DEMA ia a fictional land symbolizing the struggle of mental health, a narrative told through lyrics and music. Trench, an alternative music album by Twenty Øne Pilots incorporates this musical narrative and it delves deeper than the seemingly random titles. TØP’s lead singer has been developing the narrative for years, since the release of  2015’s Blurryface.

     October 5th, 2018, Twenty One Pilots released their fifth studio album, and fourth under their record label, Fueled By Ramen. This is the first album lead singer Tyler Joseph and drummer Josh Dun have released in three years. Trench debuted as a follow-up to their previous album, Blurryface. Their last release largely deals with insecurities and anxiety, while the recently released album portrays the in-between feeling of having a need for escape. The duo’s fandom was skeptical about this album when its release date was announced. What could possibly top Blurryface’s relatable aspects? Is this a near end to Twenty One Pilots’ golden age? These obvious concerns were unneeded, because we were supplied with a full, captivating storyline.   

     The album sets us in DEMA, a “town” in which people are expected to follow through with a normal job while remaining oblivious and complying to the nine bishops that rule DEMA. The main bishop, Nicolas Bourbaki, otherwise known as Nico, is after Joseph’s character, Clancy, symbolizing the feeling of trying to escape from depression and anxiety. In the real world, Nicolas Bourbaki was a collective pseudonym chosen by nine mathematicians in France. A group of people that have escaped DEMA call themselves Banditos, and they are led by the band’s drummer, Josh Dun. On the album, an entire song is dedicated to them, as they have always helped Clancy.

     The songs on the album, however, stay true to TOP’s originality, they all mostly have a different feel to them. One of the most notable tracks on the album is “Nico and the Niners,” which opens with audio played backwards, “Msilaiv ecnuoned ew Tsae eurt daeh dna amed evael lliw uoy Sotidnab era ew.” When played correctly, the audio says, “We denounce Vialism. You will leave Dema and head true east. We are banditos.” It is one of many uniquely styled songs on the album. It is instructing Clancy out of DEMA. The idea of heading east is repeated heavily in the chorus. Two personal favorites of mine are “Morph” and “Jumpsuit.” In “Morph,” we are told through a powerful rap and beat Blurryface’s real name, Nicolas Bourbaki, which can be shortened to Nico. The song talks about how “He’ll always try to stop me, that Nicolas Bourbaki.” The song and story is told through a powerful ensemble of words. “Morph” is a fast paced track that talks about becoming someone you are not. The first track on the album, “Jumpsuit,” has a rock rhythm, with both the vocals and the beat. The bridge gives the reader the feeling of being hurt, and it is delivered in a strong, meaningful way. 

     Some of the songs on the album however, do not fit into DEMA’s narrative, including “The Hype,” and “Legend.” The first song, “The Hype,” is about mental illnesses, and how Tyler Joseph supports everyone going through them, as he himself is also struggling and fighting the fight. The song has lyrics that mean something other than their seemingly plain facade, saying things like “And you know you’re a terrible sight/ But you’ll be just fine/ Just don’t believe the hype.” Joseph is telling fans, through his lyrical voice and strong drum beats, that even if you’re in a terrible state, you can get through your fight if you don’t let people dissuade you, the song is about not letting the romanticism of mental illnesses sway anyone from recovery. “Legend,” being one of the non-DEMA related songs, is about Joseph's grandfather passing away. The song has an upbeat rhythm and sounds happy and childish at first glance, however, it includes saddening lyrics such as “My middle name, my goodbye…I’m sorry I did not visit/ Did not know how to take it/ When your eyes did not know me/ Like I know you.” Joseph’s middle name is Robert, which was chosen by his grandfather. The song retells Joseph’s hurt when his grandfather lost his fight to Alzheimer’s and the pain and anguish in saying goodbye to a large part of his life.

       Trench is widely renowned and loved, as it has won the iHeart Radio Music award for Rock Album of the Year. Twenty Øne Pilots are often compared to Fall Out Boy and Panic! At the Disco because of their similar rock sounds. However, TOP is different in the aspect that it scans many different genres such as Alternative hip hop, electro pop, indie pop, rap rock, alternative rock and so on. Each song they write has a specific meaning and genre, the whole reason they went on hiatus, was to further develop DEMA and their lyrical and musical abilities.

      Ultimately, this album is very much darker than their older sound. They are powerfully reinventing genres into things we haven’t heard before. It was one of the most anticipated alternative rock albums the year of its release, and it gave an interesting take on depression and anxiety. It depicts how many people feel about their mental illnesses and has an interesting appeal. Whether you can relate to Trench or not, it’s perfect for when you either want to connect to music or for when you just want to blast some songs and sing along!