Album Review: Pierce the Veil on ‘The Jaws of Life’ and Stylistic Transformation
For their fifth studio album, Pierce the Veil explores a newly refined sound that masterfully showcases a range of influences from indie pop to 90s punk.
Written by Lyndsey Segura
Photo courtesy of Celia Kenyon
Content Warning: This article contains a discussion of sexual misconduct allegations
Seven years following the release of their fourth studio album, Misadventures, Pierce the Veil’s The Jaws of Life is among the most highly anticipated releases of the year. Despite their time away from the spotlight, the band’s fanbase grew with new members after their 2012 single “King for a Day,” featuring Kellin Quinn, went viral on TikTok after Lizzo posted a video to the audio.Frontman Vic Fuentes has been outwardly vocal about his desire to experiment stylistically with their new music, and The Jaws of Life does just that. After hitting the band’s 10th anniversary, Pierce the Veil realized how much they had evolved as individuals since they began making music as teenagers. Inspired by younger artists, the band sought to modify their sound to reflect personal growth as they approached their 40s. Pierce the Veil’s new album is a refreshing departure from the angst of Selfish Machines and the breathless speed of Collide with the Sky. The Jaws of Life embraces the beauty of simplicity with a mature sound, allowing fans to observe the band’s creative evolution through a stripped-down lens.
The Jaws of Life is Pierce the Veil’s first album without their founding drummer Mike, after he was dismissed from the band in 2017 following allegations of sexual misconduct. In November of 2017, an anonymous woman on Twitter came forth about her relationship with Mike when she was 15 and he was 23. Following this statement, a second victim– Shannon Bay– spoke out regarding a similar experience with him when she was 15. Loudwire and Kerrang! immediately covered the claims on their sites, mentioning the band’s upcoming tour with All Time Low at the time. Within a few weeks, Pierce the Veil issued a lengthy statement from Mike includinghis dismissal and the band’s formal withdrawal from the All Time Low tour. Mike’s discharge from Pierce the Veil forced them to redefine themselves and discover a sound without a founding member.
The album’s first single, “Pass the Nirvana,” packs the patent Pierce the Veil vocal punch paired with a 90s-style riff. Accompanied by subdued drums, the moodiness of the bass guitar complements the dreary and withdrawn lyrical overtones. From A Flair for the Dramatic to Misadventures, Pierce the Veil’s bombastic drums create an anxious pulse to aid in the narrative progression of their songs. Yet on “Pass the Nirvana,” the drums take a backseat to emphasize the bass and guitar’s role in constructing the track’s dissatisfied tone. Vocalist and lyricist Vic Fuentes dedicates the long-awaited single to those who have lost hallmark adolescent experiences like prom and graduation due to the pandemic. As the heaviest song on the album, “Pass the Nirvana” revisits the turbulence of maturing, a prominent theme across their discography in songs like “Hold on Till May” and “Song for Isabelle.”
Image courtesy of Fearless Records
Like many songs on the album, the album’s title track hones in on our innate abilities to pull ourselves out of dark places — emerging anew with insight and perspective. In a chorus full of victorious conviction, Fuentes undergoes a change of heart from his adversarial tone in "Pass the Nirvana" as he chants, “I’m having the time of my life / Rotting inside the jaws of life.”
It’s common for Pierce the Veil to incorporate angsty riffs and melancholy lyrics into their signature sound, yet even seasoned fans found themselves in uncharted territory with “Shared Trauma.” The song discusses the unifying potential of confronting a difficult experience with another backed by pop beats layered over pensive rain sounds. Fuentes’ vocals are downcast yet crisp, complementing the piano as the beat crescendos then ceases at the end of the chorus. Such a stylistic shift reiterates the idea that the band’s fifth studio album is an ambitious attempt to expand their sonic range.
Pierce the Veil continues to integrate pop influences on the album's final song“12 Fractures” with a feature from indie bedroom pop artist Chloe Moriondo. A narrative-driven song about an exhilarating lost love, Fuentes flips through the pages of his memory, reminiscing about an intoxicatingly dysfunctional past relationship. Moriondo poignantly reflects on this devotionally blood-bound love, recalling how she and her lover once “emptied [their] wrists on a dotted line,” yet now they are barred by distance as strangers. The album’s previous forceful - drums are replaced by a rhythmic tambourine and an apparent bass line, as Moriondo and Fuentes simultaneously recall the “shortcuts into heaven” through their past lover’s eyes.
In “Damn the Man, Save the Empire,” Fuentes’ emphatic tone returns listeners to the confessional delivery of older songs like Misadventures’ “The Divine Zero.” The lead singer describes an all-consuming love as he pleads for adoring validation from his partner. He begins the light-hearted yet impassioned song with, “Heaven is a place here on your floor / I’m falling through the carpet edge, and it’s a long way down,” highlighting the extent of his adoration. Fuentes further testifies the depths of their love by confessing his desperation for her to “leave a scar” characterized by a brief acoustic strumming in the first half of the bridge. “Damn the Man, Save the Empire” continues Pierce the Veil’s characteristic vulnerability with a melodic testament of enthralling devotion.
The Jaws of Life underscores how Pierce the Veil withstands the test of time as they forcefully emerge from a seven-year hiatus simmering with creative energy. The band’s fifth studio album displays a mature and harmonious sound, reflecting personal and artistic growth while maintaining their trademark lyrical themes of love, loss, and brooding introspection. After over ten years of post-hardcore prominence, Pierce the Veil’s The Jaws of Life is a dynamic expression of stylistic boundary crossing.