V:28

Formed back in 2002, self-proclaimed industrial death metallers V:28 from Norway signed to Vendlus Records a year later. 'VioLution' is their third release for the label (following 2003's 'NonAnthropogenic' and 2005's 'SoulSaviour') which concludes a conceptual trilogy about "the end of humanity and the deconstruction of planet Earth". The industrial atmospherics and menacing ambience of opening track 'Exequor' work as an effective build up to the frantic blast beats and death metal essence of 'Shut It Down' (for which a DVD quality video is also included on this release). Describing the music of V:28 as merely industrial death metal is an injustice to the disparate styles audible in each of the nine compositions on offer. Early on the death metal opening of 'Shut It Down' gives way to a lengthy passage of mid-tempo, then down-tempo doom underlayed with grandiosely resonant keyboards before some efficacious thrash riffing leads into a quasi-black metal outro. 'VioLution' is full of provocative soundscapes that stir the imagination during the listening experience, invoking images of a desolate terrain in a post-apocalyptic world, never more emphatic than at the end of tracks 'Surrender To Oblivion' and 'When Entropy Decreases' with their darkly ambient outros. Eddie Risdal's death growls and screams are also effective in conveying the album's theme of foreboding despair. It is refreshing listening to an album where not only the lyrics, but also the music, reflects the conceptual themes, as many other so called 'concept albums' out there are announced as such but lack compositional relevance to the actual concept. 'VioLution' also boasts an impressive list of guest appearances - MZ.412, Kristoffer Garm Rygg (Ulver), Ghost (G.G.F.H.), Peter Nyström and Mike VanPortfleet of Lycia, and a compelling listen from start to finish, I cannot recommend this album enough. 'VioLution' is probably the best concept album I've heard since Snapcase's 'End Transmission'. Stunning. A masterpiece.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Vendlus Records

Album

VIOLUTION

Review by Mark Holmes

RUNNING TIME:

47:26

RELEASE DATE:

28th Sept 2007

TRACK LISTING

1) Exequor
2) Shut It Down
3) The Absolute
4) Pattern of the Weak
5) Surrender To Oblivion
6) World Wide Bombing Day
7) Desert Generator
8) Can You See The Light Now?
9) When Entropy Decreases

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

Norway

" 'VioLution' is full of provocative soundscapes that stir the imagination during the listening experience, invoking images of a desolate terrain in a post-apocalyptic world..."