Guilt Trip: Armour Of Angels
Almost three years since their last album, Manchester metalcore outfit Guilt Trip have returned with ‘Armour Of Angels’, a record that sees the band reach new heights. Between releases, the band have cemented their reputation as one of the UK’s most exciting hardcore acts through relentless touring, festival appearances and their unrivalled circle pits. That confidence is summed up perfectly by vocalist Jay Valentine’s bold claim that anyone who doesn’t like the new album just doesn’t like Guilt Trip, and after hearing ‘Armour Of Angels’, it is difficult to argue with him.
The album opens strongly with the thrashing ‘One By One’, featuring an ominous yet alluring melody which devolves into venomous vocals, white-hot riffs and an unwavering pace that begs to be the soundtrack to mosh pits everywhere. The song finishes with a punchy sting but leaves no time before the next track, ‘Blood Atonement’, begins to make its own fierce impression, pushing forward and leaving space only for the screeching riffs of guitarists Jak Maden and Sam Baker, and for a truly crushing breakdown.
The pace set by the first two songs is easily matched by the following tracks, delivering maddeningly catchy riffs and layered vocals, as seen in ‘Dirt’, alongside breakdowns seemingly crafted for circle pits that exceed even the band’s own impressive standards.
By track five, ‘Veins’, there is a slight shift. The song begins in a deceptively calm manner, with delicate melodies and distorted yet clean vocals, before the band unleash their full force with no mercy. The layering of overlapping vocals, enhanced with echo and the diverse styles provided by Valentine, creates an almost choral sound reminiscent of environments where the religious motifs that engulf the album would not be out of place.
The most unique sound on the record comes from the surprisingly mellow ‘Intermission’, an instrumental piece featuring melancholic guitar and soft cymbals. In an album that often feels like a battle cry, this piece serves as a powerful moment of reflection. Despite its softer sound, the seamless transition back into a heavy instrumental flourish ensures its inclusion never feels random, and it leads perfectly into the next track.
‘Burn’ is exactly as scalding as it sounds, driving home a fierce melody with the relentless pace set by drummer Tom Aimson before plunging into an unnerving quiet, illuminated only by Valentine’s whispering voice repeating the mantra “burn inside the fire”. The refrain grows more intense with each repetition before the band once again attack the song, leading it into a vicious ending that refuses to slow until the final second.
The final tracks push every boundary, with Guilt Trip using every tool at their disposal to earn the lasting impact the album delivers. ‘Suffer Me’ is an instant classic, with a build-up that feels as though it pays off with every chorus, and it leads seamlessly into the penultimate track, ‘Resurrected’, featuring P.O.D.’s Sonny Sandoval. The album comes to a close with ‘The Banner of Heaven’, a triumphant finale that sustains its metalcore intensity all the way through to its extended instrumental outro.
‘Armour Of Angels’ is a powerful endorsement of the Manchester hardcore band, and one that is sure to go down as a fan favourite in the years to come. Guilt Trip will spend this summer touring the United States before bringing their unwavering songs back to the UK and EU for an autumn tour, ensuring that this epic collection of songs can be enjoyed as they should be – with brutal pits and unending headbanging.