The time has come to focus again on the japanese scene for the release of the third album from AYAKASI KAGURA.
Entitled Tokusa no Kandara, it is the third album of this one-man band created by Soichi (vocals/all instruments, Urobilinemia).
With an as beautiful as disturbing artwork created by Mei Maro, the man offers us a super powerful Brutal Death dyed with japanese folkloric influences over ten tracks. Without surprise, the sound is greasy, fast and extremely heavy. But to this impressive and uncompromising Death Metal basis with screaming voice, we have some hints of technicity, and above all the Folk parts. They take shape of clean backing vocals, airy ambiences or samples, children cries, then Brutal Death comes over to conscientiously crush us.Songs are short, harrowing and seizing, especially omori Uta and Warabe Uta, the firsts songs unveiled. Whether the first one scares us with this frightening introduction, the second one bluntly smashes us. Some lead parts add an epic touch, which wonderfully combines to the heaviness the band can spread, but also with technical parts. The ambience widely softens on Yotsuyu, a song that tends a lot to Prog sonorities and a soft clean voice, then Folk elements come to reinforce a massive basis. Violence comes back on Osen, always gathered by clean vocals and those elements that are part of the band’s identity, then Hito no Itonami will be in charge of the last strikes with this impressive sound, near from Slam Death.
Once again, the melting of styles made by AYAKASI KAGURA is magnificent. Tokusa no Kandara can surprise more than one person, but we all agree to say that this third album is excellent on all sides!
90/100