ALBUM REVIEW: No Oblivion – No Devotion
If Lemony Snickett were to pen his Series Of Unfortunate Events now, it could be argued alternative rock outfit NO DEVOTION would be the protagonists. After a colourful past including Geoff Rickly (vocals) being mugged in Germany and the collapse of their previous record label mid-tour, the band rightly has some pent-up emotion. Their upcoming record No Oblivion promises to serve as a suite of deep pain and rich catharsis.
This record sees the band end their seven-year hiatus following 2015’s Permanence by shifting their sound in favour of synth-orientated instrumentals and vast soundscapes. Wasting little time in re-introducing themselves to the world, Starlings’ ethereal broodiness is heady and intoxicating. After a soft swell into dark spaciousness, it becomes clear that there will be no stereotypical booming moments into standard choruses or weighty bridges fans of heavy music have become accustomed to. With themes of depression, despair, and despondency, Rickly’s vocals are suitably morose. Proclamations of “the colour’s running out” may seem cliché when speaking about the draining nature of mental afflictions but the directness is refreshing amid a sea of otherwise metaphorical lyrics. Though NO DEVOTION don’t leave the allegories within the realms of lyricism. A melodic yet spacious solo from Lee Gaze weaves the vision of floating within your own misery and slowly submerging within it.
It’s hard to shake a comparison to MUSE as we move into the title track. Floating through the churning instrumental as Rickly lists the things in life which succumb to our pain we find ourselves drifting to the instrumental. Low frequencies from Stuart Richardson’s bass foreshadow doom. Yet we notice some cracks beneath the gloomy exterior. The production level on the title track’s beat leave it sounding out of place. A convoluted structure to A Sky Deep And Clear leads to false endings which prompt the impression it could have ended before it did. It’s a shame as A Sky Deep And Clear is beautifully oppressive as Gaze’s dark riffs mirror beginning to drown in our sadness. This well-constructed song becomes a victim of its own vision as the swell following “are we gonna see a resurrection tonight?” fools us into expecting a change in tide or shift in story which simply doesn’t come.
No Oblivion is slated as a vault of personal pain. Meandering through the 38-minute runtime becomes heavy. The End Of Longing comes with huge drums and foreboding synths. NO DEVOTION return to the idea of mental anguish being akin to rising waters. While the imagery has been successfully tried and tested, there’s nothing particularly innovative about it here – a sentiment which spreads to the whole record. Reaching the latter half of the album has us wanting a change in pace from the slow atmospherics and gloom-laden verses. While Repeaters still features those characteristics, its world feels more diverse as tonal shifts add layers of texture. The chorus’ melancholy feel has lilts of edge from Rickly’s standalone vocals. As its interlude brings the electronic and analogue methods of music together, something which doesn’t feature much at first listen, they don’t necessarily gel. For an album as emotionally intense as this it may take repeat listens to appreciate everything NO DEVOTION have to offer.
In saying this, early highlight Love Songs From Fascist Italy features a guitar-led melody which seems to convey more sadness than a synth does in this instance. The electronics are used as an accoutrement as the tale of unrequited love and obsession unfolds. Rickly’s vocals are beautifully poignant as the instrumental beneath him sinks further into the deluded infatuation. Yet it’s the soft build from Richardson and Gaze which pours into the intensity of being “close enough to feel the heat” of the object of our desire. It’s a moment which can be hard to convey to an outside party but Love Letters From Fascist Italy displays NO DEVOTION’s penchant for rich imagery perfectly. So much so the realisation of “but that was just a dream” becomes almost heart-breaking.
Summarising No Oblivion proves itself difficult. While there are no huge moments of innovation from NO DEVOTION here, the shift in sound has delivered them some beautiful moments. At the same time, however, No Oblivion can at times feel one-note. Misery loves company but this is an album we may not reach for unless we want to alleviate our own dark feelings. NO DEVOTION have served us a vessel for their pain and do so in a beautifully dark package. When diving under the surface however, we are left with more mystery and despondency than catharsis.
Rating: 7/10
No Oblivion is set for release on September 16th via Equal Vision Records.
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