Image: Black Veil Brides - VINDICATE Album Artwork
Black Veil Brides will be guests at our Impericon Festival for the first time this summer, and they will almost certainly be bringing some of their brand-new songs with them. Their latest work, VINDICATE—the seventh studio album from the US rock outfit—is being released today. We were curious and took an advance listen to the 14 tracks to report back to you on the sound of the new record (Spoiler: It's heavier than ever before).
Secure your own vinyl copy right here.
VINDICATE - No Redemption. No Forgiveness.
The opening of the new album isn't a guitar riff, but rather a dramatic, organ-infused atmosphere. We hear the voice of singer Andy Biersack, who, at the end of an almost oppressive monologue, announces:
“No Redemption. No Forgiveness. Vindicate.”
And then it kicks off immediately with the title track.
The intro, as well as the later overture and interlude, stay true to the classic Black Veil Brides schema that has been utilized in almost all releases since Wretched And Divine: The Story Of The Wild Ones, featuring a clear message that runs through the entire album. The theme here is crystal clear, starting with the title. Vindication—the justification of the self. As has been a thread throughout BVB's entire discography, the point is clearly made: always stand by yourself and defend yourself. And this message isn't just transported through spoken words and lyrics, but primarily through the heaviness of the sound.
As fans have already noted in the comments, we last heard sounds like this in 2010 on their debut We Stitch These Wounds—back then with a significantly rawer sound, but featuring screams and "-core" elements in the mix. Sixteen years later, Black Veil Brides are much further along in their development, with a stronger voice from Andy Biersack and cleaner production.
Following the already familiar single “Vindicate,” it goes straight into the previously released “Certainty”—and it’s here, at the latest, that the new side of BVB comes to light. With a heavy guitar intro and distorted screams, it launches into one of the heaviest songs on the entire record, despite a melodic chorus and a strong urge to sing along.
The next tracks, “Bleeders” and “Hallelujah,” are no longer a surprise and almost tempt you to skip them—not because they don’t deliver, but because they’ve been known for so long that the curiosity for fresh tracks is overwhelming. The former has been rotating in fan playlists since the release of the Bleeders EP two years ago. Nevertheless, both titles take absolutely nothing away from the album's heaviness.
With “Cut,” we venture into previously unheard territory. Following the epic outro of “Hallelujah,” the song continues with equally strong goosebump potential. With strings and clean vocals, it becomes almost poppier alternative rock—and yet it becomes my next favorite after “Certainty.” The female guest vocals are provided by Juliet Simms (now performing as Lilith Czar), who is vocally just as strong as you remember her from “Lost It All.” Especially in a duet, the couple becomes a true vocal powerhouse—an anthem that belongs on a live stage.
The sound continues in an similarly epic vein with “Alive,” though it felt a bit less exciting on the first listen. The dark, atmospheric sound of the overture “Purgatory” makes up for it immediately though; starting with a rather creepy vibe, deep emotions quickly surface—no boredom here, even in the interludes. It is followed directly by the recently released “Revenger” featuring Robb Flynn of Machine Head: another strong vocal performance joins the fray; otherwise, it’s a quite classic-sounding metal track.
“Sorrow” delivers a strong all-rounder with melodically creative vocals, the first prominent electronic elements, and an unexpected little crack in the previously quite straightforward genre-sound of alternative rock and metal. On “Grace,” the strings return to the spotlight and the tempo slows down for another instrumental piece.
In the final section of the album, “Ave Maria” primarily sets the tone, while “Woe & Pain” sonically and gently initiates the end. With the truly moving, melancholic track “Eschaton,” the album heads into a final emotional finale—although for the Bonus Track Edition, the band decided on a 15th track, “Death of Seasons.” It's best to listen for yourself (and that goes for the whole album)!
One thing is certain:
This album is perfectly crafted for both day-one fans and latecomers alike. With VINDICATE, they close the circle to their first release, combined with the more mature sonic development found on all the albums that followed. Those who joined the journey during Wretched And Divine at the latest should find themselves overcome by a wave of nostalgia; those who have been on board since the self-titled 2014 work can look forward to even more heaviness here. For BVB, things are definitely moving upward with this record—there’s no sign of stagnation.
For those who want to hear it live:
Secure your Impericon Festival ticket here to see BVB and their new banger tracks live in Germany this summer!
The lineup also features further highlights ranging from Architects, Babymetal, Rise Against, and Landmvrks to Future Palace and I Killed The Prom Queen. Check out the full lineup below and come join us (for BVB, a day ticket for the Friday is enough)!
