Has Black Veil Brides Unintentionally Given in to the Haters?

While scanning through a "like" page on Facebook that was affiliated with the modern day glam rockers known as Black Veil Brides, I was a little baffled. The picture included with this article is a recent picture taken from an unknown magazine source, and it shows a whole new look to the once make-up slathered men.

Jake Pitts (first from left), guitarist and composer, has given up his gravity defying hair for a more calm look and appears to have kissed his eyeliner and foundation goodbye. Jeremy "Jinxx" Ferguson (second from left), guitar and violin, has also given up his legendary stage make-up that once gave him the look of the joker or a morbid clown. Christian "CC" Coma (second from right), drummer, no longer sports his usual black lipstick and wild hair. Ashley Purdy (first from right), bassist, no longer wears lipstick or any make-up at all it seems and now rocks a soul patch of sorts.

Perhaps the most shocking transformation of all was lead singer Andy Biersack's (center). He once sported long hair, that at one point was longer than my own, and has since cut it all off (rumor has it he cut it for charity, so kudos for him!). He used to sport all sorts of theatrical stage make-up including lipstick, dramatic eye and face make-up, and his own personal designs. Over the last year or so, he's made his transformation and in no way was it over night, but if you compare him now to this time last year, he'd look like a completely different person.

They once rocked what they called "war paint" and it was their out cry and rebellion to what society expects them to be. They were the heathens of rock and roll. They were bringing back the look that 80's glam bands Motley Crue and KISS sported back in the day and mixing it together. And they got a lot of hate for that, tons upon tons of hate for it. They were told they were trying too hard, KISS rip offs, and many obscene words and names were slurred in their direction.

They've said themselves that they know it wasn't cool to like them because of their image, that they didn't want their fans to be ashamed of liking them because it wasn't easy being in Black Veil Brides, either. It actually disgusted me for a long while at all the hate they got for how they looked. It seems like society is so back and forth about how they feel - one minute they say 'be yourself, dress how you want' and the next these boys and their fans are torn down every day that they take a breath for being who they want to be.

Before, Black Veil Brides stood tall and proud to be "freaks" and "outcasts" and seemed to keep smearing make-up on just to get people going. But now they've completely changed. Other factors, such as growing up and evolving, could have to do with it, but my heart tells me that they finally have buckled under the weight of society's hate and conformed. It truly is a sad day when your former heroes, who always swore they'd never change just to please someone else, seem to have done just that.

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