VNV Nation Albums (9)
'Of Faith, Power and Glory'
Release Date 6/23/2009
Tracks 10
Label Anachron
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What The Critics Say
Some bands make their mark from the get-go and never quite seem to escape that first burst of creativity, while others build on what they started with to reach newer heights over time. Over the course of many years and albums, Ronan Harris and Mark Jackson have proven themselves to be a stellar example of the latter, with the work of VNV Nation turning from a series of sometimes overly stern homages to pioneers of electronic body music to an increasingly warm and romantic approach combined with an equal love of rabble-rousing punk shoutalongs and stadium-scaled rave celebrations. Of Faith, Power and Glory continues a run of albums in this vein since Futureperfect and is arguably the pinnacle of the approach, a refinement of the pattern established by that album and almost a sequel to 2007's Judgement, down to the monument-in-a-dark-landscape cover art. As with that release, for example, here there's a stirring instrumental opener ("Pro Victoria," perhaps as close to an In the Nursery-style song the group has yet recorded), a piano-led ballad towards the end ("From My Hands"), a lengthy near-instrumental with occasional interjections from Harris ("Art of Conflict"), and a downbeat, defiantly moody song after an initial series of instant anthems ("Ghost"). But far from being a simple rehash, Of Faith, Power and Glory is actually the more cohesive album, longer than Judgement but feeling more of a compact piece, surging from strength to strength almost effortlessly. The album's second song but first full-on dancefloor pounder, "Sentinel," showcases the band's gifts nicely -- Harris' tense, rough-edged quaver and vocals grappling with big issues lyrically, a chorus you can almost sing along with before even hearing it in full for the first time, and a recombination of electronic elements from many different eras of popular music. But "Tomorrow Never Comes," with a shuddering introductory riff that melds into a heavenly blend of swooping string synths and calm piano, and especially "The Great Divide," featuring a chorus that turns an already striking song (almost like Neu! gone synth pop) -- take things even higher; if anything captures what Harris had once described years earlier as 'future pop,' this might well be it. Other immediately catchy winners fill out the rest of the album without a flaw -- the upbeat celebratory groove of "In Defiance," the slow build and release of "Verum Aeternus," with some of Harris' loveliest singing in the second half after an extended break, and the concluding punch of "Where There Is Light," a note-perfect conclusion for a band so dedicated to energetic reinvigoration and going out to face the world with hope. In a world where bands like the Hold Steady and the Gaslight Anthem get praise for similar sentiments delivered via rock & roll, there seems to be no reason why VNV Nation shouldn't get some credit of their own. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide
'Reformation 01'
Release Date 4/24/2009
Tracks 33
Label Anachron Sounds
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What The Critics Say
Compiled and released as a bit of a teaser running up to the release of Of Faith, Power and Glory, Reformation 01 is actually a summary of the band's work that functions as a sequel of sorts to the group's previous live/DVD release Pastperfect, drawing on the tours for Matter + Form and Judgement while also featuring a slew of remixes and rare tracks mostly associated with the latter album. Packaged in a sharp container with the band's coat of arms logo from the Judgement tour embossed on the front, two of the three discs in the package cover the band's live work via CD and DVD, though in a nice touch neither disc duplicates the other in terms of exact performances. Arguably, seeing the band's energetic, almost hyperactive performances makes more of an impact than just listening to them, with Ronan Harris running back and forth across the stage in between good-natured exhortations to get the often huge crowds going while Mark Jackson attacks his drum kit with precision. Either way, it's a good testament to the band's ability to connect with its fans, as well as Harris' skill as a raconteur in more than one language. The collection of studio tracks, though, proves to be the real ace in the hole for obsessives. A number of remixes take a bow, including a sharp take on "Carry You" that actually beats out the original, and a version of "Chrome" done by longtime VNV associate and labelmate Apoptygma Berzerk, but the real nuggets might be three wholly unreleased songs recorded at various sessions from 2002 to 2004. All are treats but "Still Waters" proves the winner, an at-once typical but powerful VNV Nation song musing about individual identity and humanity welded to a surging arrangement and a final memorable chorus and conclusion. The accompanying booklet includes a slew of live shots, as well as song and album memories from Harris in his now familiar detailed and wryly witty fashion, as well as a joint message from Harris and Jackson that sums up the band's defiantly unironic goals and good wishes as best as one could want. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The serene opening instrumental simply titled "Prelude" may not give any clue that thudding drum machines will dominate soon. Instead, it paints a perfect, widescreen picture of how huge and ambitious VNV Nation's seventh effort Judgement is, while also warning that this album is not afraid to be soft. Fans of the gritty and gutsy early days may think this another sub-Depeche Mode effort, and there is no hint VNV has any desire to chase them. Adjust your expectations accordingly and the up-tempo numbers -- most stretching past the five-minute mark -- do not disappoint. Strong tracks like "Testament" and "Descent" flex their muscles with ominous power and melodies that are instant and probably a bit too friendly for the Ministry set or anyone looking for the industrial blasts found on VNV's debut, Empires. Of course, heartfelt tracks like the lazy and drifty "Illusion" would be impossible on their early albums. Here, they're the ones that make the whole package so well rounded when dropped between the band's tried and true darkwave club music. The lyrics are free of metaphor for the most part and uncomplicated, maybe to a fault. Still, they get their distraught and disappointed message across and sit on intricate, layered arrangements of synths, sequencers, and drum machines. VNV still work just fine in dark clubs, but with bold personal moments and grand soundscapes, Judgement works even better at home when given full attention. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
VNV Nation has been essentially a vehicle for the songwriting of Ronan Harris since its inception in 1990; as of 2005, the group seems to be presenting itself as a duo -- the unidentified second person in the insert photo is probably producer Humate, who lends a special elegance to most of the tracks on this fine album. Elegance? Believe it or not, yes -- though Harris works well within the general stylistic boundaries of chilly EBM, his sound is unusually warm and at times downright pretty. "Arena" is one of the hookiest and most nakedly emotional songs ever to be released on the Metropolis label, while "Colours of Rain" is, as its title suggests, a gentle and impressionistic instrumental piece of subtle beauty. (Another instrumental piece, "Interceptor" is a bit less gentle and a bit less interesting, but still well worth a listen.) "Entropy" is unfortunately aptly titled and "Endless Skies" never really gets off the ground, and throughout the album the lyrics are generally of the type that sound good to people who think they understand English idioms better than they actually do ("Throw away the mantle/Awake from your uncertain hesitation," etc.), but Harris deserves credit for bringing a rare level of subtlety and human warmth to a genre whose artists all too often fall back on easy clichés and facile, manufactured outrage. Recommended. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Much like labelmate and fellow EBM luminary Apoptygma Berzerk, VNV Nation has gradually shed its gloomy industrial dance sounds for pulses of lush synth that frequently border on trance. There are some instrumental tracks on Futureperfect, but vocals are still a key component for the duo. Ronan Harris sings faithfully about the human spirit on such dynamic cuts as "Genesis" and "Epicentre." There are some surprisingly slow moments on the band's fourth album that will have dance aficionados wondering where the sure-fire beats have gone. "Holding On" is nearly a ballad and may take some getting used to for longtime fans. On the other end of the spectrum, "Structure" retains glimpses of industrial with several bursts of machinery noise. Though Futureperfect doesn't hit you with the same urgency possessed by Praise the Fallen or Empires, VNV Nation remains on the cutting edge of modern dance music. ~ Kenyon Hopkin, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
If you only hear the instrumental techno-blast of "Saviour" from Empires, it would be easy to dismiss this London duo as a faceless electronic act. But nothing could be further from the truth at VNV Nation's performances, exemplified on their third full-length. Not only have they put together a solid album from beginning to end, they've mastered a gloomy and intense approach to contemporary dance music with melodies that are able to extend songs to five or six minutes without getting dull. Judging by its motto that "one should strive to achieve, not sit in bitter regret," it's clear that VNV Nation practices what it preaches. The lyrics are ripe with despair and end of the world scenarios, but that's what makes Empires so powerful. ~ Kenyon Hopkin, All Music Guide
'Praise the Fallen'
Release Date 3/16/1999
Tracks 12
Label TVT Records
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What The Critics Say
The rockin' starts out gloomy and gets even gloomier on VNV Nation's Praise the Fallen. The war-torn wasteland imagery in the ponderous opening track, "Chosen," pretty much sets you up for the rest of this disc. Even a song called "Joy" features lyrics like "Have I no control? Is my soul not mine?" ~ Tim Sheridan, All Music Guide
