Expanding their magical blend of post-rock and post hardcore, ENVY‘s “Recitation” once again proved beyond all doubt that their unique the sound of this touching sub-genre. These soundscapes are simply divine and there are no words that can define the magnificence of their performance. Just listen.
“Recitation” was released on on September 22nd in Japan, and October 12th in the US and Europe. The band came back in 2013 with “Invariable Will, Recurring Ebbs and Flows“, a limited-edition super-deluxe box set that collects every song ever recorded by the band (95 songs in total) across 14 vinyl LPs, all remastered for vinyl in 2013! Highly recommended!
Go here to see ENVY’s upcoming tour dates.
It’s no surprise that Envy have increasingly found inspiration in cinematic rock and experimental ambient music – genres that historically circumvent cultural trappings. With each album since their inception in the early ’90s the group have chipped away at the linguistic and cultural barriers inherent in international rock music. Their breakthrough came with 2003’s A Dead Sinking Story, the groundbreaking third album that replaced familiar hardcore breakdowns with the sound of actual emotional breakdowns, and – along with similarly celestial groups like ISIS and Explosions In The Sky – helped blur the lines between more than a few genres. That began a transition that leads straight to Recitation, by far the most musically and lyrically dynamic, technically diverse and emotionally complex album of Envy’s two-decade career. All the touchstones of classic Envy are there: Enormous dynamic range, soaring melodies that feel equally inspired by late 80s power ballads and dramatic film scores, and tortured, impassioned vocals that, even in a foreign language, vaguely recall 19th Century romantic poetry. The difference with Recitation is in its execution. Where recent co-releases with fellow underground rock icons Thursday and Jesu hinted at a band in transition, Recitation is a fully realized vision from a band at their most inspired. Packed with more songs than any previous Envy album – songs lengths range from 90 seconds to nearly 9 minutes – Recitation is more than most any Envy fan could have hoped for, a triumph for the band and an inspiring leap forward for heavy music the world over. / Deathwish
Formed in 1992 with an average age of 15 years old, Envy began as a blistering punk quintet, whipping violent riffs into frantic bursts that rarely cracked the two-minute mark. Their inexhaustible exploration of new sounds and ideas would lead them to incorporate strains of a experimental noise, subtle ambience, and triumphant, cinematic rock. Invariable Will, Recurring Ebbs and Flows is a limited-edition super-deluxe box set that collects every song ever recorded by Envy (95 songs in total) across 14 vinyl LPs, all remastered for vinyl in 2013. Each record is housed in its own full-color jacket, featuring all new artwork. Also included is a brand new, previously unreleased 100-minute DVD, a DVD data disk packed with all 95 songs in high-quality MP3 format, and a 100-page coffee table book featuring dozens of exclusive photos, plus lyrics to every Envy song, transcribed in both Japanese and English languages. The entire mind-blowing package is housed in a sturdy custom outer box – printed on a custom reflective metallic foil board. Strictly limited to 1,000 copies, Invariable Will is a monument to one of underground music’s most enigmatic bands, and a celebration of their unfettered brilliance. / Temporary Residence
