Biography

Vic Fuentes lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards
Mike Fuentes drums, percussion
Tony Perry lead guitar
Jaime Preciado bass, backing vocals

Pierce the Veil is an American post-hardcore band from San Diego, California. Formed in 2007, the group was founded by brothers Vic and Mike Fuentes after the disbandment of the group Before Today (formerly Early Times), which was formed out of the San Diego punk rock scene. Other members of the band include Jaime Preciado (bassist and backing vocals) and Tony Perry (lead guitar). Pierce the Veil has released three studio albums and has continuously been inducted into several worldwide tours since the release of their debut album, A Flair for the Dramatic in 2007. The band released their second full-length studio album, titled Selfish Machines in 2010. Their third and latest album, Collide with the Sky, was released in 2012, and is their first album under the major record label Fearless Records.

History

Early years and A Flair for the Dramatic (2007–2009)

Pierce the Veil was founded by Mike Fuentes and Vic Fuentes in 2007, after the disbandment of Before Today. The brothers continued to write songs together and eventually came up with enough material for a new full-length album. Still backed by their label, Equal Vision Records, they wrote and recorded an entire album on their own in Seattle, WA with Producer Casey Bates. The brothers released the album A Flair for the Dramatic on June 26, 2007 under a new name: Pierce the Veil, which is derived from two songs from Before Today’s album, ‘A Celebration of an Ending’&’A Giant Purple Fox of Fright’. Soon after, Pierce the Veil acquired new members Tony Perry (guitar) and Jaime Preciado (bass). The song “I’d Rather Die Than Be Famous” from this album was featured in the game Tony Hawks Proving Ground. Pierce the Veil toured vigorously for about 3 months after the release of A Flair for the Dramatic. They have toured with bands such as All Time Low, Sleeping With Sirens, A Day to Remember, Chiodos, From First to Last, Emery, The Devil Wears Prada and Mayday Parade.

In November 2007, Pierce the Veil performed one date on the Vans Warped Tour 2007, and were on the entire tour in 2008. They also played the Bamboozle Left in 2008. Their first headlining tour, called The Delicious Tour, which took place in October–November 2008, featured Breathe Carolina, Four Letter Lie and Emarosa. They ended their record cycle with the Taste of Chaos 2009 tour along with Bring Me the Horizon, Thursday, Four Year Strong and Cancer Bats. Vic and Mike Fuentes with Ayrton Jara confirmed to be included in the new project and supergroup Isles & Glaciers, featuring vocalists Craig Owens of D.R.U.G.S. and Jonny Craig of Dance Gavin Dance and formerly of Emarosa. The “supergroup” released its first EP titled The Hearts of Lonely People on March 9, 2010. However Isles & Glaciers has broken up, saying “Isles & Glaciers was only a one time thing”.

Selfish Machines (2009–2011)

During August 2009, Pierce the Veil announced that they were currently in studio recording new material for their next album. After a few months off the road and building anticipation for their sophomore release, the band moved to Los Angeles to record their album Selfish Machines with Producer Mike Green. Singer and lyricist Vic Fuentes stated, “The title refers to human nature and the animal-like qualities inside all of us that we try and hide, but should just learn to accept. We are all selfish machines and we all have natural tendencies to want, love, and take.” Selfish Machines was released on June 21, 2010 under Equal Vision Records and made it to No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart. In support of the release, the band played a number of festivals including Bamboozle Left, South by Southwest, Never Say Never Festival, and the Vans Warped Tour. The band also contributed a cover of Blue Öyster Cult’s classic song “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” to the Punk Goes Classic Rock compilation, released on April 27, 2010. They were a part of the Take Action Tour with Attack Attack! that went to New Zealand and Australia, and also played on the Versus Tour in Japan with Confide. They played the “This Is a Family Tour” with Emmure, In Fear and Faith, Of Mice & Men, and Attack Attack!, which lasted until late December 2010.

Pierce the Veil also played at the Fox Theater in Pomona as a surprise appearance as part of the Alternative Press Tour 2010 with bands such as August Burns Red, Bring Me the Horizon, Polar Bear Club, Emarosa, and This Is Hell. On November 1, 2010, the band announced that they will be kicking off 2011 touring with Silverstein, Miss May I, The Chariot, and A Bullet for Pretty Boy on the “Winterizer Tour”. Throughout March and April, “The Gamechanger’s Tour” with A Day to Remember, Bring Me the Horizon, and label mates We Came as Romans followed. They also co-headlined the second leg of Escape the Fate’s headlining tour “The Dead Masquerade”. After taking the summer off to spend some more time on writing new material, the band was supposed to head out on their first ever South American Tour supporting Sum 41 in September; however, due to illness of Sum 41’s frontman, the tour was cancelled. They finished up the year touring Europe with blessthefall and co-headlined the No Guts No Glory Tour with Miss May I afterwards. They once again contributed to an “Punk goes…” album, Punk Goes Pop 4, covering the song “Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars, which was released on November 21, 2011.

Fearless Records and Collide with the Sky (2011–present)

On August 23, 2011, Pierce the Veil signed with Fearless Records. On December 22, 2011, a video update revealed in that in early 2012, the band will be going into the studio to record their 3rd studio album. On December 26, 2011, Vic Fuentes announced on the band’s Facebook page that the band is finishing up writing the songs for their third album, which they began writing during the summer and while on tour with Miss May I, Woe Is Me, The Amity Affliction and letlive during November–December, and that now they’ll be picking a producer to work with them on the album in early 2012. On February 27, 2012, The band issued an update on their official Facebook page stating that they have chosen to work with producers Dan Korneff and Kato Khandwala at the House of Loud in New Jersey, on their upcoming third album. On April 20, 2012, it was announced that the new album would be titled Collide with the Sky and would be released through Fearless Records on July 17, 2012. On May 17, 2012, the album cover as well as the tracklist of the new album were revealed, together with the announcement of the band’s first ever UK headlining tour in September 2012. The first single from the new album, King for a Day, features Kellin Quinn of Sleeping With Sirens and was released on June 5, 2012, followed by the second single, Bulls in the Bronx, three weeks later on June 26, 2012.

In order to promote the album, the band appeared on the Vans Warped Tour from June, 16 to August 5, 2012, playing the event’s main stage for the first time. They were regularly joined on stage by Kellin Quinn to perform King for a Day together. After Warped, Pierce the Veil embarked on their first headlining tour in the UK, selling out almost all of the dates. Their following headlining tour in the US, The Collide With The Sky tour, saw a similar success. They ended the year appearing at #33 in Rock Sound magazine’s best albums of 2012 list as well as winning nine categories in the best of 2012 reader’s poll conducted by Alternative Press, including Best Live Band of the Year, Album of the Year and Artist of the Year. On January 9, 2013 Vic Fuentes released information that he had recently been in the studio writing new songs with Tom Denney.

On January 7, 2013, Pierce the Veil and pop-punk band All Time Low announced that they would be co-headlining the Spring Fever Tour that spring. Both bands toured across the United States, along with opening acts Mayday Parade and You Me At Six. The tour began on April 11, 2013 and ended on May 12, 2013. Toward the end of the tour, on May 7, 2013, the music video for Pierce the Veil’s song “Bulls in the Bronx” was released.