Release Date: April 12, 2005
By Ilker Yucel
Assistant Editor

VNV Nation
Matter + Form
Release Date: April 12, 2005

THE PAST

In 1995, EBM was in a bit of disarray. D.A.F. had not performed in almost 10 years. Front 242 had abandoned their sound for something more layered and guitar-oriented, something much closer to their industrial imitators; a move which ultimately led to the band members pursuing side projects. Nitzer Ebb had released their final album. The old school EBM was over, allowing not only mainstream industrial to take over, but also paving the way for techno, rave, and eventually hip-hop to take over the clubs. Out of this came a new breed of EBM and electro bands to pick up the torch and dominate the dance floors. One of these bands, now a legend in their own time, is VNV Nation. Fronted by Ronan Harris, and backed up by percussionist Mark Jackson (who would join later), VNV released Advance and Follow in 1995. It was an album marred by poor production, a next-to-nothing budget, and almost no promotion. Nonetheless, the music of VNV Nation was making its way into many DJ's setlists. Characterized by abrasive beats, cold electronics, and anthemic lyrics that dealt with anything from serial killers to military intervention, VNV Nation struck accord with much of the industrial dance crowd looking for a new leader in the battle against the status quo.

1997's Praise the Fallen solidified VNV's sound up to that point, improving aspects of production and delivering a much more cohesive and slightly more militaristic message. With songs like “Honour” and “Joy,” the band came across as something of a marching band for electronic/industrial soldiers off to war. However, it was also with Praise the Fallen that the band started to showcase a broader emotional range; songs like “Forsaken” and especially “Solitary” showed the band's leaning toward building a better future and finding strength and hope where there seems to be none. In 2000, they released Empires , an album that became the standard for most of the upcoming electro crowd, and also introduced the world to a new genre: futurepop . Equal parts EBM and synthpop, VNV's music became more and more melodic and more structured, almost abandoning the original industrial elements (save for the hard electronic beats and the use of samples, though they have been downsized with each successive album). Other bands started to get caught in their wake, following and even imitating their sound. Among them, Covenant, Apoptygma Berzerk, and Assemblage 23; all bands with their own level of notoriety, became the forerunners of the futurepop sound. The re-release of Advance and Follow in 2000 was a pleasant reminder to older fans, and an introduction to newer fans, where VNV Nation started. With updated production and some re-recording, the 2000 rerelease unveiled some of that album's hidden magic. It also served as a sign to VNV's latest mode of thinking: looking to the past to create the future.

2002's Futureperfect showed the band blending the best of both the past and the present. With artwork and lyrical themes that recalled the heyday of the 1940's (look to Fritz Lang's film Metropolis as well as the German Bauhaus art movement), Futureperfect was performed and produced entirely on software, belying the band's previous usage of vintage synthesizers. Songs like “Epicentre” and “Fearless” bore resemblance to the past sound of VNV, while instrumentals like “Structure” and “Electronaut” indicated the band was ready to move in a new musical direction. At the time of its release, Futureperfect boasted to be a major event in the world of EBM. In hindsight, some of its elements simply did not work as well. “Holding On” was their attempt at a piano ballad, hindered by Ronan's inability to emote appropriately; this proved to be a major dilemma with the whole album, as Ronan's voice simply didn't seem fit to deliver this type of emotion. This seemed on par with much of the criticism that surrounded VNV from their detractors who often claimed the vocals to be too monotone and lacking in variety. The album also featured a much softer side to VNV Nation, with songs like “Beloved” and “Airships,” which led to disapproval from fans who favored the band's harder EBM sound of old. The much-delayed release of their DVD Pastperfect was met with much praise and anticipation. Wrought with footage from the Futureperfect tour, as well as backstage antics, and the pleasures and pains of being on tour, the contents of the DVD were extensive and well worth the wait.

Now that we've had a taste of history, its time for the future, with the impending release of VNV Nation's new album Matter and Form , due on April 12 th , 2005 on Metropolis Records. This album marks the ten-year anniversary of VNV Nation; as such, Ronan Harris and Mark Jackson are returning to the basic foundation of the band and starting from scratch. Elements of the band's music until now are always present, but coupled with a new focus and a new willingness to expand their horizons. On the band's Web site some months into 2004, Ronan had posted that the software-only approach of Futureperfect was being done away with, favoring a return to the analog beauty that made the sound of past VNV albums so rich and textured. Also, for the first time in the band's decade-long history, they are employing the skills of an outside producer, in this case the world-renowned German producer Humate. The band embarked on a tour at the tail end of 2004 to introduce fans to some of the new material, while also placing snippets of the album on MySpace.com, as well as releasing the Internet-only single “Chrome” in March, 2005, showing the band's readiness to stay up to date with the technology of the times. More than anything Matter + Form reflects the band revamping their sound, doing away with any preconceptions their fans may or may not have about what they should sound like.

THE FUTURE

ReGen has the privilege of being one of fifteen publications to receive snippets of the new album prior to its release. Here, we offer a sampler, a preview of what listeners can expect from Matter + Form . Every VNV Nation album has begun with either an instrumental or a spoken-word piece. Matter + Form is no different, beginning with the ambient and even mystifying track, simply titled “Intro.” Immediately, listeners can expect that the band is treading on new ground; bearing little resemblance to any form of melody, and only possessing the sparsest of beats, this introduction can best be described as an electronic György Ligeti (a la his instrumental passages in 2001: A Space Odyssey ). “Chrome” kicks off in fine VNV form with a pumping rhythm, straightforward beats, and some punchy electronics that show the band's newfound experimentation in sound; there are some guitar-esque tones at play in this track, already something new for VNV Nation. Detractors of Ronan's past singing style will be put off by his new style that emphasizes not only a wider breadth of melody, but even incorporating a backup harmony vocal, something that had been lacking in their music before. The lyrics are as aggressive and the chorus as catchy as always; it's no wonder this song was chosen as the kickoff single. “Arena” will come as a shock to many, not just because of its almost happy-go-lucky chord progression which mirrors the happier modes of synthpop, but also because of the drum sound. They almost sound acoustic as opposed to the barrage of electronic pounding we've come to know and love. This offers a welcome change of pace; the song is still catchy, but very uncharacteristic of VNV Nation, which may take some getting used to. However, the electronics are still in full swing and it is a pleaser for the dancefloor. “Colours of Rain” is a subdued piano and symphonic piece that echoes a Chopin Nocturne. Also, unlike previous VNV instrumentals, there is a surprisingly warm, almost natural sound to this track, completely belying the band's reputation for strictly electronic instrumentation. The next two tracks, “Strata” and “Interceptor,” are a pair of hard trance instrumentals that will probably remind most of older VNV, though they are far less repetitious than most music in the genre. The levels of synthesizer tweaking from the snippets alone are astounding. The bass lines are infectious, and the beat is unrelenting. “Entropy” begins quietly, sounding vaguely similar to Futureperfect 's “Carbon.” This changes immediately as a distorted synth line segues us into a hard EBM track that will keep people moving their feet. Ronan's aggressive tone sounds clearer than ever on this track, making the song sure to be a staple in future live performances. For those who could not stand Ronan's vocals on “Holding On,” you will find much solace in “Endless Skies,” a sweet ballad that probably is the closest VNV Nation will ever come to a love song. Ronan has a much better grasp of his voice on this song, conveying the emotional content with greater clarity. The melody on this track, while simple, can bring tears to the eyes. The pace picks up again with “Homeward,” a pulsing EBM track with those familiar synth melodies and an arpeggio bass line that are irresistible to dance to. Ronan's new command of melody is shown again with the heartbreaking chorus. While not as forceful as “Entropy” or “Chrome,” the song is one of the catchiest and most danceable tracks. “Lightwave” presents us with another hard trance track, but again with enough analog synthesizer tweaks to keep it from descending into repetition and boredom. Closing the album is “Perpetual.” With a drum sound like the one heard on “Arena,” and the simple chord progression, this is VNV's attempt at a rock song; without guitars of course. Seriously, it is danceable, but unlike much of VNV's music, there is a distinct sense that it could easily be performed on guitars.

All in all, Matter + Form succeeds in many regards. It picks up on practically all of the shortcomings of Futureperfect and refines them into something that outshines their previous efforts. It shows the band returning to the basics of experimentation and almost ignores all points of reference. This is not VNV Nation as we've ever heard them before, and in this reviewer's ears, the change is most welcome and the result is nothing short of astounding. The formulas of past VNV are gone, making room for the band to explore new formulas and completely redefine themselves and the genre they helped to bring to the forefront. Therein lies the dilemma. The change in sound and style will no doubt upset longtime fans who have certain expectations of what VNV Nation are supposed to sound like. Others may be turned off by the high number of instrumental tracks, when Ronan's lyrics have become such a vital component to VNV's success. However, as testament to the band's return to their roots, one must remember that both Advance and Follow and Praise the Fallen contained more instrumentals than vocal tracks as well. There is a degree to which Matter + Form could even break into the mainstream; with songs like “Arena” and “Perpetual” taking a turn toward a still-electronic, but more rock-oriented style, there is definite potential for music listeners outside the genre to pick up on VNV Nation. These songs could be played on the radio, whereas before it seemed that VNV were exclusive to the clubs. Make no mistake, this is no sell-out effort; Matter + Form breaks down any boundaries the band and/or their fanbase may have placed upon itself. Futurepop was meant to be an amalgamation of differing styles of electro ranging from EBM to trance to synthpop, and as the originators of the term, VNV Nation stay true to this fusion of genres. As Ronan himself said in interviews on the Pastperfect DVD, like it or not, the sound of Empires and Futureperfect is over. Instead of lying in bitter defeat at the downfall of the genre they helped create, the band paves its way forward, staying true to their philosophy and their namesake, “Victory Not Vengeance.” With Matter + Form , listeners can expect a musical revelation; it is perhaps VNV Nation's most diverse album, and yet their most focused. On April 12, 2005 , the electro genre will receive a major wakeup call from VNV Nation's Matter + Form .

Track List:
01. Intro
02. Chrome
03. Arena
04. Colours of Rain
05. Strata
06. Interceptor
07. Entropy
08. Endless Skies
09. Homeward
10. Lightwave
11. Perpetual