Pierce the Veil: A Review

Background

Just last month, the popular post-hardcore emo band Pierce the Veil finished their world tour in their hometown of San Diego, California. Formed in 2006 by brothers Vic and Mike Fuentes, later joined by Jaime Preciado and Tony Perry, they released their first studio album, ‘A Flair for the Dramatic ', in 2007 under Equal Vision Records. They followed with ‘Selfish Machines’ in 2010, then released ‘Collide With the Sky’ in 2012, their major commercial breakthrough and debut on Fearless Records. This album debuted at #12 on the US Billboard 100, #1 on the Top Rock Albums chart, and featured hit songs like ‘King For a Day’ (3x platinum) and ‘Bulls in The Bronx’ (1x platinum). Followed by the release of ‘Misadventures’ and ‘The Jaws of Life,’ their success and sound continue to evolve. Vic Fuentes claims to be writing new music; their success will likely continue to grow; however, success doesn’t measure quality. Although ‘A Flair for the Dramatic’ was an underground release with little popularity when it was released, its quality and sound still hold up today, and it deserved to be recognized as one of the band’s best albums.

‘A Flair For the Dramatic’ Review

As their first album, it has a raw, unpolished sound that gives it its unique feel. The band was still trying to find their sound on this album, yet on its own, it’s still a complete work of art. As a post-hardcore, emo album, it has introspective and emotional lyrics, which can truly connect with a listener. It explores themes of heartbreak, codependency, and love. Vic Fuentes’s vocals (a young teenager at the time) are underdeveloped and higher than on any other album, adding to the uniqueness of their first record. 

This album has many standouts, all with their own stories to tell; for example, the track “She Sings in the Morning.” This song starts strong, with a guitar riff and drumline that complement each other perfectly. Vic’s vocals on this song are some of the most difficult on the album, and it is also one of the fastest. Another standout is “Drella,” which is another great display of Vic’s vocals and songwriting. This track is energetic, catchy, and has intricate guitar, as well as a good build-up to the chorus. The most popular song on the album, “Yeah Boy and Dollface,” continues this strong build-up, with many parts of the song that sound drastically different but still fit perfectly with one another. It starts with a slow build-up and acoustic guitar, then beautifully transitions into the main part of the song; the quiet sections, which quickly build up, are what make this song so addictive. 

The final track of the album, as well as the review, is ‘Wonderless,’ a drastic shift from the rest of the album. This song is much slower and relaxed, giving a good contrast to the more hardcore songs on the album. Although it’s substantially different, it’s just as beautiful; it depicts someone leaving their lover to pursue a career in acting, but when it doesn’t work out, they are devastated that they left for nothing. Vic’s vocals stand out in this song because they are much calmer and softer, yet still manage to convey the emotions within the song. 

Although these tracks are the ones that stand out, the other songs on the album are excellent in their own right, and they reflect the band trying to find their sound at the time, with experimental, complex, and dramatic song structures. This album is heavily underrated and is a great introduction to the band. And with a new album in the making, the return of these songs on their tour setlists, and more fans than ever, there’s no better time to start listening than now.