Whether Pierce the Veil could top their last album ‘Collide with the Sky’ has been a wary subject since the 2012 release, but after four years the pressure is off and fans can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

‘Misadventures,’ fortunately, is not a repeat of the last album, nor is it a calamity of ideas. It is, however, an excellent example of a band maturing in their overall sound and the San Diego rockers have grown from the juvenile musicians many young fans associated with while still sounding very much the same.

Kicking the record off, ‘Dive In’ and ‘Texas Is Forever’ stick to PTV’s roots, carried by the intensity of Mike Fuentes’ drumming and the dynamic range of frontman Vic’s vocal work. Similarly, ‘The Divine Zero’ shows off their heavier side with a groove-like breakdown and shrilling uncleans.

‘Floral and Fading’ mixes pop-rock and an interesting ballad-like structure while ‘Bedless’ shows off the band’s electronic undertones which brings out the distinct modernity they possess. ‘Phantom Power and Ludicrous Speed’ is an intense listen which allows the four piece to put their talents together as a whole. ‘Circles’ may sound like the usual pop-punk tune but carries layered lyrics telling of the horror of the 2015 Paris attacks. A couple of tracks just don’t pack the punch for me like ‘Gold Medal Ribbon’ and ‘Sambuka’, lyrics from which are destined to be jotted over many a teen’s schoolbook but finishing the album, ‘Song For Isabelle’ holds the right balance of poignant lyrics and pop-punk pace.

Stylistically, there isn’t one particular song that sticks in your head, but that’s not to say that ‘Misadventures’ isn’t a brilliant example of a band evolving but still keeping a classic consistency to cater to fans both the old fans and to attract a new generation. It’s clear they worked hard on this.

3.5/5

’Misadventures’ by Pierce The Veil is out now on Fearless Records.

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Words by Phoebe Messenger @kangaezu_)