Black Veil Brides
“Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones”
Lava/Universal Republic
Producers: John Feldman
Tracks: 19
Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars
The break out hard rock/heavy metal band Black Veil Brides are back with their 3rd full-length release titled “Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones” which is the follow up release to the bands successful 2011 album “Set the World on Fire”. The new release is a concept based album featuring 19 tracks produced by John Feldman that are based around the story of the Wild Ones a group of outcasts trying to defend themselves from an entity know as F.E.A.R.
I was really excited to get my copy of the new Black Veil Brides album as I have been following the various updates and postings from the band about the album via their social media sites. The part I was not so excited for was the fact that it was going to be a concept based record. These very rarely go well for bands and have the potential to alienate even the most diehard fans. Well sadly “Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones” failed to impress me for the most part. Gone were the metal tinged songs reminiscent of the bands “We Stitch These Wounds” release. Instead the band seems to have traded in their edginess and gritty sound for pianos ballads and over the top production. I did find the tracks “Shadows Die” and “Nobody’s Hero” to be more to my liking as they were probably a couple of the heavier tracks on the album. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy albums that contain a lot of production however it really has to be done in moderation.
Though “Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones” maybe be too much of a departure from the sound that brought the band in to the mainstream it shouldn’t be totally discredited. The concept behind the album is one that I am sure a lot of listeners can relate to and may have dealt with at some point in their lives. That alone makes the album worth checking out. Anything after that is up to the listener to decide.
Track Listing:
1.) Exordium
2.) I Am Bulletproof
3.) New Year’s Day
4.) F.E.A.R. Transmission 1: Stay Close
5.) Wretched and Divine
6.) We Don’t Belong
7.) F.E.A.R. Transmission 2: Trust
8.) Devil’s Choir”
9.) Resurrect the Sun
10.) Overture
11.) Shadows Die
12.) Abeyance
13.) Days are Numbered
14.) Done For You
15.) Nobody’s Hero
16.) Lost It All
17.) F.E.A.R. Transmission 3: As War Fades
18.) In The End
19.) F.E.A.R. Final Transmission
