Black Veil Brides returned over the weekend with its first new music in more than a year in the form of its new EP, Bleeders. The band’s sixth EP and 12th overall studio recording, it comes on the heels of another EP from the band, The Mouring, which was released In late 2022. This 3-song record is also the first for the band through independent rock label, Spinefarm Records. While it is a small package, it boasts plenty for the most devoted of the band’s fans to appreciate both musically and lyrically. It is anchored by the record’s opener and title track, which will be examined shortly. The band’s cover of U2’s ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ makes for its own interest and will be examined a little later. ‘My Friends,’ which closes the EP, is also noteworthy through its musical and lyrical content alike. All three songs are important in their own way to the whole of Bleeders. All things considered they make the roughly 12-minute record a welcome addition to this year’s field of new EPs.
Bleeders, the brand-new EP from Black Veil Bridesis a presentation that the band’s established audiences will appreciate just as much as hard rock fans. That is due both to its musical arrangements and lyrical themes. The record’s title track and opener makes that clear in its own right. The song’s musical arrangement immediately lends itself to comparison to works from the likes of Breaking Benjamin what with its contemplative, brooding nature, which is especially enhanced through the vocal delivery of front man Andy Biersack. What is really interesting is that while much of the song is easily comparable to said band’s compositions, it changes up in its second half, turning to a much heavier, metal approach and sound complete with drumming from Christian Coma that includes work on the bass drum that sounds like the gatling gun on an A-10 Warthog at points. The breakdowns from guitarists “Jinxx” and Jake Pitts adds even more punch to make the whole even harder hitting.
The lyrical theme featured in this song is intriguing in its own right. Biersack has been cited in interviews as saying that it, like the song’s companion video (which viewers should use discretion watching because it is a bit gory), was inspired by the Broadway musical take of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Knowing that the song was inspired by such a dark, disturbing musical is of interest in itself. At the same time, one cannot help but listen because it is not just another song about the same old topics. Yet ironically, Biersack also noted in a mini-documentary that the song also does present a theme of being better than people who have wronged one’s self; about overcoming one’s own self-doubt and showing naysayers they will be victorious. It makes for such a unique presentation. Together with the song’s musical arrangement, the lyrical content makes ‘Bleeders’ just one example of what makes its namesake record worth hearing.
‘Bleeders’ is just one of the examples of what makes BVB’s new EP worth hearing. The band’s cover of U2’s’Sunday Bloody Sunday’ is another example of how the new EP earns its own share of engagement and entertainment from audiences. This song is a stark departure from ‘Bleeders.’ That goes without saying. What is really interesting here is that even being so starkly unlike the arrangement in ‘Bleeders,’ there is still a certain Breaking Benjamin type edge to it as it amps up U2’s original work. It clocks in at four minutes, 26 seconds, only 10 seconds shorter than its source material. So it largely stays true to the original song. This is sure to pleasure fans of both bands. Keeping that in mind, as random as it is of an addition to this glorified maxi-single, it is still an interesting work in itself regardless and largely impresses as much as the original song.
‘My Friends,’ which closes the EP, is apparently a cover of one of the songs from the aforementioned Sweeney Todd musical. It goes without saying that it is disturbing as the musical’s titular character is singing to his razors, revealing the demon that is soon to show its face. The heaviness in this arrangement both in its more contemplative moments and its heavier brooding moments makes for so much dark depth and power. Biersack and company do well to capture Todd’s mental instability here, especially as the song is performed in its video, Biersack admiring the razor. It conjures thoughts of Ice Nine Kills front man Spencer Charnas. When this intense composition is considered with the other cover and its one original, the whole makes Bleeders an intriguing space filler between new albums from Black Veil Brides.
Bleeders, the brand-new EP from Black Veil Brides, is an intriguing new offering from the veteran rock outfit. Its interest comes from its musical and lyrical content alike. The record’s opener and closer were both inspired by the disturbing musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. One is an original while the other is a cover. Sandwiched between them is a cover of a war protest song from U2 in the form of ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday.’ It all makes for a truly intriguing presentation that deserves to be heard at least once. In that listen maybe it will influence some audiences to start listening to musical theater in general. For others maybe it will open doors to u2 and even BVB itself. For established audiences, it will keep them certainly engaged, too. All things considered this new EP is another interesting bridge between albums for Black Veil Brides.
Bleeders is available now through Spinefarm Records. More information on the EP is available along with all of Black Veil Brides’ latest news at:
Website: https://blackveilbrides.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Blackveilbrides
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blackveilbrides
