Cyntia's Party: Against Depressive Black Metal
There’s
something strange in my metal possessions. Strange yet definitely new. Being
rather old school worshipper since the ages I decided (and do not try to ask me
why…) to face some Japanese all-female power bands. At first Aldious from Osaka
destroyed my senses, now I deal with Tokyo-based Cyntia. What is interesting,
the first meeting with these girls was during “Run to the Future” video-clip
and it wasn’t good. I mean, the keyboards and its melodic lines was the main
factor I had disliked the song. Then I found out that Cyntia has a full rights
member Ayano as a keyboardist since their start in 2011. But! She is not only a
giver of filler sounds, no, she has a huge influence on what Cyntia looks and
sounds like…
While
reading several reviews on “Limit Breaks”, one important thing has been put
between the lines: Cyntia has recorded the best album so far. Being armed in
such an argument, I started to listen to it, however the beginnings weren’t
easy for me. For sure I didn’t find a song similar to aforementioned “Run to
the Future”, yet Ayano didn’t convince me in “GeAr.” and “Night Flight”, but
besides, she is a killer behind her weapon. This performance is like a second
part of guitars that supports Yui in a really good way. One can wonder why I
wrote something about keyboards at the start as metal band is on the table. Well,
this instrument is like a red rag to a bull for me and I was almost always
considering it as something useless and lowering the final mark. Fortunately during
“Limit Break” Ayano is a proper addition to the whole called Cyntia. Anyway,
musically I would name this band a safe power metal with clear hard rock
influence (“SSS” reminds a bit of Europe from the eighties) and progressive
touch in the closing title song. Luckily this isn’t indigestible chaff in the
vein of DragonForce or Pathfinder. In spite of two ballads, Cyntia provides
rather straight forward and fast tempos making the whole 56 minutes a thing
that precisely entwines my senses. If the production is concerned, there’s
nothing to be ashamed of: the sound is simply great, each instrument has its
own place in a room…
…full of
Saki’s charm! Yes, I like the way she does it. Not operatic, not whimpering,
Saki uses the middle range and her timbre sounds really unhampered, although
sometimes even girlish and very optimistic. She leads the words smoothly and
with catchy moments all the time, for the phrase ‘never say never’ in the title
song I could carry her in my arms until the last days of the world. This
fragment cannot leave my mind, I hum it even on the job.
Riffs. Yui
fights bravely with Ayano, bringing portions really good guitar works, melodies
she provides don’t mean any sound softening or banal parts. The rhythm section
isn’t worse element, especially Azu bass has its splendid moments (the opener,
“カルマ “, “Limit Break”). First listens to this stuff brought two leaders
amongst the rest: “Ride on Time” and “孤影悄然 “, now after many encounters with
them, it doesn’t seem to be simple and
clear as it used to be. The most important is there’s no lame song, the ballads
didn’t drive me in into hyperglycaemia. Generally speaking
the album is just equal with astonishing ending lasting almost nine minutes.
Trying to cut the thing short, I have to admit that I discover something
for me under this overcoat of cuteness and innocent youth. But it doesn’t mean
any infantile feelings and the like. Yes, this is poles apart as compared to
such known for me Japanese names like Intestine Baalism, Unholy Grave, Butcher
ABC or Defiled. Is “Limit Break” (and some weeks earlier Aldious’ “Dazed and
Delight”) a sign of mid-life crisis? Truly I don’t know, and put it mildly, I
don’t care as long as Cyntia provides a good metal music. Forsooth, the Japanese
taste really good with this offer, no dyspepsia is detected as well. That’s
good. And writing these words, Cyntia unleashed another fifth (!) album in
their very short career called “Woman” with complete different image (as
always). Two new tracks “Kiss Kiss Kiss” and “勝利の花束を-gonna gonna be hot!-“ sound quite promising…
85/100
-Tlacaxipehualiztli
(written on March / April, 2015)
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