A Review: "Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones"

Black Veil Brides are one of the most groundbreaking and acclaimed metal bands to arise from the Hollywood music scene in the last decade. As proven in their latest and most anticipated studio effort, "Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones," the relentless attitude of the blistering heavy metal quintet continues to shine through. Unlike their previous two records, "Wretched and Divine" is essentially a concept album revolving around the unidentified "Wild Ones" as they strive to liberate from the tyrannical organization "F.E.A.R." In a larger scope, the themes presented in each song and lyric serve to represent the band's diehard cult of fans and followers (the Wild Ones, per se) as they proudly classify themselves as the "BVB Army." Some characteristics of "Wretched and Divine" that separate it from the band's previous albums are the presence of anthems, ballads, and minute-long "transmissions" which comprise the basic structure of the 19-song album. These anthemic songs, such as "We Don't Belong" and "In The End," certainly display the ability of the band to breathe life into their creations, by delivering memorable lyrics and choruses and crafting heavy riffs and hooks; yet, this time around, they lack the overall thrash and heavy metal grit which originally drew me to the band via their breakthrough album "Set the World on Fire." Ultimately, "Wretched and Divine" is the band's boldest creative venture in their prolific, yet young career, as they had never approached an album with such an inspired and developed framework. Black Veil Brides have solidified themselves in the heavy metal community as an invincible force ready to conquer the world. Not only this, but they fully intend to bring their fan base along for the adventure, as this album is an ode to their undying loyalty and a heartfelt token of gratitude for making it possible for the band to reach international fame and superstardom. As Black Veil Brides continue to experiment and succeed with their newfound creative capacity and distinct sound, the sky is the limit.