DVNE have released their next opus magnum and it deserves one high comparison that I would not give if I didn‘t believe the guys would take it as such: Voidkind is their TOOL-record. As such, I believe the guys are gonna go far and even more important – deservedly so! Enjoy the next big thing in Progressive Metal!
Okay, to clarify this once and for all – I think and will tell everyone that the first four Tool releases (including the Opiate-EP are all really good, heck they are amazing. Even though one must at times ignore the band’s sometimes annoying fans, these four releases are milestones for heavy music with a twist and some of the most brilliant moments in Progressive Metal in the last 30 years. Whatever you try to tell me, I am sure, there has been at least one moment when you found surely enjoying either “Ænima“ or “Lateralis“ or “Opiate“ or “Stinkfist“ or you name it, if you want to tell me that all these tunes left you unrattled, I think, we can agree to disagree here.
Thus, if I compare a band to these four records it is a big plus in my book. Voidkind opens with one of those tracks that truly set a mark in stone for what is to come next. “Summa Blasphemia“ is the first of 10 tracks, which span their wide reaching wings across roughly one hour of running time and the way the track is constructed is really amazing. We get a lot of hard hitting riffs which are countered by some clean vocals to die for, which in themselves need to work against some harsh screams and growls that some of the best Post-Metal vocalists would die for. Daniel Barter and Victor Vicart deliver some of the best vocal interplay since von Till and Kelly on some of the Neurosis records. And thus we also have one of the things that we might have to point out about DVNE: The Frank Herbert fans from Scotland have more to offer than “simple” twisted chords, progressive patterns and intricate details – no they can riff
it out with most of the Sludge, and Post-Metal veterans out there. The “Sons of Arrakis” have a good balance in their songs, just listen to the awe-inspiring change of pace, sound and groove in the middle of ”Reaching for Telos”. Here the band suddenly breaks away from they powerful and somewhat alternating chord structure for a break that is so much Tool, that some might wonder which track it reminds them off: Here the syncopated guitar line if pumping but not loud, it is a lot like the Lateralus period Tool and even though that might be the basis, one should also listen to the second guitar line which sometimes opens up very different moments underneath the shifty, intricate drumming. When they return to strong power chords after approx 60 seconds it’s again so swiftly done that one cannot but be shaken with admiration.
On the other hand, Adam Jones and Company have never written a track so full of drone and reverb (not to say “dirt”) as the final track ”Cobalt Sun Necropolis”. These ten minutes are a real masterpiece and should not be missed in any 2024 Best Tracks playlists. The nearly two minutes opening are building and building and then the multilayered vocal melodies are dancing around each other. Here the skills of drummer Dudley Tait shine to their utmost brilliance. When the track in a massive sound of White Noise the remaining 40 seconds of subdued ebbing (similar to some of the “planes” in DUNE!) are necessary to clean our ears and give us some time to catch our breath.
You will find many, many more allusions to the California stalwarts of modern Prog and I am sure the DVNE guys know what I mean, but it should also be clear – these are not copycats, these are some fine young men, who I’m sure are gonna go far. For their songs are full of details, powerful constructions and the quintet is capable of reaching for the stars (or at least for Arrakis?) – find me waiting next to the road to star-dom watching their ascent and following their every step!
