“Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones” Album Review

Wretched and Divine: The Story of the Wild Ones
Get your copy of the Ultimate Edition here!

Say what you want about this album, but as far as Black Veil Brides goes, it is one of my favorites.  This is their third studio album, which was released on January 8th, 2013.  Now, many of you may not know this, but the 19 track album is but a third of the “Wretched and Divine” experience.  

On December 21, 2012 “Legion of the Black” was released, which is the album's theatrical accompaniment.  The 45 minute film combines the album’s tracks with “The Story of the Wild Ones.”

The “Ultimate Edition” of the album also includes 3 unreleased titles, and a second disc of bonus content.   

Now, back to the album itself.  The composition is so fantastic that, even without seeing the film, you visualize the story.  Which is a high honor, I’ve only bestowed to one other album: (and don’t judge me for this) Green Day’s American Idiot.

Parts of this album are truly an “anthem for the underground”  that make you want to raise your fist in unity, or at least turn it up to 11 to drive around your small town.  

I will be going out of order from the tracklist, and just grouping them by mood.

“I am Bulletproof,” “New Year’s Day,” and “Days are Numbered” (Tracks 2, 3, & 13 ) are some of my favorite high tempo tracks.  

Songs that kind of fall in the middle, for me (start off slow, but move into an anthem-style chorus):

•  “We Don’t Belong” (Track 6) Initially, I skipped over  this song, thinking it might be a slow one. The first time I let it play through on spotify, I dropped what I was doing to listen to the lyrics. Fantastic!
•  “Wretched and Divine” (Track 5) For me, the best part of this song, lyrically, comes at the end: “We live for the ones who don’t know they exist..we live for the ones who raise their hands to resist” 
• “In the End.”  (Track 18) I’ll be a little long-winded for this one, but it is another one of my favorites.  It’s actually the initial reason I wanted to buy the album.  This is  the first released single off of the album.  The track is inspired by the death of Andy Biersack’s grandfather, Urban Flanders, who passed away in 2012. “I have given my heart for a moment of glory.”
• Andy discussed in an interview for the album about what he thought during Urban’s funeral, how “Heaven” could be the legacy people leave.  I personally relate to this.  My great-grandparents have been gone 11 and 13 years, and I still talk to them and about them, like they’re down the street, or right there with me.  People live on through us, and that’s gotta be something close to heaven. Because “In the end, as you fade into the night.  Who will tell the story of your life?”  
• "Nobody’s Hero" also falls here with a very catchy hook.  “Only son, I’m on the run, and I’m nobody’s hero.  Well, yeah, yeah you are.  Countless people have been saved by the music of black veil brides, myself included.  It does a lot for someone to feel like they are part of a community.
• The last song that falls in this middle ground for me is Track 8: Devil’s Choir.  I will actually soon have a tattoo that says “FEAR won’t steal what burns in you”  which hits so deep for me.  F.E.A.R., which in the world of the album stands for “For Every and All Religion.”   So, don’t let the pressure or conformity of religion rough out all your edges, is the first I take from this.  Second, is “fear” in the literal sense.  Don’t let your personal fears hold you back from what you want in life.  Fuck, if your dreams don’t scare the living hell out of you, then you’re not thinking big enough.  Go for it!  

Slower tracks off the album are better enjoyed through headphones, or in a quiet setting to really take in the hauntingly soft baritone Andy has throughout the track.

• “Done for You” -  It starts with Andy lighting and taking a drag from a cigarette and his voice...well, what a beautiful baritone.  But its too slow of a song for me.  I’ve listen to it through a few times both on my own, and then for the purpose of writing this.  This lyrics are a little bit hard to hear over the music.  The tempo picks up a bit at the chorus, but its still not enough to hold my attention.  The hook “It’s all done for you.” is all I am left with at the end of the 2:30.
• “Lost it All”  This is another one of my slower  favorites, I know that I’ve said that too much already, but fuck it.  One of the interesting parts of the track is near the end, when Andy’s wife, Juliet Simms-Biersack sings on the track.  

These are also slower songs, that I haven’t really gotten to form an opinion on. Since I primarily play this album on my commute to work, I focus on the faster tempo ones.

• Resurrect the Sun
• Overture
• Shadows Die
• Abeyance 

All-in-all, I like this variety in tracks. The subtle violin moments bring in a really great quality that you don't usually find on a post-apocalyptic hard rock  concept album.