After a seven year wait and three singles promoting their upcoming release, Pierce The Veil (PTV) returns to the music scene with their record “The Jaws of Life.”
Being one of the most notable bands of the “Scene” music era of the 2000s, their audience was half expecting PTV to come out with music that is reminiscent of their earlier work. Though this record did not hit as hard with most people, this record could be considered a maturation of the band in both their lyricism and musicality.
Album’s Highs:
“So Far So Fake” - 9/10
Out of the entire 41 minute runtime, this song is just a snippet of the lyrical mastery that lies within it. It has been discovered that this song wreaks bitterness towards someone that has done the speaker wrong. This is evident by the lyric “I’m cauterizing the veins you lacerate. In the end, you took it all away from me.” It is clear that the person the speaker is talking about hurt them in a very bad way, and now the speaker is trying to fix the wounds that will inevitably scar them.
Musically, the guitar in the intro sets the tone for the rest of the song. It’s melancholy in nature, comparable to that of a slow, marching drum beat. As mentioned earlier, the song is filled with bitterness toward someone, so it would make sense for the song to not be as joyous in the musical sense. The frontman’s vocals are stressed, which drives the theme of the song home.
Album’s Lows:
“12 Fractures (feat. Chloe Moriondo)” - 5/10
The lyrics of this song are the better part of it, for sure. It has been revealed that this song is about two people going through a divorce. A lyric that stands out is “There were shortcuts into heaven through your eyes.” Given the context of the song, that lyric is bittersweet.
The vocals of this song are another great part of the song. Chloe Moriondo’s voice is a perfect match to Vic Fuentes’, and they play the part well in in a solemnly portraying the song. However, the backing music lacks luster. The band is not growing with the vocalists. Perhaps there is some deeper meaning behind why the song became what it is, but it is a weird note to end on in the last track.
Honorary Mentions:
“Emergency Contact” - 8/10
“Shared Trauma” - 8/10
“Flawless Execution” - 8.5/10
Overview
I would give this album a rating of 7.7/10
