RANKED: Every Turnstile Album and EP
- Ben Blissett
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
TURNSTILE are on a serious hot streak at the minute, opening the door to hardcore for a lot of people and propelling the genre into the public eye; This summer they take on All Points East sharing the stage with the ever so effervescent TYLER, THE CREATOR. Today we rank TURNSTILE’s EP and Albums to prepare for this evening of chaos.
7) MOVE THRU ME
Starting off the list, we have the bands second EP released just after their second studio album Nonstop Feeling and just because it’s at the bottom of this list doesn’t mean it’s bad in any capacity, it’s just more of transitional EP, if anything it’s a 7 minute care package of TURNSTILE’s style and aggression at the time, featuring a song that was re-worked on their third album and 3 songs that feel like a quick fire round of how heavy hitting this band can be, if there was any doubt from anyone that these guys didn’t have an insane amount of energy, it was erased with this EP.
We highly recommend this one for anyone wanting to tap into the band's older style, this is absolutely the way to go, with some bridges that definitely laid the path for the future stuff.
6) PRESSURE TO SUCCEED
The first release from the band and frontman Brendan Yates’ first dive into vocals after drumming for the legendary TRAPPED UNDER ICE, the band really set an example of how underground Baltimore hardcore likes to tear it up, with some insanely tight riffs, bouncing bass-lines and some drum mixing that sounds so insanely tough; Sounding like a complete live recording with the echoey vocals, raw drums and crunchy guitars.
This EP really begs to be heard live with every inch of its being being an inescapable black hole of ruthless fun, all you feel when listening to it is a sudden urge to stage dive into a sea of people below.
5) NONSTOP FEELING
A special one for this publication, the origin of our name is within this album and what a string of bangers are inside this album; and honestly TURNSTILE’s last purely hardcore album, this one laid the groundwork for what was to come. The guitars are stripped back and simpler, but if anything it makes for a punchier and more gut punching sound, the drums followed suit with a lot of the tracks having a backing that again are slowed down but Daniel Fang is hitting twice as hard and really exercising his technical ability.
The bands discipline with this album is really what stands out, holding back for the perfect amount to have basically every song a breakdown that leaves any heavy music fan unable to stand still. The album is perfectly named in this sense, it is a straight 27 mins of Nonstop Feeling and movement.
4) STEP TO RHYTHM
The first studio album from these guys is one of their most vital and most influential, an unstoppable rocket that blasted onto the hardcore scene in 2013. From the opening riff, it lures you in, with an insatiable feeling of rage and a need to mosh pit. This album is simply iconic in how it still gets played by the band today, because without some of these songs it wouldn’t make it TURNSTILE show; the most recent tour showed us the power of opening two tracks as every night had fans erupting into a pit of pure carnage.
This is the kind of first album where if a band says ‘this one’s for the old school fans’, you don’t roll your eyes, you lose all sense of calm and the music makes you go crazy. Hardcore at its finest, no remorse, just pure anger, sound and energy, the ultimate catharsis for any TURNSTILE fan.
3) NEVER ENOUGH
The Grammy winner, the game changer, the best seller, the band truly hit the mainstream with this one, opening up the world of hardcore but perfectly blending, pop and alternative with hardcore. They took everything they had learned from the previous record and made it more atmospheric, more melodic and a truly brilliant album. TURNSTILE really rocked the world with this album and have been a dominating force ever since it dropped alongside the film to go with it, by far making it their more successful and recognisable.
Although this album is fantastic, it can be a bit too long for the bands style, but it has possibly their best songs ever made on it, with fierce simplicity and infectious hook of BIRDS, the grand ambience and scope of songs like Light Design and the funky riffs of Seein’ Stars, this album has everything.
2) TIME AND SPACE
Hope you like getting punched in the face, because this album is absolutely that, opening with one of the most hard hitting riffs the band has ever produced, Real Thing; apart from some intermissions containing some chill synths and samples, the album is relentless. It almost feels structured like how a show should be played, nonstop energy, nonstop passion for the genre of hardcore and a pure example of how outrageous their sound can be.
The sheer speed and adrenaline of this album coupled with its eccentric use of other genres and samples really showed the bands depth and their love of all genres of music and this was absolutely the first album it became glaringly apparent. Some may call this TURNSTILE’s last good album, some may call it the beginning of something beautiful but there’s no denying how fantastic this album is.
1) GLOW ON
There’s no other choice, their magnum opus, the leap of faith, the absolute slam dunk; TURNSTILE tried something new and redefined themselves to make one of the greatest post-hardcore albums ever created. The funky opening synths of Mystery set the tone of this album immediately, simple effective riffs, catchy vocals and an immense sense of positivity channeled through chaos and fun.
You’d honestly be hard pressed to find a skip in this album, it is a genuine start to finish joy-ride that has something for anyone who has any ounce of love for guitars, drums and energy. For a lot of people this acts a gateway drug into post hardcore, easing you in as the album slowly infects you with its catchy songs, positive message and undeniable talent. We would be seriously shocked if TURNSTILE ever top this album as nothing comes close to the pure craft and skill put into Glow On, it is absolutely their best album and an instant classic.
Words: Ben Blissett
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