Emo Never Dies: Fall Out Boy and Pierce the Veil Return

Drawing by Greta Hahn

Grab your eyeliner, everyone. Emo is back like it never left. On Jan. 13, Pierce the Veil released their newest, ten-minute EP “Even When I’m Not With You.” The release features three songs: “Even When I’m Not With You,” “Emergency Contact” and “Pass the Nirvana.” After the enticing new project was teased on social media a couple of times by the band, fans were ecstatic to finally have some new music to fall in love with from one of the classic staples of alternative/emo music. 

Pierce the Veil has been providing heartfelt rock music since 2007, and continues to release music every few years, with roughly five million listeners on Spotify eagerly awaiting each release. Standing out as one of the staples of emo music, many fans are dedicated to the nostalgia they bring, and are never leaving these bands behind. 

 Out of the three new songs on the project, “Emergency Contact” rings most true to their original sound, while the other two songs bring a newer vibe to the scene. A couple of weeks later, on Feb. 10, Pierce the Veil released “The Jaws of Life,” a 41 minute-long album featuring 12 songs, including the previous three. The album as a whole sounds very nostalgic for lifelong fans who tend to stick to the older music, as it has an extremely similar sound to their older tunes. One thing is for sure: any fan, whether new or old, will certainly enjoy this wonderful evolution of emo. The album definitely does Pierce the Veil justice, and teases the idea of a possible tour in the future. 

  On Jan. 25, Fall Out Boy released their own 12 minute, three-song EP. The single, as well as its first song, are titled “Heartbreak Feels So Good.” The release also features an extended and edited version of a new song called “Love From the Other Side.” Each song is quite reminiscent of their previous, more familiar tunes, with a modern twist regarding the speeds and sound of the songs as well. The rest of their eagerly awaited new album, titled “So Much (for) Stardust,” is scheduled to come to streaming platforms on March 24. “I wanted to make a record that I cared about, and that I am proud of,” singer Patrick Stump said to NME. “It’s not about having anything to prove. It’s a trust fall; letting whatever we do, happen.”

Fans are surely on the edge of their seats for all of these nostalgic classics that are coming back this year. The development of new-wave emo and alternative music has become very prominent recently, as more and more nostalgic 2000-2010s bands come out with new music. This could perhaps have something to do with other previously loved trends coming back in style. Some music is timeless, and having newer, more evolved sounds of a previously loved tune can be very exciting and comforting. As time goes on and the music scenes evolve to different sounds and styles, it’s nice to have new music from your old favorite bands that have the ability to make you feel young again.