"This 12-song album is a wonderful artwork that carries one through a journey of what life may throw at you, and the three-part band does a brilliant job at putting together something that fans will admire."
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Awesome
Recommended songs: “Death of an Executioner,” “The Jaws of Life” and “Shared Trauma”
By: Bruna Cucolo
It had been seven long years of waiting, years of anticipation. Hope from fans was never lost, though, and with holding onto hope came what they have all been eager for all this time. The alternative rock trio Pierce The Veil dropped a new album at last on Feb. 10 via Fearless Records. This fifth album, The Jaws of Life, contains 12 songs made up of vulnerability and raw lyrics that can be relatable to many.
With the opening track, “Death of an Executioner,” the listener can envision this one being the opener for the band’s concert set. The track starts with the sound of a siren, followed by percussion instruments, which ease into full instrumental. Not too much later, frontman Vic Fuentes begins singing, and the smooth, familiar vocals fans know are heard through speakers or headphones, whichever way the album is being listened to. This song sets the tone for what the rest of the album will be like: lots of texture with its sound, honest lyrics, experimental melodies and strong drums and guitar.
The next three songs, “Pass the Nirvana,” “Even When I’m Not With You,” and “Emergency Contact,” were the three album singles, with the first of the three mentioned being the band’s first musical release in years. Fans seemed to go crazy for it, not just from the excitement revolving around the single drop, but because it is an incredible song altogether, from its sound to its meaning about the youth’s traumas and stepping away from all the negativity and finding that nirvana.
As the album plays on, listeners won’t lose interest in the different instrumental and vocal patterns, giving the album a varying texture of sounds. Those listening may also appreciate the lyrics more, such as in the album’s title track. In “The Jaws of Life,” Fuentes goes on about how there are parts in life that, even though are tough moments, he still tries to make the best of, such as with the lyrics “Maybe it’s enough to get by for now, but I’m having the time of my life.”
And the record continues to be this way: maybe relatable, maybe just a personal story. Either way, these songs can be blasted wherever one chooses to listen to them, singing and screaming along with emotion. Even the closing track, “12 Fractures,” featuring chloe moriondo, is more of a personal story and incredibly emotional like the rest of the tracks. This more mellow beat is an easygoing way to finish the record, giving the listener a breather in case they are to repeat the 12 tracks.
This 12-song album is a wonderful artwork that carries one through a journey of what life may throw at you, and the three-part band does a brilliant job at putting together something that fans will admire. In The Jaws of Life, something that the band succeeded in doing with their songs is making each one unique. They don’t all blend together and sound like one long track, but instead they each fit perfectly together like puzzle pieces, yet are separate enough on their own, making this work of art truly sound like an album. Pierce The Veil came back to show their fans that they still got it, and they proved just that.
