VNV Nation's inspiration was originally the clash of the modern and classical European cultures, where mythology and technology live in an uneasy fusion, but this has since broadened to encompass a world view. The music ranges from electronic dance music to ballads and classically inspired music. Inspirations are taken from a wide range of styles including contemporary underground club culture, industrial, trance and classical music. The lyrics draw on philosophy, religion, literature, art, politics and different forms of symbolism, although VNV Nation does not advocate any ideology. It is a metaphor for expression. The letters VNV stand for "Victory Not Vengeance". The meaning behind this stylised motto is that one should strive to achieve, not sit in bitter regret.
VNV Nation's first releases were in 1990 with two self produced vinyl releases, "Body Pulse" and "Strength of Youth" (which are now long deleted with Ronan Harris himself not having a copy). After working on some VNV Nation tracks and supporting Nitzer Ebb on tour whilst living in Toronto, Canada, Ronan returned to London and released some tracks on sampler CDs. This caught the interest of German label Discordia and in July 1995, "Advance and Follow" was released. At around about the same time, Mark Jackson joined the band.
In January 1998, VNV Nation signed with the German label, Off Beat Records, releasing their second album "Praise the Fallen" in June 1998 and the EP "Solitary EP" in September 1998. With VNV Nation increasing in popularity, they began their first headline tour in Germany in September 1998.
In 1999, the Off Beat label collapsed, leading to VNV Nation (along with other artists such as Covenant, Suicide Commando and Velvet Acid Christ) collaborating with Stefan Herwig (a former A&R manager with Off Beat) to create Dependent Records. In late 1999, the album "Empires" was released, staying at number 1 in the German Alternative Chart (DAC) for seven weeks, and winning the award for DAC Album of the Year.
From "Empires" two singles were released "Darkangel", which tops the DAC for 5 weeks in mid 1999 and "Standing", which stays at no.1 in the DAC for 8 weeks in early 2000 (the maximum a single can remain in the DAC) winning a German Alternative Music Award for most successful single of 2000 and sharing the place for most successful single in the DAC's history with the Chemical Brothers. A limited edition of the "Standing" single was also released entitled "Standing / Burning Empires" which contained alternate versions and remixes by VNV Nation of tracks from "Empires". This remains one of the most sought after VNV rarities, fetching large sums on auction sites, although it has recently been released on iTunes to allow casual listeners to purchase it.
In March 2001, "Advance and Follow v2" was released as a limited edition, which was a remastered and partially re-recorded version of the original 1995 album "Advance and Follow". The band were never particularly happy with the first album due to it being recorded in less than a week, so the release was seen by the band as a way to put that right.
In October 2001, VNV Nation embarked on their "Futureperfect" tour of Europe and North America, promoting the album "Futureperfect" which was released in January 2002. It reached number 25 in the full German Album Charts, with the single "Beloved" reaching number 60 in the full German Singles Chart. Following the release of "Beloved", VNV Nation part ways with Dependant and create their own label "Anachron Records".
In June 2003, the Honour 2003 EP is released, promoting the "Pastperfect" live DVD, which following many delays and problems was finally released in May 2004. Following this the rest of 2004 and beginning of 2005 was spent producing the album "Matter and Form", which was released in April 2005. Preceeding the album release, one of the tracks "Chrome" was sold in March 2005 as a download on the VNV Nation website, as well as iTunes.
In April 2007, the album "Judgement" was released, and an extensive world tour in support of the album followed. In January 2009, VNV Nation published their plans for 2009 on their website, indicating that the long delayed "Reformation" EP would be available, but now as a full "CD Pack". Also due for release in 2009 is the new album entitled "Of Faith, Power and Glory".
In November 2017 Mark Jackson left the band to "pursue other paths in life".
To read more about Ronan Harris and his motivations behind the band and 2009's "Of Faith, Power and Glory," please visit http://www.dieselpunks.org/profiles/blogs/interview-ronan-harris-of-vnv
Tomorrow Never Comes
VNV Nation Lyrics
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This should be our finest hour
But were racing towards the end of days
Pulling back from the brink, despite our best efforts
The volume increases and the beat goes on
All the players marching to a different drum
The rhythm of the war dance
The beat goes on
What will become of us if there's no one to watch over us
If we should face the certainty of our destruction
Forfeiting everything, pointless cries, futile dreams
There'll be no laughter, there'll be no tears
When tomorrow never comes
This isn't a game, turn the safety off
Still we want more
And so the beat gets faster
Everyone must play
'Cause fame will find you
Put your face on the cover of a loaded magazine
We're proud of ourselves
Our greatest inventions, methods of killing
Are reaching perfection
All the players marching to a different drum
The rhythm of the war dance and the beat goes on
What will become of us if there's no one to watch over us
If we should face the certainty of our destruction
Forfeiting everything, pointless cries, futile dreams
There'll be no laughter, there'll be no tears
When tomorrow never comes
As the warning sirens sound that the world is at an end
Rendered unto night, creations torn asunder
What will become of us, is there no one to watch over us?
There'll be no laughter, there'll be no tears
When tomorrow never comes
The lyrics to VNV Nation's song "Tomorrow Never Comes" provide a poignant reflection on the state of the world in the 21st century. The opening line, "Heaven help us, we've lost control," sets the tone for the rest of the song as it reflects on the sense of helplessness and despair felt by many as the world seems to spiral towards destruction. Despite the fact that this should be humanity's "finest hour," the song suggests that instead of solving the world's problems, we are instead headed towards the "end of days."
There is a sense of urgency in the lyrics as the song implores us to "turn the safety off" and to continue racing towards our own destruction. The fast-paced beat of the song underscores this message, highlighting the frenzied pace of modern life and the sense that we are all "marching to a different drum." The lyrics are also critical of our society's obsession with fame and the ways in which we celebrate our own destruction through our greatest inventions and methods of killing, which are "reaching perfection."
The song ends on a haunting note, with the repeated refrain that "there'll be no laughter, there'll be no tears when tomorrow never comes." This line suggests that we have already surrendered everything that is truly important in life and that when the end finally does come, there will be nothing left but emptiness and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
Heaven help us, we've lost control
We are unsure of what comes next, we no longer have the power to dictate our own fate
This should be our finest hour
This moment we are living in has the potential to be great, but we are not rising to the occasion
But were racing towards the end of days
Despite the opportunity for greatness, we are headed towards our own destruction
Pulling back from the brink, despite our best efforts
We are trying to prevent catastrophe, but our attempts are not enough
The volume increases and the beat goes on
We are becoming more and more frenzied, but our pace does not falter
All the players marching to a different drum
We are all pursuing different goals and interests, even when it isn't in our best interest
The rhythm of the war dance
We are engaged in a figurative war, whether it be with ourselves, others, or the world at large
What will become of us if there's no one to watch over us
Without guidance, we may not be able to avoid our own destruction
If we should face the certainty of our destruction
We may come face-to-face with the reality that we are powerless against our own undoing
Forfeiting everything, pointless cries, futile dreams
We may lose all we have worked for, all the while realizing the futility of our actions
There'll be no laughter, there'll be no tears
In the face of annihilation, all emotions lose their meaning
This isn't a game, turn the safety off
We are dealing with real-life consequences, and must take off our protections to face them
Still we want more
Despite everything, we remain unsatisfied
And so the beat gets faster
Our rhythm only grows more frantic as things worsen
Everyone must play
Everyone has a role to play in our uncertain future
'Cause fame will find you
Even in the midst of chaos, some still hope to achieve something significant
Put your face on the cover of a loaded magazine
Many aim to find relevance through success, wealth, or fame
We're proud of ourselves
We take pride in our accomplishments even if they lead us to ruin
Our greatest inventions, methods of killing
Even in the midst of self-destruction, we are still capable of creating something significant
Are reaching perfection
Our greatest abilities may far exceed our sense of morality
As the warning sirens sound that the world is at an end
We are constantly reminded of the potential for our own downfall
Rendered unto night, creations torn asunder
As events unfold, all we have known may disappear
What will become of us, is there no one to watch over us?
We continue to ask if there is anyone out there to prevent our destruction
There'll be no laughter, there'll be no tears
In the face of annihilation, all emotions lose their meaning
When tomorrow never comes
When we realize there is no more time left, it will be too late
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: RONAN HARRIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind