California’s Pierce the Veil are next in line on the series
of Warped Tour participants to be releasing a new album this summer, following
Memphis May Fire’s release of Challenger earlier
this week and Miss May I’s At Heart two
weeks before. Following a two-year hiatus after their previous record Selfish Machines garnered lukewarm
press, PTV has nevertheless maintained a loyal following as a pop-punk/emo
hybrid band characterized by frontman Vic Fuentes’ high-pitched vocals and rhythmic
riffs. With their Spanish-inspired riffs and dissonant instrumentals, PTV remains
a unique gem among the dime-a-dozen chug bands and ADTR knockoffs that clog the
scene today.
Their
newest release, entitled Collide with the
Sky, is the band’s first release with Fearless Records – a label they share
with bands such as Blessthefall, Motionless in White, and A Skylit Drive. While
little more than a technicality, this switch may have impacted the band more
than most will notice. PTV’s sound has evolved, in my opinion, for the far
better and become closer to their recordmates’.
First
and foremost, Machines’ calm, rollicky
feel has been overturned completely in favor of an energetic, drum-heavy sound
not unlike some of the genre’s greats – Shipwreck-era
Silverstein springs to mind, along with a little bit of Craig Owens Chiodos.
Even the major-heavy instrumentals are gone – the introductory and first track
(‘May These Noises Startle You in Your Sleep Tonight’ and ‘Hell Above’) waste no time, with the introductory track
incorporating Fuentes’ vastly improved screams and a full-on breakdown.
Breakdowns
in particular play a far larger role in Collide
than in Machines. Not only are
they more frequent, but the days of PTV’s bold but ultimately laughable attempt
at one in ‘Caraphernelia’ are past. As
said before, coupling this with a handset of great-sounding screams gives the
record a tighter, more interesting texture which grants it more replayability
than its predecessors. Just as well, Fuentes’ voice has dropped noticeably. One
of the first things that strikes anyone listening to PTV in the past has been ‘jeez
this guy sounds castrated’, and I have to admit it was arresting on Machines and, in some cases, made the
record less serious (I can’t listen to ‘Bulletproof Love’ without rolling my
eyes). That’s remedied as Fuentes’ voice improves, and he loses the nasal whine
he had throughout most of Machines.
The
overall mood of the record is darker as PTV abandons its pop-punk past and
moves into post-hardcore territory, but that’s not to say they find ways of
distinguishing themselves. Complex chord progressions, catchy riffs, and even
an ear-catching solo now and then ensure that PTV avoids the chug delegation that’s
befallen so many bands on the rise. Mild electronic elements (think toned down Attack
Attack!) also show up occasionally, but they’re tastefully used and usually
serve to hype up a breakdown. Even so, not all ideas work. A Mariachi-styled
break on ‘Bulls in the Bronx’ made me do a double take, and I thought it was
cool until I realized that it really had no place in the song. Jason Butler’s
(Letlive) presence on ‘Tangled in the Great Escape’ makes for a gratingly
annoying mix – his voice and PTV’s sound don’t complement one another well. These
small experimentations, however, hardly spoil the record, and, despite a
mediocre middle, the beginning and end of the record are enjoyable and fun.
That’s
not to say that Collide is a complete
success – some holdouts from Machines remain
in place. Lyrics overall have improved, but aren’t spectacular, and there’s
still a wincingly gushy love ballad or two (‘I’m Low on Gas and you Need a
Jacket’ and ‘Stained Glass Eyes and Colorful Tears’). What gives the album an edge over Machines is that PTV has realized that
energetic songs give a record longevity, and has reluctantly abandoned their
previous sound to do so. Suffice it to say, combining post-hardcore elements
with instrumental complexity makes for a very nice sound – listen to ‘Bottomfeeder’
by Blessthefall for a key example - and
when PTV did this in Machines (‘Besitos’,
‘Caraphernelia’, and ‘Disasterology’), those were the songs I remembered the
most. They’ve discovered what works, and
I hope they’ll pursue it as time goes on.
Bottom line, PTV still has quite
the career ahead of them, and while they’re learning slowly, they’re learning
nevertheless. Collide has been a step
in the right direction, and if they continue on this route, their distinctive
sound will earn them a place among the genre’s staples. Collide is
an enjoyable ride that’s sure to make Warped Tour all the more fun, and shows
clearly that PTV has gone from being just another emo band out of Cali to
becoming a force to contend with on the hardcore scene. This is definitely an album you want to check out.
Collide with the Sky will be released on July 17.
Collide with the Sky will be released on July 17.
Listen to 'King for a Day' here:
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