Album/EP

Tapestry - The Pain You Desire, The Love You Deserve (Album Review)

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Heavy Metal Wordsmith

Aug 16, 2023

7 min read

Tapestry - The Pain You Desire, The Love You Deserve
Released: August 18th, 2023

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Former Darwin-based melodic metalcore act Tapestry are back in the spotlight this year after bouncing back from what was an extremely quiet 2022. The group kicked things back off in May as they supported Thornhill during a regional Australian tour and are maintaining the momentum that they currently have by presenting us with their debut album ahead of appearing on Good Things Festival's 2023 lineup. However, the big question is, will this release further push this band on its path of an upwards trajectory? Let's dig in and find out.

Kicking off this debut LP is 'Hutchinson Terrace' and as vocalist Tom Devine-Harrison beautifully sings the opening lyrics "A product of love, or a mistake of lust?", it becomes strikingly obvious that this piece is dripping in heartbreak. Drum fills added by Ben Masters only add emotional fuel to this track's fire. This offering dives deeper into the band's melodic roots, rather than their usual blend of melodic metalcore. Devine-Harrison perfectly executes his vocal input in an angelic fashion as he proves just how much of an underrated vocalist he is as he sings amongst the groove-orientated instrumentals while giving them room to shine. Capping of this album intro is an ever-so-impressive guitar solo, leaving us ready to sob at what comes next. 'I Don't Belong Here' takes off on the same note the previous track left off. It's A soft, melodic song with a heavy-hearted message. Tom's high-pitched clean vocals match well with the high tuned guitars, creating an easy-flowing listening experience in the process. The tempo picks up throughout the chorus and seemingly takes influence from bands such as Sleeping With Sirens or (early) A Day To Remember - which is always a good sign. Towards the outro, we hear the first burst of unclean vocals that this release has to offer, which shows promising signs that this album offers more variety the further we listen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1FY12t6IOY

'Turning Blind' keeps the tempo at a higher pace throughout the intro before Devine-Harrison hauntingly belts out the chorus "Dealing with the pain that you put me though...", as the themes from the two previous tracks are carried through into this one. The ebbs and flows between the emotionally heavy chorus and the soft, melancholic verses work brilliantly, right up to the outro where we are introduced to this album's first breakdown. Tom spits fire into the mic with his unclean vocals, especially as he screams "Maybe I'm better off dead" as the instrumental crescendo comes to its peak. Drum fills from the always impressive Masters take us into 'Let Me Leave' while mournful guitars play simplistically. Devine-Harrison sings this entire track with the same mundane voice, without any exerting himself in any way, until the three minute mark where he shows off his exemplary unclean vocals, which is a more than welcomed move.

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'Chasing Silhouettes' begins slowly while Tom flourishes in the limelight, hauntingly singing his usual messages of heartbreak and sadness while the track ever so gradually builds up to the chorus where Devine-Harrison perfectly executes his vocal duties with the lyrics "Ever since you left, I've been chasing silhouettes/Ever since you walked away, I'll never be okay, I'll never be the same" which is so ethereal, it creates an atmosphere of enchantment, while remaining overshadowed by the tracks heart aching truth. 'Marionette', similarly to 'Let Me Leave' is mundane in quite a few ways, sorrowful instrumentals carry yet another despairing message through the frontman's lyrics. Tom explores his vocal range further with this track, taking his voice even higher than usual at some points, as well as including a burst of unclean vocals towards the outro. The impressive work of Masters' takes us into completion, finishing on a much more exciting note than when it began.

Slowing the album's tempo to its slowest yet, 'Rive' finds me underwhelmed as the instrumentalists contribute minimally, with newly introduced synth elements that feel out of place, while Tom sings the same message we have heard in the previous seven songs. I would have loved to see more contributions from the group's other talented musicians on this piece as at times their talent seems under-utilised and this is one moment on this album where that is the case. The instrumentalists make up for lost time in 'Descent' as Masters powers through the intro with magnificent drum fills, he manages to maintain his position at the core of the track while the guitarists build around the sound he produces. Devine-Harrison exceeds the highest of expectations as he uses different vocal styles without any sign of struggle or strain. The guest addition of Jono Hawkey from Sydney-based post-hardcore act Bloom is a breath of fresh air, he provides a new dynamic that helps bring this track to life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04US1zeoBkc

The album's shortest track 'Static' is an instrumental album filler lasting at only 0:36 which consists of no guitars or drums, but rather the use of keys. Next up is 'Violent Pictures' and it kicks off where 'Descent' left off, with a faster pace from the very beginning. This haunting piece is thematically dark, Tom manages to spit venom in the mic with his clean and unclean vocals from beginning to end. Low-tuned instrumentals paint a chaotic picture that is left with you after completion. It would be safe to say that this is the heaviest track that the band has ever released, proving that this group has the ability to tackle sounds outside of the slow, soft melodic songs that this album is full of. Title track, 'The Pain You Desire, The Love You Deserve' manages to include components from all previous tracks to bring the album's narrative together, creating one final image of loss, heartbreak and desire. Each instrumentalist is utilised to their full potential in this piece, making it a standout on this debut LP. The closer 'Lonely, Lonely' is a soft, acoustic offering that is destined to leave every listener wallowing in all the emotions that are present in this release, with the main theme being the feeling of inadequacy.

The Pain You Desire, The Love You Deserve at some points feels miserable, without any hope. Then other tracks feel empowering, making this debut album one hell of a roller-coaster ride. I would have loved to see the group explore differing styles and sounds just a bit more - to display variety and diversity within their sound. Apart from two or three songs, the repetitiveness of this album grows tiresome.