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
'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.
still work just fine in dark clubs, but with bold personal moments and grand soundscapes,
works even better at home when given full attention. ~ David Jeffries