Black Veil Brides – Vindicate

Black Veil Brides – Vindicate
Spinefarm
Release date: 08/05/26
Review by: Jon Deaux
9/10
I’ve listened to this album a dozen times, and I’m still angry about how good it is. Black Veil Brides made the kind of record that makes you resent them personally.

Allow me to introduce Black Veil Brides. I was convinced that they were the greatest band of our time at thirteen years old. Also, I was utterly misguided at thirteen years old. I believed cargo shorts to be a reasonable choice of clothing. I believed myself to be an interesting individual. I believed that ‘Knives and Pens’ was poetry. I was very stupid, and I got everything I deserved.

Except here’s the thing. And I don’t like saying this because of everything it implies. But Vindicate is legitimately good music and has completely ruined my month.

See, I came here to write a sarcastic review that took me four minutes to write. Something clever about their eyeliner, perhaps. Instead, I spent the last hour listening to this album eleven consecutive times and am here trying to take actual notes on it at this late hour. I am supposed to be asleep. I have plans. Things that needed doing. Plans I’ve been looking forward to. I had a life before this record, and Vindicate burned it to the ground.

The album kicks off with ‘Invocation to the Muse’,  dramatic organ sounds, Andy Biersack speaking softly and almost to himself about his relationship with inspiration. It’s theatrical. It’s uncomfortable and the kind of uncomfortable that makes the experience even better. The vulnerability is fleeting, though. It turns. The lyrics aren’t healing anything; instead sharpening the pain before spilling seamlessly into “Vindicate”, where the tone completely changes, and not only because of the name of this track. This isn’t an introductory track, no, it’s a threat, and a good one for a band that has mostly struggled with album openers before, with a few exceptions where the band found some inspiration for a song that sounds like they discovered Movie Maker.

But ‘Vindicate’ begins with a carnival accordion. Yes, that. I want you to sit with that image for a minute. An opening track for a metal band with carnival music. It works. It’s unsettling in just the right way, in that creepy carnival way when everything seems to stretch too far beyond bedtime, and the lights are strange and the music even stranger. Until Christian Coma blows those drums apart, and Andy erupts into screams and a BLEGH, and suddenly we are flying. A catchy chorus, strong verses, a devastating breakdown that needs its own lawyer, and finally, Jinxx and Jake Pitts delivering the dual guitar solo, sounding like two classically trained assassins. I liked the single version of ‘Vindicate’. As a track on this record, however, it hits even harder. Dark and heavy, it works its magic and makes me resent enjoying it.

‘Certainly starts with a choir. And yes, I involuntarily headbanged in my kitchen, alone. The slower pacing and deliberate approach make for a song packed with punch — the guitars and drums hit hard, while pre-chorus screams come in sharp. In my kitchen. Let me be clear, I’m a grown-up adult woman.

‘Bleeders’ was the first single released back in 2024. I expected it to be a tame comeback and a record to acknowledge but quickly forget. Not even close. Set within the running order of this album, the song sounds even more urgent, like it knew it was the beginning of a declaration. Mean riffs combined with Andy Biersack’s vocals that teeter on the edge of control and chaos make for a powerful song, while the production throughout the album deserves another paragraph of its own — with the complexity and layers involved in this song, nothing falls flat, and every element in the mix sounds crisp and deliberate, without any sound getting in the way of others. This took work, and someone deserves to be recognized for their efforts.

‘Hallelujah’ is built to rock arenas. Specifically, the one you’re attending at ten pm with a plastic cup in your hand, once filled with beer. Chances are that by the end of the night, you and thirty-nine thousand other people will be screaming this chorus back at this band in unison and feel something real for those twenty or so seconds you get, while half of you will probably be ashamed about it afterward, but will go to yet another concert because of it. This track has a sense of self, knowing exactly what it is.

That self-awareness disappears in the following track, ‘Cut’, and takes the energy with it. At least until Lilith Czar comes in. The vocalist is the perfect addition for this song, adding a new dimension to the track. The guitar solo doesn’t overstay its welcome either, which I didn’t think possible in this subgenre nowadays. The song earns its place by being different and committed, rather than trying to please everyone.

With its resilient message, ‘Alive’ is followed by ‘Purgatory’, a track that is placed right in the middle of the album. It’s dark and immersive and intensely emotional, finding itself halfway between vengeance and the realization that vengeance doesn’t make the problems disappear.

‘Revenger’ features Robb Flynn from Machine Head. Appearing on a Black Veil Brides album in 2026. And it works perfectly. It fits the track and the song like a glove, arriving in the mix exactly when it’s needed, adding its weight to the song. It takes the galloping drums, filthy screams during the bridge, and tight guitar work of the ending. It is brilliant.

Then ‘Sorrow’ comes in and doesn’t let go. The vocals lead, but the riffs are amazing too, intertwining in such an intricate and infectious way that draws you in immediately, the moment you start paying attention. The drumming is also amazing and fits the song perfectly, creating an incredible balance.

Next, we’re treated to ‘Grace’, an elegant symphony track, just long enough. ‘Ave Maria’ sends us back to hell, except vengeance has gained its weight since. It is no longer about proving anything to anyone, but about what the journey has done to the individuals. ‘Woe & Pain’ goes back to the basics — starting with a piano, guitar riffs, and a simple electronic pulse, with Andy singing softly, and building toward sing-alongs, spoken verses with fury oozing out of them, orchestral sections, and blastbeats that throw the track into a realm of symphonic deathcore. It is insane, dramatic, and incredibly effective.

Finally, ‘Eschaton’ serves as the closing track, featuring a spoken outro with strings. Reflection and realization that holding onto everything may not have been a victory after all. This was an incredible ending for a band that built its early identity around defiance and rage, only to conclude that they may have been right all along.

BVB did not create a record of coming back from their hiatus. This is the record of advancing themselves as a band. Andy Biersack delivers vocals that are sharper than ever before — he’s in full control when it’s necessary and aggressively vocal when it’s not, while the guitar playing across fourteen songs is excellent. Guitar solos, which may be redundant in this subgenre, are absolutely amazing and show just how talented BVB is. Piano and orchestral parts deserve their own paragraph for adding more weight to the album, while the production ties everything together.

Okay, sure. There are plenty of catchy choral sections and choruses that occur repeatedly in this album. But that’s something Black Veil Brides have always been aware of and used to their advantage. And they were absolutely right about it.

I came here to be sarcastic. Dismissive. But no. Instead, I have a favourite song on the record I’m not discussing, I listened to the album back-to-back multiple times, and I am now fully invested in whatever they do next.

Please know that you’ve ruined my life with your incredible music.
Track List

01. Invocation To The Muse
02. Vindicate
03. Certainty
04. Bleeders
05. Hallelujah
06. Cut
07. Alive
08. Purgatory
09. Revenger
10. Sorrow
11. Grace
12. Ave Maria
13. Woe & Pain
14. Eschaton

Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Jon Deaux and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.