North American gothic metal fans were met with cause for elation last week, when genre-leading outfits Black Veil Brides & VV (Ville Valo) announced an epic co-headlining tour for autumn of this year. The announcement has proven to be an omen of what is still to come, as today, Black Veil Brides have released their cover of the Sisters Of Mercy classic, “Temple Of Love” featuring VV.

Leading with foreboding organs that quickly kick into a dark double time pace, the track tells tales of the perils of love in gothic storms, and bades the listener beware the wrought elegance it weaves. With an ominous tone, “Temple Of Love” is the solemn backdrop to which these love metal paragons begin their union and sets the unholy couple off on their upcoming concert tour.

Committed to uncompromising expression, with a foundation in hard rock tradition and rule-breaking iconoclasm, Black Veil Brides is a transcendent celebration of life-affirming power and anthemic catharsis. A gothic vision first summoned in a small town by an isolated kid fascinated with death, rock, theatricality, and monsters (both real and imagined), Black Veil Brides is now a postmodern heavy metal institution with a legion of like-minded fans and supporters worldwide.

"I first discovered Sisters Of Mercy in my freshman year of high school, I had a poster of AFI from the 'Art of Drowning' era and Davey was wearing a SOM shirt and so as was often the case back then I went on the hunt to find the music that had inspired my favorite musicians. The very first song I heard by SOM was the ‘92 version of ‘Temple Of Love’ and I became obsessed with their entire catalog. We’ve talked about doing a BVB version of this song for years and when given the opportunity to collaborate with fellow SOM fan and goth rock icon VV, it seems liked the perfect situation. We are thrilled with how it turned out and hope that anyone who’s familiar with the track enjoys our spin on it and those who have never heard the original enjoy it and maybe this will lead them down the path to the greatness that is SOM like that poster of AFI did for me when I was a kid." - Andy Biersack 

A darkly romantic icon himself, VV (Ville Valo), frontman for Love Metal pioneers HIM, casts a long and pervasive shadow that is still delightedly out of step with the status quo. VV’s recently released debut solo album, Neon Noir belongs to the same forlorn world of woe and whimsy once conceived and governed by Valo in HIM, but with the nuanced notes of a finely aged Cabernet.

This fall, the classic season for dark and romantic music, Black Veil Brides and Vv (Ville Valo) will co-headline a massive tour in select cities across North America. Presented by Hot Topic, the BVB & VV 2023 Tour (featuring special guests Dark Divine) combines three unique bands who champion the heavy-hearted, hopeless, and broken with mixtures of high intensity and melody. Produced by Live Nation, tickets to the tour are available now.

Tour dates:

September
10 - Louisville, KY - Paristown Hall
11 - Birmingham, AL - Avondale Brewing Company
12 - St. Petersburg, FL - Jannus Live
14 - Myrtle Beach, SC - House of Blues
15 - Baltimore, MD - Rams Head Live!*
16 - Niagara Falls, NY - The Rapids Theater*
17 - Toronto, ON - History
19 - Montreal, QC - MTelus
20 - Hampton Beach, NH - Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom
22 - Wallingford, CT - Dome at Toyota Oakdale Theater
23 - Bethlehem, PA - Wind Creek Event Center
24 - Montclair, NJ - The Wellmont Theater
25 - Huntington, NY - The Paramount
27 - Grand Rapids, MI - GLC Live at 20 Monroe
28 - Gary, IN - Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana*
29 - Columbus, OH - KEMBA Live!*
30 - Indianapolis, IN - Egyptian Room at Old National Centre

October
1 - Chesterfield, MO - The Factory
3 - Austin, TX - ACL Live
5 - Tulsa, OK - Tulsa Theater*
6 - Omaha, NE - Steelhouse Omaha
7 - Madison, WI - The Sylvee
9 - Winnipeg, MB - Burton Cummings Theatre
11 - Edmonton, AB - Edmonton Convention Centre
12 - Calgary, AB - Grey Eagle Event Centre
14 - Vancouver, BC - Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
15 - Spokane, WA - The Podium
16 - Seattle, WA - Paramount Theatre
18 - Garden City, ID - Revolution Concert House
19 - Wheatland, CA - Hard Rock Live
20 - Riverside, CA - Riverside Municipal Auditorium

* Not A Live Nation Date