Trivium - What The Dead Men Say (Review)

As you can remember, I rarely listen to music from USA. However, I recently received a newsletter on my email with a proposal to listen to Trivium new album. Also in some of my recommendations on Youtube there were several covers for songs from this album. Well, this means that today we will have very cool guys from America.

My Rating: 84/100 Best song: Bending the Arc to Fear

Service Yandex Music determined that the song Sickness Unto You is similar to Open the Hell's Gate (EACH OF THE DAYS) - that’s all you need to know about how such algorithms work.

And then we will act. I read a lot of articles on art and culture. And often I notice one point among the authors: a magnificent train of thought, but the emphasis is ugly. Something like this can be said about this album. Obviously, the guys wanted to make a very technical and very complex album, but at the same time still make something attractive to average listener. And just then, with such a desire, some uncomfortable feeling begins. For example, this is noticeable in the album structure: an increasing intro, then three very powerful tracks, and then the 5th track, which seemed to me too difficult to understand. On track 6, I wanted to turn off this album. A pleasant surprise was that the 7th, 8th and 9th tracks were the best in the album. And the last track seemed to have been made just to somehow end the album. In general, the impressions of the album are positive. There is no sense of incompleteness that I usually have after such albums.

The vocalist is flawless. There is a weak variety of vocal techniques - it's noticeable that the idea prevails here, and not the vocalist's skill's shades. However, the voice is very strong, which, coupled with sharp lyrics, gives a tangible effect. However, there is one interesting point. It consists approximately of the following: from the point of view of instrumental parts, it's extreme metal, but there are few extreme vocal techniques. It might look strange, but it looks interesting here.

Instrumental parts: this situation is twofold. On the one side, riffs are very hooky and very groovy. For example, I liked the main riff from Catastrophist so much that I immediately wanted to tune my guitar on Standard A# and play it. It can also be noted that riffs have a very high technical complexity: I didn't immediately understand how this is played and this is a pleasant fact. On the other side, in some segments you can hear stroking the power chords using the simplest alternate picking technique. I think this is a negative point - I didn't expect this from these guys. Now about the rhythm section. Bass has a pronounced upper part of tone. Because of this, the bass is clearly audible in the mix - this is a nice detail, especially when you listen through cheap headphones. However, the bassist doesn't have a lot of interesting parts - I can’t single out one thing. Drums - everything is pretty predictable here. Here you can hear very intense drum loops. However, it's not possible to tell too much about drums - the composer's attention on guitars is noticeably too much.

Usually mainstream rock bands completely disappoint me. Yes, this can be understood: in the modern world, popularity requires far from what experts say. But these guys are one of the very few exceptions. They have such a high skill level that their flaws can only be felt. Specifically, in this album, a big bet on the general idea and on guitars is noticeable: sharp lyrics and difficult riffs. Whether this bet has played or not - perhaps everyone will decide for himself. But I can say that this album is cool.

Li-sa-X Band - One More Chance is Enough / Just Be My Treasure (Review)

Li-sa-X - this nickname lingered in my head only in the form of several covers, several posts on twitter and one interview in Metallion magazine (Vol 65). I didn't follow the activity of this artist. As it turned out, it was in vain. In March of this year, the first single of an interesting project with her participation was released.

My Rating: 77/100 Best song: Just Be My Treasure

There are only two tracks, but I can say something about this release. The first thing you can notice is minimalistic cover. Also, something similar can be seen in the overall sound: it's interesting, but not overloaded - this is exactly what you need. First track is something progressive in the spirit of the later Dream Theater. Second track is something groove and technical with a taste of NWOBHM. Two different tracks on single is a nice detail.

Next is the composer. Сomposer's work at middle level. It's noticeable that in first track there is a lot of emphasis on melodic improvisation, and in second - on rhythm section. But all this is implemented according to the standard scheme, in which nothing significant was introduced. Yes, it's noticeable that the task was not to adhere to any strict patterns. And even in the first track there is a certain attempt to do something unusual, which is expressed in virtuoso improvisation after a small vocalist's part. This is also evident in the sighted pause and interesting timing in the spirit of Sergey Mavrin. But I don't think that anyone can be greatly surprised at this now.

Now about the vocalist. Vocalist seems to me some kind of machine that just performs the parts according the sheet music (I hope that I'm wrong). No, I don't want to say that the vocalist is bad, just the opposite. But it seems to me that the performance of vocal parts is somehow too orthodoxal, too conservative. This is especially true for segments in English. But overall, vocalist did an excellent job.

Instrumental parts sound cool. Despite the high overall intensity of sound exstraction, it's difficult to write a lot of text. First is guitars. It's noticeable that there are two guitarists with different views and different approaches to business. Shades at this level are a nice detail. There is also something to say about rhythm section. Bass is not heard in mix - that's as usual. However, drum parts are something unbelievable. If the first track does not pay much attention to drums, then in second a rather high intensity of drum loops. Additional instruments are also present here, for example, a piano in the first track. But they are used quite trivially - as an addition to the overall structure. However, this is also a nice detail.

“The brighter the flame, the faster it goes out” - I hope the leader was guided by this principle. Because the members showed not all their skills, it's noticeable that they are capable of more. Overall, this album can be called attractive. From the point of view of technic, everything is great here. From the point of view of composer work, there is little interesting here. Seriously, they have enough expression, but I can’t understand how they stand out in their region. It would be interesting if they would have more local flavor in the compositions. Well, if you take into account the age of the leader, then I can say that this is really cool work.

Octaviagrace - Radiant (Review)

Octaviagrace - after this title, comments are always redundant. Over their five-year history, they have repeatedly shown high skill. And today the release of their new album is always a remarkable event not only on the eastern, but also on the world stage.

My Rating: 90/100 Best song: pray

I can understand that every time surprising the audience is not an easy job. However, understanding this fact becomes more interesting. Accordingly, I met their album with great joy and great expectations. Just press "play" - and you are immediately immersed in a sense of euphoria that does not pass for a long time.

Here you can hear a high voice, technically complex parts for guitar and bass, as well as a large number of synthesizers. General album structure is as follows: very powerful songs with an industrial synthesizer (1, 2 tracks), a very powerful song with a piano (3 tracks), typical power metal (4, 5 tracks), a light song with a piano (6 tracks), songs with a change of tempo (7, 8 tracks) and at the end the three most powerful songs. At the first listening it sounds interesting. But with careful listening to the composer's work, some questions arise. For example, about the general idea of ​​1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8 tracks. Not about everything at once, but in pairs. It seems that the next track is a continuation of previous one. That is, the second track is a continuation of first, the fifth is a continuation of fourth, and the eighth, respectively, of seventh. I monitored their social networks and came to the following conclusion: this is a consequence of the fact that album was recorded quickly. However, the overall quality of the methods for solving artistic tasks was not affected. This is a pleasant fact.

It's also nice to listen to vocalist. You should not expect a particularly large variety of vocal parts - you can notice that the idea prevails here, and not vocal mastery shades. But it's also noticeable that the voice is very strong.

Instrumental parts are something unbelievable. First of all, it's worth noting a wide variety of synthesizers - here a lot of attention is paid to this. Also here you can hear the high technical complexity of the instrumental parts. As usual, I note that I did not immediately understand how this is played and this is a pleasant moment. The section where guitarist and bassist perform the same part looks interesting - it was so beautiful that I forgot what track it was in. Now specifically about the guitarist. Guitarist is so high that the name “Hanako Fujiwara” is not just 4 kanji in the string “guitar”. This is a magnificent performance of virtuoso parts that are forgotten not soon. This album was no exception - I still can not repeat it. Now about the bassist. You can hear him well in the mix - you can hear all the splendor of his technique. It's noticeable that bassist is improving his sound - in this album his sound has reached the highest point. For example, this is noticeable in the fact that the sound of his instrument does not conflict with other instruments, as was the case in Polyhedra EP. Bass lines are incredible: they are very complex and interesting. However, it's difficult to describe in words, it's better to listen. Drummer also looks cool. The only thing I don’t like is pop patterns in the 3rd track. The rest looks cool. Synthesizers - everything is great here. It’s not just filling the space between instruments, it’s a really big amount of work.

As a result, I didn’t tell much directly about the album - it’s too great for a detailed description. Yes, so far nothing can compare with Polyhedra EP. But these guys for the sixth time in a row show their high skill level. Very bright, very saturated album, where every little thing speaks of a serious level. And it's a worthy release not only in 2019, but also for a whole decade. Well done guys: every time they try to surprise the listener and they succeed all the better - I don't think that he wants to remove the headphones after this.

Galneryus - INTO THE PURGATORY (Review)

I didn’t really like the albums of this band, starting with Resurection (2010) and ending with Under the Force of Courage (2015). My opinion changed after Ultimate Sacrifice (2017), where guys presented their work from a fresh angle. This year, after a great solo album, guitarist wanted to expect the same from the main project. Did it work or not? Now I will tell.

My Rating: 83/100 Best Song: Glory

Guitarist began this year very epic with solo album. It would be logical to complete the year with the help of main project. No sooner said than done. Amplifiers to maximum, emotions to maximum - and go.

Let's start with a general idea. I don’t quite like the direction of general idea in which the album goes, although the general dramatic plot is always held in high esteem. But at the same time it's worth noting a good study of it. The following should be noted the album structure. But It's difficult to describe and I see this as a positive point. I also liked the idea of ​​lengthy (over 7 minutes) songs: they are at the beginning (2 track), in the middle (5 track) and at the end (9 track).

Separately, the composer should be noted. Composer's work is filigree. Vocal and instrumental parts structures are very complex and diverse. It's noticeable that the composer had a lot of work. The question arises: did he deal with it? Yes, he did an excellent job. Noticeable thorough study of each passage, each note. But there remains a feeling that in some segments he was a little hasty (perhaps this is not true, but such a feeling is present).

Now about the vocalist. I don’t really like that kind of voice. Yes, the voice is strong and vocal style is interesting. But the sound itself is not so hot. However, there is still something to note in a positive way - this is the vocal parts structure. It's noticeable that the vocal parts were composed with special care, given the large number of shades. As a result, in the mix you can hear the excellent vocalist's work.

Instrumental parts are very complex. So much so that I have to write too much about it. But, since I am limited to 5000 characters, I will try to describe briefly. Once again, I dare not say anything about guitarist - his level is so high. But still it's worth noting something. Firstly, high complexity: I realized how this is played only after the tenth (or more) listening, but I'm not sure about that either. Secondly, an interesting performance technique that cannot be confused with anyone. The only negative thing about guitar parts is that you can hear something very familiar. For example, in a guitar solo in track 9 (by the way, a very long one), on segment with sweep picking: something very similar could be heard earlier. We continue with the bass player - he is also good. Bass lines are breathtaking. It’s hard to hear the bassist in the mix, but when you hear him ... In general, it’s even difficult for me to describe these emotions. Now about the drummer. At the beginning of fourth track you can hear interesting patterns. However, I could not find anything more special. Synthesizer also looks interesting. It is noticeable that here is not just creating an atmosphere for other instruments, but thorough work. Also, the variety of sound is amazing.

These guys have long changed their enthusiasm for seriousness, and not everyone likes it. Well, content the main thing. Unfortunately, the second magnificent album did not come out. And not only because guitarist's solo album overshadowed this work. Still, human capabilities are limited: it's difficult to produce two full-lengths in one year. However, as I previously noted (if I am not mistaken, it was in the review of new album by Mardelas), in such situations, the level of training is visible. And these guys are all right with this level. So it’s worth recognizing that this album is good.

Rie aka Suzaku - Top Runner (Review)

And today we have a very big name, whose talent does not allow me to insert many words in intro: a new album from Rie aka Suzaku has been released. This news is alarming: after the failed "Don't Hide Your Face", something really powerful must be released.

My Rating: 82/100 Best song: Furinkazan

I usually find albums of this artist on Yandex Music - Poppin Records is engaged in publishing. And the very first surprising moment for me was that I did not find it. A little later, I found out that this album was released on King Records label. I must say, this fact significantly adds fuel to the fire. I was very afraid that cooperation with a very famous label would significantly affect the intellectual value - such serious guys work for high sales. Art, most often, is secondary for them. But such fears were not justified and it's pleasant to realize.

Fortunately, here the composer did not depict something pompous, but simply did what he could. As a result, composer's work looks very cool. Here it's noticeable that emphasis was placed on attractiveness for the ordinary listener, although I am not inclined to see a positive color in such an idea. I would also like to note that the album combines many mood shades. In this regard, a detailed description of album structure is difficult to do. Here is a very conditional division into tracks. This is one of the albums that you simply turn on - and enjoy. No bells, no whistles - just put on the headphones and press "Play". But, since I need to write at least 3,500 characters, I will continue my review. Also felt the conceptuality of the album: all the tracks are united by a common idea. The only awkward moment: why release a track that was previously released?

Since the album is fully instrumental, the next item is instrumental parts. Let's start with guitar. Guitar parts can hardly be called complex. Not because the Standard E guitar tuning does not have to a very large variety. Here it's noticeable that a big bet on emotions is being made. Guitar plays beautiful melodies that are very pleasant to listen. In the rhythm section you can also hear a lot of interesting things. Here you can hear the guitar, which is quite often part of the rhythm section - this is not often heard in instrumental albums. The rhythm section continues with bassist. Bassist plays very difficult and interesting parts. It looks particularly interesting in the fifth track, where the bass at the beginning repeats the guitar, and then plays the slap. Also worth noting is the bass solo with the slap in third and fifth tracks. Drummer is cool too. Here is quite a diverse set of rhythms. Particularly interesting are the rhythms in second track. The only thing I don’t like is the pop patterns in the third track, they are in small numbers at the beginning, but I wouldn’t want to hear them. Separately, I would like to mention additional instruments. Here the composer showed a high ability to control synthesizers. Particularly interesting is flute in third track, saxophone in fourth track and Hammond organ solo in seventh track.

My first question is: "is this album of the year or is it just a good way to make some more money"? Unfortunately, this is not a masterpiece. I say "unfortunately" because this artist is able to do really good things. However, it's worth noting that the work is good. My second question is: “Has cooperation with a well-known label influenced the intellectual value of the work”? It's difficult to say unequivocally - too high talent is behind this work. My third question is: “is the album a good and interesting one”? Yes, album is great. My fourth question is: “are there any prospects for something better“? It's difficult to say - artistic personalities are very changeable. For example, take two of the newest albums of Mary’s Blood, which are very different from each other. In the end, I can say that despite the fact that I confidently answered only one question out of four, I can give a high rating.

Erika - Burning Spirits (MV)

Winter is over very interesting: such a beautiful girl released a MV.



This is performed with a classic guitar tone on a standard E guitar tuning. These facts quite often say that we will not hear diversity here. And when I turned on the video, I immediately heard the confirmation of these words.

Composing at the secondary level work. It's noticeable that composer has good abilities. However, instrumental parts are very predictable. Сomposition can be divided into several parts. In the beginning you can hear intro on the synthesizer in the spirit of Korg MS-20. The first part is riffs with fifths and scale, the second is tremolo with power chord, the third is power chord, the fourth is breakdown with imitation of blues improvisation, the fifth is power chord and coda. As for the lead guitar, here you can see a minor pentatonic with rare inserts of “something else” (for example, tapping).

You may also notice that the music does not exactly match the video. And also in the video rather weak plot. Here you can see footage from two concerts. I don't want to say that professional direction is obligatory. Just the opposite: the best music video have a low budget, because the most important thing in them is idea. But here I just see the footage from the concert.

In general, it sounds cool. But here everything is very predictable and I see no reason for high ratings. Instrumental music is always the pinnacle of any musician’s mastery. But here I see a standard novice set. Well, this guitarist also has a extended range guitar, for which can write something more interesting. However, if the release is exactly as I guess, the rating will be 55-60/100.

Dream Theater - Distance Over Time (Review)

Unfortunately, the names of many artistic personalities eventually turn into a brand, not a guarantee of high art. For music critics, each new release of famous metal bands is a reason for discussions on such topics. And today I will tell about epic release of famous band.

My Rating: 84/100     Best Song: Pale Blue Dot

About Dream Theater said enough before I was born. However, even in the new album there are interesting things. If I described every thing worth attention, then I would get about 30,000 characters (with the usual length of 3000 - 3500). However, the first thing you notice is a very epic general idea. Everything is so epic here that you can write a lot of words about each song. Especially about the song Pale Blue Dot, which was probably inspired by that famous photograph of Earth from Saturn. However, there is also something more poppy here. I also listened to a version from Spotify with a bonus track. The bonus track was not understood by me.

Composer's work is excellent. Here are very well chosen methods for solving artistic tasks. It's noticeable that a lot of attention was paid to instrumental parts. Very, very much attention. Complexity and simplicity are wonderfully interwoven with emotions, resulting in epic constructions. We have to admit that composer is a true master of his craft. Even not the most successful songs (5 and 6 tracks) and frank quickie (10 track) sound great.

But about vocalist can be said a little. It's noticeable that vocalist perfectly performed his work - voice is quite strong. But in the end, it looks a bit weird. As if vocalist just walked up to microphone and did his job. How else to explain the weak variety of vocals with such a long experience?

Instrumental parts - there is a lot of room for thought, but, unfortunately, for this one blog entry will not be enough. However, first of all I would like to mention the guitarist. Usually, after name “John Petrucci” everything becomes clear - a guitarist of such a high level cannot do something bad. And this is reflected in album: guitar parts - this is something incredible that is difficult to describe with the help of words. Moreover, this atmosphere of “something incredible” is felt in every segment of each song. There are interesting riffs on extended range guitar and long guitar solos. Bassist is great too. Bass is hard to hear in the mix, but you can still see very interesting bass lines here. In some songs the bass has a very strong attack and this gives the songs a special charm. Keyboards - here there are interesting parts of organ in tracks 7 and 9. Also, track 8 consists almost entirely of a piano. Otherwise, I expected more. Drums - I also expected more. But there is still an interesting set of rhythms.

To say “this is just good work” means to insult such a great talent and experience. But it seems that these guys are stuck somewhere in the 90s: not at all parts it looks like classical metal, and the modern patterns here are not presented in the best light. Perhaps the readers will think that I was brought up at mallcore and I can not objectively describe such releases. But one thing is certain: Dream Theater has long been a brand. Work of these guys is excellent, but we already heard this in the 90s. And riffs on extended range guitars don't greatly complement this picture. Well, the work is done.

SYU - Vorvados (Review)

Usually, I confine myself to the words “this is a very big talent” when I discuss such musicians as Ueda-sensei. And you, dear readers, can understand this - diffucult to say something about a person with more than 20 years of mainstream experience. However, I managed to analyze this album and now I will tell you what is interesting here.

My rating: 93/100     Best song: Reason

At first glance it may seem that shredding has already jumped the shark - sound designer's art doesn’t stand still and it's possible to express epic ideas without high instrumental skills. However, there is noticeable not just a large number of notes per second, but something much more interesting. Talking about this release is quite difficult because of its epic character - emotionality interferes with rationality. After I turned on this album, I woke up an hour later. This album is an incredible stream of pathos and epic that keeps the listener from the beginning to the end.

Composer's work is very diverse. In this album, composer chose the most difficult way - through the transfer of a large number of shades. This can afford only a high-class specialist. However, it gives impressive results. Album structure should be noted: a dramatic intro (1 track), the most powerful and pathos songs (2, 3, 5 tracks), a middle-tempo song (4 tracks), in the middle of the album there are metalcore patterns with an abundance of pinch harmonics on extended range guitar (6 tracks), again powerful songs (7, 8, 10 tracks) and at the end - something melancholic with piano (9, 11 tracks). Purely theoretically, this doesn't look very bright, but composer's talent made it possible to convey a huge amount of shades. Therefore, the picture turned out to be epic, not only on the cover art.

It should also be noted that several vocalists took part in the recording of the album. This is an interesting idea - to combine the best abilities of several vocalists. And in this album it’s hard to say something bad about vocalists, because the best sides of their talent are gathered here. However, I can say something. For the most powerful songs, the most powerful vocalists were chosen. There is nothing surprising - the amazing begins only while listening. For the middle-tempo song (4th track), in which the beauty of the song needs to be emphasized, Haruka was chosen, which has a great voice. After I heard her voice, I immediately wanted a new album of Tears Of Tragedy. Extreme techniques (6 track) - this is also a good solution in terms of diversity. By the way, such a great variety of the best vocalists for Ono-sensei (his voice can be heard in track 9) may be an occasion to ponder the question: is it really necessary for him in Galneryus?

But I continue. Now about instrumental. It's noticeable that composer paid a lot of attention to instrumental parts. And after listening to say that the result “just good” means to insult such a high talent. Guitar parts are great. Yes, these words poorly convey the magnificence of guitarist's technique. I don't have enough knowledge to describe in detail such skills. However, I can note something. For example, very interesting shades in using typical power metal patterns in most tracks. Or metalcore patterns on extended range guitar (track 6) - it was suddenly, but very interesting. The rest instruments don't look so bright against the background of guitar. However, there is also something to say about the rest. Keyboards sound interesting, but only in 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, and 11 tracks. In the rest it could be more interesting, considering that Yuhki was involved in this. Rhythm section is very powerful. The first part of the rhythm section is bass. Crazy bass parts are hard to hear in cheap headphones, but when you hear it, you'll shit bricks. The second part - drums - also sound very powerful. High intensity of drums (even at medium tempo) prevents the listener from relaxing.

It was very difficult for me to write this review. This is probably the second most difficult review I posted on this blog. But I can say one thing: sensei once again confirms that he is a world-class specialist. He confirms his ability to think outside the box where he really needs it. Yes, this is not a unique combination of skill and emotion - regular listeners of Japanese metal have heard similar music for a long time. However, this release is made by a real master of his craft. It was necessary to think a little better for keyboards in 5, 6, 7 and 10 tracks, and also it was not necessary to insert Ono-sensei into this release. This is the only thing I didn’t like about this album. Otherwise, the album is great.

Fate Gear - Headless Goddess (Review)

New or old? This question will torment the listener throughout the album.

My rating: 86/100     Best Song: Hakai No Bara

fategear.jp

It all starts with the feeling of déjà vu, the feeling that you have heard it before. And after looking at the tracklist, you begin to understand where this feeling comes from. This album consists of Destrose songs (except the last). The structure of album: at the beginning - clean intro, then a powerful track, then two tracks in the style of 80s, then a melodic, then two very powerful songs. This idea is standard, but it holds the listener well.

Composer work is good. A lot of work is noticeable, despite the fact that this is not a new songs. Composer again chooses methods for solving artistic tasks that involve the transfer of a large number of shades.

The first, where the influence of such an idea is noticeable is vocalists. There are several vocalists in this album who have different ranges and performing shades. There is even extreme technique (2 track). Unusual to hear extreme technique, along with standard E guitar tuning. Also too careful performance of vocals in track 2. In the rest of the songs the performance is flawless. However, a high level of skill manifests itself in quite interesting points. For example, in all songs minimal voice processing is noticeable - this indicates confidence in their abilities.

Instrumental parts - everything is predictable here. Standard E guitar tuning does not have to much variety. However, some composer's ideas make instrumental parts very interesting at the level of shades. Now specifically about each member. The first is guitarist. Guitar riffs are pretty predictable for power metal, but that sounds good. But there is one uncomfortable point: I don't like volume of guitar in the mix. This is especially noticeable at the beginning of track 2, at the moment with a dive bomb. This technique should be very sharply smash into the composition. Here it's not noticeable. Also, the insufficient volume of guitar is noticeable in the general construction of 6 track. Also noticeably a very large number of keyboards. After an indistinct synthesizer's solo in song "7 Years Ago", keyboardist is already playing without any show-off's. However, keyboards perfectly complements the composition. Bassist has some interesting segments. Slap in two tracks - 6 and forgot which one else - that's all that the bassist could offer. However, another part of the rhythm section - drummer - sounds better. Drum patterns don't sound too diverse, but quite powerful. For example, 4 tracks is almost entirely one continuous blast beat.

Until the last moment, I refused to believe that Fate Gear is new Destrose. Yes, this is not so simple. However, in this release, the Captain presents us with old compositions in a new form. I don't like this idea - no need to remember the old when you move forward. But Captain still noticeably improved the compositions, making them more saturated, more alive. If this album was in the style of Destrose, I would rate 74/100. But now you can hear the new sound. I don't know how many releases such an idea will be enough, but specifically this work is good.

Simplest japanese metal songs on 7 string guitar

Extended range guitars is always a professional choice. However, sometimes there is a simple artistic task that does not require something complicated. And in this entry I will talk about such examples.

• Galneryus - Heavy Curse (Heavy / Power / Progressive Metal, Standard B)

Usually guitarist from this band has very difficult parts. But during his career, he tried many methods of solving artistic tasks. So many, that he got in my today's list.

• Pulse Of Humanity - No Excuse (Nu-Metal / Industrial Metal, Drop A)

If you know what “Nu-Metal” is, then you will understand this.

• ISAO - Pudding Busters (Progressive Metal / Instrumental, Standart B)

This artist originally used 7 string guitars, and compositions were not very complicated. Here is one example.

• Nocturnal Bloodlust - Dead End (Deathcore / Djent, Drop G)

I also find it strange to see these guys on this list, because their music is very complicated from the point of view of a guitarist. However, there is only a complex scale in intro, the rest is simple.

The list turned out even less than usual - 4 pieces.

Asterism - Ignition (Review)

Earlier, I wrote that Dmitriy Demyanenko’s solo album is the best instrumental album I've heard this year. But these young talents made me think about it.

My rating: 74/100

Source: discogs.com

This guys from the start release powerful work. This is a very dare statement at the beginning of a career because listeners will want better work next time. Well, work is done and now I will tell you what's interesting about it. Album is still very far from ideal. The idea is not so hot - the guys just take the instruments and plays metal. From the band, the valiant valor flows, which more than compensates for a not very good idea.

A separate item would like to note the presence of covers on the Beatles (Helter Skelter) and DIO (Stand up and Shout). I will not say that the song Helter Skelter is quite common for Japanese covers and it was very predictable. I wonder why? For quantity? I can not understand this.

Composer's work can not be considered very carefully. It's noticeable here that the composer didn’t have the task to create something very complicated - there is a big bet on emotions. He just knows the benefits of band members well and uses it most effectively. It's rather difficult to discuss the composer's work further as instrumentalists create most of the impression.

Since the album is completely instrumental, now we should tell about the instrumental parts. But it's not so. There is also a voice here, but not quite as usual. Here the voice is used as a small addition to the design. But the voice in the instrumental album is a negative point, as it shows the composer’s uncertainty. Uncertainty about understanding of the listener.

Instrumental parts are something incredible. Everything is so interesting here that one blog entry will not be enough to fully describe everything. At first you do not understand what is happening. Then you don't understand either. But I still managed to find art here. Guitar parts are great. I did not think that I would say this about a novice. But guitarist is so good that we can only wonder. Also noteworthy is the interesting use of a looper in track 5. The bass player is not far behind. Here you can see that bass is well heard in the mix. A little later, you understand why. Repeating for a guitar player in some segments (even with a tapping), bassist also shows a good skill. And drums are a separate topic. There is a wide variety of drums, despite the fact that a lot of time is spent on guitar and bass.

It's just a job well done. Yes, there are flaws on composer's part, but in general the work is good. If they ask me “What does a good work of musicians mean?”, I will give this album as an example. There are no perversions here, just an honest skill. Few experienced musicians can boast such. There is still a lot to fix, but I definitely did not waste time.

Octaviagrace - new eclosion (Review)

Any musical project necessarily changes. For example, Loudness - if you compare their sound in the 80s and in 2000s, the difference will be very large (single The Everlasting is a real fucked up). Or Galneryus - first two very powerful albums, then depressive lyrics and experiments with extended range guitars in two albums, and after album Resurrection (2008) I stopped listening to them at all.

My rating: 83/100

Source: amazon.co.jp

Fortunately, the changes in this album are not so significant. If earlier it was power metal with a lot of synthesizer and non-standard ideas, now ... Um ... Well ... It's hard for me to describe it with the help of words. Nevertheless, one can say something about general structures. Here is an interesting album structure. However, all releases of this band have an interesting structure. But here the album keeps the listener from start to finish. It's also worth noting that there is no quickie - a dangerous disease, traces of which can be traced in many bands.

Composer's work is good. But it seems that the composer is constantly missing something. That is, the work is done perfectly - complex structure of the compositions rests surprisingly well on the listener's ears. But at the level of shades you begin to understand that something is wrong here. But the only thing that really turned out well with composer was the creation of unique compositions. That is, structure's changes are minor, but during listening, there is no déjà vu feeling. This is another evidence in favor of excellent composer's work, as he could fall into the “success trap”.

Vocalist is good. But vocals are very predictable and are not very diverse. However, a strong but pleasant vocalist is always an honor.

Instrumental parts are a bit different now. Keyboards has a less attention compared to previous release. For example, some songs cost the minimum number of keyboards (4 tracks). However, there is a piano (1, 2, 3, 6 tracks), Hammond organ (2 track), magic organ (5, 6 tracks), strings (6 track), “industrial” (6 track) and even acidic (6 track). The main focus is on guitar and bass. And guitar is something incredible. There is nothing difficult here, but riffs are made up so that it remains only to quietly admire. “Magnificent melodic parts and insane solos” - these words will describe only a small part of what can be heard from such a talented guitarist. But bass lines are easier to describe - they are again quite interesting. But now the bass is better heard in mix and this is a nice detail. There is a slap on the bass in 5 and 7 tracks. And again I was expecting a solo on the bass, but this was not audible. No, a small melodic section on bass in 7 track is not a solo. However, rhythm section does not end there. About drums, too, have not forgotten - there is a great variety. The only unfortunate solution is to use the pop pattern in chorus of 7 track. Otherwise, everything is fine.

Changes don't look as bright as shown on the cover of this album. But this is exactly what I was afraid of happened: they became a little more like the typical Japanese power metal. However, departure of a keyboard player had a bad influence on creativity. I don't like that they have adjusted their path in this way - such talented people deserve very high ratings. Well, maybe now they are looking for something more interesting - we will know about it only in the next release. If only it was really a search for something new, and not a quickie.

My favorite riffs on 7 string guitar

Despite the fact that I listen to a lot of music, few of my favorite bands play on 7 string guitars. In this post I will list my favorite riffs on a 7 string guitar. I think this would be a logical continuation of the “My favorite %itemname%” lists. As usual, I will list them in the format:

• Project name - Song title (genre, guitar tuning)

So, let's begin.

• Rie Aka Suzaku - Dreaming Eyes (Heavy / Power Metal, Standard B)

Let's start with something easier. The first experience with a 7 string guitar - and immediately a great song. Excellent talent.

• HETEROGENEOUS ANDEAD - Demise of Rein (Melodic Death / Thrash / Symphonic Metal, Standard B)

I consider the newest album of this band controversial and ambiguous. However, I liked one riff.

• SoundWitch - Suzy the Mouth (Industrial Metal, Standard B)

I categorically don't recommend this band for listening. But I liked one of the riffs.

• Amiliyah - Serpent (Gothic / Industrial Metal, Standard B)

I included band Amiliyah for a very cool overall concept. But most of all I liked the riff of this song.

• Alphoenix - Give Me Fire (Melodic Death Metal / Metalcore, Standard B)

But I have been listening to these guys since the time when they were called MyProof.

• Isao - Gravity Core (Progressive Metal / Instrumental, Standard B)
• Cube-Ray - Golf (Progressive Metal / Instrumental, Standard B)

Phrase “instrumental progressive” often gives rise to a lot of jokes about “zeros”, especially when the guitarist plays on extended range guitar. But Fujita-sensei is one of the few who really knows how to play such music.

• Levrage - End Of Time (Thrash / Groove Metal / Metalcore, Standard B)
• Levrage - Lost Nation (Thrash / Groove Metal / Metalcore, Standard B)
• Levrage - Playing With Fire (Thrash / Groove Metal / Metalcore, Standard B)
• Levrage - Life Is Calling (Thrash / Groove Metal / Metalcore, Standard B)

One of the few bands from USA that I constantly listen.

• Inescapable Dehumanization - Dishonored (Brutal Death Metal / Deathcore, Drop A)

“East" is not only Japan. An example is this band from Kazakhstan.

• Nocturnal Bloodlust - V.I.P. (Metalcore / Deathcore, Drop A)
• Nocturnal Bloodlust - Malice Against (Deathcore / Djent, Drop G)

And I could not miss the real masters of their craft.

This time the list turned out to be more voluminous - 13 pieces.

Graupel - Bereavement (Review)

Band Graupel can hardly be called newcomers: three years is about the moment when it's already possible to say that the project has finally been formed. But it's one thing to form a project and quite another to use your potential correctly.

My Rating: 65/100

Source: graupel.bandcamp.com

I did not just remember it. From a young metalcore band, as is often the case, rough patterns were expected without concomitant shades. And now I see this album. I can not say that during the audition it's refuted. But here the situation is much more interesting than it seems. Overall impression after this album is somehow average. That is, a lot has been done here well, but most of this is a pattern that we have long heard in the West. Idea is very good, but implementation is weak. This is similar to the picture where the artist took large brushes with the idea that with their help he would draw small details.

Composer's work in this release can not be called very simple - here the compositions are arranged with knowledge of the matter. Also here you can hear that constructions of some compositions is changing. Of course, they are still far from the earliest Her Name In Blood - there the composer approached this issue thoroughly. And in this release it looks like a student's work. Yes, it can be called an interesting idea, but the lack of certain shades in the modification of designs simply destroyed the grandeur of such an idea. It's not enough to just change the bar size and tempo, you also need to understand why you are doing this. Well, can the composer come up with something else? No, interesting ideas end here.

The rest members showed themselves well. For example, vocalist is good. But here it seems that vocal parts did not really work - they just created lyrics and told the vocalist "Burn!". Therefore, vocal parts are monotonous. Nevertheless, vocalist was able to show his abilities.

Instrumental parts - everything is predictable here. Instrumental parts can not be called very complex, and in other segments, they are not at all simple. Performance at the highest level, but you could come up with something more interesting. It's also noticeable that guitarists use only natural harmonics - here the pinch harmonics appear only once in 2 tracks. The rest is solid Western patterns, which there is no point in discussing. Yes, sometimes you can hear something melodic, but the rest is nothing interesting. But who really enjoyed it - so it's a drummer. Drum parts are very fast and it creates a great impression.

This release excellently shows one thing: how an interesting idea spoils just because the composer was too lazy to linger at music editor for another hour or two. From the album there was some ambiguous aftertaste. There is noticeable great talent, but the solutions are too standard. Yes, these guys are great. But they can do better. You just need something that will expand your eyes.

Mari Hamada - Gracia (Review)

Famous professionals with over 20 years of experience - this is a very predictable persons. Abraham Maslow wrote about such people "I suppose it is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail". I remembered that because in new album of Mari Hamada you can find something very similar. What do you expect from such a specialist? Obviously, we are not waiting for what we can hear here.

My Rating: 73/100

Source: mari-hamada.com

Of course, I will not write about all causes and consequences. I'll just say that in general, the album leaves a pleasant impression. The work can be called quite complex and diverse. But the moon always has two sides. Very many shades in formulation and implementation of artistic tasks testify to the version that project leader, composer, songwriter and sound designer are different people. Very different people. I don't want to say that this is something bad, but there remains the impression that the leader did not fully understand what he wants and that this remained even at the stage of mixing. That is, most of the final result is made up of external ideas. And if 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 tracks are quite typical for a person who started career in 80's, then 1 and 2 tracks sound a little awkward. As if the old music school teacher saw on TV some modern metal in the spirit of Amber Bullet, late The Gazette or Loudness (the time of single "The Everlasting") and said "I want the same." There is also frank quickie here - it's 5 and 8 tracks.

Now about vocalist. I think it makes no sense to remind who I'm discussing right now. This time, she again shows an excellent level of skill. It's noticeable that a lot of attention was paid to voice - vocal parts were painted and performed very carefully (although there is nothing special in structure). Also here you can notice a very strong voice processing, and the number of tracks with a voice of about 10 pieces (perhaps more). I would like to single out the use of a vocoder as a separate item. At first it may seem that this is an octave or a very cunning sound designer, but it's a vocoder (vintage). I don't quite understand why I had to use it. If you want to express an unusual idea, then it can be expressed in words. So why? I did not hear the answer.

Instrumental parts are very diverse. There were 18 musicians working on the album and it's very noticeable. A lot of attention was paid to synthesizer. There are a lot of slow losses on synthesizers in the spirit of late X-Japan (3, 5, 6, 9 tracks), and also an excellent addition to general constructions. But the rest instruments were given little attention. As a result, the rest instruments are ordinary patterns. Although it's worth noting that a large number of shades in performance give a pleasant color to sound. The only thing I would like to emphasize in a separate paragraph is the use of guitars with an extended range (1 and 2 tracks). Here it's used for a more modern, more evil sound, and this underlines the overall dramatic nature of narrative.

I think it's pointless to deny that her creative growth stopped in middle 90's. This granny has already sung her best songs. And this release is only released so that they don't forget about her. Yes, here is not the usual repetition of previous ideas - high skill level affects. Yes, in some segments "something unusual" is inserted. But when you exploit the same model, you only show more weaknesses. So it should be keep in mind that, no matter how you decorate an old wooden house, it can collapse because of rotten boards.

6 japanese metal songs that never officially released

I think many of us have faced a situation where you do not have time to do some things. It's the same with musicians - bands are created, bands split-up, and songs that did not have time to write remain. In this entry, I want to tell you about quite interesting songs that, due to various circumstances, have never been officially released. So, let's begin.

Disqualia - Guilty Of The Crime

Initially, quite an interesting project quickly going to pop. I don't know if it's right to say this or it's a ordinary template, but I think I'll be understood. Of course, then the leader in an interview with Metallion magazine admits that the band did not plan to play metal. Nevertheless, the apogee was EP right NOW, where the pop patterns were compensated only with pathos. So could not last long, after which Ibuki - author of all songs, - go out of this bisness. Of course, this did not happen instantly - the band continued their activity and composed new songs. The most interesting of them - Guilty Of The Crime - is already impossible to find anywhere, since a large number of concerts were not recorded.

Coma Countess - Incitement White

Officially existed only 10 months, band Coma Countess still managed to leave a small, but still a trace in history. Officially, only three songs were released on demo-single, but they performed six at concerts. You can see the fulfillment of the most interesting of them now.



Yes, you are not mistaken, here are two past members from Destrose - Miho and Miki.

Albion - Innocent Lilly

Band Albion - is an attempt to grab the maximum amount of popularity, - this was very lacking for Tengusakura. Attempt was unsuccessful. Yes, for me the album Campanula was the most anticipated album of 2014. But, apparently, it did not turn out as the members wanted, and soon project split-up. Moreover, the project split-up gradually, but this is another story. Now I want to say that a song was written with the name Innocent Lilly, which they did not have time to release.



As you can hear, it's about the same thing you can hear in full-length.

A Drop Of Joker - Liar

A Drop Of Joker - Scream For Me

The next point we have at once two songs from one composer. Period from 2014 to 2015 for the band A Drop Of Joker was the peak of activity: release of full-length album and EP, a large number of concerts and a lot of PR on Twitter. But guitarist Mi-ya, in the end, chose not skill, but popularity and activity suddenly stopped. But Mi-ya left a little material, which was intended for this band. Later these songs found their place in band Lovebites. But the difference is significant: A Drop Of Joker played a melodic death / metalcore (at the last concerts already went djent elements), and Lovebites play heavy/thrash/power metal. Accordingly, the original was intended for 8 string guitar, and Lovebites plays on 6 string guitars with a standard E tuning. Yes, it's better than nothing, but it's impossible to hear the original.

Kanimega - Wake Up

Despite the fact that even a whole MV was released for this song, team split-up due to problems with bassist. So they did not have time to release a new release.



Yes, Kenji has a solo project and I hope that it will be much better.

Do you like my entries? You can make them better.

Paledusk - Blue Rose (Review)

Usually, the absence of change is considered a sign of absence of development. Really. And how else can you call a person who does not receive new knowledge and does not reflect on the events taking place? Nevertheless, it does not always happen.

My Rating: 69/100

This also applies to musicians. Repetition of a successful release is the composer's biggest mistake. Paying attention to several features, you don't think about what you can do wrong. Yes, i can say that this is not a simple repetition of the previous work. Here everything is done very smart - the main sound was left exactly the same as in previous album, while slightly changing some shades. Maybe I want to think so, because I really liked this project - I can not speak confidently.

Nevertheless, here we hear groove metal with a very large hardcore influence and non-standard ideas. I will not focus on the idea that this kind of music is quite complicated and in any case, guys are good fellows. I want to say that this project is based solely on composer's non-standard ideas. I don't mean a permanent construction change of composition, although it's also noteworthy and is a positive moment. I want to say something else. You can talk in two ways. First is to say a few words, and the interlocutor will guess what a logical connection is between them. Second - you can combine several literary techniques, thus transferring all shades of your mood and purpose. Approximately the same thing in this release. Here is an interesting combination of artistic techniques. Yes, I can write a little about it, since this element is executed excellently.

Vocal parts are monotonous. Yes, vocalist has good abilities. Yes, sometimes you can hear a whisper (2 track), narration (3 track). And also clean vocals became a surprise (7 track). But in general, vocal parts are monotonous. Also worth noting that there is some too simple voice timbral color. This reminds me of an office clerk who spent 8 hours sorting through paper (in comfortable conditions without harmful factors), and then came on stage and with the latest strength began to sing about how difficult it's to work. I think you guessed what I want to say.

Instrumental parts performed excellently. Studio work always sounds cool and this release is no exception. The first thing you can notice is extended range guitars (8 string), which give a characteristic djent sound. Usually from such music templates in style of Periphery are expected. But here everything is much more interesting. Yes, I expected more natural harmonics (they are performed only in 3 track). But in general, we can say that guitar parts are good. Rhythm section is also good - composer's good work again is felt. The only drawback - bass can not be heard, only vibrations from headphones are felt. Bass sounds like an octave lower (it's a extended range bass), but it's made quiet. Also here there are additional instriments. In 4th track, you can hear a synthesizer in the style of Korg's magical organs with a "cosmic" sound. It might be interesting if this continued throughout the composition. But this is only in beginning, and then - a simple piano.

Well, this release is very similar to previous. But it's done a little differently. This album excellently shows how to repeat albums so that they are interesting to listen. I don't know if you understood me or not, but I can say that a good band released a good album. I don't know how much this idea is enough, but this time idea was realized interestingly.

Dmitry Demyanenko - Universe (Review)

It happens that talented musicians live many kilometers away from you. And it so happens that they live in a neighboring city. Recently I found a very interesting solo project from Krasnodar (Southern Russia).

My Rating: 85/100



Before, I did not hear the band Shokran, where Dmitry was a guitarist. I don't know if it's right to give an assessment without listening to previous works. But one thing is obvious: dude has great talent. I noticed an interesting album even on cover art. My blog has a dark theme, so you will not notice it. But if you go to bandcamp official page, you'll notice that the cover blends in an interesting way with the page. Thus, it's given a hint that for author there are no borders. Yeah, a good album starts with interesting shades on cover.

Album can not be called very special, but this year it's the best instrumental album I've heard. Usually the most interesting albums can not be described with words. Kevin Lytle - the first one who made me think about how relative my assessments. And now I see a second person who shows about the same thing. All that I write in this entry is just a small part of what I experienced after I took off the headphones. When we say "instrumental progressive", then the word "similar" in this context sounds like a curse. Nevertheless, it reminds me solo project of Isao Fujita. And also there are some similarities with one of his projects - Cube-Ray. At least that's what I remembered.

Composer's work is excellent. Especially I liked the idea of ​​dividing compositions into two parts. This is very noticeable in tracks 2 and 4. That is, the overall construction changes approximately in half of composition. This is not a trivial key change, but a change in overall composition pattern with the help of additional instruments and / or some turns.

Instrumental parts performed excellently. However, such projects have only two options - to play well or not to produce studio albums. But still it's worth noting that after word "djent" I expected an ordinary grinding "zeros" on seventh string for several notes on piano sampler in the style of late 7Years To Midnight. Yes, reality is harsh. But this album pleasantly surprised me - everything here is much more interesting. There is a high skill level. But here is not shredding in the style of Mike Batio, when virtuosity violates all reasonable limits. Here the performance is exactly what the artistic task requires. What else can you say about an excellent musician?

In the end, I wrote few words about this release. Not only because for Russia albums of this level are rare. Not only because at the world level this album looks impressive. Usually don't say anything about such albums - this is the main reason. Such albums are listened to and silently admired. However, you can see for yourself.

Narumi - The SEED (Review)

A professional is not a paper with inscription "diploma". A professional is not the ability to scatter pathos phrases. First of all, this is a special type of thinking. Professional knows that everything, even the most stringent standards are written in the average case and are only recommendatory in nature. Therefore, in practice, any standards are never respected.

My Rating: 71/100

Source:
narumiguitar.wixsite.com/narumiofficial

I remembered this because a certain people category thinks that mastery is obedience to strict standards. Something like that can also be seen in this album. Narumi gives the impression of a typical high achiever. That is, a noticeably large amount of knowledge and skills, but only within the limits of standard cases.

Of course, I can only talk about what I heard in album. But already now you can see that the overall structure looks very academic. It's noticeable that the composer chose too standard methods for solving artistic tasks. But nevertheless it's worth noting that composer performed his work excellently - the album has a diverse sound. There is a viscous sound (1, 5 track); pretty pathos (2 tracks); cheerful, lively (3, 7 tracks); dramatic (4, 6 tracks). Four different sounds on one release - these days it's a rarity. And as for the pathos sound in the second track. I guess she describes herself in this way. Track is called "Red Rabbit", and on first disc of Disqualia there is an inscription "Narumi is red rabbit". This can not be an ordinary coincidence.

Well, album is completely instrumental, so we will discuss the instrumental parts. First thing you can notice is that the breakdown looks strange. As if they were inserted only in order to increase the tracks duration. Breakdowns are what killed Disqualia. I really do not want this project to be similar to the previous one.

Now it's about the guitar. The guitar sounds great. "Performing mastery at the highest level" - these words describe only a small part of great talent. Yes, it is difficult to describe such a talent. But here everything is within the limits of standard solutions. There is also a noticeable great influence of rock / metal bands created before the New Wave of British Heavy Metal. This is noticeable in one thing - guitar does not participate in rhythm section. Guitar here is an extremely solo instrument. Guitar is one of rhythm section elements only in frankly dramatic works (4, 6 tracks). Well, quite an interesting way to diversify the guitar parts, although I don't know how many releases this will be enough. There is also a keyboard instrument. Sometimes in compositions you can find the academic piano sound. This is a negative point, as it's associated with beginners. Yes, in first track synthesizer creates an intriguing beginning. Yes, in last track synthesizer emphasizes some composition parts. But otherwise - everything is standard. Rhythm section - everything is predictable here. But we can say that the rhythm section is interesting. Standard rhythm section formula (for pop music) can only be found in last track. The rest is very interesting.

Such is the result of release - a huge talent, but ideas are standard. I'm a year younger than her, but I already managed to play on everything that is possible (this despite the fact that I am an engineer, not a musician), and she only recently took a seven-string guitar. This fact makes you think. Nevertheless, there is a hope that the methods of solving artistic tasks will be more interesting. Recently she published a photo of a new guitar - a seven-string with multiscale. Well, I hope that future releases will be more interesting.

Fate Gear - 7 Years Ago (Review)

"This is a wonderful job, in which there is still a lot to do. " - so I described the album "-OZ-Rebellion". And now we see the continuation.

My Rating: 91/100

Source: metal-archives.com

Previous album was very difficult to understand and it was difficult to assess. What do you expect from the new album? Hard to tell. I assumed that the album would be more interesting. And I was not mistaken: here the complexity is perfectly combined with emotions, thus giving an excellent picture. And not only on cover art.

There are many ways to solve an artistic task, but Captain chooses the most difficult thing - through a large number of shades. And it gives an excellent result. But moon always has two sides. There were 12 musicians working on the album and that's a lot. I, as a Jack of all trades, consider it an excess - for this enough 3-5 people. Nevertheless, the main goal is achieved - a lot of shades have been handed over here, like a picture on the cover, consisting of thousands of strokes. I also liked idea of ​​repeating one track at the beginning and at the end - it seems that they sound differently, although the differences are insignificant.

There are also songs of Destrose (4, 5, 8 tracks), but here is not a usual repetition, as it was in first album. Yes, here we hear voice of Maki Ooyama, she is very similar to Marina Hebiishi. But the rest was noticeably redone.

Voice is beautiful. More precisely, voices - in album recording participated 4 vocalists. Two vocalists - Manami and Shizuka - set the album main sound. One of the vocalists - Maki Ooyama - to follow Marina Hebiishi. One of the vocalists - Ibara - is used only at chorus. I don't quite understand why had to do this. But still it's worth noting that vocalists coped well with their work.

Approximately the same with instrumental parts. One blog entry is not enough to fully describe the instrumental parts. But there is still something to say. Parts are very diverse - a lot of shades have been handed over. Each composition is not like the previous. Let's start with guitar. And finish. There are several guitarists that I'm not used to discuss and Captain is one of them. The only moment is a creak during the chords change. It was in two tracks, but I don't remember which ones. So, this is a sign of low skill level, but you don't expect this from a high-level specialist. Also the uncertain combination of one-handed tapping and floyd on solo (8 track). But in general, guitarist excellently performed his work. The next is a bassist. Erica is not a great talent. That is, not all artistic tasks can be solved with her abilities. And Captain also understands this. Therefore, the bassist from band Drain also participates on recording and she shows an excellent performance unlike the band member. A slightly different story with drums. Structures drum parts are quite diverse and interesting, and this very precisely emphasizes the compositions. But there are two drummers here - Haruka and Idyako (Zestria, ex-Galmet). What for? They have a very similar technique and one person can perform these parts. Keyboards and a violin are about the same story. They only sound at the right time and don't stand out in any particular way. No, the weak similarity of solo in the 2 (9) track is not a selection.

I have said many times that Destrose will never return in any form. Yes, Captain is still trying to recall the past. And I believe that this is a strange decision: for the old one there is no room for creating something new. In general, there are a few strange solutions here, but overall album turned out to be excellent. We can say that Captain again shows real professionalism. Album pleases from the cover to the very last note.