Black Veil Brides' 'The Phantom Tomorrow' - Album Review

Hollywood's Black Veil Brides are one of those bands that still feel like a hot, up-and-coming prospect to me - but the truth is that they have been around since 2006 and have now released six studio albums. While perhaps some of the band's initial shine has worn off, Black Veil Brides are one of the more interesting bands to come out of the emo scene (for want of a better word) in my opinion. I remember being really impressed with the guitar solo in Perfect Weapon when the single dropped in 2010, and I have followed the band ever since. Despite this, my following of the band has often been somewhat at arms length. I have enjoyed all of the band's albums to an extent, and saw them live back in 2014, but they will never be a true favourite. I also think that the band's creativity has taken a dip over the past few years - and it is perhaps surprising that a furious five years between 2010 and 2014, which saw the band release four albums in quick succession, saw them riding the highest. Black Veil Brides' first three albums are, for me, their best. Their metalcore-influenced debut We Stitch These Wounds, from 2010, was full of riffs and a venom that was absent from most emo music of the time, and the 2011 follow-up Set the World on Fire showed that the band were really just a hair metal band in disguise. It is perhaps 2013's concept album Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones (which I reviewed here) that is the band's most complete piece of work however. It was Black Veil Brides' The Black Parade or American Idiot, to provide similar genre touchstones, and the band, while popular, seemed poised to break into the big leagues in a significant way. That break never quite happened however, and ever since the band have been coasting somewhat. They can still attract good-sized crowds, but I feel like they missed their chance to truly explode. It does not help that neither 2014's self-titled album (which I reviewed here) nor 2018's Vale (which I also reviewed here) failed to set the world alight. I had quite high hopes for 2014's Black Veil Brides, as the singles were excellent, but in the end it ended being a slight disappointment - and being the fourth of the four quickly-released albums detailed above it showed that the band needed to slow things down somewhat. Vale, which followed a break, is an album I enjoyed at the time but the fact that I have rarely revisited since its 2018 release should suggest that it had little staying power. It has now been three years from Vale, however, and Black Veil Brides are back with their sixth album The Phantom Tomorrow. The gap between the two albums is closer to four years in truth, as Vale was released in January 2018, and another break between releases has helped to revitalise the band somewhat this time. It is their first original album to feature new bassist Lonny Eagleton, although he did appear on last year's re-recording of their debut album Re-Stitch These Wounds, as well as their first collaboration with producer Erik Ron.

As with Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wold Ones and Vale (I think), The Phantom Tomorrow is a concept album. I must admit that I have not made any effort to investigate the album's story, but the album certainly has a consistent sound throughout. The Phantom Tomorrow is pretty typical of the band's recent output, however, but it seems more overtly hooky than the last two albums. The Phantom Tomorrow opens with its instrumental title track, a gothic-tinged scene-setter with strings courtesy of rhythm guitarist Jinxx and some tight lead guitar harmonies. It is perhaps the most symphonic and dramatic that the band have sounded in this context, and it helps to set the tone for the songs to come - which are largely quite grand-sounding and packed with gothic overtones. Single Scarlet Cross follows, and introduces the band in a big way with a driving opening riff. Jake Pitts, who's guitar playing has always elevated Black Veil Brides above their peers for me, drives the song throughout with his crunchy, 1980s-inspired riffing - and the song sounds like the best moments of the band's 2014 self-titled release, but with strong gothic touches. Frontman Andy Biersack has always possessed a great voice, but he seems to get more assured and powerful with age. No-one else sounds quite like him, and he leads the charge throughout the mid-paced, anthemic track. The chorus is as hooky as it is thanks to his smooth vocal melodies (and a subtle Pitts guitar lead), and it helps the song to be one of the band's best for some time. Born Again is a bit more overtly-gothic, with a bigger string presence throughout and something of a heavier overall feel. Pitts and Jinxx's riffing is much tougher this time around, and the song grooves along nicely as a result of the snaking interplay of Eagleton and drummer Christian Coma - who have already struck up a great relationship. While Scarlet Cross is catchier, there are still plenty of hooks throughout Born Again. The atmospheric verses allow Biersack to use the deeper end of his voice to great effect, but the chorus is another hook-laden affair - even if it sounds heavier thanks to Coma's use of double bass drum patterns where appropriate. Blackbird has a bit of throwback sound, and to me it seems to be influenced by the sound of the band's first couple of albums - although without the harsh vocals that were often featured on those records. The song is driven by some subtle lead guitar harmonies, and the overall riffing throughout sounds more upbeat than the album's opening couple of numbers - which recall the band's hair metal influences. Due to the harmony guitar leads, and the bouncier riffing, the song certainly feels very catchy. There is a lot to enjoy here for fans of the band's early work, and the hooky chorus has something of an old-school feel thanks to Biersack's vocal delivery and the use of subtle gang vocals.

The short instrumental piece Spectres follows, which features some sombre violin playing from Jinxx against a synthy drum pattern and a dense atmospheric backing. It borrows some melodies from Blackbird, which allows it to feel more like an extension of the previous song rather than its own thing - but it helps the album's overall gothic and atmospheric vibes to remain. It leads nicely into Torch, however, which is heavier and takes on a much darker tone overall. The song's opening riff is pretty crunchy for the band, and their gothic side is pushed to the fore during the verses which often slow things down to feature prominent piano lines - which Biersack sombrely croons over. The band have done things like this before, but this feels like a more assured attempt at gothic rock than their previous efforts. Biersack's voice suits the style however, and the chorus contains enough classic-sounding Black Veil Brides hooks to ensure that the song fits in nicely with the rest of the band's canon. The somewhat heavier experiment works well in my opinion, and I would like to see the band explore this kind of sound further in the future. The Wicked One ups the pace again, and it is another song that sounds like a bit of a throwback to the band's earlier work. The opening riff is a perfect mash-up of 1980s hair metal and 2000s metalcore, and it drives the song throughout with its strident power. The verses are packed with metalcore vibes thanks to some choppy guitar lines, but Biersack resists the urge to re-introduce his harsh vocals - which is probably wise as Black Veil Brides have generally moved away from that sound in recent years. The song certainly has plenty of energy however thanks to the heavier riffing, but there are still plenty of gothic undertones. There is a big string backing throughout, particularly during the choruses, and this allows the song to sound like a great mix of old and new. Shadows Rise ups the heaviness again somewhat, and also introduces a real symphonic edge. It opens with some dancing violin melodies, but it is not long before another big riff kicks in - and it is one of the album's meatiest, most groove-laden moments. It drives the song perfectly, along with Coma's busy drum patterns which include quite a lot of intricate double bass rolls. Black Veil Brides have never been particularly heavy, but this is a song that sits at the heavier end of their spectrum. The band are capable of unleashing tough riffs (complete with pinch harmonics) when necessary, but the heaviness is somewhat offset by a genuine symphonic edge. The strings that are used throughout the album are much more prominent here, and their melodies are always complimenting the riffing perfectly. The two styles work nicely together, and the song is highlight due to this mix of heaviness and gothic melodrama.

Fields of Bone, following the heaviness of Shadows Rise, opens in a slower manner. The song has a very synth-heavy sound early on, with Biersack singing in a very 'processed' way, but this vibe is quite short lived. It does resurface during the song's verses to an extent, but on the whole the track is a mid-paced rocker with punchy drum grooves and chugging riffs that are still pretty weighty. It is not as heavy as the previous song, but there is still a lot of tough riffing throughout - but it is perhaps Coma's drumming that gives the song its punch. His grooves are pretty simple, but they really crash through the speakers to allow the riffy parts of the song to contrast nicely with the synth-heavy moments. Crimson Skies is another good mix of upbeat hooky melodies and tough riffing. This could be seen as the band's core sound really, but this album has really made it its thing. Parts of the song are some of the album's fastest, with lots of lengthy double bass drum rolls from Coma, while the riffing again is that perfect mix of glam metal and metalcore. There is a bit of an In Flames feel to some of the riffs, and Biersack even unleashes his harsh vocals for a very brief scream that helps to give the song a bit of a tougher edge. This moment is short lived, but it works well to inject a moment of abrasiveness - and it contrasts some of the riffing nicely with the song's pretty poppy chorus. Kill the Hero tones down the heaviness somewhat, turns the clock back to Set the World on Fire, and delivers a song that is purely anthemic and nothing else. Pretty much every song on the band's second album sounded like this, and there is a reason that they still play a lot of those songs live. I would not be surprised if Kill the Hero becomes another live staple as a result, as it really sounds like it could have come from the sessions of the band's second album. The riffing is relatively simple, and packed full of groove, while Biersack's vocals throughout are right at the front of the mix and full of his unique character. The chorus is a real fists-in-the-air moment too, and it is one that is sure to really whip up any crowd. In contrast, the album's closing number Fall Eternal is much more epic sounding - but it is also the album's closest thing to a ballad. It is a pretty slow song, but it still contains many of the band's classic tropes. The gothic atmosphere that is present throughout the album perhaps reaches its climax here, appropriately, and the song is very string-heavy - which suits its slower, more emotionally-charged feel. The riffing is much less prominent here, with piano and strings instead dominating, although the band still bulk out the song nicely. Biersack is the star of the piece, however, and his voice perfectly carries the emotion of the song. It is great way to round out what is largely quite a riffy and hard-driving album; and it helps to elevate the album further in my estimations. For me, The Phantom Tomorrow is easily the best album that the band have put out since Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones. The band seem really fired up here, and the songwriting throughout is tight and full of hooks. There is a lot to like here for fans of the band's core sound, and there is a good mix of old and new throughout.

The album was released on 29th October 2021 via Sumerian Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Scarlet Cross.