The Dawn of a New Era: Twenty One Pilots’ “The Contract”

The cover art for Breach, created by Brandon Rike.

It’s the start of an unexpected new era for Twenty One Pilots. The Columbus duo’s upcoming release, Breach, is set to be the fourth album in Twenty One Pilots’ series of concept albums that explore and personify struggles with mental health. In lead singer Tyler Joseph’s story world, Joseph plays Clancy, a resident of a highly surveilled fictional city called Dema. Dema is patrolled by nine bishops who enforce their oppressive ideology on citizens and block anyone from leaving. Within this world, Blurryface-- Joseph’s personification of his anxiety and the central figure of the band’s 2015 album-- returns as Nico, one of the bishops and Clancy’s main enemy. All in all, the concept reinforces the idea of trying to escape the enclosures of depression and anxiety through channeling close friendship and resilience. 

For any Twenty One Pilots fan, the week from May 14th to May 21st was a whirlwind of emotions. Beginning on the 14th, the Ohio duo concluded their Clancy World Tour, which, of course, is emotional in itself. But suddenly, signs of a new era began appearing at the final show in London, throwing fans into confusion. Playing Clancy, Joseph strayed away from the tour’s established theatrical routine for the first time. Instead of taking his signature Clancy jacket (which signifies rebellion) from his bandmate, Josh Dun, Joseph pretended he could not see Dun. Though subtle, no action is ever insignificant when it comes to Twenty One Pilots, and this moment sent fans into a frenzy over what this deviation from the norm might allude to. 

Following the final show, Twenty One Pilots began changing their social media profile picture to an eye closing on the band’s Clancy era logo. This picture resembled the pictures the band posted before going on a year-long hiatus in July 2017 following the end of the Blurryface era. This led many fans to worry that another long silence was looming, despite no official confirmation.

Twenty One Pilots’ eye closing imagery at the end of the Clancy era (2025, left) vs. at the end of the Blurryface era (2017, right)

To everyone’s surprise, on May 21st, the band announced a surprise album, entitled Breach, slated to release in September, putting the hiatus rumors to rest and proving that the story is far from over. Breach picks up after Clancy’s cliffhanger ending, where Clancy comes face-to-face with his enemy in a (failed) attempt to defeat the bishops. The new era kicked off on Thursday, June 12th, with the new track “The Contract.” 

With fast-paced drums (resembling that of the 2015 track “Heavydirtysoul”), raspy vocals, and an emotionally-charged rap verse, “The Contract” conveys Joseph/Clancy’s current position— being stuck between a promise (contract) to his allies or risking everything to confront the enemy. The song features lyrics that were initially teased on the “Blurryface” Twitter account after the band announced Breach. The phrases, “I check the doors, check the windows, pull the blinds,” appeared alongside an ominous video clip in the teasers. These lines now compose the song’s pre-chorus. 

The band also released a music video, where Joseph and Dun perform the song in a dark area surrounded by glowing eyes, depicting Joseph/Clancy’s inner torment as he stands face-to-face with Nico. In the video’s final moments, Dun offers the jacket once more, just as he did in London and on the Breach album cover. Once again, Joseph doesn’t take it.

At the dawn of Twenty One Pilots’ newest era, one can only wonder where the band will take us next. Will Joseph/Clancy defeat his mind once and for all and finally “leave the city?” Or is he destined to remain locked in conflict with his darker self? The mastery and thought behind their artwork prove yet again why Twenty One Pilots are among the most innovative storytellers in modern music. 

Joseph at the Clancy World Tour (2024)