Vega Nova - Lovesongs for the Dead

Hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark, Vega Nova is an electro rock duo trying to do something unique. Their upcoming release, “Lovesongs for the Dead” is their first ever, and it left me intrigued, yet frustrated.

 
The record sounds big. It sounds huge. The synths that are present in almost every second of the album compliment the traditional rock instrumentation by filling the frequencies the former wouldn’t normally be able to. The mixing is fantastic. Vocals are up front, the drums sound as crisp as a Muse album, and the bass thumps…
 
…But the songwriting is pretty mediocre and repetitive. By the end I felt like I had listened to one 44 minute song. Sure, there were a few awesome moments that definitely make the record worth listening to (“Into Somewhere Else” would be the highlight with its slow, Deftones like tempo), but the rest is so forgettable that I can’t even think of the track titles without looking back at iTunes.
 
This is, however, the only real pitfall in “Lovesongs”. The album really shows potential in Vega Nova. It’s evident that the band has direction and sonic consistency, but just way too much of it. I think a little time will have them sounding less like 30 Seconds to Mars and more like something with variety, something that stands out, something that is truly unique in every sense of the word.
 
PS: Preorder “Lovesongs for the Dead” here, due out January 23rd.