Pierce the Veil | |
|---|---|
 Pierce the Veil performing atRock im Park inNuremberg, Germany, 2017 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | San Diego, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Discography | Pierce the Veil discography |
| Years active | 2006–present |
| Labels | |
| Members | |
| Past members | |
| Website | piercetheveil |
Pierce the Veil is an American rock band formed inSan Diego, California, in 2006. It was founded by brothersVic andMike Fuentes after the disbanding of Before Today, which formed out of the San Diegopunk scene.[1][2]Jaime Preciado andTony Perry joined the group in 2007, on bass and lead guitar respectively.
Pierce the Veil has released five studio albums and has toured worldwide since the release of their debut album,A Flair for the Dramatic in 2007. The band released their second full-length studio album, titledSelfish Machines in 2010. Their third album,Collide with the Sky, was released in 2012, and is their first album released byFearless Records. Featuring the hit first single "King for a Day", the album debuted at No. 12 on the USBillboard 200. Their fourth album,Misadventures, was released on May 13, 2016, and following a hiatus, their fifth album,The Jaws of Life, was released on February 10, 2023.
Pierce the Veil was founded by Mike Fuentes and Vic Fuentes in 2006,[3] after the disbandment of their band Before Today (formerly known as Early Times[4]). The brothers continued to write songs together and eventually came up with enough material for a new full-length album. Still backed by their label,Equal Vision Records, they wrote and recorded an entire album on their own inSeattle, WA with producer Casey Bates. The brothers released the albumA Flair for the Dramatic on June 26, 2007, under a new name: Pierce the Veil, which is derived from a song of the same name from Before Today's album,A Celebration of an Ending. Soon after, Pierce the Veil acquired new membersTony Perry (lead guitar) andJaime Preciado (bass). Pierce the Veil toured vigorously for about 3 months after the release ofA Flair for the Dramatic. They have toured with bands such asA Day to Remember,Chiodos,From First to Last,Emery,All Time Low,Sleeping with Sirens,The Devil Wears Prada andMayday Parade.
In November 2007, Pierce the Veil performed one date on theVans Warped Tour 2007, and were on the entire tour in 2008. They also played theBamboozle Left in 2008. Their first headlining tour, calledThe Delicious Tour, which took place in October–November 2008, featuredBreathe Carolina,Four Letter Lie andEmarosa. They ended their record cycle with theTaste of Chaos 2009 tour along withBring Me the Horizon,Thursday,Four Year Strong andCancer Bats. Vic and Mike Fuentes with Ayrton Jara confirmed to be included in the new project andsupergroupIsles & Glaciers, featuring vocalistsCraig Owens ofChiodos andJonny Craig ofEmarosa.[5] The "supergroup" released its first EP titledThe Hearts of Lonely People on March 9, 2010. However Isles & Glaciers has broken up, saying "Isles & Glaciers was only a one time thing".
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During August 2009, Pierce the Veil announced that they were currently in studio recording new material for their next album. After a few months off the road and building anticipation for their sophomore release, the band moved toLos Angeles to record their albumSelfish Machines with Producer Mike Green. Singer and lyricist Vic Fuentes stated, "The title refers to human nature and the animal-like qualities inside all of us that we try and hide, but should just learn to accept. We are all selfish machines and we all have natural tendencies to want, love, and take."Selfish Machines was released on June 21, 2010, underEqual Vision Records,[6] and made it to No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart.[7] In support of the release, the band played a number of festivals includingBamboozle Left,South by Southwest,Never Say Never Festival, and theVans Warped Tour. The band also contributed a cover ofBlue Öyster Cult's classic song "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" to thePunk Goes Classic Rock compilation, released on April 27, 2010.[8] They were a part of theTake Action Tour withAttack Attack! that went to New Zealand and Australia, and also played on theVersus Tour in Japan withConfide. They played the "This Is a Family Tour" withEmmure,In Fear and Faith,Of Mice & Men, andAttack Attack!, which lasted until late December 2010.
Pierce the Veil also played at the Fox Theater in Pomona as a surprise appearance as part of theAlternative Press Tour 2010 with bands such asAugust Burns Red,Bring Me the Horizon,Polar Bear Club,Emarosa, andThis Is Hell. On November 1, 2010, the band announced that they would be kicking off 2011 touring withSilverstein,Miss May I,The Chariot, and A Bullet for Pretty Boy on the "Winterizer Tour". Throughout March and April, "The Gamechanger's Tour" withA Day to Remember,Bring Me the Horizon, and label matesWe Came as Romans followed. They also co-headlined the second leg ofEscape the Fate's headlining tour "The Dead Masquerade". After taking the summer off to spend some more time on writing new material, the band was supposed to head out on their first ever South American Tour supportingSum 41 in September; however, due to illness of Sum 41's frontman, the tour was cancelled. They finished up the year touring Europe withblessthefall and co-headlined the No Guts No Glory Tour withMiss May I afterwards. They once again contributed to a "Punk Goes..." album,Punk Goes Pop 4, covering the song "Just the Way You Are" byBruno Mars, which was released on November 21, 2011.[9]
On August 23, 2011, Pierce the Veil signed withFearless Records.[10] On December 22, 2011, a video update revealed in that in early 2012, the band would be going into the studio to record their third studio album. On December 26, 2011, Vic Fuentes announced on the band's Facebook page that the band had finished writing the songs for their third album, which they began writing during the summer and while on tour withMiss May I,Woe Is Me,The Amity Affliction andletlive during November and December, and they would now be choosing a producer to work with on the album in early 2012.[11] On February 27, 2012, The band issued an update on their official Facebook page stating that they have chosen to work with producers Dan Korneff and Kato Khandwala at the House of Loud in New Jersey on their upcoming third album.[12] On April 20, 2012, it was announced that the new album would be titledCollide with the Sky and would be released through Fearless Records on July 17, 2012.[13][14] On May 17, 2012, the album cover and the track list of the new album were revealed along with the announcement of the band's first ever UK headlining tour in September 2012.[15][16] The first single from the new album, "King for a Day", featuresKellin Quinn ofSleeping with Sirens and was released on June 5, 2012. The second single, "Bulls in the Bronx", was released three weeks later on June 26, 2012.
In order to promote the album, the band appeared on the Vans Warped Tour from June 16, 2012, to August 5, 2012, playing the event's main stage for the first time.[17] They were regularly joined on stage by Kellin Quinn to perform the song "King for a Day". After Warped, Pierce the Veil embarked on their first headlining tour in the UK, selling out almost all of the dates. Their following headlining tour in the US, The Collide with the Sky tour, saw a similar success. They ended the year appearing at No. 33 inRock Sound magazine's best albums of 2012 list[18] as well as winning nine categories in the best of 2012 reader's poll conducted byAlternative Press, includingBest Live Band of the Year,Album of the Year andArtist of the Year.[19] On January 9, 2013, Vic Fuentes released information that he had recently been in the studio writing new songs withTom Denney.[20][21]
On January 7, 2013, Pierce the Veil and pop-punk bandAll Time Low announced that they would be co-headlining the Spring Fever Tour in Spring 2013. Both bands toured across the United States, along with opening actsMayday Parade andYou Me at Six. The tour began on April 11, 2013, and ended on May 12, 2013.[22] Toward the end of the tour, on May 7, 2013, the music video for Pierce the Veil's song "Bulls in the Bronx" was released.[23]
On September 23, 2013, the band announced plans to release a documentary on November 11 detailing their first world tour. It included live footage from their world tour, three music videos, and additional content. The band released this statement on the documentary:"Our first world tour was absolutely the craziest experience of our lives.. [sic]and we filmed EVERYTHING! Follow along as we visit uncharted territories in search of the best shows and thrilling experiences we could absolutely find along the way. This DVD is for the fans and the fans only. Thank you for letting us travel the world and share this adventure with you!" - Vic, Mike, Tony, and Jaime[24]
On October 18, 2013, the band launched pre-orders for their documentary with a new release date of November 25.[25]
On July 21, Vic Fuentes and Kellin Quinn ofSleeping with Sirens announceda co-headlining world concert tour. The tour started on November 5, 2014, inFresno. They first announced the first North America leg with 20 concerts with support fromBeartooth andThis Wild Life.[26] A month later, on August 22, 2014, the band confirmed the second leg of the concert tour which took place in Europe. Between March 20, 2015, and April 11, 2015, Pierce the Veil played concerts in the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Germany, and the UK.[27] According to Epitaph Records, all concerts in Europe were sold out.[28] Before heading to Europe the band played a second US leg with support fromPVRIS andMallory Knox.[29][30]
The band's fourth studio album,Misadventures, was released on May 13, 2016 through Fearless Records.[31] Produced by Dan Korneff,[32] the album spawned the singles "The Divine Zero" and "Texas Is Forever".[33][34]
In November 2017, drummer Mike Fuentes was accused of soliciting nude photos and statutory rape by a young woman. The incidents were have alleged to have occurred roughly a decade prior over the course of several years. The pair allegedly initiated contact on MySpace before meeting for the first time at a Pierce the Veil concert. Fuentes was 24 at the time, while the girl was 16, alegal minor in the state of California. The woman stated they had sex after meeting again at a concert during Warped Tour. The relationship was said to have lasted until she turned 18.[35]
In December 2017, a second woman accused him of requesting nude pictures when she was a minor. She accused him anonymously on Twitter. The woman claimed they first met at Warped Tour in 2008, when she was 14 years old where they exchanged phone numbers. When she turned 15, Fuentes allegedly requested nude photos from her.[36]
In light of the allegations, Fuentes and the rest of the band released a statement later that month, stating that Mike Fuentes was to step down as drummer to "concentrate on his personal life". The band announced a hiatus and cancelled their planned 2018 UK tour withAll Time Low.[37] No formal charges were brought publicly against Mike Fuentes for either allegation.
On July 5, 2018, vocalist and guitarist Vic Fuentes posted on his social media that he is working on the band's fifth album.[38] In February 2019, the official band Twitter posted that they were still working on the album.[39]
On 13 April 2020, the band uploaded a home rehearsal of their track "Hold On Till May" to YouTube, in light of theCOVID-19 pandemic. The performance featured former member Mike Fuentes, however the band did not specify whether he had officially returned as a member of the band.[40] Reaction to Mike Fuentes performing with the band was mixed, with listeners expressing concern on social media over the sexual allegations surrounding him, with the band having yet to address them fully beyond the original 2017 statement.[41] On August 24, 2020, Vic confirmed that Mike had left the band in 2017 and will not be featured on the next album.[42]
In June 2022,I Prevail announced their “True Power Tour,” scheduled to take place from September to November 2022, with Pierce The Veil serving as direct support, this being the band’s first tour since 2017 and the departure of drummer Mike Fuentes. Prior to the tour, the band recruiting formerletlive. drummer Lionel Robinson as their touring drummer.[43][44] On September 1, 2022, the band released the single "Pass the Nirvana".[45] On November 11, 2022, the band released their second new single, "Emergency Contact" and announced that their fifth studio albumThe Jaws of Life would be released on February 10, 2023.[46][47]
The band embarked on the 'Creative Control' and 'The Jaws of Life' tours, along with an Australian tour withBeartooth in support of the album. In mid-2024, the band supportedBlink 182 on theirOne More Time... tour in North America.[48]
On December 3, 2024, the band announced theI Can't Hear You World Tour via social media.[49] The tour will feature songs from every album in the band’s discography, and it will be the band’s first solo headlining amphitheater tour.
Pierce the Veil's music style has generally been regarded as a mix ofpost-hardcore,[50][3][46][51]pop-punk,[52]experimental rock,[53] andemo.[54]
Their debut albumA Flair for the Dramatic has been described as a mixture ofemo,screamo andprogressive rock.[55] According to German music magazineIntro the compositions on their debut album are "complex" and were compared to artists likeSparta,And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead and partly even toQueen.[56]
Their sophomore album,Selfish Machines, was partly influenced bypunk music and has been compared to bands likeEmarosa,Chiodos,The Used andAlesana.[57][58] The band was praised byThe Morning Call for the band's mix of metal and hardcore punk with the songwriting and melodies of pop music.[59] Their third album,Collide with the Sky, was widely praised for its elements ofprogressive rock.[citation needed] Their fourth album,Misadventures, leaned more towardspop and pop-punk.[60] The album was compared to artists likeAtreyu,My Chemical Romance andPanic! at the Disco.[61] The vocals of Vic Fuentes have been compared toClaudio Sanchez ofCoheed and Cambria.[62][63]
The term "mexicore" has also been applied to the band due to the Spanish flair in many of their songs. Vic Fuentes said in an interview withAlternative Press that the band always tries to "incorporate at least a hint of Latin influence in every song."[64] Vic Fuentes described "mexicore" as a "mix of heavy music with a little Spanish feel."[65]
| Awards and Nominations | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Award Giving Body | Category | Nominated Work | Results |
| 2010 | PETA2 Liberation Award | Breakthrough Artist | — | Won[67] |
| San Diego Music Awards | Best Alternative Album | "Selfish Machines" | Nominated | |
| 2013 | Kerrang! Awards | Best Video | "King for a Day" | Won[68] |
| Best Single | "King for a Day" | Nominated[69] | ||
| Best International Newcomer | — | Nominated[69] | ||
| Best International Band | — | Nominated[69] | ||
| Rock Sound Readers Poll | Band of the Year | — | Won[70] | |
| 2014 | Alternative Press Music Awards | Best Live Band | — | Won[71] |
| Best Bassist | (for Jamie Preciado) | Won[71] | ||
| Best Drummer | (for Mike Fuentes) | Won[71] | ||
| Best Vocalist | (for Vic Fuentes) | Nominated[72] | ||
| Band of the Year | — | Nominated[72] | ||
| Most Dedicated Fans | — | Nominated[72] | ||
| Philanthropic Award | (forKeep A Breast Foundation) | Nominated[72] | ||
| Revolver Golden Gods Awards | Best Video/Film | "This is a Wasteland" | Won[73] | |
| 2015 | Alternative Press Music Awards | Best Guitarist | (for Tony Perry) | Won[74] |
| Kerrang! Awards | Best Fanbase | — | Won[75] | |
| 2016 | Alternative Press Music Awards | Song of the Year | "The Divine Zero" | Nominated[76] |
| MTV Fandom Awards | Bandom of the Year | — | Nominated[77] | |
| Revolver Music Awards | Most Dedicated Fanbase | — | Won[78] | |
| 2017 | iHeartRadio Music Awards | Best Underground Alternative Band | — | Won[79] |
| Libera Awards | Best Metal/Hard Rock Album | "Misadventures" | Nominated[80] | |
| San Diego Music Awards | Album of the Year | "Misadventures" | Nominated | |
| Song of the Year | "Circles" | Nominated | ||
| Studio albums | |
|---|---|
| Singles | |
| Concert tours | |
| Films | |
| Related | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Artists | |
