS ROMANS, mixing elastic riffs with their signature, unashamedly pop-tinged singalong choruses. With the single having been out for a couple of months already, I’ve noticed that the fan reactions have not been entirely thrilled, though. Sure, the song does not tug on your heartstrings like “Darkbloom” did, but that’s the whole point, I reckon. The previous album settled the score regarding the loss of such a pivotal band member, and this new album is about moving on.
In a rather peculiar fashion, the album title is split into two title tracks, if you will, with “ALL IS BEAUTIFUL…” being an atmospheric one-minute intro, opening the selection, and “BECAUSE WE’RE DOOMED,” an anthemic metalcore banger closing the album. What you will find bookended by these two tracks does not stray too far from the metalcore blueprint the band further implemented with their previous album, which is a double-edged sword, of course; if you were expecting something else, be it either something revolutionizing or simply going back to their older tricks, you are likely to dub this endeavor slightly disappointing, right? Since I don’t consider myself an adept in the metalcore theology, I take these songs at face value, merely for what they are – songs. As such, these little monsters slap pretty hard. If there were two particular settings where I would reckon WE CAME AS ROMANS to work particularly well, they would be as follows: 1) as the soundtrack for lifting weights and, obviously, 2) the festival stages. Apart from the closer, the songs clock in around the 3-minute mark, which is probably why the album’s overarching vibe comes off highly energetic. Most of the songs are like little adrenaline shots, among which bangers such as “No Rest For the Dreamer” and “b2tm” stand out, in particular. The transition from the high-octane riffing to the slower, but no less punchy, coda is especially delicious in the latter.
My wife overheard me blasting the promo in the living room and commented, “What is it? Sounds like BRING ME THE HORIZON from the era when they were still good.” I think the song in question must have been either “Bad Luck” or “Circling a Dying Sun.” Both songs resonate quite nicely with the thick air of that vintage BMTH sound from 10 years ago. What is there not to like? I’ve learned that, over the Atlantic, this type of radio-friendly metalcore is often referred to as “octanecore.” I guess it’s just an unofficial term, perhaps even a tad pejorative, but if this album is anything to go by, I guess I would like the genre very much. There’s nothing wrong with being catchy – as long as we’re not talking about venereal diseases. So, all things considered, WE CAME AS ROMANS did rather well with their new endeavor by all measures. The band bounced back stronger from the tragedy with the previous album’s tributes to Pavone. On this new endeavor, the band is soldiering ahead with new music that is equally befitting of his memory.
Written by Jani Lehtinen
Tracklist
- ALL IS BEAUTIFUL…
- Bad Luck
- Lake of Fire
- Red Smoke
- One by One
- Culture Wound
- Where Did You Go
- No Rest For the Dreamer
- b2tm
- Circling a Dying Sun
- Knowing Pain
- So Long (Burning Flowers)
- BECAUSE WE’RE DOOMED
Lineup
Dave Stephens – vocals
Joshua Moore – guitars
Lou Cotton – guitars
Andy Glass – bass
David Puckett – drums
Label
SharpTone Records
