Ventenner - Distorture

by Dave Goodwin

published: 17 / 11 / 2014

Label: Sonic Fire Records
Format: CD

Sinister but gripping industrial rock on third album from British quartet, Venteneer

Review

The slow rise of industrial rock over the last few years has been geared up by Nine Inch Nails, Depeche Mode and more recently Gary Numan. Here we have, what should be, another vital chink in the chain in the shape of British quartet, Ventenner, who are in the reckoning to be next to try and dethrone Trent Reznor with their third album, ‘Distorture.’ Hidden deep inside this latest offering, Ventenner introduce us to a slower and more subtle style than on their last record, ‘This is the Reason’, and bring in a more tender sense of atmospherics. Slower it is in places, but it also has an immensely dark and sinister air. ‘Distorture’ is also a thoroughly mixed bag, containing just as many songs that will give you goosebumps as those that will rupture your ear drums. From start to finish, frontman Charlie Dawes’ whispers and yelps come across like that of a tortured animal, and his mesmeric rantings suck you into the depths of what would make the perfect accompaniment to any of the famous Hammer films. It all starts with an instrumental opener, ‘Rise’, which gives the impression that all four members of want to be left alone to play with their darkness and this gives way to the more rhythmic ‘Six Blood’. Ventenner have quite obviously tinkered with their sound, swapping electronics for a heavier, more guitar ridden beast letting their instruments do most of the talking. Other highlights in this little festering pit are the title track which you could get totally addicted to if you let it, and the sparse but beat affected 'Metacell'. Listening to this is like being lost in a nightmare maze with no way of getting out. It twists and turns from all-out explosiveness to bare piano driven sections that make you wonder where in hell you actually are. It is good though. And we all need to delve into our dark side once in a while, don’t we?