Twenty One Pilots’ ‘Trench’ packed with powerful messages

On Oct. 5, Twenty One Pilots released their new album, Trench, after a three-year “hiatus” of sorts. Around April or May, the band began to drop cryptic hints on its website and social media, changing its theme colors and logo.

Twenty One Pilots, composed of lead singer Tyler Joseph and drummer Josh Dun, is sometimes called “The Band of Generation Z.” The band is known for accurately conveying the angst of the young generation, and many of its songs deal with depression, anxiety and insecurity. For a large portion of Twenty One Pilots’ fan base, the songs vocalize the struggles that so many of us go through.

The band has a reputation of slipping cryptic messages into its songs and social media. For example, at the beginning of its hiatus, the band posted a video of an eye closing, and in April, the eye opened again. In the first song off the album, “Nico and the Niners,” rewinding bits of audio from the song reveals drummer Josh Dun saying something along the lines of, “We are Banditos. We will leave DEMA and head true East. We denounce vialism.” Fans theorized that the “Banditos,” who appear in several of the new music videos, were Tyler’s friends and family, helping him to escape from DEMA, the prison of entrapping feelings of depression and insecurity.

The music style varies from song to song — some are entirely musical, others entirely rap, and still others include elements of both. With poetic, powerful lyrics that resonate with millions across the world, Trench is a great listen and a thought-provoking work. While the music style itself may not appeal to everyone, the lyrics may well leave a lasting impression.

Since its release, Trench has racked up overwhelmingly positive reviews, already selling over 1.5 million copies.

Niveditha Bala is a sophomore at Mandela International Magnet School. Contact her at niveditha. bala@mandelainternationalschool.us