Album Review: Bury Tomorrow – Will You Haunt Me, With That Same Patience (Music For Nations / Sony Music UK)

Following a period of uncertainty (line-up changes and COVID-inspired roadblocks), Bury Tomorrow have spent the past few years laying out new paths with new possibilities previously thought unavailable resulting in a reinvigorated belief and fresh outlook on what the band can encom. Now, they present ‘Will You Haunt Me with That Same Patience’, their brand-new album, out May 16th via Music for Nations / Sony Music UK.

I don’t want to start this review going on about the difference in this band, nor the fact that the more things chance, the more they stay the same. We all know the trials that Bury Tomorrow have gone through and while they are a band transformed (to some degree) by the past few years, they retain much of their metalcore makeup. What I want to focus on is the here and now, this brand-new album, what it says about this band, their future, and how they’re using the past to shape it.

This isn’t the best Bury Tomorrow album to date, in my opinion, but it’s a mighty fine Bury Tomorrow album none the less. Whereas The Seventh Sun (2023) was them finding their feet following the significant line-up change, this is them in a brash and confident mood, emphatically reminding listeners of their metalcore prowess, while experimenting with more cleans and electronica than ever before.

Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn’t (opening track To Dream, To Forget is all over the place), but it always gets the attention. I don’t want, and nor should you, to hear Bury Tomorrow stagnating, even if their more traditional tracks go hard. Tracks like Villain Arc might have more ‘basic’ metalcore elements, but god-damn, does the frenetic rhythm and heavy intensity delight. I’ll never tire of hearing Bury Tomorrow go for it, but don’t be fooled into thinking tracks like this lack innovation, it’s just not as obvious.

That’s why multiple listens are a must, and the pay-off is the deepening realisation that this is an album with more below the surface. Dig, and dig deep, and the rewards can be found.

Although sometimes the rewards are obvious upon first listen. Take Wasteland for example, a track that is going to be kick-ass live, and Daniel Winter-Bates’ harsh vocals are immense on it. The clean chorus, with layered vocals, soars too. It’s just a banger, hooking in immediately, and just getting better and better as it goes on. Whereas What If I Burn has dramatic and emotional anthem written all over it, and will connect on a deeper level with many, and For the Night’s chorus sounds so epic. Although with the latter the guitars are what really make this track notable, Bury Tomorrow’s technical edge coming through as much as their lovable dependency on melody.

Do you prefer heaviness though? Roaring riffs, pounding drums, furious vocals, and just enough anthemic touches to keep it accessible? I sure do, and the brilliant Waiting delivers. Heavy as it is, by the end it does feel more like a Bury Tomorrow track, thanks to the clean singing in the chorus, but its intensity is undeniable.

There’s a lot about this album that surprises, but perhaps the most pertinent thing is its emotion. While Bury Tomorrow have always had emotional songs, this entire album feels like one long deep sigh of relief from the band. Expressing themselves in clear fashion, wearing their hearts on their sleeves, and showing their fans just how strong they have become. It’s so easy to get behind bangers like Silence Isn’t Helping Us, Yōkai (妖怪), and Let Go, especially as each is varied and modern sounding. If you want to hear the expanse of what this band is capable of today, especially how they embrace the past to influence the future, you’ll really get it with this section of the album.

Amongst those tracks though is something quite special, and something likely to polarise. It’s Found No Throne and it is an emotionally wrought listen, soft and melodic, with clean singing throughout. There’s nothing quite like this elsewhere on the album, especially as it has haunting ambience too.

With one final flourish, the album ends, and it’s Paradox that ensures things end on a melodramatic and rockier high. ionate vocals that switch styles smoothly, intense melodies, and heavier drum beats to give it a thicker sound, it’s a fine finish, even just a little underwhelming because of what came before.

This album is good, and what it does is confirm that it’s time to stop talking about who Bury Tomorrow were, and focus on what they are focusing on, the future. It’s looking very, very bright.

Bury Tomorrow – Will You Haunt Me, With That Same Patience Track Listing:

1. To Dream, To Forget
2. Villain Arc
3. Wasteland
4. What If I Burn
5. Forever the Night
6. Waiting
7. Silence Isn’t Helping Us
8. Found No Throne
9. Yōkai (妖怪)
10. Let Go
11. Paradox

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