Album review: To Kill Achilles – Recovery

On their 2021 second album, Something To Remember Me By, we found To Kill Achilles creating a narrative of anguish, turmoil and loss through a beautifully, yet devastatingly, crafted collection of songs. Their new album, Recovery, on the other hand, is the antithesis. Courage and control shine as the main themes in this 11-track epilogue brimming with glimmering hope that comes from their ability to put life experiences front and centre of everything they do.

Opener …And I’m An Addict stomps with a brash, almost Hatebreed-esque beat, all the while being fronted by brutal honesty from frontman Mark Tindal. ‘I can be strong / I can be kind / I can be anything I fucking like,' he rages, 'But why do I resort to what I am / A junkie, an addict a lesser man but I won’t have it.’ It's a resistance that sets the tone for an album made to uplift, motivate those changes and to escape the darkness.

Later, Chemical Counterpart details the relationship between prescription medication and mental fragility, all soundtracked by soaring melodies, pummelling drums and a chorus showing how they’re becoming the masters of their own sound. While the slow-burning nature of Blue is an emotionally charged anthem, meandering with deep synths before erupting with a flurry of crushing riffs.

Love Is A Crime is the quartet at their feral best, spitting venom and pushing the energy to the max. But it’s the closing title-track that really surprises, after a heartfelt opus about depression, the song closes with a juxtaposition of high-reaching guitars and a saxophone solo that would give Ghost a run for their money.

Recovery is a triumphant album that solidifies To Kill Achilles as a genuinely exciting band. With their ability to evoke raw emotions and deliver powerful performances, it's a record that will uplift you during the darkest of days. Prepare to be moved, inspired, and ultimately, healed by the sonic journey that To Kill Achilles have masterfully created.

Verdict: 4/5

For fans of: Touché Amoré, Your Demise, Hatebreed

Recovery is released on August 11 via Arising Empire