2024-02-29 08:00:50
(c) Jessica Wild
Mike Vennart doesn’t seem to have any periods of rest. In the three years since the release of his last solo album “In The Dead, Dead Wood”, there has been, among other things, a new ambient EP and the debut of Empire State Bastard, his band with Simon Neil (Biffy Clyro), for which the legendary Dave Lombardo played the drums. The release of a new one was comparatively short notice Vennartalbum announced, self-directed of course, complex, anthemic and expansive at the same time. „Forgiveness & The Grain“ skillfully takes the prog and art rock ideas of the previous records further.
To the surprise of probably no one, you need a lot of patience to approach this work in its ideal vinyl length of 42 minutes, especially since Vennart is once once more trying to do a hell of a lot. The initial dissonance of “3 Syllables” leads to electronics and falsetto approaches, while the remaining instruments support the cutting chaos. Massive broadsides and a pompous, metallic finish are confusing at first. The fragility of “RU The Future??” is just right. A slightly washed-out guitar from the echo chamber, charming alternative wisdom and sprawling loops go in a completely different direction, buttery smooth and searching at the same time.
A lot is found, especially in the final behemoth “Seventy Six”. For more than nine minutes, Vennart tries to constantly increase, likes to remember his Oceansize, which faded far too early, and tries to counteract the apparent darkness with an unleashed vocal performance. It sounds like classical music with rock instrumentation, incredibly massive, like a fatalistic fanfare. The playful “Fractal,” on the other hand, incorporates classic post-rock structures and moves steadily towards its powerful, cathartic climax. The road to get there is a long one, but the result is all the more moving.
Mike Vennart sees “Forgiveness & The Grain” as a continuation of “In The Dead, Dead Wood”, at least in the basic mood, and that’s not that far-fetched. Although this new record is a bit more proggy and cluttered, the musical relationship cannot be denied. The overall more artistic approach builds an imaginary bridge and requires additional start-up time due to the sometimes complex arrangements and wide range. Of course, it’s worth paying this attention to Vennart’s latest prank. More hardness, more electronics, more elegy, more style – a challenging and rousing trick that once once more underlines the outstanding class of this artist.
Rating: 8/10
Available from: February 9, 2024
Available via: Self-distributed
Website: www.vennart.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/vennartvennart
Category: Magazin, Reviews
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#Vennart #Forgiveness #Grain
