Review Summary: A fascinating blend of progressive rock sensibilities with a hard rock grit that will keep you coming back for more
Progressive rock is my favourite genre, and like a lot of genres the pioneers and early adopters are usually the best representatives in terms of quality material. Now this great genre is marred by shameless imitators that tarnish the “progressive” part of the name. It is a dull experience listening to modern bands doing what the legends already did decades ago in a much better way. This is why I am intrigued when I stumble upon a band that doesn’t replicate the greats, but adds its own flavor to eclectic prog melting pot.
Votum is yet another Polish progressive rock band that is compared to Riverside. Votum is similar to Riverside in the same way that Riverside is similar to Porcupine Tree. There are several common elements such as the exploration of darker melancholic themes; however Votum possesses numerous exciting aspects that give it an identity of its own. One of the primary facets of this identity is the intelligent and more spontaneous dual guitar work matched with the sumptuous and raw guitar tones. I consider Votum to be at the cusp between progressive rock and metal (progressive hard rock if you will). This means the band avoids the saturated ocean of progressive metal bands that sees few true standout artists, and instead allows Votum to be a bigger fish in a high pressure progressive rock pond that hasn’t been explored well enough. This is a great place to be, and even if the band isn’t revolutionary, it is refreshing. That in itself is an admirable feat in today’s world of progressive music.
On this album the band gets heavier and more riff oriented, albeit without losing their more melancholic identity. Its no surprise then that the guitars are very much the driving force for the music. Most transitions are led by a progression of a riff or tonal shifts that keep the music moving forward. There are glorious crunching riffs on offer as well as serene acoustic and clean melodies. The distorted tones are magnificent and consequently make the riffs and melodies much more addictive. Though I do wish the album wasn't so severely compressed in order to give the heavy guitars more dynamics.
The second most intriguing element of this album is the drum work. On the previous album there were glimpses of what Adam Lukaszek could do if provided more room to work with, and on this album he has definitely raised his game. There isn’t a barrage of technical wizardry here; rather Adam has presented an enticing palette of tasteful drumming that leaves you licking your fingers on many occasions. He focuses on groovy rhythms, jazzy subtleties, and nuanced fills while providing a powerful foundation for the intense sections. I feel he definitely will have more to offer in the future as he refines his skills. This tastefulness is omnipresent on
Harvest Moon as the band focuses on songwriting as opposed to technical showmanship. The vocals are an acquired taste. Whether you love them or hate them, it’s difficult to deny that Maciej Kosinski has a distinct character to his vocals. I admit that it took me a while to fully digested his vocal style, but he has a knack for coming up with memorable vocal lines.
While Votum’s songwriting has definitely matured over the years, the band still has areas that can be improved. For example the keyboard contributions that were integral to the atmosphere of
Metafiction seem less prominent on
Harvest Moon. This isn’t too surprising considering the shift to a more aggressive sound, but they can definitely be integrated better in the future. The fact that they get drowned in the mix at times doesn't help. Another minor gripe I have is the ambient synth patches that are present at the end of a few songs; they don’t really add much to the music and hinder the flow of the album. The band should also delve into other styles to keep the music fresh in addition to experimenting further with song structures.
Having said that, Votum is a band I am excited about. Although Votum can’t match Riverside in terms of popularity at the moment, it has the right ingredients to continuously create intriguing dynamic music in the same vain as it’s compatriots. This album is highly recommended for progressive rock fans that want large chunky chocolate pieces in their molten lava cake.
