The first taste that we were treated with came towards the end of 2022 in the form of ‘Pass The Nirvana’, a track that emits the grungiest overtones and came as a complete surprise. Vocalist Vic Fuentes’ voice sounds as emotionally fuelled and edgy as ever, using the verses to flex his melody muscles before unleashing his demons in the choruses. An unusual choice for a first single, some might say – an aggressive chorus with catchy verses, not the other way around – but it worked, and it told everyone that heard it that not only are they back, but they have evolved. This, fortunately, is just the surface of the wonders that lie deeper within this album. 

Opener ‘Death Of An Executioner’ is a bouncy and bold throwback to the Pierce The Veil we already know and love. Big emo-styled vocals, gritty chord progressions with the tiniest dark details creeping in when you least expect them, and it’s the perfect way to begin their returning record. The soft but piercing belter ‘Emergency Contact’ provides a dose of the same, stripping back the intensity ever-so-slightly to let Fuentes’ clever lyrics take centre stage, such as the instantly memorable line “you choke on your words but you swallow them faster”. There’s other nostalgia-tinged tracks, like the moody ‘So Far So Fake’ and the gritty and sleazy ‘Damn The Man, Save The Empire’, but this record goes way deeper than that. They are that band you know, but they’ve spent the last few years evolving.

As a whole, this record just feels a little more thought out than their back catalogue. All the songs have their own feel and vibe, they’re all structured differently, but despite that they all fit into the new world that Pierce The Veil now reside in. The title track is a prime example of this, opening with choral harmonies and a delicately played lick that erupts into a huge elegant riff. The rest of the track rises and falls like the tide, the verses and bridges picking up momentum to help the choruses crash against your ears. ’Even When I’m Not With You’ is an almost lo-fi RnB track, with a distant distorted riff providing a backbone for the electronic drums that alls sits beneath Fuentes’ simple yet infectious vocal melodies. There’s the laid back shoegazey vibes gushing out of ‘Flawless Execution’, the heartbreaking power of ‘Resilience’, the atmospheric and colourful closing track ’12 Fractures’ that features a luscious guest vocal from Chloe Moriondo – it’s wonderfully put together, and they sound more focused and confident than ever.

If you’re a long time fan of the band, ‘The Jaws Of Life’ will fill you with all the nostalgia and emotional responses that they’ve become so adept at communicating, now with a heightened sense of class and maturity. This is easily the most grown up and accomplished that the band has ever sounded, and it isn’t even close. You can hear them growing as people and songwriters in their old material, sure, but the last six or seven years have clearly been pretty transformative for them and it really shines through these songs. Every track feels direct and intentional, each one having a life of its own, and all together the album it really does take you on a journey. There are contemplative moments, dark passages, stomach-turning plunges and elating highs, and Fuentes and crew guide you through them like water along a stream. 

A tactful, potent and graceful return for a much loved, dearly missed band, and it’s so good to have them back. Can we please make sure it isn’t seven years until the next one?

DAVE STEWART

The song is taken from their latest album ‘Last Young Renegade’, which was released earlier this year via Fueled by Ramen.

The band are also playing the following UK shows with Pierce the Veil next year.

MARCH 2018
12 GLASGOW SECC
14 CARDIFF Motorpoint Arena
15 BIRMINGHAM Genting Arena
16 MANCHESTER Arena
17 LONDON Alexandra Palace

The track is taken from their latest album, ‘Misadventures’, which was released last year via Fearless Records.

The band are playing a string of arena dates to promote their latest album ‘Last Young Renegade’.

Tickets are on sale this Friday at 9am.

Check out the dates below.

MARCH 2018

12 GLASGOW, SECC
14 CARDIFF, Motorpoint Arena
15 BIRMINGHAM, Genting Arena
16 MANCHESTER, Arena
17 LONDON, Alexandra Palace

The track is taken from their latest album, ‘Misadventures’, which was released last year via Fearless Records.

You can watch the video for ‘Floral & Fading’ below

This proves to be a tough job for them before they even hit the stage though. Anybody who chooses Creeper and letlive. as their support acts must be either nuts or wanting to give themselves a challenge. Southampton based Creeper start the night as the room quickly fills out. As possibly the most talked about upcoming band in UK rock this year, it’s quite incredible to witness the majority of the crowd singing along to every word. Their stage presence, dark imagery and musicianship shows just how capable they are of winning over a venue of this magnitude with ease.

More exciting than 99.9% of rock bands out there, letlive. never fail in putting on a spectacle. When it comes to the live platform, nobody can touch them. Whether its skating on amps, surfing in the crowd or running up to the balcony for the ending of ‘Muther’, all you have to do is blink and you can lose track of frontman Jason Butler.

When he is actually on stage, Butler’s mix of Jackson-esque stage moves, honest and thought provoking moments of reflection between songs and naturally gifted vocal talent makes your jaw drop in awe. After years of dominating small stages, letlive. have firmly got the songs, the experience and the balls to really capture venues the size of Brixton. You can only imagine the headliners shaking in their boots, now wondering how they’re gonna top that.

Following a nifty video package and arriving via spaceship (yes, spaceship!!!), Pierce The Veil arrive to a sea of shrieks from the younger portion of the crowd (there’s lots of parents at the back, looking annoyed that they’re out late on a Sunday night), as they open with ‘Dive In’. Huge solos, a big chorus and thousands of the voices singing along, even some people crying. Exactly how a 21^st Century rock show should start. Did we mention there’s a spaceship on stage?

They put everything in and more to make their performance something to remember. All the usual stuff: mad light show, confetti canon and heavy as hell; there’s nothing they’ve left at home. Despite the significantly noticeable backing track throughout their set, the signature style from guitarist Tony Perry packs a punch with huge riffs as he shreds through tracks like ‘The Divine Zero’ and with masses of charisma to boot, whilst drummer Mike Fuentes barely ever stops for breath. The complexity but personality they put in to their songs shows everyone why they are considered as some of the most promising young musicians in rock. With tones and even chemistry similar to Avenged Sevenfold, you can see their career going in the same path based on this explosive live show.

Their appeal makes sense once singer Vic Fuentes stops for some audience banter. He’s effortlessly charming when he speaks to the audience, however he can be extremely grating vocally when they burst into song. There’s a fair difference in the strength of his vocals live compared to on record but his flamboyancy and sheer energy makes up for it. Although, closing on their classic ‘King For A Day’, you can understand why his distinct style has immersed thousands of people.

Pierce The Veil play almost live, stay politically neutral, and they may be overhyped by all the typical rock mags, but ultimately they’re fun and that’s exactly what this crowd want. Whether it’s just a night to get away from exams, work or the real life in general, the band offer a hard hitting escape from reality with a taste for aggression. That’s the real key to their success.

LOUIS KERRY

The track is taken from their latest album, ‘Misadventures’, which was released earlier this year via Fearless Records.

You can watch the video for ‘Dive In’ below, as well as see the dates for Pierce The Veils UK tour which kicks off this week.

November
25 CARDIFF Great Hall
26 BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy
27 LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
29 NOTTINGHAM Rock City
30 NEWCASTLE O2 Academy

December
1 GLASGOW Barrowland
2 MANCHESTER Academy
4 BELFAST Mandela Hall
5 DUBLIN Academy
6 DUBLIN Academy

It began with the band posting missing adverts for each member, leading to the following link and a missing ad for a conspiracy theorist called James Scythe. If that wasn’t enough, if you ring the telephone number on said poster, 023 8000 0376, a mysterious voice refers to the 2nd October as being a key date.

Such intriguing updates point to the band possibly teasing the release of their highly anticipated debut album, with the aforementioned date being it’s release. Bearing in mind, this is all speculation of course.

In the meantime, the Southampton band will be embarking on a recently announced UK tour in November and December with Pierce the Veil and letlive.

NOVEMBER
25 CARDIFF Great Hall
26 BIRMINGHAM O2 Academy
27 LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
29 NOTTINGHAM Rock City
30 NEWCASTLE O2 Academy

DECEMBER
01 GLASGOW Barrowlands
02 MANCHESTER Academy 1
04 BELFAST Mandela Hall
05 DUBLIN Academy
06 DUBLIN Academy