Norwich quartet Takeda make a commanding entrance with their debut album In Venus’ Train via Drongo Records, a record that weaves together folklore, biblical metaphor, and raw lived experience into something both mystical and deeply human. Produced by David Pye (Szun Waves, Trudy & the Romance, Faithless, Dido), the album is sonically lush and emotionally charged, an intricate collision of melancholic folk and expansive, fuzz-drenched alt-rock.
At its core, In Venus’ Train balances intimacy with intensity. Tracks can drift like whispered confessions, delicate, poetic, and layered with acoustic warmth, before erupting into explosive passages of distortion and grit. The effect is hypnotic, pulling listeners into a space where British folk revivalists Fairport Convention meet the heavy, progressive edges of Tool. Imagine Nick Drake fronting Pile, and you’re close to the territory Takeda carved out.
Lyrically, the album explores obsession, grief, and the quest for meaning through characters drawn from scripture, folklore, and imagination. Lead vocalist Josh Harrison explains that the process was both personal and cathartic: written during a time of upheaval, estrangement, and self-discovery, these stories became mirrors for his own transformation. That authenticity shines through every note, fragile yet soaring vocals riding fuzz-tinged acoustic guitars that push emotional boundaries.
Takeda’s origins are as compelling as their music. Formed in 2022 after Harrison left a cult in rural England, the band channels that experience into a sound both raw and redemptive. With Charlie Wilson on drums, David Woodgett on bass, and Ollie Welch joining for live performances, the group earned the label of “the loudest acoustic guitar on Earth”, a testament to their ability to marry folk intimacy with rock’s cathartic force.
With a UK tour set for September 2025, Takeda are ready to carry In Venus’ Train from the studio to the stage, where their music’s emotional weight and visceral energy are sure to resonate even more powerfully.
