Black Veil Brides fizzled up to the top of the scene somewhere in the 2010’s. Although ‘Knives and Pens’ got the group some street cred, ‘In the End’ was enough to captivate fans worldwide. Since then, Black Veil Brides developed a devoted following of outspoken and outrageous fans who have given the band a very distinct reputation among critics. Black Veil Brides have always been controversial. Not for the subject of their music, surprisingly, but for their existence. This is interesting because they aren’t really famous for their music alone, just their image. That being said, does their music back-up their aesthetics?
The bare bones of
Black Veil Brides is rather simple. The album tackles the concept of faith, God, and other religious (mostly Christian) concepts. This theme is complicated and most bands usually miss the point, but
Black Veil Brides remains consistent narratively. This is a good step forward since most of their discography dips somewhere toward the middle into oblivion. In an interview with Radio.com, Andy Biersack mentions the album is ‘homage’ of sorts to Led Zeppelin. This was a rather pretentious statement, especially considering his comments about selling out and mentorship from KISS.
Hard rock is explored basically throughout
Black Veil Brides. Their usual 80’s inspired radio-rock anthems are put on display in various forms. ‘Faithless’ has a modernized version of this format, where ‘Goodbye Agony’ employs a retro-esque ballad style. The music is a lot more streamlined than
Wretched and Divine. I would say it’s produced differently, but upon listening, one can tell the album is rougher than previous records. When comparing ‘In the End’ to the tracks displayed, the difference is obvious.
Black Veil Brides is a rather strong album lyrically, at least to Black Veil Brides standards, mostly because the album is discussing a meaningful subject, as backhanded as that statement is. ‘Faithless,’ ‘World of Sacrifice ’and ‘Last Rites’ are the main songs that kick the album in gear. ‘Faithless’ is particularly interesting for its portrayal of spiritual division. The narrator doesn’t practice his faith, but refuses to be labeled faithless. “Even when I fall down to my knees, I never say a prayer I don’t believe, and I don’t want to look up to the sun, but I will never be the faithless one,” is a powerful chorus for the song. I was impressed with the depth ‘Faithless’ carries in the struggles with religion and personal values.
One of the leading factors into writing
Black Veil Brides was Andy Biersack’s prior experience as a Catholic. Although leaving his faith, Andy Biersack maintains a personal level of spirituality although not religious. ‘World of Sacrifice’ continues to discuss how religion can change a person in a positive and negative way. “Faith becomes addiction, not ambition,” is a lyric to ponder on when listening to the album as a whole. ‘Last Rites’ regards how Andy Biersack cannot speak for religious people because he has never lived the life they have, and only speaks on behalf of his personal issues and experiences. Lyrical complexity is perhaps the strong suit for the album.
Negatives of the album wiggle their way in with filler. ‘Heart of Fire,’ ‘Devil in the Mirror,’ and ‘Drag Me to the Grave’ are unnecessary in the grand scheme of the album. ‘Heart of Fire’ is out of place in the context of the album. ‘Heart of Fire’ is an odd place to start the album. Nothing in the song is exampled in the story of
Black Veil Brides. The song in general is generic and cheesy, but aside from marketability, the song is useless. ‘Devil in the Mirror’ is simply filler and contributes nothing, as is ‘Drag Me to the Grace.’
Repetition lyrically and instrumentally is another issue with
Black Veil Brides. ‘The Shattered God’ repeats the same sentiment shared most of the songs. ‘Faithless’ and ‘World of Sacrifice’ deal with hypocritical people, which is what ‘The Shattered God’ is about. The songs tend to feel formulaic at points. ‘Stolen Omen’ and ‘Faithless’ follow a similar format to each other, with the exception of the distorted scream in the former. The heavier songs on
Black Veil Brides share similarities in riffs and breakdowns. This isn’t surprising when compared to their previous work, but it’s noticeable and lazy nonetheless.
‘Crown of Thorns’ wraps the album up nicely. The lyrics symbolize the end of the album’s journey and reflect on the themes stated.
Black Veil Brides is the palatable album of the groups discography. I wouldn’t label the record horrendously disgusting, but I do agree it’s nothing special.
Black Veil Brides, in my opinion, is the band’s strongest so far. Even though it’s average in every sense of the word, the record shows a lot of potential the band has. The run time of 44 minutes wasn’t mishandled or feels overly long, albeit with the exception of filler.
Keep in mind we are comparing this record to what Black Veil Brides already releases. The standard in which this review is based on is that of the work Black Veil Brides currently produces. I find it difficult to grade the album because its negatives balance the positives. Everything has potential to be good, so calling the album untapped potential is redundant at this point. All in all, it’s hard to expect much from Black Veil Brides, and this album proves just that.
Standout Tracks
Last Rites
Faithless
World of Sacrifice
