In October of 2020, Californian post-hardcore stalwarts Touché Amoré released their fifth studio album 'Lament'.
Needless to say given the timeframe, a tour in support of the album did not immediately follow. By the time the band arrives in Australian in March as part of the first-ever New Bloom Fest, however, they'll have spent nearly three cumulative years touring in support of it.Through that process, lead vocalist Jeremy Bolm reveals he has learned a thing or two about delayed gratification. "It was an experience unlike anything we'd had with any of our previous records," he explains.
"Obviously, due to the circumstances, our fans had a chance to absorb the album for about a year and a half before we could play any of it live. There was a part of me that wondered if anyone would like these songs – and that was answered the first night of the tour.
"We played 'Come Heroine', and everyone in the crowd screamed the opening words back at us. It was this incredible feeling of relief, to be honest.
"Other bands that we're friends with put out records in the pandemic and immediately moved onto other projects, but for me I knew I had to experience 'Lament' live before we did anything else."
The band are now taking the steps towards their sixth studio album, with veteran producer Ross Robinson (Korn, Limp Bizkit) back behind the boards after working with Touché Amoré for the first time on 'Lament'.
Bolm mentions the producer had visited the band's rehearsal studio recently to hear the new material for the first time. "He was very enthusiastic about everything that he heard," the vocalist says with a smile – still somewhat incredulous that a man responsible for producing some of his all-time favourite albums is now a peer.
"As usual, I'm very behind in the writing process – I only have about a quarter of the lyrics that I need so far. I should have everything ready to go by the time we go into the studio in April, though. We're heading there pretty much as soon as we're done with Australia."
Though it's a little early to describe the as-yet-untitled new album from the band, Jeremy does note he and his bandmates "feel really good about it".
"Our collective creativity has been pretty spot-on this time around," he says. "There's been a lot fewer arguments, and everyone has really felt like we're on the same page. I think it's a testament to the relationships that exist within this band, and how much more across it we are at this stage of being in a band together. Making this album has been a really fulfilling experience."
Away from new material, Touché also recently remastered and reissued their beleaguered third studio album, 2013's 'Is Survived By'.
Though Bolm doesn't go so far as to say he has a negative opinion of the record, he nevertheless concedes it was a difficult record to make – especially in the shadow of its breakthrough predecessor, 2011's 'Parting The Sea Between Brightness And Me'.
"Everyone in the band, each for their own different reasons, kind of struggled with that album," he says. "Having said that, doing this remix and remaster was actually really exciting because it was like we were hearing it again for the first time.
"In a way, doing it kind of fixed the elements of the album that I was a little apprehensive about and the things I've been very self-conscious of.
"Ten years later, I was able to step away and hear a charm to my clunkiness. I can hear how much I was overcompensating because I didn't think I was ready. I was rushing because I felt like I had something to prove. There's something nice about that in its own, weird little way."
Aside from Touché Amoré, one of the sole constants of Bolm's life of late has been podcasting. Like many others, Jeremy started a podcast during COVID lockdowns (or 'quarantine' as it was called in the US).
Unlike most COVID-era podcasts, however, The First Ever Podcast has remained a consistent presence, with guests ranging from fellow musicians to writers, poets, YouTubers, TikTokers, comedians and just about every kind of creative you can think of.
The premise is centred on Bolm finding out the guest's 'firsts', hence the title: The first time they got into their craft, the first time it all started to click, the first things they made etc.
As the podcast encroaches on its 200th episode, Bolm is thankful for its part in his modern life. "A lot of great things have come from it," he says of The First Ever Podcast.
"It's been good for my mental health to have a thing that I have to show up for and be accountable for – it has to come out every week, it's part of my routine. It's nice to have that implemented.
"Everyone I've had on the show is someone I'm a big fan of personally – even if I've toured with them or are otherwise friends with them, I'm still an out-and-out fan of their work.
"Because of that, I always find myself asking questions that the fan in me wants to know the answer to. Every conversation bounces back and forth between them speaking about their experiences and me speaking about mine. It's taken me a long way out of my comfort zone, and it's been a really rewarding experience."
Next month will see Bolm and his Touché Amoré bandmates land in Australia for their first tour in nearly seven years. Joining them on the bill for New Bloom Fest are fellow North American acts Citizen, Movements, No Pressure, Fleshwater and Softcult.
Despite the emo/ post-hardcore scene being relatively close-knit, Bolm admits he has no existing relationship with any of the bands on the bill save for Fleshwater – whose members also play in metalcore band Vein.fm, a band Touché has played with in the past.
"That's not to say we won't become friends, of course," Bolm reassures. "I mean, the last time we toured here was with Turnover – and we didn't really know any of those guys at all, but we quickly became good friends.
"One of the guitarists in Citizen is a movie buff, and we're Letterboxd friends – maybe I'll be Letterboxd friends with everyone when the tour's finished."
New Bloom Fest 2024 Tour Dates
Fri 15 Mar - The Fortitude Music Hall (Brisbane)Sat 16 Mar - Roundhouse (Sydney)
Sun 17 Mar - Melbourne Pavilion
New Bloom Fest 2024 Line-up
CitizenMovements
Touche Amore
No Pressure
Fleshwater
Softcult
Sydney Only
No BrainerAmends
Peace Ritual
Touche Amore 2024 Tour Dates
Sat 9 Mar - Lynott's Lounge (Perth)Sun 10 Mar - Jive Bar (Adelaide)
Mon 11 Mar - Stay Gold (Melbourne)
Wed 13 Mar - Sooki Lounge (Melbourne)
