Pierce The Veil

San Diego-based melodic emo-metal quartet Pierce the Veil was launched as Early Times by brothers Mike and Vic Fuentes amid the SoCal post-hardcore scene in 1998. Local buzz generated by a pair of self-released albums and live gigs landed the band a contract with Equal Vision Records; a copyright tangle forced them to change their name to Before Today before releasing their debut, A Celebration of an Ending. Following the release, the band broke up and the Fuentes brothers renamed themselves yet again. As Pierce the Veil, they have released two albums, A Flair for the Dramatic in 2007 and Selfish Machines in 2010. In addition, the band has toured extensively, including several appearances on the Vans Warped Tour and Bamboozle. Despite endlessly melodic vocals and only the barest hints of hardcore screeching, a propensity for ribboning guitar and an overall sonic toughness keep the band in touch with its crust-punk roots, as accessible to the mainstream as they may be.