“Pierce the Veil is something I learned whilst studying sociology at college and it can mean a few things, but I guess it’s about openness and honesty, getting past the corporate veil, through the smokescreens and to the root of the problem”.  You would be hard pressed to find a more appropriate and intuitive name for an alternative rock band these days. A band grappling to gain a foothold in an industry that has more than it’s fair share of corporate cloaks and daggers.  “On a personal level we can all cut the crap and just get straight to the issues in life, if we choose”, enthuses lead singer Vic Fuentes and who can argue with that.  Emerging from the rock metropolis that is San Diego, home to the likes of Thrice, Pinback, As I Lay Dying and perhaps unfortunately Blink 182, Pierce the Veil are the latest underground four piece to take on the masses and deliver a slice of progressive post-hardcore that will not only have their peers reeling, it will wake up America!

 

Originally formed in 1998 and christened Before Today, they had a faster hardcore edge, an edge that would be too sharp for one half of the group resulting in an intensive recruitment drive but ultimately, a more rewarding creative dimension.  “Those guys weren’t into the music and just wanted to get jobs so we had to respect that.  We always knew we wanted to keep going and keep writing music”, explains Fuentes.  “We actually recorded the album ourselves in Seattle, just me and my brother and then later tried out for the rest of the band in San Diego. We haven’t looked back.  Tony and Jaime were the missing pieces”.  You can only admire their gallantry, but it can’t have been easy for the new members arriving to a completed album.  “It’s a lot more serious now and everyone is signed in to what we want do, its very focused.  Just to be able to play shows every night is what’s driving us right now”.

 

Crackling down the line from Nashua, New Hampshire, Fuentes goes on to describe the ambition of their current tour and how tackling their own promotion and merchandising is winning a lot of new friends.  “There’s anything between 100 and 400 kids turning up to the shows and we’ve been walking through the crowds ourselves handing out promo copies of the album.  We definitely see it as an opportunity to influence other bands fans”.  Talk about taking the initiative!  Completed by tub-thumper and sibling Mike, guitarist Tony Perry and bassist Jaime Preciado, Pierce the Veil see that their future could well be heavily influenced by the on line music revolution.  “The new album leaked a few weeks ago.  But it’s a good thing because everyone can then relate more to the live shows as they’ve already heard the songs.  My whole perspective on how the kids listen to things these days has changed, they’re listening to a lot more styles. Record collections are getting bigger and they’re becoming more open to bands like us”. 

                                                                                                  

With the next set of shows already penned in Mexico alongside Ohio metal-core cubs The Devil Wears Prada and having recently toured with Poison the Well, Pierce the Veil are navigating their way through the right rock circles.  Acknowledging that their ultimate goal is to see and play Europe and despite their origins, admit to a love for the beautiful game.  “We’re all into soccer not NFL or baseball. We played a lot growing up and we bring a small goal on tour and kick around whenever we can.  One of my personal ambitions in life is to go to an English Premier League game.  I watch it on TV and those guys are just insane”.  Vic, you’ve just got a major thumbs up from that most discerning of audiences, the English football fan. 

 

One thing that’s immediately apparent is that Fuentes and co are very family orientated and when quizzed on their main influences Fuentes beamed, “I could list 20 bands that have affected our style, but my dad really helped us to play, he directed our attitude towards music and the importance of playing from the heart, he had a lot to do with who we are today”.  A sentiment clearly substantiated by his relationship with his drummer brother.  “As we get older my relationship with Mike is a lot closer, we know how to deal with each other.  We’ve been in a band since high school so it makes things real easy, I couldn’t work with anyone else and it gave the record a different type of strength”.   Complimented by the traditional golden fleece of a major label contract, there’s a true sense of hope and vigour to their road map.  “We felt the most at home with Equal Vision.  It’s a really honest, family oriented label with no corporate ideals and barriers”. 

 

Having evolved from the frenzied and frantic sound of their first opus, Pierce the Veil have done things differently second time round and are clearly proud of their new fractured hardcore masterpiece.  “We’re still young as a band and young to the industry but we learnt a lot from the first record.  Now we’ve secured management, got a great producer and insisted on better communication.  I feel we’re progressing as writers and I’m really glad we wrote this record the way it is.  It’s very diverse and it’s kept us free to do what we want in the future, it’s a good feeling”.

 

With Vic’s soaring staccato flying through the same blue dream as Gerard Way and Tony Perry’s clinically woven guitar, ‘A Flair for the Dramatic’ is a mystical concoction that resonates superb rock symphony expressions; bursting at the seams with pristine post-hardcore and immediately infectious melody.   It also comprises a swirling anthem worryingly titled ‘Id rather die than be famous’.  Fuentes clarifies, “It’s not to be taken literally.  It stands out lyrically on the album because most of the songs are about personal relationships.  I spent a lot of time writing in Hollywood where it’s really hard to find people you can trust. The majority really don’t care who you are so I was talking about how lucky I am to have met the right people who ultimately gave me the inspiration to write the song”.

As Vic begins to shuffle in his seat in anticipation of their gig that evening, he admits to the band indulging in some early morning inspiration.  “Have you heard of Fat Tire?  We visited the New Belgium brewery at 9am the other day, took the tour and just tried all their beers”.  A fine way to start the day, but llike beer production we can conceptualize the origins and process of music and for the wonder and development of such a band as Pierce the Veil, it can be said that:

In order to make music one needs to be in tune with the physics of thunderstorms; the chemistry of water and germination.  Both the visible and the invisible form the miraculous marriage called rock.  Like any good marriage one must possess an awareness of ingredients, knowledge of limitations and willingness to sacrifice and compromise, troubleshooting problems as they arise.  Also, one must be open to mystery because good music casts a spell and in the end it’s a mighty fine brew, if a little haunted.