Black Veil Brides : Set the World on Fire

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by Mark Allen
Staff Writer

They slather on the black eyeliner and KISS-inspired makeup like some Beelzebubean baker icing the devil’s own wedding cake and wear more leather than the stars of a cowboy fetish gay porn video. Their melodic, guitar-propelled interpretation of modern metal makes no attempt to veil their adoration of—or pilfering from, if you want to nitpick—the ‘80s glam/hair-rock scene. By merging the hook-drenched, anthemic nature of bands like Keel and Poison with the slick, commercialized metal that is devoured by the youth of today, it is entirely possible that Black Veil Brides have found the sound that will bring long-haired (and long in the tooth) headbangers and goth-garbed guys and gals together in perfect harmony.

Oh, hell, who are we trying to kid? Everyone knows that oldschool metal mavericks would rather be caught with a trunk full of dead mallrats than listen to anything resembling Black Veil Brides. But they should at least be impressed that the young band is p(l)aying tribute to the classic Sunset Strip style of yesteryear. If Pretty Boy Floyd and Avenged Sevenfold engaged in some wham-bam business in a Hot Topic dressing room, the resulting lovechild might look and sound a lot like Black Veil Brides.

But hold the applause, or at least muffle it, because all is not perfect with this bastard baby. Black Veil Bride’s Achilles heel is lead vocalist Andy “Six” Biersack, whose limited range is a detriment, bordering on monotone at times. On the band’s debut, they opted for a metalcore sound which proved that Biersack isn’t a particularly great screamer; now that they have cut out the “-core” in favor of the glam, you can glean that he isn’t a particularly great singer either. He manages to get by without completely ruining the album, but Black Veil Brides would be a better band if they gave Biersack his bye-bye papers.

If the singer is subpar, the guitarists and drummer are superb. The twin guitar attack is sharp, precise, and flashier than you expect from a modern metal band. Jake Pitts possesses significant talent, frenetically flailing the frets as he fires off one searing solo after another. There is a Malmsteen feel to his complex six-string approach, complete with some indulgent showboating, but it never devolves into egomaniacal masturbation. Drummer Christian “CC” Coma pounds out the beats with authority, banging the skins with the skill and enthusiasm of a professional percussionist.

The band’s first single, “Fallen Angels,” is also the catchiest song on the album, steeped in that late ‘80s metal excess. It is a massive anthem, molded from Motley Crue’s “Primal Scream” and then crossed with Skid Row’s “Youth Gone Wild.” Backed by a headbanging rhythm, gang vocals erupt in “Scream! Shout!” unison while the band seeks to create a rebellious rallying cry for the disenfranchised youth of this generation with lyrics like, “We’re bored to death in Heaven / And all alone in Hell / We scream / We shout/ We are the fallen angels.” Elsewhere the band dishes out some double-kick heavy metal with “New Religion,” pumps out some pop-metal accessibility with “Rebel Love Song,” cranks out some chugging hard rock with “God Bless You,” and slams out the badass riffs with “Smoke and Mirrors.”

Set the World on Fire strives to span a quarter-century gap between modern and ‘80s metal. There is no doubt it could be better—perhaps it is a juxtaposition that can never work to absolute perfection—but there is also no doubt that they have done a pretty good job of mashing up the genres. Will it stand the test of time? Probably not. The album is just a little too derivative and carefully-cultivated to appeal to market demographics to be considered substantive, but it is enjoyable nonetheless. Like a high-fructose, over-caffeinated energy drink, this album’s impact may not have much staying power beyond the short term, but it’s still a tasty kick in the ears.

Genre: Modern hard rock/metal

Band:
Andrew “Andy Six” Biersack (lead vocals, keyboards, piano)
Jinxx (rhythm guitar, violin, backing vocals)
Jake Pitts (lead guitar)
Ashley Purdy (bass guitar, backing vocals)
Christian “CC” Coma (drums)

Track Listing
1. New Religion
2. Set the World on Fire
3. Fallen Angels
4. Love Isn’t Always Fair
5. God Bless You
6. Rebel Love Song
7. Savior
8. The Legacy
9. Die For You
10. Ritual
11. Youth and Whiskey
12. Smoke and Mirrors

http://www.bvbarmy.com/

Label: Lava Records

Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10