ALBUM REVIEW: Transience – Venues

VENUES are on their third album now, and the German metalcore band have become confident and cool in their sound. Transience is a leap away from their debut Aspire, with all the rough edges filed down and some futuristic sounds folded into the mix. It expands the sound the band laid down with their sophomore effort Solace.

Haunted House is the perfect example of this. While the track kicks off with screams, Lela Gruber’s clean vocals power the song, combining catchy, near-pop-appropriate choruses with the urgency that such a powerful track requires. The instruments in Haunted House have a playful feel, mirroring the melodies perfectly. Meanwhile, Robin Baumann’s growls remind you that VENUES are, in fact, a heavy band. So, when the breakdown comes it isn’t a complete shock. But, alongside the electric guitar solo, it makes for an all-round enjoyable metalcore track. Haunted House flexes the band’s ability to switch things up in the blink of an eye.

Braille directly follows Haunted House, and in some ways subverts its predecessor. Where Haunted House, much like an actual haunted house, is a fun ride with some metal surprises, Braille comes at you hard and heavy. With an instant guitar riff, pounding drums and cymbals, and relentless shouts it’s an intense intro. Here, we’re dragged through the pit by the band, with moments of welcome reprieve provided by Gruber’s vocals. As she sings ‘isolation, feel it coming I can’t stop it’ these choruses truly feel like a moment of isolation in the otherwise ferocious landscape. Braille is a track with a huge amount of depth and speaks for how the band have grown their talent to tell a story through music.

While these two tracks share their similarities, Transience is far from repetitive. Unspoken Words switches things up again. Slower, ballad-esque moments are something VENUES are no stranger to (see stunning tracks like Shades Of Memory from their debut album or Solace’s Uncaged Birds). But, as with the rest of Transience, their sound has matured in this type of track too. Showcasing silky-smooth vocals, which are balanced out by the pure strength of the band’s instruments, it’s impossible to not feel empowered when listening to Unspoken Words. It’s a powerful track, with a powerful message about walking away from a toxic situation. Plus, it has some killer guitar riffs which truly seal the deal on a piece of the band’s best work so far.

Alongside their maturing sound, Transience delves into some brand new areas for VENUES. The record’s penultimate track Cravings kicks off with some experimental, wavering electronic sounds. It’s an instant attention-grabber, setting you up for some of the album’s filthiest growls. And, once those growls and lightning-fast guitars kick Cravings off, the pace never falters. Don’t let the strength of their slower songs fool you, when VENUES want to they can break the speed of sound. The layers in Cravings, where we’re hit with clean vocals, shouts, and breakdowns all at once are some of the most enjoyable parts of the record. If this is where VENUES are headed, you’re going to want to go there with them.

Album closer Coming Home hits hard in a different way entirely. Stripping back to a pianos and strings as a metalcore band is a bold move, and when it pays off it pays off, something Coming Home is proof of. With swelling, orchestral vibes, some showstopping harmonies, and heartwrenching delivery of lines like “What is freedom?” ending the album, this track guarantees you’re left with lingering emotion when it’s over. That is until you inevitably play the record again, because if one thing is for sure it’s that one listen isn’t enough of Transience.

Rating: 9/10

Transience is out now via Arising Empire.

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