After seven years away from the scene,
Pierce the Veil
made a surprise return with their fifth full-length,
The Jaws of Life
. The set featured more-polished production, focused songwriting, and a matured point of view, which could rub purists the wrong way. However, given their extended absence, it's a welcome evolution. "Pass the Nirvana" is a fine example of how they've merged their former caustic sound -- retaining that youthful vigor with throat-shredding vocals, bottom-heavy riffs, and pounding drums, wrapped up in catchy production worthy of early
Linkin Park
. "Even When I'm Not with You" slows things down with yearning lyrics and soaring atmospherics that could have landed on a
Deftones
album. Meanwhile, the programmed beats of the dreamy "Shared Trauma" and the indie rock "Emergency Contact" expand their sonic wheelhouse, as "Death of an Executioner" and "Flawless Execution" push them in an almost alt-prog direction.
is definitely not the
of the post-hardcare early days. Much like contemporaries
Sleeping with Sirens
and
Bring Me the Horizon
, they've changed with the times -- for better or worse, depending on the fan -- and the results are no less immediate and impactful. ~ Neil Z. Yeung