Selfish Machines

 The word 'Screamo' has been thrown around in the music scene for a good bit now. This term, short for Screaming Emotional music, is pretty self explanatory. Since the word Emo had been created, it has been looked at as an offensive description of music. Emo definitely does not mean bad. And with their 2010 full length "Selfish Machines", Pierce The Veil is here to show us what 'screamo' should be and will soon become. 

I'm not the world's biggest fan of the use of screaming in music. Somehow, Pierce The Veil has changed my mind. Completely. These four gentlemen reach out their hand with their opening track and ask you to join them for a 12-track ride of intensity, complex rhythms, heartfelt lyrics and a vocal range worth raving about. Most bands are afraid to show their emotional side and instead, hide behind blaring guitars, double bass-drums, and screaming. Not Pierce The Veil. They, somehow, include those elements and many, many more. While listening to this album, I can already name 4 different genres and bands that are brought to mind. And that's what is such a breakthrough with Selfish Machines: It's not just one thing.

It's upbeat. It's depressing. It's intense. it's relaxing. Simply put, Selfish Machines just is. 

Consisting of brothers Victor ( Vocals/Guitar) and Mike Fuentes (Drums/Percussion) along with Tony Perry (Guitar) and Jaime Preciado (Bass), Pierce The Veil are not newcomers to the music scene. Dating back to 1998, Victor and Mike have been inching closer and closer to the sound that they have been searching. Whether or not they found it on Selfish Machines is questionable. But what a sound this is. Many of the tracks are diverse but never stray away from sounding like a complete album. Through the intensity of opening track "Besitos" and the addicting melodies of "Fast Times at Clairemont High", Selfish Machines flows incredibly well and is worth plenty of listens. 

Selfish Machines isn't going to be the album you tell your children about, but it is going to be one for the rock stars in all of us. Don't be fooled by the things you've heard, Screamo or not, Pierce The Veil can write gold and have delivered.