Over the weekend I attended the 2014 Hyper Japan convention in London. I'd been threatening to go to the event for the last few years, but never quite managed to get there. I was determined not to let it pass me by again. The convention aims to promote and showcase the diversity of culture coming out of modern day Japan, be it; music, gaming, fashion or food. With so much on show I'd never encountered before, I figured it'd be a cool idea to pick up some J-rock music and then review it - a sort of mega mystery music hyper battle album review challenge.
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| One Not'e performing at Hyper Japan 2014 |
With so much to see and do, making a decision on exactly what to review wasn't going to be easy; particularly with the likes of Nintendo, and performances from the astounding Siro-A all jostling for your attention.
After wandering for a few hours, and taking in all the competing sights, sounds, and tastes of the convention, I found the JPU Records stand. I stopped for a quick chat, and asked them what they felt was good in the J-rock scene at the moment. A few bands were put forward, but the girl behind the stall explained The GazettE are perhaps her favourite band, and are currently out selling everyone else in the JPU catalogue of artists. Apparently the band has also recently reached number 2 in the iTunes UK metal chart. On this basis I thought I'd see what the fuss was about, and settled on 'The GazettE' as the band I'd review.
So, thats the back story, but before we get into the review, there is one other thing I need to explain. I'm going to review this album in real time, and to do this I'm going to follow some rules, this is how its going to work: I'm going to hit play, and write the review as my thoughts come to mind. One play through, and one listen per track. No pausing, skipping, or rewinding. I figure that'll give this review a more realistic flavour. If you've never heard anything by the band either, it'd be cool to see what you think and whether you agree with anything I've written. You could even do the same challenge! If you do accept the review challenge, be sure to drop some comments below! Anyway...I'm armed with pocky, lychee, and some battling robot imagery - I'm pretty sure thats all I'll need to get through this, so, lets go! 音楽を行く！
The GazettE - Beautiful Deformity
Mega mystery music hyper battle album review challenge!
*Best enjoyed listening to the Album!Track 1 - Malformed Box
Straight off the bat, you're swept into the world of GazettE on phasers, and welcomed to the 'Malformed Box', something that seems to be more electro than metal. Skrillex, meets Gary Numan with a just hint of Hybrid. And as quickly as it started, the electro current bleeps and sweeps straight into a metal guitar drop and Track 2 - Inside the Beast begins.
As the beast progresses I'm starting to get Killswitch vibes. Its heavy and driven by thick metallic bass strings, that force an almost operatic track progression, set at times on a marching band beat, and punctuated by electric stabs of digitalised noise.
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| Album art for 'Beautiful Deformity' |
Track 3 - Until it Burns Out appears to be outwardly more 'Metal Hammer' in its audience appeal. The singing so far in the album has really been excellent, and seems to spiral and flitter seamlessly between melodic Japanese and a tribal, barking english. The track feels a bit As I Lay Dying now, with hints of Alexisonfire. The drums and bass are relentlessly complex, whilst the guitar punches a rhythm that cuts through the stuttering then winding and twisting vocal harmonies.
Track 4 is titled Devouring One Another. I've long had a theory that track 4 is usually the position held by the strongest track on an album. Will the theory hold true here? After a short spell away, the synths are back, and it feels like I've just turned on scuzz by accident. This track is demands you forget the time and place where you currently are and visit the late 90s in your mind. No, you are not sat in shorts on a hot summer day (like I currently am). You are now wearing a Linkin Park hoody, and you have a thick and heavy chain hanging cumbersomely from your belt buckles. You are walking down a street-lit alleyway next to a railway line as early winter nights creep in. A baltic breeze turns your thoughts purple with a hauntingly omnipresent chill. The music playing on your walkman reflects the sorrowful anger you feel towards mainstream culture, and reaffirms your decision to try and feel a little bit glum all the time - even if its illogical, tiring, and at odds with occasionally listening to S-Club 7, who just make you feel happy on the inside... NO! Happiness is wrong!
I guess in short, this track feels like it could easily have found a place on one of Linkin Park's earlier albums (it'd certainly be one of the heavier tracks, and Linkin Park would have to be more multi-lingual in their output, but you get the gist). Regardless, I'm pretty sure this is a good thing...
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| S... Cluuub! |
Track 5 - Fadeless is perhaps more Black Stone Cherry in its feel. American metal and perhaps even country rock influences seem to be just under the surface, you can sort of hear them, hidding in the track's general tone and feeling. The female(esk?) harmony part also gives what has been a very diverse sounding album another distinctive track. Its worth saying at this point, all the tracks so far have been quite short, 3 to 4 minutes max, and by the time you've processed what you've just enjoyed, you're on to the next track. This album is racing away.
Track 6 - Redo
Again this track is different to what has gone before, but if I'm honest, its more inline with what I was expecting from a J-Rock album. A piano lead introduction (X-Japan style) that turns into an almost funky pop metal half ballad blend thing-y. The lyrics are archetypal J-Rock in flavour, but are offset surprisingly well by almost trebble-y indie-pop sounding guitars. Kind of like if Kooks or Reign Of Kindo riffs found a new home in an alien and rockier environment. I can hear this on the closing credits of Bleach or a rival cool pop-culture focused anime series.
Track 7 - Last Heaven
There is a theme devloping. This band like variety. The brutality of the album has trailed off somewhat. The distopian introductary tracks have tapered out into an acoustic rock celebration of pain and beauty. Again the English and Japanese lyrics interplay comfortably, and make this a very accessible and easy to listen to track. I kind of want to draw comparisons to Nickleback, but who would want me to do that that? Sadly, they're like the anti-cool now. Plus, the technicality of this bands playing ability sounds way more apparent than Nickleback's in 'how you remind me' (for example). The GazettE still mange to inject variety into what comes across as a very a simple track. This is most apparent when the complex and distinctly metal bridge parts intersect the acoustic flow of the verse and chorus.
Track 8 - Loss
I was wondering where it went... but this track starts with an electronic 'patch', which feels like an air bubble filled with gloom and dread rising from the bottom of a still and lifeless lake. The bubble pierces the surface, and metal comes coursing out in the form of a throbbing rhythm guitar and a generous helping of double bass pedal from the drummer. The song seems to meander around the theme of loss, and at times its slow and reflective. Then all at once, it changes, like its chasing the urgency of its own sorrows, and thrusts these upon the listener. All the while, distorted wave forms come crashing down around your conscience.
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| Oh, by the way, this is what they look like... |
Track 9 - Stupid Tiny Insect
Another subtle swap in sentiment, and now we're feeling a little bit prog-rock. A lead synth intro fights off a Rob Zombie/Manson-esk barrage of bitting distored guitar and vox. Phasering wah dreams over the top of the offensive, adding something almost but not quite tangible to the confusion. You try to reach out and catch it but you can't. There is definitely venom in this track. Again some English lyrics catch your attention in the midst of rallying multi-lingual interplay. But, they are a menenacing few words to hear, and they resonate... 'You will beg me'.
Track 10 - In Blossom
We're at full screamo intro now, but it quickly drops off into a seemingly familiar Killswitch vibe - one we've felt before. The female-esk vox returns, but this time it reminds me quite a lot of Coheed and Cambria, whilst spoken-word, whispering, shouting and melodic singing throughout the track all conspire to create a variety of sentiments in the listener. This song does delve into a number of emotions in quick succession. Kind of like this video of Professor Snape filmed in super slow motion... In truth, I don't think this track does it quite as well Alan Rickman. I mean, Snape-y is just immense.
We're on to Track 11 - 鴉 (which translates as 'Crow') and back to 'Nu-metal' apparently. The bass is commanding, and has a tinny slap bass quality to it. I want to draw comparisons to Faith No More, or even early Chilli Peppers stuff (like, higher ground) but nothing seems to neatly fit, despite the apparent familiarity of the bass' tone. The production value of the track also feels a little more out of keeping than the others. This is some feat, given the diversity on show. They aren't the most homogenous bunch of songs. The track itself is stand out, but I'm not sure if this makes it the stand out track.
Track 12 is called 黒く澄んだ空と残骸と片翅 which translates as 'The Sky that Cleared Out in Black and Ruins and Broken Wings'. In truth, I'm starting to get tired now. But in a good way. Though, I'm not sure I'm in any state to make adequate sense of that translation. Its certainly a good job I brought pocky for a pick me up. I'm also really intrigued to find out if these guy can convey the relentless pace and energy of this album live. The last 4 tracks have been fast, complex, and very strong. This is turning out to be an excellent buy.
Thinking about it, loads of these tracks sound like they could comfortably soundtrack fight scenes in either vampire films, or cinematic pieces that want to honour the Matrix... or something. Again I'm not sure if thats a compliment, I think its supposed to be. Honestly, which was the last good Vampire film you saw? And don't say Twilight or Underworld. I'm not sure they're 'good'. Actually scratch the vampires, I'm probably thinking more of films akin to Ben Affleck's cinematic triumph Daredevil. That had a metal soundtrack.... Hmm.. perhaps use of 'good' as a descriptor is debatable in this instance too. Maybe I should step away from this thought now. Here's some gifs to go with the music...
I guess what Im trying to say is, throughout this album I've heard qualities of all my favourite metal bands in some capacity. Some of these bands are so awesome their mere presence on a soundtrack would easily beef up any sub-par film and make it passable for release. Overall, the quality of the album production has been very very high. The bass is bassy, and when they drop... Boy do they drop. In every track there is a a dynamism and a juxtaposition to what went before. You can feel it. It feels heavy, and the contrast is just downright exciting. Add one of these to a film in the right place, and you'll probably not regret it.
Track - 13 sees us go inTo Dazzling Darkness. The guitar effects have changed, and really do evidence the bands attetion to tone. All the tracks so far have been very well balanced. The only two things I've not been fully sold on are 1) the female(esk?) vox, which sounds like too much of a stark contrast at times, though this is probably intentional, and 2) early in this current track there is a synthetic sounding strings tone/voice - perhaps being played on a guitar with a variety of pedals - which sounds a little ropey to me. At least in comparison to the rest of the instruments being used. Again, in this track I'm getting Coheed vibes. I'm pretty sure its the feminine alto voice mixed in with a caghcophany of guitars thats making me draw the comparison.
I'm a little out of breath now, but we're here. We've reached Track 14 - Coda. The final denouement.
The track starts with synthetic strings being built upon by a spanish sounding acoustic guitar part, accompanied once again by that driving bass and those relentless drums. Everything in this track has started slowly, but its building towards something. Next the melodic instrumental collides with distorted and distant voices. The kind of voices that sound like the internal monologues of mentally unstable people in psychological horror films. The voices then break into a blue sky of paino, with clouds of acoustic guitar looping white against the wash of colour. Then... It all stops. Very very abruptly. In-fact so abruptly I'm a little annoyed. I want more, which is probably the idea, except... I really just want that track to feel finished. Its sounds like they just cut it short for no reason, or to be edge-y. It really wasn't the cliff hanger ending I was hoping for. Nor does it feel like the ending this album deserves.
Despite this annoyance I do want to listen to the album again, and I do now actually want to see The GazettE live. In terms of sharing, would I recommend this album to anyone? Yes, I certainly think so, but probably only to people who I know like the following bands, or bands of their ilk:
Killswitch Engage
Atreyu
Porcupine tree
Gary Numan
Nine Inch Nails
InMe
Do you agree with me? Or, do you hear it differently? Comment below!
The GazettE - Beautiful Deformity is available now on JPU Records
