Written by Marissa Rodriguez
Black Veil Brides have returned with their first full length album since Vale, released in January 2018. The release is titled Re-Stitch These Wounds, the 10th anniversary re-recording of their debut album We Stitch These Wounds, and was released on July 31st. Plans to re-do this album had been in place since 2013, during the record cycle of their third album Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones.
In an interview with Loudwire, Frontman Andy Biersack explains “On that first record, we were recording in what is traditionally a ‘jingle studio,’ where they record commercial jingles.” He goes on and adds how the record’s engineers worked on other, larger records during the day, and then after hours, spent time recording with Black Veil at night – with vocals often being tracked between the hours of 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. Biersack describes it as “the little album that could” since it was made on such a small budget yet was received so well (landing on #36 on the Billboard Album Sales Chart). Re-Stitch These Wounds was originally produced and mixed by lead guitarist Jake Pitts, who plans to do the same for the next record. He can be credited with how full and huge the album sounds. This was the first full-length record for new bassist Lonny Eagleton, who had been a fan of the band for years and is now living the dream playing with his idols.
On August 1st, the band played a livestream show at the iconic Whisky A Go-Go and performed Re-Stitch in its entirety. Everyone rehearsed long and hard for the show, since it consisted of songs they have never played live before in addition to songs they had not performed in ten years. The show was electric, and made you feel like you were at a Black Veil Brides concert.
The first single was the re-recorded “Sweet Blasphemy.” One of my favorites on the album, this is an anthemic song that has been made even more so with the new version. The single that followed was “Perfect Weapon,” a fan favorite and a BVB classic. This song starts off with the 8second scream, then jumps right into the punchy guitar riffs. Drums are prominent in this song, and you can clearly hear the cymbals and snare. The track wasn’t changed much in the rerecording and sounds identical to the original (as do many others on the album). They play this one live a lot, so it sounds like the studio version of that, complete with the screams and guitar shreds that the fans know and love.
The first track on the album is “The Outcasts (Reborn),” an introduction of sorts. It is short, and features a deep, haunting voice saying, “This record is for the outcasts. The following are stories of love, life, and never giving in. We are the Black Veil Brides.” You feel a buildup the whole time, and it transitions beautifully into the first song, “We Stitch These Wounds.”
Tracks that follow include “Beautiful Remains,” “Children Surrender,” “Knives and Pens” (another fan favorite from the past decade), “Mortician’s Daughter (Overture III)” (which swapped out lyrics for a beautiful rendition on violin done by rhythm guitarist Jinxx), “All Your Hate,” “Heaven’s Calling,” “Never Give In,” and “Carolyn,” a sweet tribute to Jake Pitts’ mother who was ill when it was released and passed away in 2014. Black Veil Brides have been around for 10 years and they are at the best place they have ever been.
Rating: 10/10
Re-Stitch These Wounds available now via Sumerian Records.
