Empires (VNV Nation album)
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Empires
| type = studio
| artist = VNV Nation
| cover = EmpiresAlbumArt400px.jpg
| alt =
| released = 25 October 1999 (EU)
16 May 2000 (US)
| recorded = August–September 1999
| venue =
| studio = Polaris Studios, Hoxton, London
| genre = Futurepop, electro-industrial
| length = 50:58
| label = Dependent/Metropolis
| producer =
| prev_title = Praise the Fallen
| prev_year = 1998
| next_title = Futureperfect
| next_year = 2002
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Empires
| type = studio
| single1 = Darkangel
| single1date = 28 June 1999
| single2 = Standing
| single2date = 3 April 2000
}}
}}
{{Music ratings
|rev1= Allmusic
|rev1score={{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/empires-mw0000064195|title=Empires - VNV Nation | Songs, Reviews, Credits |website=AllMusic|access-date=20 November 2021}}
| rev2 = Almost Cool
| rev2Score = (7.5/10){{cite web|url=http://www.almostcool.org/mr/1382/ |title=VNV Nation – Empires – almost cool music review |website=Almostcool.org |date= |access-date=2012-02-15}}
|rev3=Metal.de
|rev3score= {{Rating|8|10}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.metal.de/reviews/vnv-nation-empires-701/|title=VNV Nation - Empires Review • metal.de|first=fenris|last=Sagt|website=Metal.de|access-date=20 November 2021}}
|rev4=Release Magazine
|rev4score= {{Rating|9|10}}{{cite web|url=https://www.releasemagazine.net/Onrecord/orvnvnatione.htm |title=VNV Nation: Empires – Release On Line review |website=Releasemagazine.net |date= |access-date=2012-02-15}}
}}
Empires is the third studio album by the alternative electronic band VNV Nation. It was released in 1999 in the EU and 2000 in the United States jointly under the Metropolis and Dependent labels. The album combines trance, synthpop, and electronic body music (EBM).
"Darkangel" was released as a single on 28 June prior to the album, and "Standing" became a single, and was also released as part of the Burning Empires EP in 2000.
The album was ranked #1 on the German Alternative Charts (DAC) 1999 albums chart,{{cite web |title=DAC Top 50 Albums 1999 |url=http://www.public-propaganda.de/charts/1999/dac_alb50.html |website=Trendcharts oHG |publisher=AMC Alster Musik Consulting GmbH |access-date=20 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010418190612/http://www.public-propaganda.de/charts/1999/dac_alb50.html |archive-date=18 April 2001 |date=2000 |url-status=dead}} while "Darkangel" ranked #15 on the DAC Singles chart that same year.{{cite web |title=DAC Top 50 Singles 1999 |url=http://www.public-propaganda.de/charts/1999/dac_sing50.html |website=Trendcharts oHG |publisher=AMC Alster Musik Consulting GmbH |access-date=20 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010210215900/http://www.public-propaganda.de/charts/1999/dac_sing50.html |archive-date=10 February 2001 |date=2000 |url-status=dead}} The U.S. release of Empires peaked at #6 on the CMJ RPM Charts.{{cite journal |last1=Comer |first1=M. Tye |title=RPM |journal=CMJ New Music Report |date=7 August 2000 |volume=63 |issue=677 |page=39 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/CMJ/2000/CMJ-2000-08-07.pdf |access-date=26 January 2022 |publisher=College Media, Inc. |location=New York, NY |issn=0890-0795}}
Background and composition
In a retrospective on the band's website, Ronan Harris has described the creation of the album as "unforgettable" and "intense"; as he was still only doing music in his spare time, he would spend time in the studio after work hours and on weekends. He also described the experience as "deeply emotional":
{{quote|"Empires" was written at a time in my life when events of the previous years had left me feeling lost and lacking direction. It was an artificial light to guide me. When I say to someone that this album was my salvation, I don't mean that lightly. The track Arclight gets its symbolic title from the first use of electricity in lighthouses, where carbon arc lighting created the most intensely bright artificial light yet seen.}}
Track listing
{{track listing
| title1 = Firstlight
| length1 = 2:10
| title2 = Kingdom
| length2 = 5:51
| title3 = Rubicon
| length3 = 6:20
| title4 = Saviour
| length4 = 6:59
| title5 = Fragments
| length5 = 5:02
| title6 = Distant (Rubicon II)
| length6 = 3:15
| title7 = Standing
| length7 = 5:40
| title8 = Legion
| length8 = 5:11
| title9 = Darkangel
| length9 = 5:28
| title10 = Arclight
| length10 = 5:00
}}
Equipment
The following equipment was used to compose and produce the album:{{Cite web|url=https://vnvnation.com/releases/automatic-a181|title=Empires - Releases | VNV NATION|website=vnvnation.com}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.vnvnation.com Official VNV Nation website]
- [{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r468891|pure_url=yes}} AMG Review]
{{VNV Nation|album}}
{{Authority control}}
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