Ever since RAZOR announced their first full album Sennen no Shirabe, I’ve been stoked to see what to expect from it! And now, with the album finally released on June 26, let’s have a look what the band has cooked up for us, and let me also give you my first impression of it.
By now, I think it’s safe to say that RAZOR has the aptitude for creating great instrumentals. They have previously shown this with title tracks KNOT INVISIBLE and the CORE, fusing addictive dance music with heavy guitar riffs.
The album Sennen no Shirabe also brings some of those vibes, including a range of style extending from atmospheric, heavy, pop, to their speciality, fast-paced songs. Regardless of which type of style it is, the band made sure to create an album that is exciting to listen to, leaving you no reason to skip a track.
You will find that there’s always something going on, whether it is the expressive and lively instrumentals or Ryoga’s impressive vocals that scream at your face, but most of the time, it is actually quite passionate. A perfect example of this would be the song Administrator, where guitars enter with its short, high, and dissonant playing alongside Ryoga’s vocals that go from whispers to screams. While most of the songs are dominated by clean vocals, harsh vocals are also used, however, mainly as an accent. This way, the vocals end up more dynamic and punchy which allows for a balanced listening experience. A very effective way of utilizing screams, even if it’s not a unique approach.
Peak intensity hits with the outstanding LIQUID VAIN—previously released as a single—adding a little something extra to the mix as an extra guitar is played at speed over the chorus. This is exactly the type of song you would love to experience live! And I’m happy that there are many similar songs to LIQUID VAIN appearing later in the album as well, such as familiar songs: Akaku Chirabaru Hana, Undo, BRILLIANT.
RAZOR has also released the music video for Sennen no Shikisai as they perform the song in a traditional Japanese-styled building while huddled together in a circle, similar to that of Kienai Itami. Ryoga switches between a demonic look and a white captain outfit while guitarist Tsurugi joins in on vocals at certain points. The B-rolls continue the traditional Japanese theme with a swordsman prepping himself, taking a stance, and swinging his sword. We also find three women engaging in dance and waving ribbons.
Overall, Sennen no Shirabe is a solid album that shows off many sides of RAZOR. Despite the album including many of the previous releases, we still get a total of 15 tracks. In other words, it could be considered a full album even if those songs were left out. With such a strong start, the band has given me high expectations of what will come next!
Sennen no Shirabe (千年ノ調べ)
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CD
DVD
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More info:
Official Website
Twitter
Twitter (Ryoga) (猟牙)
Twitter (Tsurugi) (剣)
Twitter (Kouryu) (衍龍)
Twitter (IZA)
Twitter (Tetsuya) (哲也)
Instagram (Ryoga) (猟牙)
Instagram (Kouryu) (衍龍)
Instagram (IZA)