Invidia is the latest album from Ventenner and it’s a strong collection of songs, bringing several different styles together to craft a memorable listen.
At three albums into their career, it’s clear that Ventenner knows what works for them and what doesn’t, and Invidia is perhaps their most powerful to death. The release is a little heavier and more hard-hitting than the last two albums, but at the same time it’s unmistakably Ventenner. Blending hardcore, doom, electronics and progressive metal into one streamlined sound, it’s a bold move but this is something that has always paid off for the band. As the album features so many different styles and approaches, you never quite now what’s coming next as each twist and turn brings something new to the table! As a result, it can sometimes be a little hard to follow as a result, but it’s only a minor problem in the grand scheme of things – and arguably just means you should pay closer attention to it!
There’s plenty of great songs to contend with on the album but a particular highlight comes in the form of later track Bruxism, which is one of the doomier tracks on Invidia. Crushingly heavy with a seriously powerful percussion line throughout, it’s definitely a song that will leave an impression on you and the emotive melodic section that occurs in the latter half of the song, which juxtaposes tremendously against the heavier parts on either side, is spine-tinglingly good. This is surely a track that would be a treat to see live!
An all-round great album. Ventenner is a consistently good band and Invidia is testament to this. If you like music that keeps you on your toes, then you can’t go wrong with this.
8/10
