Kev Rowland
When I reviewed Votum’s 2008 debut I managed to include references to bands as diverse as Therion, Nightwish, Negură Bunget, Pink Floyd and Porcupine Tree, as well as of course mentioning Riverside as these guys are also Polish. Back then I said that however you wanted to describe them, it was essential you search them out. A few years down the line and they are back with their third album, and with Millenium and Riverside also releasing superb works in recent months it appears that 2013 is going to be a bumper year for afficianados of the Polisg prog scene. Somehow the band have managed to become even more diverse yet at the same time have brought in control and a restrained power that makes this a wonderfully rich album.
There are times when they bring in the power of Opeth, but move to RPWL and folk influences without even batting an eye. This is music that popintedly refuses to stick in any particular subgenre and is happy to meander all over the place wherever it needs to be. It is going to appreciate to those who want their prog to have bite, and there is a section in “Cobwebs” where they are a straight out metal band, nothing more or less. But, for the most part it is the threat of darkness as opposed to a straight metallic attack that gives this the edge. Sure, they can be Dream Theater when they want to be, or they can be full on emotional Anathema, with harmony vocals and gentleness and picked guitars. Or not.
If you have yet to come across Votum then you need to increase your musical education as this is a great piece of work. www.votumband.pl