VNV Nation

I should probably clarify that I really like these guys.

There's a naked vulnerability to the vocal outro ("I'd only come here / seeking peace / I'd only come here / seeking me / it seems I came to leave") on "Darkangel" that STILL jolts me every time I hear it.

And Ned, if you haven't already, seek out the Ronan-led single "Forever", by Bruderschaft (a charity EPM supergroup that has members of Covenant and Apoptygma Berzerk on deck). It's really helped me in light of recent events.

EPM = EBM, guh.

I don't like them. I keep trying to give these guys a chance and it never does anything for me.

I like Depeche worship but if shit doesn't deliver then forget it.

I hear the Depeche Mode influence, but it's just that, an influence. They're not trying to be Depeche Mode (remixes notwithstanding, Depeche Mode were never as dancey as VNV), so it doesn't bother me.

I believe I've heard of "Forever" but not heard it, thanks for the tip!

I think you've also identified a key point to Ronan's appeal as a vocalist, namely that when he found a way to sing rather than simply declaim/hector, he immediately got a lot more interesting -- the earliest stuff is accomplished but utterly unsurprising. It fits with the increasingly deft personal expressions in the songs, moving away from stock imagery though equally given to standard enough tropes. (This actually matches with the music too -- the glam rock beats sneaking in, even punk-pop of sorts, plus the more romantic/orchestral sweep of the ballads.)

Also, based on what I've read from him in interviews, he seems like someone who actually thinks a lot of things through in terms of how he approaches what he does and is able to talk about it intelligently -- I liked this interview a lot from a couple of years back.

And yeah, they're not trying to be Depeche, but there are ready points of comparison -- the largest is conceptual, though, and that's creating an 'anthemic' quality out of the source materials. There's no one way to do that, instead it all depends on how it's worked with, and they are definitely far more dance-centered than Martin Gore's formalism allows for.

Also, I've since heard from a few folks who have worked with (and in some cases opened up for) the band live and apparently all of them are total sweethearts, friendly and really relaxed. Nice to hear!

I dealt with Ronan in a retail setting a few years back, and he was perfectly polite & pleasant. Unfortunately, I didn't recognize him until after he left and a co-worker said "Wait a minute, that was...!"

its pitch-perfect readymade-for-notebook-scribbling-in-10th-grade-English way

We had very different high school experiences, I guess, because this is exactly how I feel about the lyrics of...Dave Wyndorf.

DOOD. He said. (Actually I think I was scribbling Tolkien -- figures.)

Also have to say, listening to "Lightwave" here, that they do instrumentals *very* well -- nothing surprising about them in terms of trance, but extremely good examples of same crossed with the understated experimenting with the arrangements. I definitely think their three most recent albums are them at their best.

I liked VNV a lot when I first heard them back in 2000, but they got so samey, I got a bit put off.

I cannot let this slide though: "One thing that I've yet to really see discussed anywhere is the fact that much of what currently passes for industrial is really just trance music with goth vocals. VNV Nation immediately come to mind."

This is complete rubbish! Industrial, and gothy dance EBM are quite different beasts. There are PLENTY of industrial bands out there still doing the hard, noisy, metallic thing NOTHING like VNV/Apop. My friend Jarod who does distribution of that kind of music would have an aneurysm if he read that.

(nb I obv didn't mean I expect bands who are influenced by Depeche to sound exactly like Depeche!!)

it was just a thing, since I often fall in line w/Ned on a lot of stuff, I was just using what he said about Depeche as a point of reference

I do defintely see the Ronan-as-Dave comparison though, the live thing with all the "WOO YEAH!" egging the audience on schtick.

I cannot let this slide though: "One thing that I've yet to really see discussed anywhere is the fact that much of what currently passes for industrial is really just trance music with goth vocals. VNV Nation immediately come to mind."

This is complete rubbish! Industrial, and gothy dance EBM are quite different beasts. There are PLENTY of industrial bands out there still doing the hard, noisy, metallic thing NOTHING like VNV/Apop. My friend Jarod who does distribution of that kind of music would have an aneurysm if he read that.

-- Trayce, Thursday, 5 July 2007 23:28 (Yesterday) Link

It's worth mentioning that I wrote that three years ago, and I've had a few people combat my ignorance in the time since!!!

My heart kinda sank seeing my own reductive, flippant words come back at me.

i saw these guys live once they sucked

Its ok Tant :) Its just I thought "wow how can anyone class VNV as industrial in the first place?" but that said I did kind of get yr point.

hahaha Chaki :D

VNV just remind me of goth clubs in like 2001 with wankers in PVC pants emoting all over the dancefloor to fucking "Darkangel" EVERY SINGLE WEEK.

Though that said, I do like the lyrics:

"I'd only come here seeking peace.
I'd only come here seeking me.

It seems I came to leave."

Incidentally, Ned, have you heard of Feeding Fingers? "Fireflies Make Us Sick" is fucking rad post-Cure mope stuff: http://www.justincurfman.com/fireflies.mp3

I listen.

*does so*

A fairly accurate description.

Rather dry comment there Ned! ;P

my pride, deflated

I liked the track! I couldn't add anything more to it than what Curtis already said!

I think another key reason I like VNV is that more than any other 'industrial' band of recent years, they celebrate exaltation and hope. (Not a new thing per se at all, obvious forebears like DAF and Nitzer Ebb did as well, but not as consistently and gracefully.)

Gah theyre not an industrial band!!! I think Covenant and Das Ich and Combichrist and Skinny Puppy and etc might have words to say! *threatening look*

Sorry that said though, I get the exultation thing. Its why I love Apop so much :)

I'd rate the 3 albums I own from them (Praise The Fallen, Empires and Futureperfect) in chronological order. PtF is the more stomping and EBMish. I recall a post in VNV forum from Ronan Harris in which he said he got inspiration for "Empires" from epic trance, Push and the like.

For a favorite song I pick Futureperfect's finale, "Airships". The imagery is so vivid and uplifting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUJ6UMhMguY

Well then it's all come full circle, because Mike Dierickx (Push) has always said his biggest influences were EBM and Depeche Mode.

Why, are Das Ich considered industrial? I always put them firmly in the goth camp, but then again I haven't heard them since '93.

Prefer Apop.

Only thing I know about these guys is my youngest brother (12 years younger) says they're played at Goth Night at the Nectarine Ballroom in Ann Arbor, along with all the same stuff they played at Goth Night when I was going 12 yrs ago (Sisters of Mercy, Front 242, Ministry, etc.)

Hah - I'm always tempted to go to a goth night to see if they're still playing the stuff I was rocking out to 15 years ago.

I was surprised too, but I guess I shouldn't have been. After all 12 yrs ago they were playing 12 year old Bauhaus when I went. Except then I guess they called it Alternative Night.

A few of my friends tried to get me into VNV Nation for a while, Depeche fan that I am (though I agree with people here that have said they are definitely different bands). There's something about most of VNV's tracks that puts me off though - it's probably supposed to sound singular and driving, but their tracks come off as samey and simplistic to me. Like Trayce, I liked the first few songs I heard, but got bored quickly. I wish they would switch up their style more.

Um, they do? I have to repeat this again -- while through most of their existence they tended towards the monochromatic, the most recent albums are far more varied in comparison. There is a specific approach they prefer but they are not beholden to it time and again.

I can see how if you've been listening to them for years upon years your impressions may be otherwise, but coming in fresh as I have, I hear a band that has bootstrapped big time in the last couple of years. The timing for me becoming a fan couldn't've been better.

Oh, wow, "The Farthest Star"is making me cry at my desk.

It has that impact.

I have to buy this now. Whoah. If I can be an over-earnest fifteen-year-old for a second, I am SO living these lyrics right
now.

Here's me on VNV. I like their two most recent albums a lot, but that's all I've heard and I don't know shit about electro subgenres. The biggest VNV fan I know is this guy at work whose real job is for some county department and who's a total family man. I've never seen him dress in any goth fashion variants, but who knows what he wears when he goes to shows?

That's a very deft way of looking at his work (and you actually know about musical details, always helpful ;-) ).

Ah, somehow I missed that you mentioned their newer material was more varied, Ned. And I haven't really heard anything of theirs after 2002, so that makes sense. BUT I did listen to "Farthest Star" and it doesn't sound that different to me than the older stuff. :P Perhaps they just aren't the band for me.

No worries.

Meantime this is the first post in what could be an extensive project, actually. I'm pondering the next installment.

vnv is one of those bands that i simply can't not associate with the ex who was obsessed with them. i suspect i would rather enjoy them if there wasn't that immediate reaction.

Meantime this is the first post in

You Must Be Logged-In to do That!

HAY NED guess what I got (but haven't opened yet) yesterday?

:-)

Well I hope Dan opened it. Anyway they're back again next month and yes I have my ticket. And this time I'll be able to sing along to just about everything.

They're no Interpol.

And for that I am eternally grateful.

Me on 'The Farthest Star' at Redcat in LA last night

I will say that Ned's essay is worth a read, even if the song isn't worth a listen ^_________^

Astounding!

Ned, I caught your "best of the year" article and saw how much you repped for these guys, and subsequently have tried giving them a listen. I don't know, maybe the fact that I never found much appeal in Depeche Mode or industrial stuff explains why I can't seem to latch onto these guys. I actually appreciate the naked lyrical approach, but I find something lacking in the delivery.

So, to somewhat echo stephen's comment above, I wish that I enjoyed their music as much as I do your writing!

Hey, nothing wrong with that! I have my idee fixes as much as anyone else.

Also, gosh, your photos of food that you've been cooking up have been inspiring me. My lunar new year's resolution is to stop wasting so much money on beer and to start spending that money on produce and cook up good not-soley-subsistence quality food.

When that change takes place, I should host a dinner party and soundtrack it with VNV nation.

Also, gosh, your photos of food that you've been cooking up have been inspiring me.

lol join the club ^

It's all part of my plan (which in sum is "This isn't that HARD, folks, get in there!")

Ned, did you ever check out that Bruderschaft track?

Awesome, Ned.

Shit, maybe you should audition for the next food network starz competition!!

Ned, did you ever check out that Bruderschaft track?

Don't think I did, regrettably! Is there a page with it on there anywhere?

Yep:
http://www.last.fm/music/Bruderschaft/_/Forever+%28radio+edit%29?autostart

Lyrics here:
http://www.vnvnation.de/texte.php?show=0

New album Of Faith, Power and Glory comes out shortly and it is a killer. If you're not already convinced I doubt this will change minds but if you've given in like I have they've just refined everything all that much more powerfully. I'm still kinda amazed at how much I've become a complete, total fan.

My review of said album. Even if I'm the only one who cares. :-D

I guess it took me six years to finally write this. But it couldn't have come any sooner:

http://nedraggett.tumblr.com/post/64690371439/i-would-recommend-reading-the-piece-first-before

Girlfriend dragged me to the show tonight in LA. Had a blast.

I have a penchant for mid 90's trance, though.

Cool! Sadly I had to miss this show -- first time since 2007! -- but I've no doubt they brought it.

Seriously thinking about doing an all-VNV playlist for first marathon this weekend.