I'm back again in April for another exclusive pick. I ordered some more music and here are some gems to share with you all. Perhaps you may find that you also own some of these gems.
Oto by Sugizo
I was pretty excited to hear that Sugizo produced another solo album. His previous albums, Tree of Life and Flower of Life, had captivated me with their sounds. Of course, that's when I began to pick up Sugizo's signature styles, the wailing violins that mimicked the sounds of whales and the distortion of guitars. The first track, IRA, features Origa on vocals who many have known as the singer for the Ghost in the Shell anime. It was tragic to find out in 2015 that she had passed away at age 44 from lung cancer. I think Sugizo was so fortunate and must have also felt so honored working with her in his various projects including Flower of Life and time at Juno Reactor. Listening to IRA was a lot like bringing me back to Flower of Life.
Each of the tracks feature a different facet of Sugizo's artistry. I appreciate that they are all different instead sounding very similar. Oto meaning sound is the perfect name for this album. As plain as it may appear as a word, it is all this album is really about, the exploration of sound. To pinpoint niche genres for each song would be foolish as you can pick up a variety of references mashed into a single composition. Some are energetic, some are relaxing, and some are a mix of both.
Sugizo is not afraid to experiment with different things as he always does. You may agree that he is truly talented. I didn't think twice when purchasing this album and I was not disappointed at all.
Under the Force of Courage
I didn't order the album until recently. The regular edition I got came with a CD and a printed booklet. Even though I couldn't understand much of it, it appears that the booklet tells of a story in which all the songs are written for. Each song has a story for following a nameless hero. So I guess Galneryus went with great epic as the theme.
To be consistent with epics in general, we have have long songs. Some tracks can be considered a suite with several movements within. Again Galneryus has taken the neo-classical genre to new heights. I don't want to say that Galneryus has gotten softer in terms of music, it's more like they shifted more emphasis to classical roots. You hear a lot of composition that focuses on Yuhki's Hammond organ and keyboard such as in "Rain of Tears".
I am reminded of "Angel of Salvation" in a couple of their tracks including their title track,"Under the Force of Courage". I feel that "Raise My Sword" in terms of musical composition and the release of the PV was a sequel to "Angel of Salvation". "Reward for Betrayal" remains my favorite song of the album for its hard edge, something to nod your head to on those long train rides. "Voice of the Grievous Cry" is on my list as well. I can tell that Galneryus put a lot of work into their compositions, but I personally don't feel this is their best work. It definitely has evolved over the years, but the tracks aren't as distinct and memorable as previous songs. I don't know if this will change if I ever get to see them live knowing that some songs sound better live than recorded.
Roots by Sepultura
Here's a classic album to revisit. I first encountered Sepultura in a JoJo abridged series. Yes, this is the one created by AntfishTAS. It proved to be a real treat for my ears knowing that good work transcends time. Remember that Roots was released in 1996. How many years since? 21 years. Damn.
I was first introduced to nu metal through Linkin Park. Listening to Roots brought a lot of that nostalgia back. The album is very staunch in committing to angry voices and angry ideas. Not all the songs are really that angry, but with titles like "Cutthroat" and "Straighthate", it's trying to say something. After a quick search on Wikipedia, a lot of this had to do with Brazil's politics at the time. Max Cavalera had been noted for having strong opinions on government and such.
The mix of indigenous Brazilian sounds and thrashing metal brought forth a wonderful combination of expression. Max having expressed the thoughts of being proud of one's roots and heritage, it's very apparent in the album where songs wove in Brazilian percussion and Portuguese. The songs now have a personal touch. I always like it when conventional metal is paired with ethnic influences.
Angels and Demons Motion Soundtrack by Hans Zimmer
I can't get enough of Hans Zimmer. I think a lot of it comes from his versatility as a composer. The movie itself was very enjoyable for me to watch at the very least and I think its soundtrack followed well with it. It was noted that due to themes of science and religion in both the book and the film, Hans Zimmer followed through by often using chorale representing religious scenes and electronic music representing the scientific side of the side. A stylistic and rational choice if you ask me. It's not the first time composers mash both traditional classical pieces with EDM or other electronically generated sounds, but Zimmer melds the two harmoniously.
My favorite part is the violin in "God Particle". It showed the intangible quality of the God Particle developed in the lab, but once the chorus hits, we are reminded of its danger. There are nods to Zimmer's previous work in The DaVinci Code, mainly "Chevaliers de Sangreal" as the defining theme for all the Robert Langdon series.
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