Album Review: INVSN – The Beautiful Stories

Sweden’s INVSN have released their new album, The Beautiful Stories, today, it was originally released earlier this year in their homeland on Woah Dad! Records, but today marks the first release of the album outside of their native Scandinavia and it is now available via their new international home, Dine Alone Records. INVSN are a band born of the Swedish punk and alternative scenes, their line up features members of Masshysteri, Tiger Forest Cat, Deportees, DS-13, Refused and The (International) Noise Conspiracy, The Beautiful Stories is their sophomore album and it follows on from their critically acclaimed self titled debut that was released in 2013.

Immer Zu opens with a distinctly post punk feel, it’s a track that recalls Joy Division, The Cure and Siouxsie And The Banshees and it veers between sparse verses and intense momens and rises to an irresistible chorus. This is a style that carries across the entirety of The Beautiful Stories, it’s an album that is informed by the intense angular post punk influences that populate all seven tracks with a moody and atmospheric feel. Over recent years I’ve found many post punk releases to be somewhat formulaic, with many bands merely adopting the style and attempt to recreate it, whilst INVSN are undoubtedly influenced by the same bands this is no pale imitation, INVSN bring the post punk influences right up to date and as a result they have brought something new to the genre.

The Beautiful Stories is a dark and atmospheric album that is born of post punk, but it’s combined with the collective members of INVSN‘s experience to bring new life to a scene that all to often wallows in the past. The Beautiful Stories is an accomplished and original album, yes of course you can hear the obvious influences, in particular there’s an obvious comparison to Siouxsie Sioux in some of the vocal deliveries, but this is an original dark hypnotic release that grows on you with every listen, and it is one that deserves to be heard beyond the confines of the Scandinavian borders.

You can purchase The Beautiful Stories via Dine Alone Records on CD, vinyl and digital formats here