The Moth & The Flame - Ruthless (2019) Hi Res

“I love being in this band, we just have the most fun together. Writing Ruthless is what writing an album should feel like, in my opinion," frontman Brandon Robbins tells. "It was extremely cathartic and spiritual, but also strange and uncomfortable. I think comfort can be a hindrance to the writing process. It’s important to push yourself, to push the boundaries at least a little bit."

On bitingly honest tracks such as "Beautful Couch" and "The New Great Depression," TMTF are able to articulate the complexities of mental health (sample lyric: "the monster in my head is ruthless"). Lighter tracks are still tinged in darkness, as the band employs distorted synths and pulsing beats alongside melodic vocals. This is an album that does not live in either extreme, instead choosing to venture into the murky reality of the human mind.