“Purgatory Road”, an album by Ryan Tobin, released November 1st, 2024, is an open nerve: a testament to the hard work of coming from the depths of addiction and trauma toward the light of redemption. Tobin has a very visceral and intimate record of his struggle, with a grittiness and authenticity that pierces deep. There are echoes of Chevelle’s brooding intensity and 10 Years’ melodic angst, but Tobin sets out on his sonic pathway, paved with wisdom gained through tough living.
The title track, Purgatory Road, sets the mood and drops the listeners into Tobin’s inner turmoils with dizzying jumps. The distorted guitars create a certain claustrophobia of sorts, which represents the crippling hold of addiction. The hope that flickers dim and gentle, just beneath the surface of Tobin’s weary yet yearning voice, drives sharpness into the land of darkness.
“Wrong Side Down” is an excellent showcase for the writing of Tobin. The song speaks of the nature of recovery, throughout its varied sections from quiet reflection to full-blown release.
Throughout “Purgatory Road”, Tobin expands on using musical devices to subtitle the emotions in his lyrics. The way “Running Away,” rides on syncopation incites a feeling of discomfort that reflects the scattered nature of feeling torn and running away. Throughout the album, all the tempo and dynamic changes keep the listeners on their toes, parallel to the ups and downs of recovery!
The musical language of the album is based on alternative metal and hard rock, but its lyrical content firmly places it in the category of Christian rock. The whole backdrop is sewn together with themes of faith, redemption, the unabating presence of a higher power, and continues from warm to cool. That liminal space is indicated by the very title of the album: “Purgatory Road”.
The vocals take center stage, peeling back layers of unutterable truths. The songs play out a story of Tobin’s willingness and courage to dive deep into the darker corners of his life. By that, I mean he doesn’t hesitate to get ugly: he doesn’t shy away from addiction, the pain of relapse, or even the feel of the perpetually open wound of trauma. That kind of brutal honesty, along with his enduring faith, propels an epic narrative of hope and survival. “The Purgatory Road” is not a tidy portrayal. It’s all raw, a work in progress, facing up to where the human spirit wins at last.
“Purgatory Road” is a natural progression and a fresh breath of air for a genre often maligned for music in a certain formulaic mold. Tobin’s wonderfully unvarnished musicality and one-hundred-per-cent earnest bleeding-near-the-muse, lyrics give the mix an atmosphere of challenge and goodness. This is more than an album for fans of Christian rock; it is an album for anyone who has ever struggled, anyone who has ever attempted to find hope through the ruins of disaster. “Purgatory Road” stands as a testament to music’s powers of healing, and inspiration, and of giving us the ever-ready wallop of keeping us hopeful in some of our darkest days. Enter into the emotional and redemptive journey of “Purgatory Road”. Stream it now and feel the power of music to heal and inspire.