Review Summary: As the night ends
Without skipping a beat, Part II jumps into chaos with the blistering “Plague Dancer,” starkly contrasting the serene closing of Part I. Much like the front end of the album, Part II relies on a dynamic of heavy, intense moments and withdrawn, peaceful moments. “Crystal X” and “Desire To Feel Nothing,” though different in mood, achieve the same end goal with an ebb and flow between the aggressive riffing and groovy, softer atmospheric sections. Where the former frantically shifts tempos and intensity, the latter embraces a slow burn approach that relies an a haunting ambiance that slowly grows darker with each buildup.
Now, remember when I said sometimes words aren’t necessary? Go ahead and strike that off the record for now. With their first inclusion of vocals since
Into the Vanishing Light, “Glitching Prisms” and “Slow Dose” integrate beautiful vocal melodies intricately into the lucid-like soundscapes of the tracks. In the first of the vocal tracks, Brandon Boyd of Incubus pulls off one of his best vocal performances in recent years, perfectly fitting into the dreamy atmosphere and subtle groove of “Glitching Prism.” On the other track, Anthony Green utilizes his higher range to loftily sing atop the softest song of the entire record. Although the track doesn’t really go anywhere in particular, it’s a unique addition to the second half of the album that shows Night Verses digging deeper into experimental options of vocal features.
However, the true highlight of the both parts of the record lies in the closing “Phoenix V Invocation.” With a slow countdown from 16 lingering in the background, the song builds atop a persistent guitar progression that explodes into one of the heaviest sections performed by the band. Shifting between a breakdown-like riff and verses driven by bass grooves and drum chops, the closer brings together everything that makes Night Verses as amazing of an instrumental band that they are. Concluding with a cacophony of drums and grainy, low-tuned guitars, the song fades into the opening audio recordings of “Copper Wasp,” bringing
Every Color Has a Sound in the Valley of Night full circle with the rest of their discography.
Though not quite reaching the same consistency of Part I, Part II brings about fresh ideas and experimentation from Night Verses. With highlights like “Glitching Prisms” and the closer, the highs lift up the lows and tie the album together with Part I. Though there isn’t a clear-cut distinction between the two parts, one thing is certain: the complete
Every Color Has a Sound in the Valley of Night is a fantastic addition to Night Verses’ instrumental era.
