By Joseph Turiano, Contributor

[Fueled By Ramen; 2025]

Rating: 7/10

Key Tracks: “City Walls,” “RAWFEAR,” “Downstairs”

Coming just over a year after the release of Clancy, Twenty One Pilots return with Breach, their eighth studio album and the finale of the “Clancy saga.” Like its predecessor, Breach features 13 tracks, consolidating the last chapter of Clancy’s story. The record is full of references, earworm melodies and amazing performances from Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun, blending old and new elements for fans of every era.

Read more: Album Review: Frog – The Count

The Columbus duo have been building toward this point for over a decade. Since Blurryface, they’ve created storylines and put them into their music, which goes back to their 2009 self-titled debut. For Breach, rollout began in May 2025 with the announcement of the record and the first single, “The Contract.” 

“The Contract” set the tone for the album, both musically and narratively. It includes dark production with rapid-fire rapping similar to Blurryface’s “Heavydirtysoul.” Its video continues where Clancy’s last track, “Paladin Straight,” left off, showing Clancy (played by Tyler) being choked by the Bishop, Nico, before being transported to a new location. Here, both Tyler and Josh are surrounded by hooded figures with glowing red eyes. This video helped fuel the anticipation for fans who were invested in Clancy’s story and the fight he has been involved in.  

The second single, “Drum Show,” was much less reliant on the narrative and showcased more of the duo’s musical capability. The track features a gritty bassline as well as Josh not only as a drummer, but a vocalist. This was something fans had been waiting for, being teased previously in performances like their MTV Unplugged. On “Drum Show” Josh brings a very soft vocal delivery in the bridge singing, “I’ve been this way, I want to change.” However, Tyler jumps in on the last word, screaming “change,” creating a cathartic release when the song flips from slow back to the regular pace of the song with strong drums and bass. The music video for this song, set in a parking garage and on the road driving, does a good job at lining up with the lyrics about driving fast and taking detours. Overall this track is danceable and fun, a great follow-up single.

The final single, “City Walls,” is both the opening track and climax in the story narratively. It depicts the final battle between Clancy and Nico, ending with Clancy being defeated and turned into the next lead Bishop, converting those who were trying to help him in the process. Josh’s character, Torchbearer, refuses to join and leaves them, saying he will try again despite Clancy’s lost battle. 

Musically, “City Walls” includes heavy basslines with Tyler’s classic rapping, which then turns into a flowing melodic chorus. Ominous synths sit underneath playful-sounding plucks, which help make this song feel like the soundtrack to a boss battle. Lyrically, the song has a lot of references that fans will recognize, like “islands of violence” calling back to Vessel’s “Migraine,” while the outro of the song uses “entertain my faith” from “Holding On To You” from the same album. These references help deepen the connection to the fans who have followed the band since the beginning. 

The second song of the album, “RAWFEAR” is quite the opposite of what you might think it’s supposed to sound like. It begins with a very hopeful-sounding piano and some chopped vocals before it kicks in with a groovy drum beat that makes it quite upbeat and happy. However, this song does discuss rather dark topics, as usual for songs in this genre. This song also includes a fun tempo change in the bridge that makes for an exciting turnaround for the final chorus of the song. 

“Downstairs,” the album’s longest track at 5-and-a-half minutes, is a strong contender for best song on the album. It has minimalist verses that feature airy synths beneath Tyler’s falsetto vocals, while Josh takes on a more messy drum pattern. However, the chorus explodes into halftime drums with strong synths, all while Tyler sings confidently about how the basement is where he feels safest, away from the external fears and pain. 

What truly makes “Downstairs” so special is its history. The instrumental had first appeared in a 2012 tour video from South Korea. Now, with the song being fully fleshed out and realized a decade later, fans can feel rewarded for paying attention to little details from the band’s past. 

Breach takes the best aspects of every era of Twenty One Pilots and compiles them all into a 47 minute record. While there are some slower parts of the album, it does really show how regardless of the growth they are still always remembering their roots and fans, creating a bittersweet finale. 

If this truly is the end of the saga, or at least the narrative, both Tyler and Josh can look back on this knowing that what they have created is remarkable. Not many bands can go through as many aesthetic and sonic changes as they can and still keep their fans as invested as theirs are.