ALBUM REVIEW: Like Moths To Flames – ‘The Cycles Of Trying To Cope’

If there’s one word to describe the career of metalcore veterans Like Moths To Flames, it’s consistency. As the years have progressed since their 2010 formation, the band has molded only minor tweaks to their sound, all whilst maintaining the same level of metalcore quality goodness that made them a notable name from the start. While their sound has become more mature as the band has aged, both in lyricism and musicality, the central core has remained Like Moths To Flames, recognizable as ever.

While every project the band has released over the course of their career has been notable in some form or another, their 2013 juggernaut sophomore LP An Eye For An Eye is especially memorable, easily slotting as one of my favorite metalcore albums of all time and by far my favorite of the early 2010s era. Since then, the band has not wavered in the quality of their output a single time, slowly cementing themselves as the only remaining ‘genericore’ band that’s worth listening to in the modern age.

That being said, with the band releasing nothing but pure excellence since their very first EP, it’s no surprise that their brand new 2024 LP The Cycles Of Trying To Cope is as masterful as it is. With this album, Like Moths To Flames has managed to seamlessly transition from their Risecore roots to a more polished, progressive metalcore sound, and it fits them like Cinderella’s fucking glass slipper. Dare I say it—this record might even be their best work to date.

Angels Weep absolutely obliterates the album’s starting line, with its tight, staccato chugs intertwining perfectly with tapping leads and vocalist Chris Roetter’s piercing screams. The song serves as the perfect starting point, letting the listener know that Like Moths To Flames are back to explode your car’s speakers once again. The fiery Paradigm Trigger follows suit, with its meticulous melodeath riffage and gargantuan breakdowns. This song in particular feels directly influenced by Fit For An Autopsy, with some of the guitar work sounding like it could have came straight off of The Sea of Tragic Beasts.

Where the aforementioned cuts are on the balls-to-the-wall heavy side of things, Over The Garden Wall is a more traditional LMTF track, with its eviscerating verses and massive singalong chorus. This is familiar territory for the band, but it’s executed with absolute perfection. To Know Is To Die also follows this same formula, and is one of the albums biggest songs. The guitars are nuclear bomb level heavy, and vocalist Chris Roetter pushes himself to the limits of his range on this cut, which features one of the sickest breakdowns you’ll hear this year. Roetter’s delivery of “I had a dream we never existed” just before the earth shatters to rubble is easily one of the most memorable moments in the band’s entire catalogue.

However, this isn’t to say Roetter’s only talent is his screams; he’s also an incredibly gifted singer, and this is easily showcased throughout the entire run time of The Cycles Of Trying To Cope. Kintsugi is one of the band’s softer tracks, however, it has quickly become my personal favorite song of the year so far. It’s a melancholic and emotional cut; one where you can easily hear the gut-wrenching sadness saturating Roetter’s voice. The chorus on this song is truly stunning, with earworm, soaring melodies blending seamlessly with lyrical catharsis, all culminating into an outpouring of agony.

Gone Without A Trace follows a similar route, with every guitar lick being soaked with grief and laced with sorrow. “Before you go, can I lay with your ghost until it leaves?” is a highlight lyric on this one, perfectly encapsulating the song’s tone of struggling with loss. Musically, the track displays a tug-of-war between airy, somber verses and a desolate rainstorm chorus.

Elsewhere, The Depths I Roam sees Like Moths To Flames bringing back tinges of melodeath, whilst also experimenting with two choruses, both of which kick ass. The song’s first chorus is a bit more subdued, letting the instrumental be at the forefront, while the second chorus perfectly harmonizing cutting guitar leads with Chris Roetter’s massive vocal performance.

What Do We See When We Leave This Place closes the album out on a magnificent note, being a back-and-forth between crushing chugs and one hell of a grandiose, epic chorus. The song features some of Zach Pishney’s catchiest guitar work to date, and some truly top notch production work as well. It’s the perfect finale to a wonderful album; one which never once falters along its journey.

With The Cycles Of Trying To Cope, Like Moths To Flames have truly set the bar high for themselves. It’s a masterful album in terms of metalcore, seeing the band fine-tuning their sound to absolute perfection. It’s absolutely my favorite album I’ve heard this year, and I don’t see that changing any time soon. Seriously—I am floored with this one. Residing in the mostly forgettable world of generic 2010s style metalcore, The Cycles Of Trying To Cope sees Like Moths To Flames shining a giant beacon on themselves as the new gold standard. The record is an absolute pillar, and it has me extremely optimistic about what’s to come in the band’s future.

The cycle continues.

For Fans Of: Fit For A King, The Color Morale, Oceans Ate Alaska

‘The Cycles Of Trying To Cope’ by Like Moths To Flames is released on 10th May on UNFD.

Words by Hunter Hewgley