We get requests from over the world and a short while ago we got this one from Japan. It’s the first time I hear this band and enjoyed it, so here we go! NACARBIDE (Japanese traditional heavy metal band), they released a new album via Bandcamp.
They start with the title track: Iron Lotus. It’s a song that could have been written by the Japanese version of Iron Maiden, but in a younger version. Just listen to the vocals, the guitars … (with a slice of a retro 70 & 80’s guitar sound). It’s powered up, fired up and sound really great! I feel already ashamed that I have never heard of them before!
Run is a speeded up metal track where you indeed got the feeling you have to run and otherwise the track will speed you up anyway! It turns you into a sweating person, all pumped up. It really feels like the perfect live track (with some cool bass play in the middle). Undisclosed comes once again close to Iron Maiden, I cherish the drums and guitar sound! The song is a bit slower then the previous one, but has enough rambling and foot stomping in it to make it a great track! More fired up is Resolution where the guitars and drums hit hard. I also hear some backings, giving the vocals some extra strength. Some hard hitting comes with Dynamis: a short track with no vocals. It’s basically a piece of dynamite! Human Race is not the most happy track as the lyrics talk about a burning hell and desire that drives the human race crazy. I like the music and the sound, it almost has something catchy with a great retro guitar sound. Eye of The Hawk talks about being chased and having no time to rest and thus sounds like this too creating the corresponding feel for this great song. 前世の約束～Zense no Yakusoku is sung in their mother language and for the first time you get the feeling that it’s a female fronted band as before it really sounds as if Bruce from Iron Maiden has taken over the vocals. I honestly prefer the English tracks as they somehow sound better to me (but that is my personal opinion) and I have a feeling that it’s not always in the right tune. The end is a bit strange too. Advancement is like hammering time in a strange language with lots of high pitched screaming and hammering drums. Last track is called Dear Friend but is not sung in English. It’s a fired up old school metal track with a cool vibe.
Well, this was nice trip into Japanese traditional heavy metal. I must be honest and point out that I liked the English tracks the most, but I suppose it’s the other way around for people from Asia. Take some time to discover them, as one might actually really love them!
