Finnish metal band VOLYMIAN have recently released some new music that we decided to check out, to see how their sound evolved since their 2016 studio album, “Maze of Madness.” The EP in question is titled “They Never Come in Peace” and was released on July 9th, 2021. It offers five modern metal songs that will have you headbanging from the first note until the last.
Starting up with a riff that seems picked from IRON MAIDEN’s guitar tabs, opener “Cold” blasts its way through your ears with massive drums, menacing vocals, and a burst of energy that will be carried forward by the subsequent tracks. The balance that exists between Nitte Valo’s cleans and Tuomo Vänskä‘s harsh vocals creates a neat counterpoint to the groovy metal rumble of the instrumentals. Up next, “Mind Eclipse” has a “beauty and the beast” approach going for it as listeners get to hear Tuomo’s growls on the verses while Nitte’s cleans bring the melodic chorus to life. The interplay of darkness and light also works really well with the underlying guitar melodies, which are capped off by a tremendous solo that add both melody and energy to the track.
The longest song of the EP, “Inhale Me,” starts off softly, with Nitte’s vocals on top of a delicate drum pattern, but soon it picks up pace and heaviness as Tuomo’s growls take over and guide the song into darker waters. This dynamic is repeated again, which in turn gives the song, not just a groovy ebb-and-flow movement, but also a Gothic aura as the two vocal styles juxtapose rather well so as to create a serene aggressive tension that permeates throughout the composition. The heaviest track is “Depraved,” which builds up in energy from the first electronic notes and backing vocalization until Tuomo’s growls totally dominate the song. The guitars are frantic and heavy, while the drums offer a steady and solid rhythm. Electronic elements and ethereal backing vocals trade places for maximum effect, playing off of either the growls or the guitars. Rounding up this EP is “War Machines,” arguably the most melodic track that combines most of the elements employed on the previous songs. Structurally, it is similar to “Mind Eclipse” while the backing vocals are reminiscent of the atmosphere of “Depraved.” As opposed to “Depraved,” this track focuses more on Nitte’s vocals, showcasing all she can do and why she is such an asset to the band.
All-in-all, “They Never Come in Peace” represents a new beginning for VOLYMIAN as the EP has laid a strong foundation on which the band to spread their wings and fly. Changing their sound rather drastically from the more direct power metal of their first album, the new direction that has coupled with the new lineup seems to be really working out for the band. With the addition of Nitte Valo and Tuomo Vänskä to the fold, all the pieces of the musical puzzle have fallen into their proper place as their chemistry on these songs proves. VOLYMIAN is a band to watch out for, as the potential and talent for amazing music are already there.
Written by Andrea Crow
Tracklist
- Cold
- Mind Eclipse
- Inhale me
- Depraved
- War Machines
Line-up
- Nitte Valo – vocals
- Tuomo Vänskä – harsh vocals
- Timo Mikkonen – guitar
- Juha Räisänen – guitar
- Ville Velasco – drums
- Petri Hampinen – bass
Label
Independent
