Gallows: A Hard-Hitting Reminder Why Blessthefall Rules

This last Friday, Blessthefall is back with Gallows, their first album in seven years, and it feels like a new yet nostalgic refresher to the scene. If you were around for Warped Tour days, you know exactly how much Blessthefall meant to that era. They weren’t just another band, they had this way of mixing heart-healing cleans with stomach-dropping screams that was instantly theirs. Very identifiable and hard for any listener to stray away from. It’s wild to see a band make it to album seven and still have that same kind of fire around them. If you were at Warped Tour recently, you know just how crazy this fanbase gets. Experiencing it firsthand had me stumbling out of those pits with a shredded shoe, destroyed flannel, and broken backpack.

Gallows feels like Blessthefall’s way of saying, “yeah, we’re still here, and we’ve still got it.” The record doesn’t walk away from what made people love them in the first place. Instead, it turns the volume up on all of it: the breakdowns, the huge choruses, and of course, those pit-vibey riffs. Songs like “Drag Me Under” get into heavier territory than where we usually find them, while tracks like “Somebody Else” remind you how easily they can flip into serious melody mode. Fans are already calling it “very classic early 2010s era sound,” with another saying, “That was like going back in time. Amazing, love you guys.” That kind of reaction sums up the spirit of this record perfectly.

The album literally opens with “mallxcore,” which Dani and I had the honor of attending the music video filming for, so of course, we have a little biased opinion on which song is the best! Hanging with the band and all our friends during this recording was dreamlike. If you went back many years ago and told young Leilani, “hey, you’re going to be working on a music video for BTF with all your best friends,” I’d be like, LOL yeah right… so this was such a wild moment for me, and I’m sure for the whole gang of us who were there that day! The fact that the video was also a play on “Hey Baby, Here’s That Song You Wanted” was the icing on top of that nostalgic cake. Blessthefall isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel here, you know? They’re embracing who they are and leaning into it hard. As one fan put it: “Everyone take off your hats and respect that Blessthefall never left their roots.” (See if you can spot those old-school references when watching the music video.)

One of the most exciting things about Gallows is the features. On “Somebody Else,” Caskets lend their unique vocal edge, giving the track extra texture without taking the spotlight, but also adding some different noise to the album. An older single, “Drag Me Under” brings in Lochie Keogh from Alpha Wolf, amplifying the track’s intensity, which, let’s be real, a little something we're always wanting. And then there’s “Fell So Hard, Felt So Right,” which features Dan Marsala from Story of the Year, adding a melodic anthem that fans are really stoked on. Each feature enhances the songs they’re on, giving Gallows the power of a solo release but with those special guest spices.

After digging around, there was some talk with Beau about the new record, and you can tell how much heart went into this album. Some of the songs literally date back to 2021, so this album’s been cooking for a long time. He laughed about seeing skinny jeans and teased hair come back into fashion, but you can tell he’s serious about where Blessthefall fits into the scene. Think about it, they’ve seen trends die and come back, they’ve lived through the years when people counted them out, and now they’re reclaiming their spot in music.

You can hear a bit of that familiarity from Hollow Bodies creeping back in too, with a track like “Wake The Dead.” That record had something to prove, and Gallows feels like it’s still carrying that same energy. It seems like it’s showing the fans that they’re still the band you fell in love with, while also introducing to this newer generation of listeners what metalcore can look like in the future, still carrying that familiar vibe a lot of us grew up with.

Now, the best part is they’re not just dropping a record and leaving you wondering about a tour. The Gallows tour is hitting the road with Miss May I, Dark Divine, and Colorblind, which means you’re about to hear these songs live soon af (like literally starting tomorrow 09/09). And if you’ve ever been to a Blessthefall show, you know it’s going to be sweaty, chaotic, and worth every single second. Come prepared for back-to-back crowd surfing and insane vocal battles with everyone screaming along.

After seven years, Gallows doesn’t really feel like a comeback, I guess. It feels like a continuation strapped up with some newness. It’s a reminder that some bands don’t fade out, they’re just waiting for the right time, then come back swinging with something that makes you remember why you cared in the first place!