Black Veil Brides

Black Veil Brides IV

Written by: PP on 29/11/2014 16:01:12

It is quite the transformation that Black Veil Brides have undergone over their short career. Debut album "We Stitch These Wounds" from 2010 was cliché riddled post-hardcore, "Set The World On Fire" in 2011 went into cheesy metalcore in the vein of Escape The Fate and Bullet For My Valentine, and last year's "Wretched And Divine" saw the band dive headfirst into the theatrical world of stadium-sized rock operas, clearly inspired by the likes of Avenged Sevenfold on their newer albums. For their fourth album "Black Veil Brides IV", the band goes through yet another change, or perhaps I should refer to it as a completion of their transformation as a gimmick band into a real unit instead. Yes, even their Kiss-inspired makeup and crazed hairdos have been toned down, but their fourth album is the first one I am willing to take one hundred percent seriously as a critic because of the instrumental prowess and songwriting talent on display.

Yes, believe it or not, but Black Veil Brides have actually written a competent rock album that you would in no way connect to the same band that wrote "We Stitch These Wounds", and that was released only four years ago. They continue their evolution as a band by using last year's theatrical album as a starting point, but stripping it from the worst over-reaches into over-inflated and over-dramatic operatic atmospheres. Instead, these are replaced by muscular, 'American hard rock' style musicianship that draws parallels to Five Finger Death Punch's recent material (think "American Capitalist"). At the same time, the band have become much better musicians as the years have gone by, which is prominently on display throughout the album. The solos are life-affirming and well-written, and the lead guitar work resembles the brilliant arena-sized metalcore work by Avenged Sevenfold from "City Of Evil", the album that bears closest resemblance to "Black Veil Brides IV" overall. In fact, considering the degradation of A7X into a boy band like state, it's hilariously ironic to find that the cheesy emo/post-hardcore rockers Black Veil Brides have matured way beyond anyone's expectations and now write Avenged Sevenfold songs better than A7X do it themselves.

In fact, mature is the key term to describe "Black Veil Brides IV". From the quality fretwork and prowess in writing memorable lead riffs to the unassuming but powerful and muscular clean vocal delivery by Andy Biersack, every part of Black Veil Brides' sound anno 2014 suggests they are ready for prime time on even bigger stages than they have been playing so far. No longer music geared for teenagers, it wouldn't surprise me to find their fourth album to be the breakthrough they've been looking for.

7

Download: Devil In The Mirror, Stolen Omen, Faithless, Last Rites, Heart Of Fire
For the fans of: Five Finger Death Punch, Avenged Sevenfold
Listen: Facebook

Release date 27.10.2014
Spinefarm Records

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