[February 2016] Music Pick

Hmm. I never get tired of metal and his month's music pick doesn't fall short of it either.

 

Hydra - Within Temptation

I've been trying out a few of Within Temptation's stuff and I kinda like their style. It's not straight up symphonic metal like Nightwish. Within Temptation is more experimental in terms of blending genres. They kinda feel like new wave, but they throw in some pop-like influences making it easier to listen to. They even incorporated some rap into their song, And We Run, which I thought was a cool addition. I haven't heard a rap and metal combination in a long time. The album features known vocalists like Howard Jones of Killswitch Engage and Tarja, ex-Nightwish.

 

War Eternal - Arch Enemy

I heard the name ages ago, but never really tried out Arch Enemy. Unfamiliar with their history, I dove headfirst into their album, War Eternal. You won't be able to hear "clean" vocals if that's the type of sounds you typically enjoy. Alissa's growls are brutal and menacing earning her a firm spot as some of the best frontwomen in metal music.

 

Gintama Be Forever Yorozuya soundtrack

The movie is like the manga/anime, it's wacky and it got bits of everything in it. The soundtrack also has bits of everything in it. They brought back some familiar theme songs and spiced it up a bit for the movie. By that, I mean making it extra jazzy and happy. Then they have the usual dramatic scene music that you typically find in a thriller or adventure movie. Okay, Audio Highs, not bad. For some intense fight scenes, they have a bonus track with rad metal riffs and a bit of shredding.

 

Akuma Nativity "Songs of the Sword" - Seikima-II 

If you have been following the Japanese metal scene, there are big acts that you should be aware of such as X Japan, Glay, and Luna Sea. Make sure Seikima-II is also on your list. Though they disbanded in 1999, their vocalist, Demon Kogure, still operates under the name of Demon Kakka. I like to go back to their music from time to time. This album is a re-recording of Seikima-II's best hits throughout their career. Songs that were originally sung in Japanese are now English in this album. If you want to get a feel for their style without going through albums from decades ago, this compilation may be the right choice for you.

 

Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru sountrack

Holy crap, another anime soundtrack. I don't do that quite often. This one is the odd one out of the list. It's a beautiful soundtrack containing whimsical, but defiant strings. When I listen to it, I have a sudden urge to fly. The electronica influences are very apparent on the soundtrack such as the monotonous beat over-layed with the strings. The group, TECHNOBOYS PULCRAFT GREEN FUND, is three person techno electronica group according to their soundcloud account that has composed music for several movies. I haven't tried out their other stuff but, I'm sure they won't disappoint.