Album Review: Trophy Eyes ‘Chemical Miracle’

Newcastle’s finest exports Trophy Eyes have dropped their highly anticipated sophomore album ‘Chemical Miracle’ and, in our humble opinion, it’s one of the finest modern pop punk/hardcore crossover albums to grace our ears. We’ve given the album the AAA treatment, laid all the cards on the table, and dealt you this review so there’s no doubt in your minds before picking it up (you will, trust us!).

Opening with hugely popular single Chlorine, the album is off to a powerful start. With bright poppy guitars, thick strokes from the rhythm section, and energetic clean/harsh hybrid vocals from frontman John Floreani and bassist Jeremy Winchester, the song is a great summary of the band’s sound and clear indication of what’s to come. Laden with infectious melodies that’ll be stuck in your head for days, especially the hook, “I’m still breathing/I’m still breathing”, Trophy Eyes waste no time in setting the bar high.

Coming in fast and heavy, Counting Sheep is a pulsing punk anthem with moody, minor key guitar riffing and a punchy half-time chorus. The song calls back to some classic punk rock vibes throughout the track which feels familiar to long-time fans of the genre, showing Trophy Eyes’ influences are far reaching and vintage in nature. This culminates in the outro, where the driving punk-ness is traded in for a swinging, epic passage that would make punk forefather’s Green Day proud.

“…a real kick in the feels and misty-eye-inducing line that gives the listener a final, candid look inside the heart and mind of John Floreani.”

Nose Bleed is a mid-paced belter featuring screeching guitars in the intro that give way to a softly picked clean line. The screeching guitars pop in and out accompanied by thundering drum beats and catchy vocal back-and-forth acrobatics from Floreani and Winchester. Nose Bleed has Floreani showing off his harsher vocal style, with a roaring line thrown in here and there to demonstrate his vocal prowess extends beyond angst-ridden cleans.

The album slows down and hits some emotional depths with Heaven Sent. Picked guitars with a slightly dirty distortion lay a sombre background for Floreani to recount the rollercoaster of failed relationships. Dripping in honest reflection, the chorus vocals hit hard, “Stay away from me/Now that you know what kind of man I can be/Breaking hearts is second nature to me/And I’ll step over you just to get what I need”. The song builds over time until a massive bridge with soaring guitar and vocal attack into a final repeated chorus.

Following up the emotional sucker punch is Rain on Me, a furious storm of anger and emotion that kicks off with a blistering blast beat and screeching vocal line, “Rain on me/Every raindrop that touches my skin makes a sound like your name”. An ambient pre-chorus is a dubious fake-out before launching back into the intro section for another trip on the out-of-control musical carousel. This repeats again and again, progressively reeling the fury back in and letting loose throughout the song, delivering a whirlwind of sounds that covers a range of vibes in one tight package.

The recently released single Breathe You In is another bright and electric offering in a similar vein to Chlorine. Feel-good vocals carry the song throughout while the instrumentation dances the thin line between sadness and punky enthusiasm. Expertly crafted harmonies drip through the mix, creating a positive and heart-warming mood. The accompanying music video, filmed entirely at a theme park, is an equally joyous experience and the perfect partner to the track.

Opening with Trophy Eyes’ signature slightly-dirty plucked guitars and softly spoken clean vocals, Home Is reinforces the slower and emotional vibe seen on Heaven Sent…for a moment. After the intro however, the song dives into another furious blast beat that transforms into a bouncy punk beat, slamming power chords reminiscent of self-titled era Blink-182, and uplifting “whoa oh” background vocals. Snare rolls, rhythmic guitar slams, and epic vocals are the ingredients that make up the rest of the song, a certified punk belter.

Featuring more furious verbal spattering from Floreani, Miracle is full of epic guitar ring outs and unified rhythmic pulses building and building until the final chord is struck. Emotion is pouring through the vocals, with repeated hook “Who’s gonna miss me/Who the f*ck’s gonna miss me” filling the song out through the powerful ending.

“Emotionally heavy, refreshingly energetic, and electrifyingly original, do yourself a favour and buy this album!”

Sticking true to their punk roots, the penultimate offering Suicide Pact is a fun, bouncy, almost party-vibe rollercoaster ride that shimmers with energy and bright distorted guitars. With such a grim title, it’s a refreshing juxtaposition that the song is the happiest on the album.

Coming in as album closer is Daydreamer, a final soft song that summarises the emotions felt throughout ‘Chemical Miracle’. Perhaps most powerful is the chorus line, “I got friends, I got friends/They don’t love me like I love them”, a real kick in the feels and misty-eye-inducing line that gives the listener a final, candid look inside the heart and mind of John Floreani. A powerful guitar-driven bridge is a last curtain call before another dip and dive through a soft passage and explosive crescendo, marking the return of the “whoa oh” background vocals and a triumphant closing guitar riff.

‘Chemical Miracle’ is truly a diamond in the rough. Recent years have seen a plethora of pop punk inspired bands calling back to the golden era of the genre, yet none have hit the mark quite as well as Trophy Eyes. Emotionally heavy, refreshingly energetic, and electrifyingly original, do yourself a favour and buy this album. ‘Chemical Miracle’ is a masterpiece!

Check out the music video for Breathe You In and upcoming live dates below, and read our in-depth interview with Trophy Eye’s John Floreani HERE

Trophy Eyes Live Dates

4-6 NOV

The Wheels Fall Off Festival, Launceston