Black Veil Brides
American rock band known for theatrical glam metal-inspired image.
Black Veil Brides is an American rock band based in Hollywood, California, formed in 2006 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The group is known for its theatrical appearance inspired by 1980s glam metal acts such as Kiss and Mötley Crüe, featuring black makeup, body paint, and studded clothing. The current lineup includes lead vocalist Andy Biersack, multi-instrumentalist Jinxx, lead guitarist Jake Pitts, drummer Christian "CC" Coma, and bassist Lonny Eagleton.
Quick Facts
- Alias
- BVB
- Origin
- Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
- Genre
- Hard rock
- alternative metal
- glam metal
- gothic metal
- metalcore
- Years active
- 2006–present
- Label
- Spinefarm
- Sumerian
- Lava
- Universal Republic
- StandBy
- Current members
- Andy Biersack
- Jinxx
- Jake Pitts
- Christian "CC" Coma
- Lonny Eagleton
Facts from the source article.
History
Black Veil Brides got their start in Cincinnati, Ohio back in 2006, when Andy Biersack—then known as Andy Six until 2011—teamed up with Johnny Herold and Phil Cennedella. Biersack eventually moved to Los Angeles. The group put out a demo EP called Sex & Hollywood in 2007, followed by another demo, Never Give In, in 2008, which featured early versions of songs that later appeared on their first album. In early 2009, Biersack assembled a new lineup under the Black Veil Brides name, bringing in guitarist Chris Hollywood and drummer Sandra Alvarenga, with bassist Ashley Purdy and guitarist Pan the Gypsy joining soon after. They signed with the indie label StandBy Records. After Chris Hollywood and Pan the Gypsy left, Jinxx and Jake Pitts stepped in. Their debut single, Knives And Pens, dropped on June 17, 2009, and its music video quickly went viral. That December, they hit the road for their first US tour, called "On Leather Wings." Their first album, We Stitch These Wounds, came out on July 20, 2010, moving over 10,000 copies in its first week and landing at No. 36 on the Billboard Top 200 and No. 1 on the Billboard Independent chart. Not long after, Sandra Alvarenga was replaced by Christian "CC" Coma. Lava Records president Jason Flom heard about the band from Hot Topic's chief music officer John Kirkpatrick, who pointed out their massive T-shirt sales and DIY approach to building a fanbase. Flom then worked out a deal with StandBy Records founder Neil Sheehan to bring the band over to Lava.
Musical style and influences
Black Veil Brides' music has been categorized under multiple genres including hard rock, alternative metal, metalcore, glam metal, gothic metal, heavy metal, gothic rock, emo, post-hardcore, and shock rock. Alternative Press contested the band's classification as emo, stating the group aims for epic concept records rather than introspective ones. Kerrang! referred to them as a "Myspace band" for using the platform to build a following. Loudwire called them "fashioncore", though noting the term is not a real subgenre. The band's influences include Marilyn Manson, Kiss, Metallica, Pantera, Avenged Sevenfold, Mötley Crüe, Poison, AFI, W.A.S.P., Rob Zombie, L.A. Guns, Aerosmith, Misfits, Dead Boys, The Damned, Slipknot, Dropkick Murphys, David Bowie, Queen, Twisted Sister, Def Leppard, Skid Row, Social Distortion, Rise Against, Billy Idol, Alice Cooper, and Hot Water Music. The band's style has changed over time: their first album We Stitch These Wounds was primarily metalcore; with Set the World on Fire, their appearance shifted to resemble glam metal acts, and their vocals became clean but gruff. Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones featured more classical influence from Jinxx, including symphonic additions and the instrumental track "Overture". The band self-identify as simply rock 'n' roll.
Tours
Black Veil Brides have toured extensively. Their first US tour was the On Leather Wings Tour in December 2009. In 2010, they performed on the Royal Family Clothing Tour with From First to Last, Eyes Set to Kill, Confide, and Sleeping with Sirens; the Sacred Ceremony Tour with Vampires Everywhere!, Modern Day Escape, and Get Scared; the Entertainment or Death Tour with William Control and Motionless in White; and the Pins and Needles Tour with The Birthday Massacre, supported by Dommin and Aural Vampire. In 2011, they supported Murderdolls on the God Save the Scream Tour in the UK, played the AP Tour with D.R.U.G.S., I See Stars, VersaEmerge, and Conditions, performed at Download Festival, and played Warped Tour (missing the first week due to Andy's broken ribs). They also did a UK Tour with Yashin and My Passion (missing dates due to Biersack's broken nose) and supported Avenged Sevenfold on the Buried Alive Tour with Hollywood Undead and Asking Alexandria. In 2012, they toured the UK and Ireland with D.R.U.G.S., played Download Festival, and supported Slash and Mötley Crüe on a European Summer Tour (cancelling the last week due to Biersack's grandfather's death). In 2013, they headlined The Church of the Wild Ones Tour in multiple legs, played the Kerrang! In 2014–2015, they headlined the Black Mass Tour with various support acts including Falling in Reverse, Set It Off, Memphis May Fire, and Ghost Town, and played Download Festival and Warped Tour. In 2018, they headlined The Resurrection Tour with Asking Alexandria and Crown the Empire, and performed at festivals including Welcome To Rockville, Carolina Rebellion, Northern Invasion, and Rock on the Range.
More in American Alternative Metal Musical Groups
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