Pierce the Veil is an American post-hardcore band formed in San Diego, California in 2006. After a five-year hiatus from their last album, Misadventures, Pierce the Veil released their new album Jaws of Life, and in May they released the deluxe version of the album. In 2025, their song “So Far So Fake” peaked at 64 on the Billboard Top 100 and number 1 on the US Alternative Airplay chart. The track blew up on TikTok on July 11, 2025, which boosted the popularity of the album and the band.
But how does the rest of the album hold up?
Pierce the Veil is known for being a post-hardcore band, so changing to alternative rock can turn many fans away. Vic Fuentes, the band’s lead singer, discussed their direction with the new album in an interview with Kerrang. He wants the band to try new styles. He said he craves “something fresh-feeling and to keep things exciting.” Seeing post-hardcore slowly falling off, Fuentes decided that the band needed a more “rejuvenating experience.”
The first song, “Death of an Executioner”, builds the base for the album. It is upbeat, dark, and melodic. “Flawless Execution” keeps the same upbeat and dark energy from Death of Execution, except it’s more aggressive. “Shared Trauma” goes in the opposite direction compared to the two other songs. It maintains the dark energy of the album, but it’s slower, melodramatic, and reflective. “So Far So Fake” stands out the most because it is playing seemingly everywhere on social media. The song is energetic, groovy, and upbeat.
The album itself is calm and thoughtful. Compared to other Pierce the Veil albums, the songs in Jaws of Life are a lot more personal. “Pass the Nirvana” talks about the world’s reaction to the pandemic, and “Fracture” talks about one of Fuentes’s close friends getting a divorce. Other songs in the album talk about fake friends, losing yourself, bonding over shared trauma, and more. The album is a reflection of Pierce the Veil’s life and career.
Overall, the biggest problem with the album is that many of the songs sound the same. Each song blends into the next, and none of them really stand on their own. This is noticeable when compared to Collide with the Sky, Pierce the Veil’s third album, in which the songs were all unique and stood out. “Bulls in the Bronx” and “First Punch” fit the theme of the album while still being strong standalone songs. On Jaws of Life, the songs have no catchy hook that makes one track distinct from the others. It all feels bland and boring.
Another problem is the drums. The previous drummer of Pierce the Veil brought life to their songs. Now that he is gone, they replaced him with a great drummer for all intents and purposes, but the drum parts are much more simple and predictable. They do not breathe the same life as the previous drummer’s work who defined Pierce the Veil’s sound. He’s Catholic, complicated, energetic, and flexible. When the song needs him to be aggressive, he’ll be aggressive. When the song needs him to be calm, he’ll relax and channel his chaotic energy into a melodic groove. The new drummer beats are repetitive, and he doesn’t change much between the songs. It doesn’t match the energy of the previous drummer. The new drummer is talented, but the beats could be expanded and made more interesting.
There are other minor issues that hurt the album. Fuentes’s vocal filter feels metallic and unnatural in some songs, and the delivery of certain lyrics feels corny. Fuentes does not layer his vocals as much as in previous albums, which makes the choruses feel empty.
Overall, the album is a drastic shift for Pierce the Veil. Fans respect the new direction, but many wanted more. A massive genre shift is jarring to say the least. Did Pierce the Veil disappoint their fans? Some fans feel that Jaws of Life takes space away from older Pierce the Veil songs during live concerts. Others are happy with the change. In the end, the album is forgettable. There is a lot to desire, but Pierce the Veil did not deliver. Many fans hoped for a gradual change from post-hardcore to alternative rock, which would have made the shift less controversial. In the end, the album is great for new fans, but it comes at the expense of the old fans. It is not the worst album, but it is not the best, either.
