Covenant
The Blinding Dark
(Metropolis Records)
Coming in like a sobering synth pop similar to that of VNV Nation, Sweden’s Covenant are certainly an act that took me by surprise. They’re not a new act by any means as their music goes back to ‘86 and they are even the reason that the now defunct industrial black metal act The Kovenant had to slightly change their name several decades ago.(Has it really been that long?) In any case, The Blinding Dark creates a mixture of styles that I wouldn’t exactly have expected from an act of this caliber, even though this is my first exposure to their music. The Blinding Dark marks the band’s ninth full-length recording since ‘94’s Dreams Of A Cryotank and seems to match the band’s wiki description of being and combination of synth pop and EBM. Only difference is that there isn’t anything happy to be found on this record. At least that I can find, and that I feel is a bit more intriguing, as many EBM acts are fairly cheery and Covenant are most certainly not here. On a record where the lyrics are so very audible, it is not recommended listening for the easily depressed or disheveled. I can accept that there are more than a handful of horrid things going on in our world, but there are some out there who feel it in their best interest of health to look at the world through a much rosier lens. We’ll allow them to do that and consider this message a disclaimer, if you will.
For those of you who are still with us, we might as well consider this the third in what can be considered an increasingly dark era for the act. After Northern Light (2002) and Skyshaper (2006) the album titles became rather bleak, starting with Modern Ruin (2011) and then Leaving Babylon (2013) with this of course, continuing that trend. One can gather that perhaps between ’06 and ’11 the band’s happy pills must have ran out, leaving masterminds Eskil Simonsson and Joakim Montelius in a severely grim state of affairs by which we’re reminded of failed religions and the anger in the face of them (Dies Irae), complete and utter hopelessness (Sound Mirrors) and the fact that we’re being completely fucked about by all manner of government and corporate entity (I Close My Eyes – I think). That’s just scratching the surface. Retrospectively, none of these topics are new and three albums later, the same atrocities are occurring as we grow closer to another decade of repeating them again, like an imbecile that keeps hitting his head against his wall because he doesn’t know that it’s a harmful practice.
Thankfully, these tracks are all accented by brilliant choruses which bring a little bit of light into what can be considered a heavy fog of electronic darkness. This attention to detail is what kept me listening, and despite it’s forlorn nature, you’re still getting a synth pop record of sorts. That being said, we’re also getting an approach that I would have never expected from an act like this and it kind of caught me off-guard. It features on a track called “A Rider On A White Horse” which feels a little like a mix between Dead Can Dance and Unto Ashes in areas. It’s a bit pop, but quite frightening at the same time. The chorus of the piece sounds a bit common-place, like you would hear on the radio and think nothing of it. But what seems almost cheery has such a dark quality that only those who actually pay attention to music will understand. As we move on, I can see that there are a few cuts on the record that feel a bit more upbeat for me, but may make others happy. “If I Give My Soul” is one of those, which could easily be used in a film or a television show. It feels very commercial and has quite the flair for dance. “Cold Reading” also didn’t do much for me, even though it is the most electronically- infused number replete with filtered vocals and industrial effects. I suppose it would work well in a Goth club, but it doesn’t really have a strong chorus and is a bit denser than some of the more upbeat moments that appear on the record. That is also the last track on the disc here with vocals. No, I’m serious. Let me explain.
The record actually has two small interludes and then it features an atmosphere piece called “Fulwell” and then a closing note called “Summon Your Spirit” which brings that Dead Can Dance feeling earlier expressed into maximum overdrive. Tribal drums with the addition of crickets chirping are just some of the elements that compose this ritual closer (and I do mean ritual, this is almost meditative) which is also quite far from the synth pop nature of the act. It’s almost like a sucker punch that both I and the listener would never see coming. None of these things are bad choices however, as I feel that a band who has been around for as long as Covenant has should have the freedom to make the kind of records that they want in this stage in the game. It’s also quite refreshing, even uplifting, to see such an awfully depressing album feature such an deep-seated spiritual moment even if it is far-removed from the sound that fans are used to. Covenant fans are still getting the Covenant that they know and love, but they’re getting a Covenant that is more in touch with metaphysical and surreal sides of themselves. Some people call it woo, but I like woo. It makes life a bit more colorful and I’m told that WWE Superstar Rick Flair loves it quite a bit as well. Joking aside, this is one record that makes such a differing change from the norm that hardcore fans might just want to preview a few tracks first before taking this voyage. There are some real gems on here for sure, but unexpectedly different ideas are put into practice that may not sit well with some listeners. Please be aware of that before you decide to check out this one.
Purchase The Blinding Dark here.
