VNV Nation: Judgement (Metropolis)
release: April 10, 2007
style: EBM, dark dance, trance, post-industrial, future pop
similar: most artists on Metropolis
rating: **1/2
No matter what, VNV Nation is always totally sincere (particularly in a live setting), even if the songwriting and melodies aren't as memorable as the best tracks from 2000's Empires. Their emotion and energy is that convinving. Futureperfect and Matter + Form, the two follow-ups since Empires, have rarely been able to sustain the powerful arrangements and emotion within the songs themselves. At best, Judgement is only a slight improvement from Matter + Form, streamlining the electronics and featuring the usual lyrics about hope, loss, battles, things getting torn down, rebuilding, the past and the future. This may indeed be some of VNV's darkest work, but I'm still waiting for another passionate, memorable track that will get me on the dancefloor. The breakdown:

prelude- great intro.
the farthest star- ok, lyrics are optimistic. i think.
testament- harder, more aggressive. "it's just you and me now against the world"...i know i've heard that phrase before.
descent- dark, gloomy. spoken lyrics.
momentum- dizzying dark trance, brooding, instrumental on first half.
nemesis- heart-pounding with the bold statement "judgement day's not coming soon enough".
secluded spaces- ambient instrumental.
illusion- piano, slow, sad, powerful, a highlight.
carry you- straightforward futurepop.
as it fades- the closing outro music

-kenyon