By Luis Olguin, Feb. 28, 2023
Calling all veteran emo/scene kids of Tumblr and Myspace — they are back. After a seven-year hiatus, Pierce The Veil released their fifth studio album “The Jaws of Life” on Feb. 10. You know, the band that was in everyone’s iPod shuffle playlist that usually played right after “Falling in Reverse,” “Of Mice & Men,” “Sleeping With Sirens” or “Bring to the Horizon.”
In 2022, the band’s 2012 track “King for a Day” became a sensation on TikTok as a lip-syncing trend with the band’s piece went viral.
It’s an album that can be enjoyed by both new and old fans, although it is Pierce The Veil’s first without Mike Fuentes, their original drummer whom they parted ways with in 2017 due to accusations of sexual misconduct. Brad Hargreaves of Third Blind Eye stepped in to replace Mike Fuentes’ vacated spot with Paul Meany producing the album. s s
No band or artists will keep their same nostalgic sound forever as music is constantly evolving. It is also quite difficult for a band to keep their same sound after losing a band member. But it is great to see that Pierce The Veil has put their best foot forward after the departure of Fuentes.
When the band dropped their first lead single for this album, “Pass The Nirvana,” I was hooked. This is quite a noticeable song as it felt refreshing but classic at the same time. I am a sucker for new gym music and this song hits the spot — it is heavy and lyrical at the same time.
The second single “Emergency Contact” is a super easy listen for anyone new to Pierce the Veil and great introduction to modern pop punk. Even if you’re not a regular Pierce The Veil fan, the lyrics for this song have such influence on to the listener. It is quite a catchy song that I caught myself singing it as if I was singing this song to an ex-partner. All music listeners have a few songs which are dedicated to an ex or current lover and this song might fit that playlist.
Their third single, “Even When I’m Not With You” has been considered to be the “flop” of the album based on the social media reaction. It is considered “soft” due to its lyrics and instrumental approach. The song does have a slow build up, but I do believe that this will be a song that grows onto the listener as it has a great melody and chorus. Fans are forgetting that Pierce The Veil has a ton of “love” songs that are soft and this is nothing new.
I do believe that the album falls short after the interlude, becoming more melodic and softer for a punk/emo rock album. The first eight songs really give the listener an audio punch to the ear one after the other. I was headbanging throughout those first initial songs, only to come to a slow stop. This doesn’t make the album overall bad, but it doesn’t fit well with the intensity of the beginning.
Overall, I believe that all the songs from this album have beautiful lyrics one should sing to their crush at Hot Topic. In a matter of fact, the whole discography of Pierce The Veil does too. In the end, this album should not be compared to the older albums as it could be a new beginning for the band.
Feature image courtesy of Lauren Wong
