Ascension Magazine n. 24 (Italia, Estate 2010)
[...] i Vidi Aquam cominciano la nuova decade rompendo indugi e attese e, finalmente, buttando sul mercato un bel digipack dalla sobria grafica cimiteriale contenente dieci rituali darkwave che credo non debbano passare inosservati. La storia di “The World Dies” è stata travagliata, frutto di tanti anni di musica, concerti dal vivo e sperimentazioni su sperimentazioni. Il primo lotto di canzoni del cd propone una specie di oscuro post-punk elaborato dove la dilaniante vocalità di Nikita ben si amalgama alle atmosfere gotiche disegnate dal resto della band. La drum-machine secca, dal sapore molto vintage, scandisce metriche spoglie e claustrofobiche su cui si inseriscono alla perfezione riff di chitarra lancinanti e pulsazioni di basso pregne di senso di oscurità ed oppressione. “Stone Mask”, uno dei miei pezzi preferiti, è la sintesi perfetta delle potenzialità di Vidi Aquam e del modo di intendere la musica di Nikita e compagni. Parlare di Vidi Aquam usando frasi da supermercato del dark come “la dannazione dei Sopor Aeternus incontra la rabbia dei Killing Joke” credo sia perfetto, ma anche estremamente riduttivo per descrivere tutta la creatività che il gruppo ha messo nelle sue canzoni. L’inserimento della tromba in “Radio Tuxedo” è tra le raffinatezze sonore più pregevoli dell’intero lavoro: un ulteriore additivo noir per una musica il cui tasso oscuro è già di per se elevatissimo. Che dire? Se avete idee poco chiare su come possa suonare la vera musica dark/postpunk dell’ultimo millennio, ascoltare “The World Dies”: potrebbe darvi qualche utile suggerimento.
( Alex Daniele)

The D-Side Magazine (France, July 2010)
Premier véritabile album des post-punks/darkwaveux italiens Vidi Aquam (fondés en 1994 et portant le nom d'une antienne de la messe de l'Eglise catholique romaine, en forme extraordinaire), "The World Dies" veut faire la démonstration d'une ouverture du style, en meme temps que celle d'une typologie sonore affirmée. Découpé en deux phases (une première partie organique, froide et plus typiquement post-punk, une seconde plus axée su les climats), l'essai du trio crée une dramaturgie dès l'ouverture eponyme: voix incantatoire, tribalisme et bruitism émergeant en outro, basse en boucle, le décor est posé. Ce sera pénétrant,empreint d'austérité, mais pas que ca: dansant à la manière d'un vieux Bauhaus mais avec présence assumée del sons de synthèse (la punkoide "Stone Mask"), hypnotique (le tempo lent de "In perverse Dusk"), tout cela nous fait penser à cette honneteté d'inspiration (mais dans plus de maitrise) digne d'un vieux Land Of Passion. Vidi Aquam installe de ténébreuses mécaniques (New Religion) et le fait avec pérsonnalité. Ses ambiances donnent dans plus d'obscur que de clair. Ainsi en va-t-il de "Magic Door", dont les voix avoisinent un état de folie, quelque chose restant en latence et qui nous remémore ce que fut l'atmosphère batcave. Meme constat de noirceur pour le tribal et mystique "Talk Talk", un des titres plus forts de l'ensemble, des plus gothiques aussi en terme d'ambiance, si on prend pour référents de vieilles et belles choses des années 80. Mastérisé par Frédéric Chaplain (leader du label Prikosnovénie), ce disque est plein de promesses, et la suite nous intrigue déjà. (Emmanuel Hennequin)

CRONACA CR PC, 31 Agosto 2011
Mick Mercer (UK July 2010)
It seems amazing that a band formed in 1994 is only just releasing what it regards as its debut album. That isn’t quite the case, as there’s been the ‘Apocallise’ record back in 2002, but the releases from this band, led throughout by mainstay Nikita, has been more than sporadic, yet always interesting, never sloppy, and if that’s what it takes to maintain quality then so be it. Interestingly Nikita wants this CD to be seen as an old fashioned vinyl album, with one side post-punk, one moodier and more Goth-like. ‘The World Dies’ has an oblique rhythmical insistence, over which Daniele Viola’s rousing guitar rushes as Fabio Degiorgi’s robust bass stands staunchly guarded beneath. Nikita reaches out vocally, sour and tetchy. The mood remains severe but builds cleverly, and given a respect for the past and awareness of modern developments, I doubt they’ll be disappointed if I liken the stern nature of this to Theatre Of Hate, minus the intrinsic histrionics. Beginning with a bleak bell tolling ‘Stone Mask’ slithers engagingly, the bass active, guitar sawing neatly, vocals almost rhythmically pushing, the tinny drum machine loping heroically, and four its dour sensibilities it keeps moving, the bell returning to add a forlorn but jaunty air alongside passionate vocals, although the end slumps. ‘In Perverse Dusk’ is fairly straightforward but tenacious, a sombre guitar and sullen dipping rhythm shadowing the strident or stretching vocal menace. Circumspect and orderly with its muted guitar strain there is nevertheless a lightly spooky atmosphere to ‘New Religion’ thanks to some synth tinkering, with the song revealing increasing strength as it shuffles along. ‘Suicide Girl’ rejoices in a more eager guitar and bubbling dark bass, the vocals pirouetting into a punky chorus clinch. As the mood is ready to switch down a gear ‘Radio Tuxedo’ begins with a wash of radio static and then ticks slowly, bass prowling, guitar subtly nuanced and vocals secretive as some glorious trumpet played by Goj comes in like a shining ghost, mournful and mesmerising. ‘Magic Door’ is beautiful, the bell chiming in a whispering gloom, the bass exuding a solemn splendour, the vocals reduced to poison gas status. ‘Shadow Man’ is more troubled, the booming drum and mooching synth motivating wounded words like an ominous version of The Danse Society from a parallel world. At times harsh in stature, but intrinsically serene, ‘Talk Talk’ appears mired in grief, but as the rhythm is bolstered by firmer drums and the occasional clanging metal, the vocals wheel away in agony suffused in the sound until exposed right at the end. The trumpet returns in ‘Beyond The Limit’, co-written between the band and Goj, and there’s a wonderful balance as the guitar is mobile and hovering, the brass decorative but keenly exploratory, while the bass circles warily and peevish vocals gnaw on their energy. The subtlety is maintained throughout the song which really stamps its authority as the closer, and I hope that having created something like this they can use it as a standard and inspiration to releases records more regularly in future, because they have now established a character of their own.