VNV NATION OF FAITH, POWER AND GLORY ALBUM ANACHRON RELEASE: JUNE 26, 2009 REVIEW: JUNE 17, 2009

Even though the press promo consists of MP3:s in only 72 kbit/s, I can still hear that things are more or less the same in VNV land. All their press releases since "Empires" have stated that the sound has developed and moved into hitherto uncharted territory. But everytime we still get an album that sounds exactly like VNV Nation. Ronan Harris still sings every song sort of the same way, to a sound heavy influenced by electro and techno. One way to look at it is that VNV Nation does have a unique sound. I can instantly tell if it's a song by them.

Luckily Ronan is still a skilled song writer, and he knows what works and what doesn't. The slow ballad "Ghost" doesn't, though. It's terribly uneventful and dull, but instead we applaud some scorching dance floor stompers in the form of "Tomorrow Never Comes" - where the aforementioned electro influence is biggest, with its compressor pumping beat. This is the best track off the album (albeit a little repetitive) and probably a live favourite to come, together with "Where There Is Light", a track where they're actually getting closer to radio pop. And they do it with style, it's catchy, well produced and upbeat.

I feel "Of Power, Faith and Glory" is a bit uneven, and the heights are too far between. Mediocrity is more abundant. Their last album "Judgement" was stronger, with its standout tracks.

JOHAN CARLSSON