It was only in September of last year that we were graced with an album featuring the inimitable talents of one Mr Mike Vennart. Teaming up with his touring brother Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro fame and Dave fucking Lombardo, Empire State Bastard came through with a monolithic debut that challenged the extremes of alternative music. And won!
Having spent most of 2023 touring said record all over the shop, it’s a wonder he found any time to do owt else. But he fucking did! 2024 brings us the fourth Vennart record, which comes four years after the magnificent ‘In The Dead, Dead Wood’, which I felt was his finest moment!
Even Vennart himself wondered if he was ever going to top that album, but by following his soul into even deeper, more emotive waters, ‘Forgiveness & The Grain’ finds Vennart presenting his most heart on sleeve release to date. I thought that ‘Forc In The Road’ from the last album was an unbelievably beautiful and epically dynamic piece, but tracks like ‘Fractal’ push that to the extremes.
Even without drums, this is the heaviest Vennart song; a crescendo of guitars covered in delay and distortion as he sings as if his life depends on it. I may have used this analogy before, but I genuinely feel like this is the musical equivalent of standing on the top of a mountain with 90 mph wind speeds trying to lift you into the sky. It is beyond stunning.
‘The Japanese No’ is another completely hypnotic arrangement, this time centred around a solid floor driven drum track and layer upon layer of guitars shimmering around your head. I’ve always been a huge fan of Vennart’s voice, but there are just so many moments on this album where it seems to transcend above everything else. In fact, I think transcendent is a very good word to sum up the entire record.
Even the albums more straight up rock moments, like the gigantic ‘3 Syllables’, absolutely soar into the stratosphere; Mike’s voice powering alongside its stinking synth bass line. Every moment on this record provides a different shade of emotion, whether it’s the loud and proud, earth shaking closer ‘Seventy Six’ or offering graceful reflection, like on the gorgeously understated ’R U The Future?’
There is something about ‘Forgiveness & The Grain’ that goes deeper than Vennart has gone before. Having only had it for a short amount of time, I can honestly say that this is my favourite Vennart record. From the very first listen it embraced me and refused to let go. That may sound like a cheesy thing to say, but there is something so unbelievably emotional about this album that I find it really hard not to be moved and inhabited by it. I think those that have followed Vennart will agree that this is the sound of an artist at their most realised, being unashamedly themself.
(Photo Credit: Jessica Wild)
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