One month as passed since Volucrine released their 5th LP Chapter V- Renewal, the second in the last 2 years, marking a pick in creativity and production in the band’s carrier. As the band has previously said, this album was born quickly, prioritising the music over a genre. In fact, what is immediately noticeable of this album, is the variety of sounds, rhythms and influences that blend together into the distinctive melodies of Volucrine.
Already the first track-“Borderline”, offers a taste of angry, Nu metal growling right at the beginning while later on gives the floor to melodic clear voices and guitars in the chorus. Energetic rhythms and melodies go hand in hand for the whole album, making the idea of change (aka Renewal) so real, to the point that the gentle voice of Sanni Teitto in “Drift” appears as part of the natural evolution in a field of screams.
While the undefined genre might be intriguing or puzzling for new fans, the red line of the album is to be sought in the themes touched. Despite some tracks sounding energetic and even a somehow teasing- resembling some 90’s punk singles, the lyrics are more committed to deep life challenges. As Jupe recently said “Volucrine is a therapeutic project to channel the negative emotions into music”. As per their previous album, this work serves as echoes to the anguish feelings of loneliness, being cut out, existential inadequacy, emotional pain and mental struggle. The simplicity of the lyrics reflects the fragile dimension of human nature left alone in a strive as hard as “Moving Mountains” to “write oneself anew”, but in the end, there is hope that the awaited change is possible.
A little consideration to conclude: despite the choice of not sticking to a genre might be disorienting for new listeners, Chapter V- Renewal is definitely a multidimensional work that is worth trying.