Archive for October, 2023

Album of the Week 43-2023: Angra – Cycles of Pain


‘Cycles of Pain’ marks the first Angra album since 2006’s ‘Aurora Consurgens’ that was recorded with the exact same line-up as its predecessor. And while that doesn’t necessarily say anything about the quality of the material, it sort of shows. The album sounds like a logical progression of 2018’s ‘Ømni’ musically, but more importantly, Angra sounds more confident and more aware of its strengths on ‘Cycles of Pain’. And yet, ‘Cycles of Pain’ is more than just more ‘Ømni’. It leans a bit more on Angra’s progressive and power metal roots, but still manages to sound completely fresh.

Ever since Fabio Lione joined the band in 2013 and especially since guitarist Kiko Loureiro left to join Megadeth in 2015, Angra has seemed intent on creating their own cocktail of influences. There is still a lot of power metal in their sound, but it completely evades the audible European roots most of their peers have. Their progressive overtones have slowly come front and center, but in a fairly streamlined manner. In fact, that is what mostly sets ‘Cycles of Pain’ apart from ‘Ømni’: it is a far more streamlined listening experience, even when the band experiments with traditional Brazilian music and subtle classical touches.

All of that doesn’t mean that there are no catchy power metal songs here. In fact, ‘Gods of the World’ and ‘Generation Warriors’ might just be the catchiest songs in that style Angra has released since former singer Edu Falaschi left the band. In addition, the more intricate songs are really progressive power metal songs rather than exercises in odd time signatures and unpredictable rhythms. The album can sometimes catch you off guard rhythmically anyway when drummer Bruno Valverde treats the listener with parts that are clearly rooted in the band’s Brazilian origins, the highly dynamic ‘Faithless Sanctuary’ being the most obvious example.

One thing Angra understands better than nearly every other band in the genre is how to write a ballad. ‘Tide of Changes’ is built upon a creative bass line that once again proves that Felipe Andreoli is one of the best metal bassists worldwide and the climax of the song is cathartic without being overly bombastic. ‘Tears of Blood’ is a dramatic duet between Lione and Amanda Somerville that really brings the band’s classical influences to the fore, while the title track is an elegant progressive song with introspective piano-lead sections. These songs further enhance the impact of the busier songs, such as the beautifully progressive ‘Here in the Now’ or the powerful ‘Dead Man on Display’.

What surprised me most about ‘Cycles of Pain’, however, is how little it bothered me that guitarist Rafael Bittencourt doesn’t sing any lead vocals on the album. The interaction between Lione’s higher, cleaner register and Bittencourt’s lower, rawer and overall more emotional delivery is an important part of what made ‘Ømni’ and ‘Secret Garden’ such incredible albums for me. ‘Cycles of Pain’ really profits from easily being Lione’s best recorded vocal performance in decades, possibly ever. It would not surprise me at all if Lione was heavily involved with the songwriting or if multiple keys were tested before deciding on the final arrangement, because he sounds convincing and surprisingly emotional all the way through.

Everything Angra puts out these days is some of the best music the more melodic end of the metal spectrum has to offer. But even by those standards, ‘Cycles of Pain’ is an incredible album. It takes nearly everything that was good about the previous two albums and tweaks a few elements, proving that it is perfectly capable to streamline your sound without the song material ending up overly simple or predictable. ‘Cycles of Pain’ is a dynamic cocktail of exquisite melodies and varied rhythms. Very few bands that have been around as long as Angra are still this relevant.

Recommended tracks: ‘Generation Warriors’, ‘Dead Man on Display’, ‘Faithless Sanctuary’

2023
10/29
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In Memoriam Atsushi Sakurai 1966-2023

Earlier today, news came out that Atsushi Sakurai, singer of Buck-Tick and a pioneer of Japanese rock and visual kei, has died at the age of 57. According to multiple reports, Sakurai became unwell during a concert in Yokohama last week, was helped offstage during the third song and died after being rushed to hospital, a brain stem haemorrhage being determined as the cause of death. An abrupt and tragic end to a musical career of forty years and one of the most iconic voices of Japanese music in general.

For me, Sakurai’s voice was what made Buck-Tick. Sure, guitarist Hisashi Imai always found new perspectives without deviating too far from the band’s characteristic blend of post-punk and alternative rock, but it was the deep, warm baritone Sakurai had from the nineties onward that won me over for the band. His voice was tailor-made for the more gothic-oriented material Buck-Tick recorded – he was known to be a great Bauhaus fan – and that is where both band and singer truly shone, in my opinion.

Stride

It is hard to imagine now, but Sakurai was not even originally a singer. When Buck-Tick started in 1983, Sakurai was their drummer and he did not become their singer until about two years later. Early releases like ‘Hurry Up Mode’ (1987) and ‘Seventh Heaven’ (1988) show a Sakurai with a notably lighter, higher voice than what he came to be known for, though age may have been a factor there as well, given that he was in his very early twenties at the time.

Buck-Tick did not truly hit its stride for me until ‘Taboo’ (1989) came out. There were still traces of the band’s early upbeat punky new wave sound, but tracks like the subtly titled ‘Sex for You’ and the title track signalled the start of an evolution in to something darker and more seductive. This evolution was further continued on the following ‘Aku no Hana’ (1990) – the title track of which is an unadulterated J-rock classic – and ‘Kurutta Taiyō’ (1991). The latter would also introduce the first foray into more industrial sounds, which would increasingly dominate the band’s album for about a decade and a half.

During those days, Sakurai was a large part of the band’s appeal. His good looks attracted a large female audience, but I suspect his lyrics also resonated with a lot of Japanese teenagers and twenty-somethings as well. Sex was always a prominent subject in his oeuvre, but I have always found his tales of disillusionment with the rockstar life to be the more interesting ones. It is hard to read a translation to the lyrics of a song like ‘Taiyo ni Korosareta’ and not see a man struggling to deal with immense fame.

Balanced

Allegedly, it was Sakurai’s solo album ‘Ai no Wakusei‘ (2004) that inspired Imai to go into more gothic rock-inspired territory for the next Buck-Tick release. The resulting album, ‘Jūsankai wa Gekkō‘ (2005), is probably my favorite work Sakurai sings on. The music, which I think sounds like a post-punk band discovering a more organic production style for the first time rather than full-on gothic rock, allows Sakurai’s deeper vocals to shine, resulting in extremely memorable hooks and an irresistible atmosphere.

The album also started a period during which Buck-Tick shed all of its industrial overtones in favor of a more stripped-down rock sound, resulting in great albums such as ‘Memento Mori’ (2009) and ‘Yume Miru Uchū’ (2012). The industrial and electronic touches did return on ‘Atom Miraiha No. 9‘ (2016), though in a far more balanced way than throughout the nineties, and throughout the last years of Sakurai’s life, Buck-Tick gradually morphed into a fairly unique electro-rock type of band. Their most recent album ‘Izora’ was released earlier this year.

Side Activities

Sakurai’s acticivities aside from Buck-Tick are interesting as well. He and Imai were in industrial rock band Schwein with KMFDM members Raymond Watts and Sascha Konietzko, releasing one album (‘Schweinstein’) and one remix album (‘Son of Schweinstein’) in 2001. One of my favorite releases Sakurai has ever done, however, is the album ‘I Am Mortal‘ he released with his project The Mortal in 2015. It is the album that sees him diving full-on into gothic rock and the harsher side of post-punk with spectacular results.

Not unlike many other Japanese musicians, Sakurai was very secretive about his private life, so I have no idea who to wish the best of luck in these difficult times, but I mean it nonetheless. For everyone who wants to get into his music or honor his track record as a musician, please enjoy this Spotify playlist I put together of his works:

2023
10/24
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Album of the Week 42-2023: Monstrosity – Millennium


Monstrosity is mostly remembered by the connections it has with other influential death metal bands, most notably through original vocalist George ‘Corpsegrinder’ Fisher, who would later join Cannibal Corpse. Because of this, it is often overlooked how good their albums tend to be. Monstrosity was one of the better proggy death metal bands of its era and ‘Millennium’ is arguably their best work. In fact, the album contains some of the best compositions the Floridian death metal scene has ever brought forth. For the amount of things happening within Monstrosity’s aggressive music, their songs never become overbearing and remain surprisingly listenable.

One of the reasons why ‘Millennium’ is so good is because it so clearly predates many of the flaws of the current death metal scene. It could be argued that the music is a precursor to technical death metal, but the riffs are memorable, almost catchy, without exception. The tempos are generally high, but the songs never devolve into exhausting hyperspeed blasting with no breathing room, and the thrash roots of the genre can still be heard in the riff work. In fact, I would almost describe this as what Forbidden would have sounded like if they were a Floridian death metal band.

Despite drummer Lee Harrison being one of the main songwriters in Monstrosity, the music on ‘Millennium’ is riff-based first and foremost. Unlike many bands that were on the more technical side of the death metal spectrum at the time, however, Monstrosity’s music doesn’t just sound like a handful of riffs semi-randomly thrown together. Harrison and guitarist Jason Morgan have a very keen sense of what a song needs to build up a maximum amount of tension, while even the fastest riffs have something resembling a hook without getting close to pushing the band into melodic death metal territory.

While every song on ‘Millennium’ is worth hearing, the album is at its best when the band switches up gears. ‘Mirrors of Reason’, for instance, is packed with subtle, but impactful tempo changes, ‘Stormwinds’ builds brilliant upper mid-tempo riff upon upper brilliant mid-tempo riff, and ‘Dream Messiah’ varies time feels very effectively. The dark, almost sludgy ‘Fragments of Resolution’ is a stand-out, though it does feel like it should have gone on for two more minutes in order to fully develop. Faster rippers like ‘Slaves and Masters’, ‘Manic’ and the excellent opener ‘Fatal Millennium’ are every bit as good, but work extra well because of how well-thought-out the dynamics on the album are.

And yet, nothing feels forced or convoluted. Ultimately, that would be Monstrosity’s biggest strength – in general, but on ‘Millennium’ in particular. They can come up with fairly complex songs, but deliver them in a way that almost feels effortless. In its forty minutes of playing time, ‘Millennium’ throws a multitude of intricate riffs at the listener at a generally fairly high tempo, but listening to it is never a chore. The powerful, bottom-heavy Scott Burns production definitely helps that, but it all starts with the excellent compositions and musicians that know how not to get in each other’s way.

Recommended tracks: ‘Mirrors of Reason’, ‘Dream Messiah’, ‘Fatal Millennium’, ‘Stormwinds’

2023
10/22
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Album of the Week 41-2023: Morifade – Domination


Back when I was a teenager, the Swedish power metal scene interested me greatly. There were quite a few bands that were just as influenced by Helloween as their German counterparts, but put a different spin on it that, while not exactly progressive, was definitely inspired by the more crunchy riffing of prog metal bands. Morifade started out as a full-on power metal, but found a very interesting middle ground on their third album ‘Domination’, enhancing the relatively interesting dynamics of their first two albums by darkening their sound, somehow keeping the overall positive vibe they had before.

While I would describe the earliest work of Morifade as the perfect music for people who wished Stratovarius was less keyboard-focused, ‘Domination’ ups the ante in terms of songwriting by aiming for something a bit more unique. Sure, all the elements are familiar: there are the melodic sensibilities of mid-nineties Helloween, the neoclassical prog leanings of early Symphony X and the somewhat gothic overtones of Evergrey. And yet, ‘Domination’ doesn’t sound like any of those bands because Morifade’s songwriting is fully geared towards creating something of their own with those elements. All with memorable hooks in the vocal melodies, as well as the guitar and keyboard parts.

Morifade seems very aware that they were taking their sound in a slightly different direction, as they sort of ease the listeners into it with the tracklisting. Before they hit you with a gorgeously dynamic midtempo track like ‘A Silent Revolution’, you have to get through the energetic uptempo opener ‘Parallels’ first. The crunchy riffs of the song already hint at something slightly different, but it has all the element a good power metal song needs: soaring vocals, powerful guitar work and a cathartic chorus. The excellent rhythm guitar sound of Jesper Johansson and Robin Arnell definitely helps set the mood for the album.

From there, ‘Domination’ takes as much from the darker side of progressive metal without sacrificing their streamlined songwriting. That is exactly what makes tracks like the intense ‘Erase’, the semi-epic closer ‘Memory’s End’ and the moving masterpiece that is ‘The Second Coming’ as good as they are. The relatively simple, but brutally effective mid-tempo stomper ‘Words I Never Speak’ could teach multiple bands attempting a similar approach a lesson or two, and I suspect the guitar production is at least partly to blame for that. That also goes for ‘Clarity’, which could have easily turned into an AOR snoozefest in the hands of a lesser band with rhythms that aren’t as dense.

Although ‘Domination’ takes a bit of a dip with ‘Panopticon’ and ‘The Rising’, which rely too much on choruses that lack punch, the rest of the album is simply really good. Surprisingly so for a band that more or less lived in the margins of the Swedish power metal scene. There is a chance that as a power metal album, ‘Domination’ simply wasn’t traditional enough to please older fans, but this music has a much more lasting appeal than the umpteenth watered-down Helloween clone. If any of the bands mentioned in this review suit your fancy, please do yourself a favor and give ‘Domination’ a shot.

Recommended tracks: ‘The Second Coming’, ‘Memory’s End’, ‘Parallels’, ‘Erase’

2023
10/15
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Album of the Week 40-2023: Insomnium – Anno 1696


Sometimes, albums need a while to sink in. Usually, that means they are a satisfying listen for a longer time. And in most cases, it is clear to me why it took so long before it resonates with me. In case of Insomnium’s ‘Anno 1696’, however, I have no idea why. The album features their typically Finnish style of melodic death metal filtered through doom metal and Scandinavian folk lenses, while the conceptual nature of the album gives ‘Anno 1696’ a cohesion some of Insomnium’s more song-oriented albums lack. And despite all the familiar elements, only Insomnium could have made this album.

What generally makes me reach for a band like Insomnium sooner than a Swedish melodeath band is the melancholy in their guitar melodies and the wide open spaces in their arrangements. Their fellow countrymen Amorphis arguably pioneered this approach, but Insomnium was one of the first bands to embrace the more subdued tempos to create a gorgeous, compelling subset within melodic death metal that apparently only Finns can pull off convincingly. Ever since third guitarist Jani Liimatainen joined Insomnium, the folk elements have increased as well. This is greatly beneficial to ‘Anno 1696’, as many of the album’s highlights prominently feature acoustic guitars.

Of course, that is not just a matter of acoustic guitars simply being there, but the fact that Insomium is willing to make space for acoustic guitars makes for some incredibly dynamic songwriting. ‘Starless Paths’, for instance, has its familiar sections broken up by more tranquil sections which are organically woven into the songwriting. Arguably the song that makes the best use of Insomnium having three guitarists. ‘The Unrest’ is fully acoustic, though Niilo Sevänen’s ominous vocals keep it from getting too folky. Opening track ‘1696’ builds from its lengthy acoustic intro to its intense verses in a way that is somewhat reminiscent of Enslaved.

Even when Insomnium treads more familiar ground, however, ‘Anno 1696’ just makes them sound slightly better than on the average Insomnium album. ‘Lilian’ stands out due to its gorgeously melodic simplicity, while ‘The Witch Hunter’ sounds similarly familiar, only with slightly more elements added to the mix. The more sprawling compositions are possibly the most pleasant surprises on the album. ‘Godforsaken’ is a masterclass in how to use space as a compositional weapon and is enhanced by Johanna Kurkela’s haunting vocal melodies, while closing track ‘The Rapids’ almost feels like it goes through various movemens like a symphony would.

Ultimately, only ‘White Christ’ fails to live up to Insomnium’s lofty standards. It’s fine, but not nearly as climactic as the rest of ‘Anno 1696’. After a few spins, ‘Anno 1696’ might be my favorite Insomnium full-length since ‘Above the Weeping World’ seventeen years ago. It features a band clearly aware of its strengths, but also hungry to find variations on those strengths without immediately alienating half of their fanbase. Through the years, I have occasionally accused Insomnium of running on auto-pilot. But with inspired works like ‘Anno 1696’ and ‘Winter’s Gate’ released in recent years, nothing is further from the truth right now.

Recommended tracks: ‘Godforsaken’, ‘Starless Paths’, ‘Lilian’, ‘The Rapids’

2023
10/08
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Album of the Week 39-2023: Miserable – Esclavo Miserable


Even the best newer thrash metal bands tend to sound so much like the classic bands from the eighties that they ultimately end up feeling like watered-down versions of those bands. Part of the problem might be that the parameters of what constitutes thrash metal are quite narrow. However, Peru’s Miserable proves that it’s perfectly possible to wear your eighties influences on your sleeves and still come up with something that sounds fresh and timeless. Their second album ‘Esclavo Miserable’ has more dynamic songwriting and a larger amount of melodic depth than most of their peers, without forsaking the hungry aggression of thrash riffs.

Never have I heard a band so clearly influenced by Metallica sound so unlike Metallica. Many of the riffs on ‘Esclavo Miserable’ could have been on an unreleased album between ‘…And Justice for All’ and the black album, but Miserable has its own unique sound. The riffs and rhythms occasionally have an old school death metal feel to them, while the melodies are clearly rooted in traditional heavy metal. Also, ‘Esclavo Miserable’ frequently has a dramatic flair that you just don’t hear very often in thrash metal. Adrián Del Aguila’s rough-edged clean, but powerful vocals add to that unique approach as well.

‘Esclavo Miserable’ is the first Miserable album recorded as a band. Their 2018 debut ‘Gran Náusea’ was more or less a solo project by Del Aguila, with some musicians helping out on the instruments he could not play well enough. Those musicians include the entire band on ‘Esclavo Miserable’, but the fact that they contribute to the songwriting this time around is audible. Especially the impact the incredible drummer Diego Porturas probably had on the rhythms is noticeable, but it would be hard to imagine the many strong lead guitar themes on the album without Jonathan Bustinza and Marcelo Vásquez having at least a hand in the songwriting process.

Despite the dynamic nature of the songwriting, Miserable knows how to thrash viciously. ‘Esclavo Célebre’ and large portions of closing track ‘Sobre Mis Ruinas’ are built upon tight palm-muted riffs at a high tempo. That is ultimately one of Miserable’s biggest strengths: their truly progressive approach to songwriting doesn’t go at the expense of the aggression that defines thrash metal. Even the more varied songs feature some intense riffing. Opener ‘Desprecio’ might have the darkest, most introspective verse on the record, but also plenty of dense riffs with atypical rhythms. And the way ‘Quién Escupe la Verdad’ changes atmosphere multiple times without ever sounding disjointed is nothing short of brilliant.

In Europe and North America, thrash metal appears to roughly only come in two flavors: so old school that it borders on self-parody or so modern that it’s barely even thrash anymore. Miserable proves that there is a middle ground and the results are spectacular. Despite largely using elements from the late eighties and early nineties, they combine them in a way that never sounds dated or overly built upon nostalgia. The powerful, organic mix definitely contributes to the impact of ‘Esclavo Miserable’ as well. Every thrash fan owes themselves at least one spin of this album. Members of thrash bands should take notes while doing so.

Recommended tracks: ‘Quién Escupe la Verdad’, ‘Sobre Mis Ruinas’, ‘La Profecia del Esclavo’

2023
10/01
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