Vena (album)

For a good while on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. Cryptic tweets would be up such as a random thing about "The calm before the storm", before being followed up with "big things are coming". This would lead to speculation of a new studio album, as well with the band later sharing a strange looking logo that would eventually end up being the tattoo on the album cover.[4]

"Words of the Youth" would later be released as a promotional and downloadable single on August 28, along with the news of the album title, tracklist, album release date and a world tour.[5] However, later teases would also hint at a new music video for the song "Gone".[6] This would end up being released on September 16 and would come out to critical acclaim and get major radio airplay on Octane, BBC Radio One and Kerrang.[7] The band would start promoting the album by playing the lead single "Gone" on tour with Bullet for My Valentine and While She Sleeps on a European Tour in September and October 2015.

The band's 2015 effort Vena has been critically described as post-hardcore,[8][9] metalcore,[10][11] hard rock,[12][11] alternative rock,[13] alternative metal,[14][15] and pop.[16]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Kerrang!	6/10[17]
Already Heard	[18]
Louder Sound	[19]
Mosh	6/10[20]
Pure Grain Audio	7/10[21]
The Sound Board	7/10[22]

The album received mixed-to-positive reviews from several critics.

Luke Nuttall of The Sound Board rated the album 7/10 and commented: "On this, their fourth album, the sound that Coldrain have gone for doesn't deviate much from what they've tried in the past. Vena is largely a collection of thoroughly modern hard rock, polished up but not entirely without grit and with the odd metalcore flourish appearing throughout. Largely though, the focus is on their sound's melodic aspect, a wise move considering that's what they're undeniably best at. It's hardly the most original concept – a sort of midpoint between Bullet for My Valentine and Thirty Seconds to Mars – but in terms of what they aim for, they hit all the right targets. The likes of "Divine" and "The Story" have enough stormy bluster in their choruses to show exactly why this band are such a huge deal in their home country, while "Runaway" gallops along with deft riffs before Papa Roach frontman Jacoby Shaddix arrives to steal the show with yet another barnstorming guest appearance to add to his ever growing list."[22]

Ali Cooper of Already Heard rated the album 3/5 and stated: "Beyond the eventless brevity of chaotic opening title track, vocalist Masato Hayakawa pours every ounce of anguish behind melodic cleans and suffering screams throughout ‘Wrong’, just the start of a cleverly produced record depicting the damage of a broken heart and a broken mind. Instrumental blueprints laid by their Hopeless Records neighbours The Used burst through the distortion-laden ‘Divine’, while the sassy and dominant ‘Pretty Little Liar’ stands tall despite drawing more than a passing resemblance to the aforementioned's ‘Pretty Handsome Awkward’."[18]

The aforementioned critics focused more on the aggressive riffs and harsh vocals of frontman Masato Hayakawa. However, Johnathan Markwell of Mosh went on to compliment the beautiful melancholic vocals: "This is most noticeable with lead singer Masato Hayakawa who is able to go from truly aggressive scream vocals to completely melodic chrooning, and he performs pretty much flawlessly. The second half of the album sees some less aggressive tracks and sees Hayakawa focus on his incredible melodic voice such as in ‘The Story’ and ‘Whole’."[20]

Vena was the second album by the band to peak within the Top 10 on the Oricon Albums Chart, debuting at number 9, while spending a total of 6 weeks on the chart.[23] On the Billboard Top Album Sales chart, Vena debuted at number 10, dropping by 33 chart positions to number 43 the following week.[24] It would spend a total of three weeks within the Top 100.[25] As of January 2022, It is the fifth best selling album by the band in Japan.[26]

Outside of their home country of Japan, Vena charted in the United Kingdom on the UK Independent Album Breakers Chart for a solitary week at number 15, while also being the tenth biggest best seller in independent retailers that week in the whole country.[27] Despite this, it however failed to crack the UK Albums Chart.[28]

In the United States, Vena sold only 310 copies in its first week, failing to chart on Billboard charts in any capacity.[29]

All lyrics written by Masato Hayakawa, all music composed by Masato Hayakawa, Ryo Yokochi and Brandon Paddock, except when noted.

Credits adapted from album's liner notes.[31]

• Vena at Discogs (list of releases)
• Vena at MusicBrainz (list of releases)