ALBUM REVIEW: vianova – Hit It!

‘…the sort of album that reminds you how joyous listening to music can be, and feels certain to be looked back upon fondly by the heavy scene in years to come…’

Whilst December is the month all music reviewers put out their naughty and nice lists, there still remains time to see if any names are worth adding either way. Whether released January or July, good music never goes out of style, and with this review, we rewind back to September to check out the debut LP of Berlin bop-makers vianova.

This four-piece outfit have been releasing music since 2018, and finally caught the attention of the heavy scene with the bombastic 2024 single ‘Más Rápido’. What starts out as a lounge jazz number shifts into a ridiculously groovy cut that merges djent with flamenco styled acoustic guitars and glossy pianos. It is confrontational in its creativity, and impossible to comfortably define. And somehow, vianova have managed to build upon this complete disregard for the rules, and create one of 2025’s must listen records.

Similar to another record recently reviewed here, Paledusk’s eponymous debut, ‘Hit It!’ is a weird, unconventional, and dizzying listen, and also one of the single most exciting heavy albums to be released this year. Combining glossy jazz, monstrous djent, and simply perfect vibes, vianova have crafted a masterpiece of a debut that is wholly unshackled from genre conventions; whether it has you moshing, dancing, or rolling up cigars at a classy gilded casino, ‘Hit It!’ snags you and refuses to let go for the entirety of its 45 minute run time.

‘Oh No (Believer)’ is dangerously catchy, with charismatic vocal melodies and a simply devilish hook that insists on getting lodged in your brain. Bass lines bounce beneath weighty guitar chugs and shimmering synth lines with impeccable groove, whilst the back half packs a delightfully cheesy key change. ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ exists in a similar vein, with the off-kilter musicianship providing the perfect backing to the playfully nihilistic optimism of the lyrics; everything is going to come crashing down someday or another, so you may as well go all in on life.

‘Melanchronic’ is a surging number that pulses with an electronic beat, interspersed with stabbing guitar chugs, and layered with feathery vocals that deliver understated yet wonderfully compelling melodies. The acoustic bridge transforms into a firestorm of a final chorus, bowing out with a simply mammoth breakdown that plays ferocious down-tuned guitars off against twinkling piano trills.

The track’s classy swagger is only tripled in magnitude with the follow-up, ‘Whatever Alright’. Surprisingly minimalist for this record, this unconventional rager sees discordant, distorted guitar chugging stomping down upon the listener with a simply unparalleled sense of groove, whilst the vocal delivery approaches spoken word; it all feels very acerbic and confrontational in nature. It’s an undeniable highlight of this record that exudes a sense of coolness that one can only aspire to achieve in life.

Even when the band decide to slow things down and bring out their vulnerable side, they do so with a wondrous degree of charisma and creativity. ‘Future Nostalgia’ swaps out playful and witty charm for vulnerable simplicity in the lyrics department; it grapples with coming to terms with dreams that are just out of reach, and the importance of keeping hope even when things seems hopeless. The vocal performance is soulful and impassioned, wrapped in layers of choral harmonies, warm synths, and crashing percussion. A heavy midsection is delivered with something of a blackgaze flair, with jackhammer percussion ceaselessly thundering beneath waves of glowing synths, and screamed vocals that crackle with desperation.

Closing number ‘Obselete’ is a delightfully melodramatic number, with haunting saxophone melodies, crashing pianos, and a truly magnificent vocal performance that is oozing soul. ‘Obsolete’ asks a similar question to ‘Future Nostalgia’, but reaches a far bleaker conclusion; what is the point in striving when the world does all it can to leave you behind? The climax of the song, and the album as a whole, is utterly rapturous, and as the frenzied drumming and screamed vocals resolve in a moment of glorious beauty, you can imagine a theatre of people delivering a lengthy standing ovation. ‘Hit It!’ is truly a performance through and through.

If you can fit one more album into your listening rotation before the year is out, make sure it is ‘Hit It!’. What vianova have achieved here deserves to be uplifted, celebrated, and studied, pushing heavy music into exciting and unconventional territories. It is the sort of album that reminds you how joyous listening to music can be, and feels certain to be looked back upon fondly by the heavy scene in years to come; kids getting their first guitar for Christmas will listen to this record and want to emulate it.

God, I love good music.

RATING: 92/100 – Excellent

For Fans Of: Issues, pulses., nightlife, Paledusk, In Search Of Sun

Physical copies are available to purchase here.

Follow the band on social media below:

Instagram // TikTok