It’s been two years since VNV Nation’s last release, Matter + Form. That release was met with an varied array and clash of opinions and ideas about VNV’s “new” direction, and I think it’s quite safe to say Judgement is going to meet as much, if not more, controversy. So, with VNV Nation being my absolute favorite, am I biased? I could be. But I’ve got more than one spectrum to describe Judgement.

Right up front: it’s different, but it’s not. VNV’s respective synth “trademark” is used in a recognizable way, but the vibe varies. Overall, it’s a light album; literally and metaphorically, in a few different ways. In a literal sense, I found that the ten songs didn’t complete the full “thought” of Judgement, as though there were gaps in the songs that need filling for it to sound well-rounded. In another literal sense, many of the songs are lighter; the sounds taken into a more airy, sheer and sometimes almost ethereal sound. In comparison to Matter + Form¸ think of the lightness in “Arena.” Many of the songs through this album have the synth-y indie-rock yet electronic sound that was especially evident in “Arena” and much of Matter + Form in general.

But that is not to say Judgement is without an edge to claim. “Testament” is the first song that both lyrically and musically reaches a deeper, heavier level. Ronan Harris’ political remarks are especially evident in this song, though it isn’t particularly hard to realize this with lyrics like, “We conquer paradise just to burn it to the ground, and we build a future to honour pasts we left behind. We bring destruction, we bring war without an end, and then we live in hope that tomorrow never comes…”

VNV Nation has always had two “genres” of lyrics that makes them loved and famous: political and personal. Judgement, however, boasts interesting comments on mainly the state of the world, from a mixed personal-and-political standpoint. Harris, with the aforementioned lyrics and in addition, words like “Judgement day’s not coming soon enough…” and “We possess the power, if this should start to fall apart, to mend divides, to change the world, to reach the farthest star..” is making the listener more aware of the future, and the potentially rocky place we could be in if we don’t attend to necessary things. It’s another collection of lyrics following VNV’s motto, “Victory Not Vengeance”.

“Momentum” is another key track on this album, both as an example of a heavier song and as an example of the album’s high points. It is a heavily instrumental song, with very few lyrics, but it does have a pounding, club-friendly beat.

At its core, Judgement is really a pop album, likely nearly as pop as you could imagine VNV Nation to be. Though this may not be an outwardly bad thing, it does sound a little odd when the beats are very radio-friendly, and the choruses of the lyrics follow suit. I have already heard an uproar of dislike for this aspect of Judgement.

Overall it seems that VNV Nation may not be reverting back to older sounds as much as some fans might like. Matter + Form seems to have made an impression on the band, and that sound has stayed around a bit. It will be interesting to see where the next album goes. [maxine nation]