Anticipation of Judgement
9 April 2007
iTunes is downloading, as I write, the latest album from VNV Nation. This is an event on the order of importance of a new album by Sting, another artist who I follow closely. If you’re not familiar with VNV Nation—and you’re most likely not—you should immediately buy a copy of Matter + Form or Empires, two of the best albums I’ve heard in a very long time. If you’re on iTunes and just want a taste, the song that really exemplifies VNV Nation is Arena off Matter + Form. How Ronan Harris, the two-person band’s frontman, can craft a song so meaningful and excellently listenable I just don’t understand… but I don’t have to. It just is.
Judgement is the duo’s first release in two years, and the first release since I’ve known about them, so I’m quite excited to listen to it. I’ve been waiting four months now for it to come out. If you like Arena let me know and I’ll be glad to create a playlist for you of their best tracks… just be aware that it’ll be a long playlist.
Speaking of playlists, here’s the tracklist from Judgement:
- Prelude
- The Farthest Star
- Testament
- Descent
- Momentum
- Nemesis
- Secluded Spaces
- Illusion
- Carry You
- As It Fades
UPDATE: I’ve listened the album twice through now and my initial response is hot and cold. Absolutely beautiful tracks: Prelude (all synth, non-vocal mood-setting track), The Farthest Star (an uptempo anthem reminiscent of Arena), Secluded Spaces (another slow piece that inspires by its vastness; its vocals begin halfway through, but are so mellow as to be almost unintelligible), and Illusion (a soulful, lyricly mature track with just enough edge to remind you it’s VNV Nation). Less-than-wonderful tracks: there’s only one song I doubt I’ll listen to often: Testament (a nearly spoken-word song about devils and angels). Some of the others, such as Nemesis and Momentum, seem upon first listening less melodic than the rest and therefor not really my style. Repeated listenings may change my mind, however.
One of the coolest things about the band is their name: Victory Not Vengence. Succinct and it speaks volumes.
