I admit to dithering with this one as these Norse non-conformists have thrown a bit of a curveball at us and it is an album that needs a little deciphering to get to grips with. One thing I did know is that the band are named after the oldest brothel in Bergen due to the fact I visited via the Internet when label-mates Vulture Industries played a lock-down live stream show there during that dreaded no audience Covid gig downtime. Roots go back to 2012 for the band (the brothel much further) when they started out apparently with a hardcore orientation and an EP titled seemingly in dedication the arch-loon Arthur Brown. After this silence for almost ten years until they came back with debut album ‘Null’. When we covered that, there was much mention of black metal bands such as Darkthrone, Bathory and crust punk with Amebix and old New Model Army getting cited. The label further confused as we get to new album Verande (Becoming) with a reference to Taake but also talk about hard rock and psyche which is much more on point here. Confused, me too!
So we start with ‘Humus’ and just like the final track of the last album ‘Ost’ there is a distinct follow through of what our writer described as “a laid-back creepy Venus in Furs vibe.” I found it rather dull and not helped by the fact that the vocalist Torjus Slettsnok pretty much mumbles his parts, thankfully something he does not continue doing on the rest of the album. Much more dynamic are the proto-rock licks of ‘Evig Lis’ and harder-hitting roars of the vocals. Just as you have got accommodated to this, it’s all change again with the psyche weave of Etter Ilden which should get heads nodding along as it takes on a cosmic journey. At least has some consistency with the Hawkwind sounding space jam meets Devil’s Blood guitar jangle of ‘I en hule under berget’ (In A Cave Under The Rock for those interested) but having worn them for two songs the band are about to change their socks again.
By this point I had noticed that Vestindien also like fairly long instrumental starts to songs before the vocals come in, all part of their eccentricity I guess. Onto the flip side ‘Alt vårt’ a melody that wouldn’t be out of place on a Solstafir track and the craggy vocals of ‘Forbi stillheten’ have a bit of an Anarchic English protest song feel that has me thinking of bands such as The Levellers and even The Waterboys. It’s all a bit of a jigsaw puzzle. Are the band aiming for widespread appeal or just doing what the hell they want? I suspect the latter and we still have a slow synth-wavey etched crooner and final bout of rocking out complete with some serious ‘Brainstorm’ guitar chugging to the finish line to come.
Although not totally incomprehensible or a terrible listen it’s all a bit schizophrenic and I am neither convinced or particularly enamoured by the album. Also you cannot ignore some rather cheeky melodic snatching from other bands songs going on here and get the feeling that Vestindien are best described as somewhat mischievous jokers amidst a deck of varied cards.
(6.5/10 Pete Woods)
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