Review WALKWAYS „A Reminder“

A Reminder is a grade-A album—at least if you go by its title and the songs themselves. A Reminder is the third album from the guys from Tel Aviv, and it’s not just the letter “A” that gets the pole position in the album title; all 13 songs begin with an “A” as well. It’s a neat little concept, and one the band clearly had some fun with.

Like quite a few albums from this era, Walkways’ new record seems to function as a kind of catalyst for the listener’s emotional world. Inner conflict and the wounds of the human soul are explored throughout the album, but they are presented as motivation to grow and evolve. It is often the difficult moments in life that ultimately help us develop as people.

Walkways reinforce that idea through music built around the contrast between introspective moments and explosive outbursts. This combination is hardly unique to the band, of course, with plenty of acts operating in similar metalcore-inspired territory. Still, Walkways deliver a compelling performance that makes it easy to sink into the album.

A few spoken words open the record before vocalist Yerushalmi takes over with his expressive voice. The title track is a relatively restrained introduction for a band with metalcore roots. Even as the song gradually builds, its cinematic character remains at the forefront. Things become much more unruly on “A F**k, A Thank You.” It is a crushing track that occasionally brings Iowa to mind, while the melodic chorus provides an effective counterpoint.

The first two songs are well chosen, offering a good cross-section of what to expect from A Reminder. “A Virus. Prove Me Wrong” is a raging and dark track, while “Abiding Stress to Unstress” serves as an acoustic oasis before leading into the modern-sounding “Again & Again & Again.”

“Alone Together” provides the album with an interlude that begins with an elegant piano passage. Its depressive undertone creates a distinct feeling of discomfort, while the catchy melodies of “A Kiss on the Forehead” reflect the band’s more alternative-metal-oriented roots. The ballad-like finale, “A Smile (Soul Deep),” brings the record to a soothing close with an almost soul-warming effect.

A Reminder is a more than solid album with plenty of entertainment value. Walkways offer a quality mix of aggression and vulnerability, creating a satisfying, if not entirely unique, sense of tension and release. Overall, A Reminder is a record that is easy to enjoy—and one that leaves you wondering just how much of it will still be stuck in your head once the final note has faded.