If I had to pick only one word to describe the album I’m listening to right now, I would say that it is definitely ‘captivating’. The blend of post-rock/metal, sludge and prog-rock is so dynamic and engaging that you cannot resist from listening to it again and again. And this is exactly what is happening to me today being on probably my fourth or fifth listen of it.
Violescent is the self released debut album of the Leeds based post-metal quartet Envoys, a band that is currently generating a lot of interest among the British rock movement. Envoys are Chris Wordsworth (drums), Daniel Ogola (bass), Stephen Creek (guitar) and Tom Allen (guitar) and they are really a nice surprise. Violescent demontrates a sound that fans of Russian Circles and Pelican will definitely love and even though Envoys’ sound is quite comparable to these bands, they definitely have their own sound.
I found the album title very interesting as well and since violet is an introspective colour, allowing us to get in touch with our deeper thoughts, Violescent really shades off toward a violet colour. And the spirit of the title is present on every track of this album, which is an intense and deep experience from the beginning to the end.
Violescent opens up with the instrumental ‘Bread & Bullfights’ and you suddenly get the mood of the album. Seven minutes of amazing riffs and rumbling drums are the best way to start this 45 minutes journey where each track is like a trip in a trip for the variety of sounds you recognize in it, from the peaceful post-rock to the most thunderous metal to the hypnotic prog-rock. The sense of darkness is everywhere, it changes the way to express itself but is waiting for you, note after note.
The following ‘Miyagi’ is a stunning song with its layered guitars that converse and converge with each other in an absolutely amazing way. Vocals arrive with ‘Admonition’, the third song of the album, and the vocals are so passionate and intense that seem like another heavy instrument added to the orchestra. The next track ‘Ego is The ManKiller’ is probably my favorite track on Violescent, because this song really is a work of art. It has a rhythm so pursuing that left me astonished the first time I listened to it and I’ve listened to it repeatedlysince. Each time I find something new because this track has lots of details, including the soft pause right in the middle of the song where the vocals add something more to an already beautiful track. Simply, a stunning song!
‘Mellore’, ‘Colpetto’ and ‘To Serve Three Masters’ are the last three songs of the album and during the last 20 minutes you’ll never stop paying attention to the song lengths because the mix that these songs offer is so captivating that the track lengths really don’t matter. I love ‘Colpetto’ and its final part, as it is absolutely amazing.
‘To Serve Three Masters’ with is 8:35 minutes is the longest track on Violescent and it is the best way to sum up the rest of the songs as well. All the elements that Envoys display in the previous tracks combine here to create this song that is really a work of art where post-rock, metal and prog-rock are perfectly blended. Sadly, 8:35 minutes of this song are not enough!
Violescent has an epic vibe running through it and, even if it will take time for you to get into this album, it’s going to be one of the most rewarding album you’ll experience. Violescent is available on 12 inch vinyl, CD and digital formats.
