VNV Nation has built one of the deepest catalogs in dark electronic music—and it’s about to get even deeper. On May 9, the popular act will release Construct, the first of two albums planned for 2025. A second album, Destruct, will follow later this year.
VNV’s discography is not only vast, it’s beloved by a passionate fanbase. Ask ten fans to name their favorite songs, and you’ll get ten different answers—all of them valid.
The list below isn’t a ranking of their biggest hits—it’s simply my personal favorites. Notably absent are fan-favorites like “Illusion” and “Control.” Those songs have their place in the band’s legacy, but my tastes tend to run beyond the sentimental ballads and club anthems. I suspect the omission of certain songs may rankle some, and I’d love to know which songs are your favorites. Join the conversation on Facebook.
To commemorate the release of Construct, here are my ten favorite VNV Nation songs.
10. “Solitary” (1998)
One of VNV’s most enduring tracks, “Solitary” comes from their second album, Praise the Fallen, and remains a concert staple. The song mines beauty from contrast: a hard-charging beat set against romantic lyrics, jagged synths clashing with bright, blippy tones. Glitchy vocal effects amp up the tension, making it one of their most electrifying early tracks.
9. “All Our Sins” (2018)
VNV Nation’s humanist lyrics often explore socio-political themes, but “All Our Sins” finds them at their most direct. Martial drums amplify the track’s simmering anger, culminating in a devastating mantra: “I hope their cries haunt you to the end.” This fiery anthem closes the Noire album, which saw VNV extinguish the “never ending light” that defined much of their earlier work—it has since replaced “Perpetual” as their live closer.
8. “Beloved” (2002)
VNV followed their breakthrough Empires album with another stunning collection: Futureperfect. That album’s meditation on longing and lost love became their biggest hit at the time and remains a fan favorite. “Beloved” builds from a delicate opening about “dressing the ground in white and gray,” then bursts with a surge of fiery synths. Its icy, melancholic beauty makes it the ultimate winter song.
7. “Legion” (1999)
You’re going to see a handful of songs on this list from Empires—VNV’s breakout album is an absolute masterpiece with not a single skip. “Legion,” a slow-burning epic, weaves poetic lines like “I am too scared to close my eyes” into a brooding soundscape of pulsating synths and shadowy intensity.
6. “Forsaken (Vocal Version)” (1998)
Originally an instrumental on Praise the Fallen, “Forsaken” gains dramatic intensity in this vocal version from the Solitary EP. Haunting samples from Jacob’s Ladder add eerie tension to its already foreboding atmosphere. Once an unexpected concert highlight on early VNV tours, this version was absolutely breathtaking to experience live.
5. “Standing” (1999)
Pitch-black vocals, relentless beats, and emotional heft make “Standing” one of VNV’s most iconic songs. An anthem of resilience, its lyrics hit like a mantra: “Through my eyes, stare into me. I bare my heart for all to see.” Another standout from Empires, “Standing” belongs in the pantheon of unforgettable VNV tracks—and it remains a mainstay on concert setlists. It’s especially meaningful to me: I have some of its lyrics tattooed on my arm.
4. Darkangel (1999)
“Darkangel” concludes a three-song trilogy on Empires—one of the best three-song runs in electronic music. With vivid imagery of a black-winged figure descending from the heavens to declare “total war,” it’s among VNV’s most cinematic tracks. Pummeling beats and a haunting melody give it a sweeping, apocalyptic grandeur. I play an epic movie in my mind every time I hear it.
3. “Resolution” (2011)
The best of VNV’s self-help anthems, “Resolution” is a triumphant call to personal strength. Swirling synths set the stage for some of their most uplifting lyrics: “Light the brightest fire from the highest mountain so the whole world knows that your spirit can’t be broken.” You’ll often hear from VNV fans that their music helped them through tough times—and I can attest to that. “Resolution” was my cancer song. I played it over and over while the docs filled my veins with lifesaving poison.
2. “Honour 2003” (2003)
A song so good they recorded it twice. “Honour” originally appeared on the 1998 album Praise the Fallen, but VNV re-recorded and released it as a hardcore dance track in 2003, after Empires and Futureperfect reshaped the dark music scene. It delivers relentless beats, abrasive media samples, and charged lyrics that mark VNV’s transition from powerful EBM to contemplative futurepop.
1. “Homeward” (2005)
Dark yet beautiful tones pulse beneath this deep cut from the 2005 album Matter + Form, while lyrics about “crossing the seas” conjure images of searching for solace in an unforgiving world. “Homeward” might be an unusual pick to top this list, but what sets VNV apart is how deeply their songs connect with individual listeners. I’ve spent my entire life looking for something in myself, without the usual stars to guide me. That journey has forged a deep, personal connection with “Homeward”—one that makes it my favorite VNV Nation song.
