Three-time Revolver Golden Gods winners and Myspace icons Black Veil Brides had made their mark on the metal world, starting humble from the mid-2000’s Myspace scene to headlining music festivals around the world and touring with some of the greatest names in hard rock. Although controversial among older metalheads, the younger generations can vouch that they’ve been a driving force in the scene, taking on influences of past hardcore and hairband acts of the eighties and nineties, and keeping the old traditions alive in a modern adaptation.
The band’s most recent album, The Phantom Tomorrow reigns in the last weekend of October, just in time for Halloween, diving headfirst into vibrant catholic imagery and ideologies that mask deeper concepts of hope and despair, the kind of songs that could narrate the pages of a comic book hero or villain.
‘”The Phantom Tomorrow (Introduction),” a less than two-minute cinematic score of the album evolves into “Scarlet Cross,” the band’s first single off the album which was released earlier this year. The song is undoubtedly an anthem, powerful and setting the stage for what’s to come, reciting the chorus lines “Will we live, will we die? Just keep on saving our goodbyes,” signifying fear but hope as well to keep going despite what the outcome may be. Black Veil Brides released various versions of “Scarlet Cross” including a remix (featuring All the Damn Vampires) and an acoustic recording.
“Blackbird” carries a desperate undertone in singer Andy Black’s voice, a vulnerability that’s not always shown in Black Veil Brides’ music, but this album exceeds fan expectations. Lyrically it’s an important track to make note of, and musically it extends even further. Lead guitarist Jake Pitts doesn’t refrain from his insane madman solos, throwing in riffs reminiscent of older songs (it’s easy to catch a hint of old single “Knives and Pens” in the notes played in ‘Blackbird’). Rhythm guitarist Jinxx plays a melancholy violin tune in the bridge which transcends into the album’s interlude titled ‘Spectres’, an instrumental masterpiece of what just played before, heavy on drums and violin, and capable of stirring deep emotions in listeners. The intense energy of the interlude doesn’t remain in only the first half of the album, but carries into the next track titled “Torch,” a song that sounds like it should be narrating an action-thriller flick. “Torch” is a power-move of a track, a song filled with motivation and strength.
“The Wicked One” brings a faster punk energy that sets itself apart from what we’ve come to expect from Black Veil Brides while the next track “Shadows Rise” comes in with a slow melodic intro before bursting into the full band sound. Hopelessness and despair are the obvious topics heard in “Shadows Rise” with lyrics like ‘My god is giving up on me.’ The bridge makes good use of the violin similar to what was heard in “Blackbird.”
Hard rock radio stations such as SiriusXM Octane have been playing “Crimson Skies” since it’s early release. The song is easily one of the top fan-favorites off the album along with “Torch” and “Scarlet Cross.” The Phantom Tomorrow brought Black Veil Brides back on the rock charts again before the album fully came out, and the band has already released touring dates with In This Moment. The emotions & instrumentals heard in The Phantom Tomorrow shows how far the band has come and how much they’ve improved their skills in the past decade since they’ve joined the metal scene all those years ago. Andy Black, Jake Pitts, Christian Coma, Lonny Eagleton, and Jinxx have given it their all once again to keep their rightful place in hard rock as Black Veil Brides.
I’m Music Magazine Contributing Writer Alice Kearney
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