Pierce The Veil impresses with a ‘Flawless Execution’ in their comeback album
Pierce The Veil is back and as timeless as ever.
The group released their first album since 2016 on Feb. 10. “Jaws of Life” is the band’s fifth studio album and first project without their ex-percussionist, Mike Fuentes. However, this doesn’t stop Pierce The Veil from releasing a banger of an album to kick off the year.
Starting strong with “Death of an Executioner,” guitarist Vic Fuentes uses this song to express the weight of societal expectations on those in the spotlight. “Death of an Executioner” also reflects the irony of the very thing you love being your downfall.
Next on the tracklist is “Pass the Nirvana,” which was released as a single back in 2022. This song discusses the trauma youths go through while trying to live their life to the fullest. It even references Bring Me the Horizon’s “Suicide Season,” which is about grief changing the youth. Through their struggles, young people somehow make peace or their version of “nirvana.”
“Even When I’m Not With You” is the second single from this release. It shares tonal and themes with “Floral and Fading” from PTV’s last album. This song is a love letter for a long-term and long-distance relationship.
On the other hand, “Emergency Contact” and “Flawless Execution” show the darker side of love. Set by a ‘90s grunge style riff, “Emergency Contact” expresses the desperation of a person longing for a real relationship with the one they love.
Opening with a dream-like quality, “Flawless Execution” articulates the pain of situationships and blurs the lines between sex and love. As if the protagonist is dragged from their delusions with each toxic cycle, chorus drums jolt the listener from their dream-like state.
The sixth song and title track of the album is “Jaws of Life.” Going back to the ’90s grunge style, this song beautifully articulates the struggles of being stuck in the rut of life.
“Damn the Man, Save the Empire” revisits the struggles of celebrity life and how people believe they know who you are from social media. This song could also be related to everyday life in getting to know the people around you.
“Resilience” emulates its song title, pushing through the obstacles of life to keep going. The track makes use of a sample from the movie “Dazed and Confused” to paint the image of a hand pushing its way through the dirt.
“Irrational Fears” is a 22-second interlude to help set up the next track, “Shared Trauma.” The soft track explores the unbreakable bond of shared pain.
Like the dark riff ever-present in the song, “So Far, So Fake” is about lingering hurt from the betrayal of a friend. The song picks up toward the chorus, reflecting the anger and pain that never quite goes away.
The final song and only collaboration of the album is “12 Fractures,” which talks about the struggles of trying to make a sinking relationship work. This track is a perfectly haunting way to end this project, and Chloe Moriondo’s addition helps bring the song to life.
As a whole, this album is a masterpiece. Despite being more on the side of the ‘90s grunge rather than Pierce the Veil’s signature experimental rock, “Jaws of Life” is as hard-hitting as their previous albums.
Each track is beautifully composed with unique guitar riffs to help emphasize the song’s meaning. Overall, “Jaws of Life” successfully explores the many pains of human existence.
Xander’s rating: 5/5
Illustration by Makayla Sanchez
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