American post-hardcore band Pierce The Veil recently released their fourth studio album, Misadventures – but it was a long time coming.

Initially scheduled for release in 2014, the album was pushed forward to 2015, before eventually being released in May of this year. Lead singer and co-founder, Vic Fuentes, seems to agree that the wait was far too long.

“This was definitely one of the most interesting processes that we’ve ever done to make an album. Every time you make an album it’s at a different time in your life and it can never be the same process every time.”

After working for so long on the music, Fuentes approached the studio without having written any lyrics. When it came time to write, the front man says he was strung out.

“I was in this place where I felt I wasn’t going to be able to write lyrics for this album and make them awesome because I’d been in the studio for a long time. I was getting a little cabin fever being there.”

For Fuentes, some time off and a bit of R&R seemed to do the trick.

“We decided the best thing would be to go on the road for a little bit and get inspired. I went to see my friends, my family and visited different cities. I lived in all kinds of different Airbnbs.”

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Finally finishing the record at a hotel in Seattle, Fuentes states that the title, Misadventures, refers to the trials and tribulations of writing the album.

“It kinda just describes the recording process and how you can plan everything out in a certain way and it spins out of control. We had to challenge ourselves to create something that we thought was better than the last one.”

Even the artwork was a painstakingly long process. Featuring some pretty graphic imagery with a syringe, a knife and a hacksaw all depicted in a cardboard cut-out style, Fuentes says the inspiration was the old punk band flyers he used to design as a kid.

“I would draw all of our flyers by hand with a pencil and draw our band name and all the other band names. Then I would go copy them at the print shop and make 1000 copies and cut them out. For this album, me and the artist put our heads together and came up with the art that was handmade and all photocopied and photographed.”

Each element in the art also represents something about the album lyrically or what the band has been through over the last few years, Fuentes states.

“The syringe was for a buddy of mine, Tyson Stevens, from a band called Scary Kids Scaring Kids, who passed away from a heroin overdose. The dollar dangling on the moon was about a sour taste from some of the industry people in our business and how it can be really negative and about money sometimes.”

Lyrically the songs cover a wide spectrum, from self-worth and betrayal, to the 2015 Paris terrorist attack at an Eagles of Death Metal concert. Fuentes describes the tragedy as especially affecting for him.

“That particular event really hit close to home for me and for a lot of musicians because it had to do with music and a show, which is our daily lives. We’ve played that venue, two years to the day from what happened. I thought, it could’ve been us.”

Out of all the tragedy caused by the attack, the song in question, ‘Circles’, actually has a positive message according to Fuentes.

“I wrote it to bring something a little bit more positive to the table and make it more about two friends helping each other out of a bad situation. I wrote it about love and taking care of each other. So when you look into the lyrics in that light it’s a little bit more uplifting.”

Recently premiering on MTV, the video clip for ‘Circles’ also puts a fun spin on the otherwise dark subject matter. Loosely based on the 1991 cult classic film Nothing But Trouble, the video features former MTV DJ Matt Pinfield, who plays an old, creepy concierge of a haunted hotel as the band check in only to be subjected to a series of tricks and booby traps.

“When we were trying to get directors to help us write this video, we didn’t want anything to do with a literal portrayal of what the song was about as it came from a very dark and heavy place. It was a super fun shoot. We got to do a lot of crazy stuff and a little stunt work.”

Touring Australia soon, the band was last here for Soundwave in 2013 and Fuentes says it’s been too long between drinks.

“We’re gearing for a tour that is long overdue. I feel we’ve neglected the shows down there for way too long. We’re super excited to play those shows!”

Pierce the Veil are touring in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth this month. Check out their Facebook page for more info.

Australian Tour Dates

Eatons Hill, Brisbane
Tuesday August 16 – All Ages

Big Top At Luna Park, Sydney
Wednesday August 17 – All Ages

Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
Thursday August 18 – All Ages

170 Russell, Melbourne
Saturday August 20 –  All Ages

170 Russel, Melbourne
Sunday August 21 – 18+

170 Russell, Melbourne
Monday August 22 – 18+

Astor Theatre, Perth
Tuesday August 23 – All Ages

Tickets on sale now

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