The Jaws of Life brings Pierce the Veil back to the emo scene with a refreshed sound.

The album is their first release since 2016. The music has a brighter sound in the tones of the instruments while maintaining the darker themes classic to the genre. 

“Emergency Contact” is a love song about wanting to be the person called in a crisis, but it is also about healing. Lyricist Vic Fuentes makes a point to talk about learning to love through mental health recovery and potential relapse. 

The song contains a simple beat and melodic guitar riffs to accentuate the desperation and emotional growth. 

The title track, however, doesn’t stand out as more than an ode to mental illness. For being the title of the album, it falls short of other standout tracks on the album. The metaphors comparing depression to the “jaws of life” fall flat and feel clichéd, and the instrumentation is unremarkable. 

The last track on the album, “12 Fractures,” features an unusual artist collaboration. 

The song is about a bittersweet breakup: Both people know the breakup is beneficial, but they still miss one another. Bedroom pop artist Chloe Moriondo offers support vocals as another perspective in the story of the song. 

Pierce the Veil’s Jaws of Life showcases a refined version of the emo band’s sound while they are continuing to explore new musical inspirations.