Review - Rock: Black Veil Brides, Olympia, Dublin 

Review - Rock: Black Veil Brides, Olympia, Dublin

Black Veil Brides. Pic: Frazer Harrison, Getty Images.

How do you like your Apocalypse? Loud and angry? Bombastic and shriek-infused? Slow and droning (with sampled Beethoven on top, like an extra helping of streaky bacon)?

You were spoiled for options watching Black Veil Brides. This hard-charging crew, done up like a fancy-dress idea of a black metal band, conjured the end of the world in a variety of flavours. Furious, celebratory, sulky - all had a place in a repertoire that felt torn between the urge to scare the bejyasus out of fans and give them the night of their lives.

It was thrilling but, to the newcomer, slightly confusing. For men dressed like sad Klingons bawling their lungs out, Black Veil Brides are curiously difficult to pin down. Starting out in the early 2000s, they sought to update the ridiculous hair-metal of the mid-Eighties, citing Poison and Motley Crue as influences.

However, the poodle-perm shtick was merely the opening chapter in their adventures, not a destination in itself. Over the past decade or so they have flitted gleefully through identities, a chunk of which were available for sampling at this close-to-sold-out performance. Cheered by T-shirt-clad true believers, the group cycled through the scene\'s many murky sub-genres. So many, in fact, that, if you weren\'t expecting it, the constant flitting could feel disorientating.

In places, it was as if you were witnessing a proto-Metallica, with big, beefy riffs and choruses you could almost sing along to. At other interludes, band and audience drank deep of the Stygian murk, tracks unfolding in a miasma of sludgy riffs and drums that heaved and groaned like trees about to fall in a forest.

Amid the tumult there was a moment of genuine humanity when frontman Andy Biersack delivered a moving speech protesting at self -harm and the vogue, among a minority of the fanbase, for bringing razor blades to the group\'s shows. His concern, his horror, splashed over you like cold water. "A bigger move," he said, "is not to bring us a razor blades but your smiling face, to show us how happy you are."

Admittedly, you really had to be a true believer to get the most from the performance. Sad to say, for the BVB virgin, swathes of the night will have sounded like a mildly troubling din.

Still, Black Veil Brides went about their job with dignity and no little humour and it was tremendous fun watching them wrestle with an identity crisis they seem in little danger of solving.

Comments that are judged to be defamatory, abusive or in bad taste are not acceptable and contributors who consistently fall below certain criteria will be permanently blacklisted. Comments must be concise and to the point. The moderator will not enter into debate with individual contributors and the moderator’s decision is final. The comment facility is removed after 48 hours.

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Livefyre.

In House: This week\'s must-have entertainment hotlist 

Richie McCormack Ben Howard: I Forgot Where We Were

Review - Pop Rock: George Ezra, The Academy, Dublin 

Eamon Sweeney There is a theory attributed to Chuck Berry that if you want to have a hit in a particular country, state or city, the easiest thing to do is to name a song after the place.

Ed Power What a bundle of contradictions Jake Bugg has turned out to be. He has prominent cheek-bones and a pout that wouldn\'t look out of place on a One Direction Christmas calendar - from his breakthrough two years ago it was clear the Nottingham teen was groomed for stardom.

Hozier album review: \'There\'s ample evidence that much of the hype is justified\'  Music Reviews

Review - Rock: Black Veil Brides, Olympia, Dublin  Music Reviews

Review - Pop Rock: George Ezra, The Academy, Dublin  Music Reviews

The Shangri La Lad - Jake Bugg at The Olympia Theatre  Music Reviews

Rice invades Holland: Damien Rice stages comeback after 8 years with new songs...  Music Reviews

Sick elderly man makes \'complete turnaround\' after emotional reunion with dog  Americas

\'Why is the world allowing a holocaust to happen again?\' Brave North Korean...  One Young World

I am who I am, says gay priest in property row with his former lover  News

The courage of Mairia shines a light on dark secrets of IRA\'s troubling past  Comment

Abuse survivor is \'disgusted\' by Mary Lou\'s comments

I am who I am, says gay priest in property row with his former lover

Means tests ruled out for child benefit – Burton

\'Why is the world allowing a holocaust to happen again?\' Brave North Korean shares harrowing story of escape

The Movie Show: \'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles\' Vs \'The Judge\' - Paul Whitington has the lowdown

The BIG interview: Pharrell talks Happy, hats, Robin Thicke, and gives Lindsay Lohan some...

The Apprentice 2014 - \'the Dubliners came over as relatively normal, in contrast with their...

VIDEO: Is Garth Brooks planning Irish tour dates for next year?

Rumour is rife that Brooks may come to Ireland next year.

Video: Assassin’s Creed Unity Cast of Characters Trailer

The latest Assassin\'s Creed Unity trailer introduces us to the actors behind the characters and...

Video: The Legend of Korra - Behind the Scenes with Titmouse

Behind the scenes with Titmouse, the animators responsible for...

VIDEO: Brad Pitt on Fury cast: \'Military training made us closer\'

Brad Pitt and Shia LaBeouf talk about their new movie Fury at...

What MMO would be complete without an element of RPG customisation? The Crew...

VIDEO: Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons on how they deal with anger

We chatted to the stars of Whiplash, Miles Teller and J.K.

VIDEO: John Cleese\'s top anecdotes from memoir So, Anyway

VIDEO: Rugby star Donncha ready to tackle kids\' show \'What\'s your Game?\'

Rugby star Donncha O\'Callaghan at the launch of RTE Junior show...

Video: Assassin’s Creed Rogue - Story Trailer

Ever wonder why an assassin would betray the creed and join the ancient enemy? The latest...

VIDEO: Jamie Dornan And Dakota Johnson hit the streets for a Fifty Shades Of Grey...

Canadian fans of Fifty Shades of Grey were in for a treat as the...

VIDEO: Shia LaBeouf Has An Important Message On His Butt

Bad boy actor Shia LaBeouf rocked up to his Jimmy Kimmel appearance wearing a rather...

VIDEO - Terri Hooley The Godfather of Northern Irish Punk on opening record...

Terri Hooley The Godfather of Northern Irish Punk talks about...

VIDEO: X Factor\'s Jake Quickenden and Jay James at Attitide Awards

We caught up with X Factor hunks Jake Quickenden and Jay James...

VIDEO: The Vamps on forming supergroup with One Direction

We caught up with The Vamps at the Attitude Awards in London. Oh boy, they are gorgeous!

VIDEO: Wild premiere: Reese Witherspoon on wildest thing she\'s done

We caught up with Reese Witherspoon at the premiere of...

VIDEO: Ella Henderson celebrates number 1 album and talks music

At the Attitude Awards, Ella Henderson talks about how it...

Zoe Saldana: Book of Life helps remember lost loved ones

The Star Trek actress plays Maria in Guillermo Del Toro\'s...

VIDEO: Calling all Panto fans! Open auditions to be held in Dublin

Open auditions will be held later this month for actings parts in...

VIDEO: Khloé Kardashian, Paris Hilton and Lionel Richie Catch the...

Khloé Kardashian, Paris Hilton and Lionel Richie all...

VIDEO: Zoë Saldana is Going to Be One Yummy Mummy

Caption: Zoë Saldana will shortly give birth to twins but...

Top 10 sexist ads - prepare to feel your blood boil...

Love/Hate: All the action from explosive first episode of season 5 in pictures

In Pics: EGX, UK\'s biggest videogames show

EGX is the UK\'s biggest videogames show, held over four days at London\'s Earls Court Exhibition...

Spot a celebrity, or yourself, at Stradbally, Co Laois, at this year\'s Electric Picnic

Lost teddy treated like royalty at Roscommon hotel

Lost monkey Oscar is being "well looked after" by staff at the Kilroan Hotel in...

Rose of Tralee photo shoots over the years