Bahntier - Venal

The first time I saw the band Bahntier was at WGT '06 and I must say it was quite a shock – Bambi and latex, uncontrollable rush juxtaposed with order, dynamism and neurosis, madness and dancy regularity...
After the first shock is gone, you may take a fancy, after the second – get addicted. As to the exceptionally resistant – well, they will at least leave with an impression of quite good a show.



I guess that's what the recent release of Bahntier, the Italian band formed by Stefano Rossello, Justin Vennett and Filippo Corradin, is like: on the one hand extremely invigorating, catchy and ravishing, and on the other – slashing and shocking with such an amount of overdriven sounds, transformations, screaming, distorted vocals and torturing electronic that a consciousness has no choice, but to „move out or ring out”.

Actually there are no poor pieces at the album; some might sound slower, more moderately, but they still emanate with threatening atmosphere, bringing to one's mind even if not FLA, then certainly Skinny Puppy (e.g. „Memory Faces”, „Illusion Ground” )
There are also instrumental, psychotic pieces imitating theme songs of a crazy escape („Overblown”), or aggressive, harsh vocal dialogues with untamed, fast, backing music („Loud”).
Gentle calming and the halt of speed occurs at the piece „The Drown” which closes the album. The calming is illusory though, as the accompanying instruments evoke anxiety and associations with “after-battle” landscape.


However, what prevails at „Venal” are power and force, though not necessarily understood as typical, repetitive disco patterns accidentally seasoned with raging bass.
Dynamic as may be, the songs at the album – like, e.g. the title „Venal” or enriched by William Morrison's guitars „Roots” - are diversified by unpredictable, individually tailored „incongruous” notes that add a more complex, coarse and harsh quality to the whole

My faves „My God”, „Diviner” and „Neurosick” are outstanding as far as the concentration of distortions is concerned. Add to it uncontrollable outbursts of madness and aggression, wildly rushing, raging sounds, stratification of samples which build thick, spiny, opaque melodic matter and hypodermic, fast-running, vibrating rhythm and you get the fastest, the most „kicking” pieces at the album.

„Venal” is a good album, by all means. Ambiguous, at times surprising and yet waking some familiar echoes in one's head (and also – hard to deny – in muscles).
It intrigues, but it doesn't overwhelm the listener with loads of alternative forms of expression.
When taking the album to your hand you'll surely notice the cover and the moving, thoroughbred artworks by Saturno Butto', which – in my opinion – reflect the Bahntier style very well.

All in all – I recommend.