The Swiss/Zurich duo Veil Of Light returns, two years after releasing ‘Front Teeth’, with another full fledged long-player, ‘Inflict’. Their overal synth-based post-punk gets here a more industrial touch at moments and is supported by somewhat stronger beats. The eight track album is available as limited edition on orange vinyl by Avant! Records.
‘So Hard’ is more than just the song title and immediately demonstrates, with bone-dry rythms, how hard things can get. Pour a voice soaked in chemical stuff over it and you get a great cocktail that goes down very smoothly. Without knowing what we did wrong, we get an accusing finger pointing in our direction, ‘You Done Me Wrong’. Fortunately, the accusations are packed within a great song, which eases the pain. Without pity a sledgehammer called Fact2019 throws us back to the eighties. A solid layer of Depeche Mode sounds are played, and without shame, because these guys simply continue their so far great album.
We already mentioned in the introduction that the beats and rhythms were given a slightly more prominent place, without however approaching EBM or likewise styles. In ‘Holy Wars’ they seem to be at the frontline, which gives the song a more solid timbre. These gentlemen also do not shy away from the more experimental use of certain soundscapes, which sound a little tougher and more chaotic. As if they don't find their place in a logically constructed sequence. In Europe we can dig this sh*t!. And we did even get to the hard pounding and strong tempo great track ‘Animal Instinct’. It is amazing to note that, even if the song remains synth wave-based, you retain a blissful hip-rocking feeling. Despite this feeling, I think also some hard-core EBM fans might get fond of this song. Machinery as a torture tool, twisted twisting of the LFO and VCO knobs on the analog synths in the recording studio. Dark and mysterious, driven by a solid bass line. I do love it. It’s the title song ‘Inflict’.
So what does remain at the end? Which is the song that one would place at the end of an album? ‘There is Nothing Left?’ Yeah right! ‘Nothing Left’ is like the apotheose, a finger licking closure song!
Conclusion: Thank you Veil Of Light! This person is very happy to have had the opportunity to enjoy this album already. And I’ll surely repeat that experience in the next days. Why? Because, I just can’t get enough! Basta!