By Victoria Hernandez
The latest release from Pierce the Veil, The Jaws of Life, showcases the band’s screaming evolution into a more mature and ballad filled sound.
After dropping the first single off the album “Pass the Nirvana” in Sept. 2022, many dedicated fans were anticipating a project filled with a more early 2000s sound, such as A Flair for the Dramatic (2007) and Collide with the Sky (2012).
However, with the drop of their next two singles “Emergency Contact” and “Even When I’m Not With You,” the band hinted at the more instrumental approach to their sound on the newest album.
Opening with “Death of an Executioner” conveys the exact opposite.
The lyrics describe a scene filled with “the flames dance off your eyes” and “demons in a death machine” against the rapid drum beats and screeching guitars.
Immediately following the opener “Pass The Nirvana,” emphasizes an ode to their original sound, quickly shifting by following with “Even When I’m Not With You” and “Emergency Contact.”
The lyrics of those singles convey the tie Vic Fuentes has to whomever he’s singing about, “Even when I’m not with you I’m still with you.” This sets the tone for the rest of the album to refer to someone who seems to be the true jaws of life for Fuentes.
“Damn The Man, Save The Empire” and “So Far So Fake” bring back that same electric feel into the second half of the album.
The next two songs, “Flawless Execution” and “The Jaws of Life” continue on the slower end of the tempos typical of their sound. Filled with a softer alternative-pop feel, the circular sounding rhythms almost feel cheesy, but in the most comforting way possible.
The first line of “Resilience” from Dazed and Confused further emphasizes how the group has matured from teen angst to the appreciation of softer sounds into adulthood.
The Irrational Fears- Interlude” leads seamlessly into the acoustic sounds of “Shared Trauma” ballads revealing the raw feelings behind their lyrics.
Indie-pop artist Chole Moriondo joins the trio as a featured singer on the closing track “12
Fractures.” Contrary to the energetic opening track, the song is swaying with harmonizing vocal: giving the listener a sense of comfort in the end.
Although The Jaws of Life may have fallen short for fans expecting another instance of angst filled screams, the maturity of their sound shows that the group can do more than what’s expected.
Rated seven out of ten.