Review: Otenki - The War Outside

Pop-rock group Otenki brings a bold new sound to the table with their most recent release “The War Outside”. Rock instrumental styles mixed with poppy vocals and electronic sampling proves to be an exciting and unique mix. The band is relatively up and coming even though they formed in '04, but they have a very mature sound and fit in the current mix of bands in this scene of music.

The popular thing today in music seems to be to mix many different genres together to form one sound and although some bands stick out more than others, Otenki brings a more balanced form of the technique. The touch of electronic sampling in a few of their songs keeps things interesting, but not overwhelming to the consistent pop-rock style. While some of the songs seem standard and catchy, others are more original and dancy, like “Ghosts” (my personal favorite off of the album). The band mixes these styles well and creates a sound that can appeal to people familiar with the genre as well as attract new listeners.

While most of the bands I listen to are of the hardcore/metal-core style, Otenki was a great refresher from the usual hardcore band. The version I had listened to had a few remixes and even a Spanish version of a song on the album that I thought were a bit of a buzz-kill. It broke up the flow of the album and kind of threw a curve-ball while listening. Not to be discouraged though, the rest of the album is great and these are mentioned as being extra tracks for fans of the band.

Overall Otenki brings a great new sound for anyone looking to catch on to something poppy but still original. “The War Outside” sets a good standard for bands looking to mix genres into one style as they keep things balanced and still maintain a fundamental sound underneath. This album was a lot of fun to jam out to and I thought the electronics kept it separated from just any old pop-rock band. Keep an eye out for Otenki and pick up “The War Outside” as soon as possible!

Rating: 9/10

-Nic

Review: Less Than Jake - See The Light

Less Thank Jake are one their 9th studio album (E.P’s included in that count) and they still don’t seem to have aged. Producing fun, sing-along, upbeat Ska Punk Rock, they prove that they are still just as great as they were seventeen years ago. Full of memorable, catchy tunes that seem suitable for almost any occasion, the band appear to have had a lot of fun making this album.

It has a great mix between beautiful vocals, brilliant Rock riffs, simple yet awesome drums, funky bass-lines and the excellent use of the saxophone, providing a lively album that is surely going to satisfy Ska and Rock fans a-like.

The wonderful spree of short songs begins with ‘Good Enough’, a short, catchy tune that shows you exactly what to expect from the album. The album is very similar in its sound but yet the funky catchiness keeps you listening. The opener has a lot of charm and helps kick-start an album that is a little refreshing in a world where Rock music seems to get more repetitive everyday. Tracks like ‘Jump’, ‘Do The Math’, John The Baptist Bones’, ‘The Troubles’, ‘Sunstroke’ and ‘Weekends All Year Long’ follow the opener and fill the album full with Rock riff heaven, great Punk Rock vocals, catchy drum beats, funky bass riffing and the refreshing catchiness of the saxophones that fill up the entire album. It’s amazing to listen to, with it changing between the funky verses and upbeat choruses. It’s a mix that works, with every-thing working in perfect harmony to create an album that never lets up and doesn’t appear to run out of steam.

It’s an intriguing, delightful little piece that keeps the listener engaged with its array of short, catchy tunes that remain consistent throughout the albums duration. It’s mixed, produced and mastered perfectly, with every little detail tweaked so every little thing is audible. It is a little slice of Ska heaven, stuff that matches the catchiness of Reel Big Fish and The Specials with the modern Rock twist. It’s one of the finest Rock albums this year and is refreshing from the vast array of Metal, Pop, Dance and Rap that dominates everywhere you seem to go.

Less Than Jake have created an album that is simplistic on the outside but down-right funky once you listen. The moment you press the play, the infectious rhythms and harmonies within the album take over and it becomes essential listening, something that is a rarity with most of the albums released this year. It doesn’t lose steam, it just continues with the time flying by so fast. It’s the kind of stuff to make people think back to high school days and is something that the younger generation can listen to and fall in love with the catchy little songs that help make this album dominate over most Rock albums released in the last ten years.

Something a little different, a little special, ‘See The Light’ is the perfect slice of Ska Punk heaven and is a highlight of this year. Let the catchiness of saxophones. bass lines, choruses and guitars ensure whilst you tap away to the beautiful drum beats. This is something purely wonderful.

10/10

- Asa

Review: Lamb of God – As The Palaces Burn (10th Anniversary Edition)

Lamb Of God are one of the biggest Metal bands in recent years. Controversial, heavy and mesmerizing, they’re one of the most influential Metal bands to have spawned since the likes of Metallica, Pantera and Iron Maiden and have only seemed to progress with each album they release.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of one of their most critically acclaimed albums to date, an album that inspired many artists and influenced some of the greatest Metal albums released over the last ten years. This remixed, remastered version of ‘As The Palaces Burn' is something for the fans to relish in as the tracks sound better than ever and an assortment of bonus content.

The album begins with ‘Ruin’, a track that is fast and heavy. It is a killer opening, filled with chuggy riffs, epic and complex drumming, shredding bass-lines and Randy’s unique vocal abilities. From the outset, you can hear the vast difference between sound quality from this remixed edition to the original version. Everything is heavier, sharper and more crisp. The mix seems a little more tight and things you may not have noticed before hand appear from nowhere.

Every little detail can be heard, providing a richer, more fulfilling album to listen to. Tracks such as ‘11th Hour’, ‘A Devil In God’s Country’, ‘Blood Junkie’ and ‘As The Palaces Burn’ really stand out, with ‘11th Hour’ being one of their most acclaimed and popular songs to date.

Everything works nicely, a smooth flow of heavy and furious Metal. With anger and hatred being spit out by Randy Blythe and with everyone else providing the instrumentals that help complete the album, it is an amazing experience that seeps into your mind. The lyrics are full of hatred that is aimed at the US government, questioning their motives and facing the subject of 9/11 (something daring seeming as the event took place just two years earlier).

People despised the album for it being so daring but it proved to be an essential album that helped influence so many other artists, including Machine Head, with ‘As The Palaces Burn’ helping to inspire their latter album, ‘Through The Ashes Of Empires’, released one year after Lamb Of God’s masterpiece. After the usual tracks from the original album, you get three unreleased demo tracks for ‘Ruin’, ‘As The Palaces Burn’ and ‘Blood Junkie’. These are the perfect companions for a tenth anniversary, showing the progression of these particular songs.

Fans will revel in the bliss of these demos and in the perfection of the entire album itself. Something of a collectors item for all the fans, it serves its purpose and does it well. The mix and the mastering is well handled, making sure every little thing can be heard providing an amazing experience for its listeners. It is something to give back to the fans and proves why this band are one of the biggest Metal bands in recent history. It is damn near remarkable.

With chuggy bass, precision drumming, electrifying riffs and vocals to wake the dead, this is something to behold and revel in its beauty. The original album was, and still is, amazing but this really helps bring it to the forefront, showing everyone just how good it is. It’s understandable why the band are as big as they are now, with this album alone proving their masterclass. Some hail it as their masterpiece, others say it was the first album that truly showed how good Lamb Of God are.

Whatever your opinion, there is no denying that this album is as beautiful as it is heavy, as shocking as it is amazing, as influential as it is controversial. It is inspiring whilst it makes you want to smash everything in sight. Now, what else would you want from a Metal album?

10/10

- Asa