Venus – Wicked Things: EP Review

By Dominic Walsh on 2nd April 2020 • ( 1 Comment )

Astrological alt. rock band, Venus, are set to release their first EP after three top notch singles in 2019.

Released: 3rd April 2020

Format: CD / Digital

In December 2019, we witnessed VENUS playing as main support to Black Moth as they flew off into the ether. VENUS (and Sky Valley Mistress who also supported) picked up the torch and are lighting fires in 2020.

Quintet, VENUS, have created a concise and affecting debut EP. At just under ten minutes long, the three tracks here substantially explore themes of mental health, liberation and integrity.

Punk fuelled No Signs opens the EP in grand fashion; all snarling guitars and driving bass. Singer, GK, has a real fire in her voice. There is equal amounts of sass and soul emanating from every word. The sum of the parts make for a memorable first track that is catchy and sure to edge this band further along the road to success.

Amy is clearly an incredibly personal song to the band. A pensive guitar line opening with swirling winds surrounding it sets the scene as the vocals, again, chime in wrought with emotion. There are dashes of Emma Ruth Rundle and Chelsea Wolfe in the way the song builds. Layered synths and pulsing drums help construct this lullaby like track that explodes into colour in its final furlong.

With it being our first body of work, we wanted to take both ourselves and our listeners on a journey. Life can be sporadic with what it throws at you, it doesn’t ever seem to slow down when you need it to. This can definitely be heard throughout the tracks, from my point of view, they all represent some level of emotionally processing your experiences, and the many different stages of it. Instead of strictly writing three prominent feminist songs, we wanted our EP to have undertones of it across the board. We’re girls in alternative rock music, it’s hard, it might always be in our lifetime, but we’re trying to normalise it in any way we can. We can do that by writing about our experiences in day to day life and hoping someone can relate to it, which we’re hoping comes across when people listen to Wicked Things.
Lead singer, GK, Venus

The punk rock stompers are bread and butter to VENUS but Amy shows a very different side to the band. You’re Alright, I Guess shows the punkier side of the band again; the guitar work on this track soars with a dense wall of noise and plenty of colourful solo flourishes.

Ten minutes doesn’t feel long enough in the company of this EP. As it ends, you’ll want to hit play again; it truly is a breath of joyous fresh air that will propel the group further than before. Let us all hope that an album isn’t to far off.

Below are some pictures of VENUS from December 2019 when they played support to Black Moth.