Delicious and Histotrophic
Right now I
can’t recall precisely what made me to check this band out. Maybe a review on
Encyclopaedia Metallum, maybe a virtual trip that led me to the unknown
meanders of youtube? Anyway, after seeing the “Spirit Black” video, something has
sparkled between me and this quintet of…
Japanese women. Indeed, it’s hard to explain the hard fact I bought
“Dazed and Delight” on cd in frantically exorbitant price (as compared to a
standard one, triple total costs), although the title became some kind of
sensation in my vast collection. I mean, bird-dogging all the gothic, symphonic
and cacophonic metal (?) with female-fronted bands, I rather feel uttermost disgust
than anything else. Aldious is even more than that. This all-female (!) band
became the first one with such a crew. And to put it briefly, this Japanese
changeling is simply decent metal yet with different culture, look and clothes.
And mentioned “Spirit Black” was a kicking ass track with head-banging almost
all the time. Then on the spur of the moment I decided to enter the kingdom of
Aldious searching for more songs…
One of such
killers was “Butterfly Effect” that strikes roughly being just an opener to
“Dazed and Delight”. With crushing beginning and the almost thrash guitar
structures, it serves pretty broken rhythms. Really good shot making my mouth
open and one of the best here. If the production is concerned, I am a bit off
guard. I think it’s proper rather for a younger band with low budget, not for
experienced and known (locally but in Japan) outfit. But, I consider this way a
good thing: not sterile, even muffled in guitar layers yet with very vivid
audible rhythm section. And it is not a secret I arrested my attention on Re:NO
in the first place. Not only because she’s a beautiful woman that sings in
Japanese and I have no idea what lyrics are about (fantasy and love, according
to Metal Archives), but mainly due to her position in the band. This album is
her second journey after replacement of the former Rami and it’s obvious there
are always comparisons between these two vocalists. I’m not an exceptional dude
claiming that Re:NO is softer than tigress Rami, yet the main question should
be asked: is Aldious worse band now with Re:NO behind the microphone? Well,
after many careful listens I found that Re:NO offer simply fits to the current
vision of the band. Personally I’m not able to decide the dispute on foregoing
verdict, the most important thing for me is Re:NO don’t use any operatic feeble
moans or just high-pitched chants that make me puke and, although I’d like to
hear more firmer performance, just like in “Imagination” and “Megalomaniac”. In
turn she cannot convince me to vocal lines in "魅惑のパレード" and "アネモネ", not saying about “The Breeze at
Dawn”. And even I’m safety-first in praising ballad songs, I’ve to admit that
“I Don’t Like Me” shines here in full splendor due to Re:NO’s magic beyond the
shadow of a doubt. Still I have in mind her splendid performance (both vocally
and visually) on official video-clip. Believe me, it’s tearful. Of course, I
need to mention about her spiritual moments in “Puffy Eyes” and “Other World”.
She’s not a wild animal, she’s like Graphium androcles.
The basic
musical layer is deeply rooted in a present-day power metal, yet Aldious
stylistics put its light fingers on more heavy metal dimension as well. Mid-paced
tempos dominate, however three songs as opening “Butterfly Effect”, “Dominator”
and “Megalomaniac” are really fast. The riffs architects, Yoshi and Toki,
provide honest, decent and memorable guitar parts, with load of melody and
catching moments, some of them taken definitely from the heritage of NWOBHM. The
same refers to the fantastic leads. Finally, there is a need to write something
about the rhythm section heroes, about Sawa and Aruto. Yes, these budgies are
true pearls on the album, not an usual ingredient to the sound. And even if the
broken rhythms are served rather seldom just like in “Butterfly Effect”, Sawa,
the bass player, supported by unflagging Aruto, displays her talent through the
whole album. It seems I listen to one bass lead. In addition, each song
contains of recognizable bass fragment that makes me smack with delight,
especially in mind-crushing “Dominator” or “Puffy Eyes”.
Yes, as the
track number five has been mentioned, some differences are put on the table. After
four first songs the band decelerates. “Puffy Eyes”, slow and hard, with beautiful
guitar solo, Sawa’s scourge and amazing Re:NO chorus, didn’t impress me at the
beginning. I don’t why, maybe I treated it as a disjoint? Never mind, now I
worship it. And if this is positive, two pieces called “Red Strings” and „The
Breeze at Dawn” are artistic mistakes and determine my lower final mark. Let’s
start from track seven, “Red Strings”, which isn’t metal at all. It’s rather
radio rock ditty, that’s true it has sticking melody with not harming anybody Re:NO
and her absolutely girlish beautiful parts after 3:40 making neighbouring
stones soften, but it doesn’t work in with metal (!) face of Aldious. But the
worst is yet to come. Namely, the nine in schedule brings four minutes of
musical and vocal disaster. Maintained in tempos so similar to “Puffy Eyes”, it
glitters with awful guitar melody, even Re:NO creates here something horrible I
cannot understand. The Japanese wanted to diversify the whole in an artificial
way or maybe there was a lack of good ideas? At present I just skip it without
any hesitation.
The
aforementioned couple with not fully convincing "魅惑のパレード" and "アネモネ" makes an impression of emotional
burnup. “Dazed and Delight” loses its real effigy and becomes to lay violent
hands on itself. It’s good the band searches for any new sounds with the best
example of “Puffy Eyes”, but their prime moments are just ‘normal’ songs
without any strange offers. It’s important that about metal Aldious, there is
nothing to be ashamed for. When the last second of “The Breeze at Dawn”
disappears like a smoke in the windy day, high-powered “Dominator” enters the
stage being a real rescue brigade. Probably the fastest one here, based on
simple riffs, with wild Aruto and Sawa’s splendid bass, it’s like a vulnerary.
Luckily therapy goes on, as the next “Megalomaniac” isn’t worse offering
straight forward demolishing riffing and crude slow-down at 1:15. Yes, the ship
gets under sail. But the best is on the end I guess. The closing track “Other
World” is just amazing. This beautiful composition has possessed my senses
since the first meeting. Although it doesn’t drive at breakneck speed, but the
whole band’s performance is a first quality. I’m speechless, my ladies!
Summing the
things up, I am dazed but not fully delighted. Despite of knowing some tracks
before cd purchase, I was afraid of the final product. It was something new,
something different. And now I confess that it could be much worse. Fortunately,
it is a good metal album, there are unbearable things I cannot live with, but
there are definitely more positive shades and feelings, you know, listening to
it is like a ride on sine curve. To be honest with myself I didn’t treat them
better just because they’re sweet and cute women. What is more, the “Dazed and
Delight” listening time coincided with two totally opposed crude barbarian slabs:
Manilla Road “Voyager” and Ataraxy with their “Revelations of the Ethereal”. Time
with great sensations, with different experiences, with darkness and the bright
light; the fourth Aldious album became a gate to their dimension. The dimension
I want to follow, as their three former albums are just a must for me as of now.
Re:NO,
Toki, Yoshi, Sawa and Aruto! You did a mess-up in my world!
78/100
-Tlacaxipehualiztli
(written on March, 2015)
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