These tools arenвЂ™t common to each track, but the equal time given to harsher and to softer melodic passages is roughly representative of the albumвЂ™s approach to dynamics. A spoken word passage propped up by sparkling piano and a simple programmed beat builds up to a sturdy climax of mournful wails, synths, and GuliyevвЂ™s reliably piercing harsh growls. If itвЂ™s possible to denote a single track off this record that embodies the spirit of Empire of Love, itвЂ™s this one. This opening couplet may give off peanut butter-and-bologna sandwich vibes to some cautious listeners, but reluctant folks might start to appreciate GuliyevвЂ™s reliable ear for fruitful contrast and catchy tunes by the time вЂњBe Like MagicвЂќ swings around. Drums oscillate between calve-shredding double bass runs, classic blast beats, and simple rock arrangements, and the serious tremolos and synths from the intro cut reemerge to heighten the contrast between poppy and blacker elements. Second track вЂњPrideвЂќ rips a sharp 90-degree turn, pitting sweet, looping dance pop vocals against GuliyevвЂ™s razorwire shrieks buried under thick walls of sound. вЂњCradleвЂќ opens with the trappings of a Winterfylleth or a Falls of Rauros, snuggling folksy plucked strings on what sounds like a traditional Azeri tar deeply among phyllo-like layers of distorted guitar, crisp, anthemic drums, and angelic synths.

Eye-catching album cover notwithstanding, the record makes a strong first impression. So, uh, yeah, the latest Violet Cold is not a boring album. New release вЂњEmpire of LoveвЂќ is no exception to the trend, with a gussied-up Azeri flag for the cover and song titles evocative of contemporary progressive causes (вЂњPrideвЂќ, вЂњWe Met During the RevolutionвЂќ). Guliyev has been candid about his difficulties with monetizing music, and his strong moral compass and ardent activism have angered more than a few fashies, nationalists, and general haters вЂ“ and, no doubt, have attracted progressive fans who might be inherently suspicious of a black metal-adjacent project.

Pissing off corpse-painted connoisseurs with a decidedly unconventional approach to black metal is one thing, but Guliyev the person is just as unconventional as Violet Cold the band. The suite bursts to the seams with gleaming ambient vistas, synthwave cruisers, and more than a few blackened accents in other words, a harbinger of a certain 2021 release. There is no preset point of entry for the neophyte to approach Violet ColdвЂs discography a few of my esteemed EIN colleagues recommend euphoric post-black stunner Magic Night, but IвЂ™d encourage new listeners to tackle the mighty genre cornucopia that is the Sommermorgen trilogy.

ItвЂ™s been exhilarating to watch GuliyevвЂ™s artistic career blossom: fans speak longingly of each of his ambient, post-rock, and blackgaze periods (we are canonically in the latter) and, to paraphrase my above hyperlink, the dudeвЂ™s Bandcamp page literally scrolls.

Emin Guliyev, who appears to have discovered a cure for writerвЂ™s block, has skipped, tumbled, and somersaulted across broad swaths of musical territory since he started the one-person project in the mid-2010s. Of course, a record can fall flat Icarus-style no matter how audacious the artistвЂ™s intentions are (shit has to sound good, too), but IвЂ™ll always have instant respect for artists who reshape musical boundaries while discussing salient real-world themes all the while, even if the end musical product is not perfect. A brave artist might obliterate a musical frontier, embody a deeply held message, or both in any case, a bold new release stakes the artistвЂ™s reputation вЂ“ not to mention financial well-being вЂ“ on an idea of potentially high personal value.

What is love by empire