Towards the White Light
I won’t reinvent the wheel claiming that many things
in my metal adventure happened by coincidence. The reviewed band isn’t an
exception in that matter, however I would come across this Tokyo based quintet
eventually. As an every day visitor on Encyclopaedia Metallum, I just saw
enthusiastic review of „Awakening from Abyss”, and one glance was enough to be
pole-axed for a really long time. Yes, „Shadowmaker” was the track that made me
speechless and it’s obvious that the album is in my collection now along with
their debut four piece Ep.
But choosing „Shadowmaker” as a promoting music video hasn’t
been done by coincidence. Well, what we’ve got here? Expressive vocals, sticking
melodies, furious riffs, mind-blowing lead attacks with prepossessing Midori’s
smile and senses devastating rhythm section. Ha, typical description, I guess! But
what can I do if the song is just one of the best power tracks I have heard
recently (this century, I mean…)? One could say that the first impressions
should be intensified these women are real belles. Yes, they’re beautiful but
it doesn’t count as long as their music is first-class absolutely catchy metal…
Anyway, I got it with the previous Ep as well and all
the songs from it have been recorded one more time. As compared to first
versions, there are additional parts of keyboards („The Apocalypse”, „Scream
for Me”), changed leads („Don’t Bite the Dust”), elongated closing lead in
„Scream for Me” being a guitar duel between both guitarists. The last
noticeable thing concerns the ending track „Bravehearted” sung in English, not
Japanese this time.
The opening piece „The Awakening” is an instrumental
introduction actually and divided into two parts, the first one symphonic and
the latter with hard riffs giving a birth to ruthless „The Hammer of Wrath”: fantastic
thrashing guitar parts supported by rampant duo Miho/Haruna with wild Asami
shriek at 0:25… but this beast isn’t fully kept in thrashy way (just as „Scream
for Me”), then it becomes mostly power style decorated by incredible fast lead.
That’s right, first minutes really kick my ass, luckily this is not the end to worship
the album which should be called just a bag of (splendid) ideas. Although the
base here is rather power genre, infleunces from different kinds of metal mix
collectively without restraint. I got more heavy oriented songs with Dio’s mighty
spirit in „ Warning Shot” or „Burden of Time” and own interpretations on
melodic side of Iron Maiden and touch of progressive licks in „Don’t Bite the
Dust”. In turn, „Liar” has some references to Sentenced „Crimson” era in guitar
melodies. Interesting that in all these 61 minutes, the Japanese didn’t decide
to record any ballad song. True, „Liar” has wonderful balladic opening lasting
forty-five seconds only and „Edge of the World” has much more such tunes
(almost four minutes), but afterwards it becomes a power madness. But naming
songs in this section would be meaningless without „Inspire”. Composed and
arranged by ARAKEN (no idea who is it), uncannily catchy, it’s a bit different
due its, let’s say, theatrical facade, and being the softest in the family, this
track is a realm of Asami proving she is a singing angel. (listen to her sigh
at 2:29…)
To put it briefly I do not listen to female fronted
bands with clean vocals except some Japanese ones. But in the case of Lovebites
Asami drew my attention in the blink of an eye. I’m just very pleasantly
surprised, she can sing in many different ways, from gentle to aggressive, from
passionate to furious, and in every second of her performance she is all out.
That’s really great becauase, as the liner notes inform, Lovebites is her first
meeting with metal music ever. I liked a lot her style of writing lyrics as
well, she gives a conscious image of our world, however her heart is full of
positive energy and hope for others. It helps, believe me. Asami, or better to
write As-am-I (‘as’ in Polish means ‘ace’)? Yes, you are! And if I’m writing
about energy, the mad M guitar duet appears on the stage. They simple rule
serving killing riffs, catchy melodies, impressing leads mostly played by
turns. And if Midori and Mi-Ya did a really fantastic work, I cannot omit the
rhythm section. Both Miho and Haruna were once in Destrose, now their skills
have been pumped in the new band fortunately. And it does work perfectly
through the whole. For sure the crystal clear production helps to enthuse all
the Miho wall-grinding avalanche with the best moment in the first stanza of
„Don’t Bite the Dust”. Simply brilliant!
Yes, the beginning of the album is just a nail
striking my poor senses, the aforementioned penultimate „Edge of the World”
seemed to be kinda ataractic drug in musical means, but Asami lyrics till the
first lead of Mi-Ya are just bitter vision of current reality. Written by keyboardist
Mao Yamamoto known from Light Bringer, a real supporter of the band, the sounds
create tension with every second giving a rupturę at 3:50 when power fuel reach
the lovebiting engine. The last one „Bravehearted” rams me with no a breather
being a true power anthem. Composed by Haruna and consummately arranged, I
found this six minute firecracker one of the best songs in the power genre. The
opening part of riffs is a real hammer of wrath in contrast to dreamy middle
slowdown. Only bravehearted can comprehend its gist.
I didn’t light upon anything that would be poor or to
reject due to my musical taste, what’s more, there’s no possibility to choose
the leading track as the whole is maintained on the highest equal level. It is
no problem for me to feel their heads and hearts are full of fresh ideas and
hope and it’s absolutely great seeing Mi-Ya a permanent member at last. Their
frank words from liner notes surprised me, but this is how the album works: just
like the words the music is straight and frank. Supported by powerful sound
realization, mixed and mastered at Finnvox, it appears as superbly composed and
arranged, offering many various kinds of emotions. And antidepressant is
another adjective I could describe it. The album became one of the best
releases coming from 2017 no matter what kind of metal I’m talking about and
definitely the best one with novice subtitle. Despite such a genre Lovebites
execute wasn’t dominant in my last months, easily it found its right place in
brutal death and gore grind detonations. It’s simply sensational and my review
isn’t anything new, just another piece of writing adoring „Awakening from Abyss”
in such an enthusiastic way.
And there’s one thing on the end I do not understand:
why their names have been written using lowercase letters only? No my ladies,
it’s a serious mistake. See it given properly: ASAMI-MIDORI-MI-YA-MIHO-HARUNA…
97/100
-Tlacaxipehualiztli
(written in January, 2018)
