Frame and Mantle — Well of Light
by Jasmine Gracia | June 27th, 2025
Photo Via Big Picture Media
Based in Pittsburgh, PA, Frame and Mantle are no strangers to the game.
They released their debut EP back in 2016 and have dropped a handful of records since — now, they’re back with their sophomore album Well of Light, out June 27th, 2025! Blending post-emo and rock with influence from classics like Jimmy Eat World, Taking Back Sunday, and even a hint of Blink-182, their sound feels both nostalgic and new. If that’s your thing, you’re going to love them.
Ahead of the album’s release, Frame and Mantle dropped three lead singles: “Down a Thousand,” “Failsafe,” and “Standstill” — all of which give a strong taste of what’s to come on the full 10-track record. With cutting lyrics in the title track — you won’t get very far, as you die in the dark — the tone is set early. Gorgeous melodies, tight percussion, and moody, heavy guitar patterns weave the emotional core of this album together.
“Green Grove Zone” gives major prime Blink-182 energy, which I absolutely love. It’s catchy and upbeat while still being so real and relatable. — I shut the world out, I can’t get hurt if I don’t let you in — it captures that feeling of keeping your guard up to protect yourself. I’m a sucker for songs with deep lyrics that still sound happy, and this is exactly that. On the other hand, “Failsafe” brings a totally different energy with its brass addition — it’s the kind of flare that’ll get everyone off their feet and dancing.
“Not Your Enemy” is a personal favorite of mine:
— believe me, I’m not your enemy… deceive me, then you give me space —
It feels like watching life happen around you, and to everyone else. Waiting patiently for something that isn’t happening and wondering when it’ll be your turn. You keep showing up for someone, even when they won’t do the same. They pull you in with deceit, just to let you go again.
Then there’s “Chokehold,” which honestly has me in a literal chokehold. The way it switches between a heavy instrumental backtrack with screaming vocals, then melts into that light, dance-rock vibe — it’s intense and mesmerizing.
Something really unique happens in the second-to-last track, “Changeling.” The first three minutes are purely smooth instrumentals, then it builds quickly and crashes in hard. Symbolically, it feels like being stuck in your thoughts, then suddenly overwhelmed as everything hits at once.
The final track, “In the Absence of Sound,” mirrors this reflective tone — it steps back from vocals to give space for a striking guitar solo, eventually joined by brass and percussion again. The lyric — the beating of my own heart is enough to set me free — feels like a moment of clarity. It’s about finally being okay on your own. Choosing yourself. Finding the light after the dark.
With Well of Light, Frame and Mantle show that there is light in the darkness — and after it. The lyrics are raw and honest. The melodies feel like the softer side of all the heavy emotions. By the end of the album, you feel like you’ve made it to the other side.
Keep up with Frame and Mantle here!!
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