Hard as nails, soaring, in-your-face hardcore—that only begins to describe the sonic majesty of “Vindication.” Dedicated to Torchbearer’s bassist Mo Bashir’s late brother, the track contemplates the depth of life and loss, subjects that are not often time discovered amongst heavy metal music. Torchbearer is committed to making their music as smashing and progressive as they are meaningful. Like “Vindication,” every song they make has a special and personal bond to them, and for the listeners, it’s a world better with their music. And when the song ends, it feels like something is missing.

The South UK metal outfit leaves quite an impression for the first times, but through the course of the entire song, they change your perspective of metal music. Yes, they deliver an overwhelmingly mind-blowing sonic experience, but what you remember about their music is mostly about how you connect to them. The tangled up emotions get to the surface. The dreams and demons are roaring free. They forge a space for these to breathe openly, and they untangle bone-deep experiences that leave a mark in your soul.

“Vindication” leads to their highly-anticipated forthcoming record Warrior, coming out later this year. The records cover much personal topics such as bereavement, anxiety, trauma, insecurity and self-accountability, but theme, as its name predicts, are about triumph and overcoming.