Echoberyl - Mother: Remixes

Review By Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Echoberyl’s Mother: Remixes takes already shadowy, twisted music and enhances the icy, threatening and darkly intertwined elements contained within it. The album is full of seething power, emptiness and a miasma of lurking danger as well as driving, throbbing beats and bass,

Even in chopped up, broken form Cecilia Dassonneville’s chilly, austere vocal performance is key to Mother: Remixes’ effectiveness. Her voice is strong, but blows like an icy wind to freeze the heart. The bleakness and hollow feeling in it matches the nature of the song lyrics. The way her vocals move within the remixes complements the album’s atmosphere.

I enjoy the way the remixes capture the sensations and auditory impressions of the original songs while deepening their darkness. The remixers involved have put their own personal spins on the songs, but in a way that keeps their basic integrity intact. I appreciate their skills as they embrace the shadowy, industrial atmosphere that permeate the music and increase the sensations of alienation and cold within it.

The interplay of sonic elements on Mother: Remixes is another strong element on the album. There’s a great deal of deftly layered, intertwining sounds that combine to drench the whole recording in a dark veil. The sheer weight of the drums and bass is a constant along with the balancing of harsh sounds with smooth, adding quick flashes of brighter sound and interspersing haunted musical moments with surging power.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Mother Solitude (Dissonant Goddess Extended Remix” starts off as thick, pulsating bass throbs into the music with a lone voice crying out in the distance. The bass is dense and oscillating as a slipping sound doubles it to add more motion. Wideband, medium-low synth undulates in time to the pulsating drums and bass, the distorted voice moving as rising strings float through and cut in.

Bright, sharp synth cuts in quick lines and forms a gleaming, hypnotic note pattern falling through the music. Cecilia Dassonneville's distant voice flows in a melancholy melody which effectively radiates painful feelings. The minor key melody is carried on a flashing synth that repeats the tense main melody over the relentlessly throbbing drums and bass.

The string section carries a delicate, gently touching melody before the lead synth flashes again. Cecilia Dassonneville’s distantly floating vocals wander in an ethereal line over the driven rhythm section, As the rough bass oscillates, the angular synth carries a shining melody that increases feelings of progress. Once again, the main melody arcs through the music and we end on trembling strings, the rough-edged bass creaking and throbbing as pounding finally ends.

Hollow, pounding drums that tattoo out an uneven rhythm and twangy bass are joined by a rapidly pulsating synth to open “Au bout de ses forces (La Goutte Remix).” Cecilia Dassonneville’s chilling voice echoes and a steady, elevated synth with a string-like quality vibrates. The unrelenting drum and bass propulsion imbues the track with rapid motion as the icy vocal tones wander above it.

The way in which the cosmically gliding string section swells in enfolding and fragile notes to contrast with Cecilia Dassonneville’s empty feeling voice deepens the music’s emotional power. String sounds shiver and resonate as the charging weight of drums and bass keeps moving.

Vocal sound becomes an accenting element as the strings intertwine and emanate velvety shadows. The beat and bass give the track a continuous feeling, like it could simply go on into eternity. An extra percussion element increases intensity as the vocal fragment moves with a breathy, repeating sound and the drums pound with the oscillating bass.

“Blue Ophélia (Dissonant Remix)” begins as tripping, gentle drums and round-sounding synths bend and together in a rising, glowing pattern that fills the track with a vague, portentous feeling. The drums and bass push on and Cecilia Dassonneville’s vocals are distorted and cool.

An oboe-like instrument carries nasal-sounding notes that call out into the music, carrying a touchingly poignant melody. ice-cold vocal fragments wander and the trembling strings briefly shimmer. The plangent oboe undulates in notes clotted with pained emotion as quick strings flicker. Drums and bass provide a solid underpinning as the nervous string sounds add a worried feeling.

Once again, the oboe’s rounded notes give off an aching timbre as the string section shakes and intertwines with anxiety. Climbing strings shift as a metallic background sound rises and falls and the gruff bass pounds ceaselessly before a windy flow and then silence

Thunderous clashing drums and deep bass are joined by a volleying, high synth flickering back and forth to commence “Medea's Revenge (Steve Object Remix).” The drums provide a shaping throb as wild laughter cackles out. Now the drums and bass become a huge, forward moving surge. Cecilia Dassonneville’s voice echoes out over the oscillating bass, her vocals simultaneously aching and alienating.

Now the heaving drums and dense bass push the track on with a wide sound flowing through below volleying higher sounds. Gasping vocal sounds are incorporated into the music, becoming a distinct sonic element, sounding panicked and hitched. I enjoy the way in which the track oozes tension and stress.

Cecilia Dassonneville’s lost, chilling vocals come in while the drum and bass wall thuds onwards. Seething power emanates from the music while angular, battering synth is underpinned by the ferocious rhythmic pulse that animates the track. Nervous, jittery synth trembles through and the unrelenting drive below rams the music home.

“La Dame en Rouge (Cage Exsanguinated Mix)” kicks off with heavily throbbing bass that’s touched by lighter, airier sounds. A warm, slowly shifting synth pulse shines in contrast to the cooler vocals. Throbbing bass adds strength while a trembling, rapidly moving higher synth pulse adds texture.

Sharp-edged, low synth cuts with gritty growl over the continuous bass heartbeat while Cecilia Dassonneville’s vocals add a superb sense of mystery. Bright synth flashes in high, tightly wound notes over the huge pounding weight underneath it and the drums add more forward motion. Rough, hard-hitting synth slashes and warmer ripples dance through in contrast to the echoing vocals.

The insistent drums and bass are joined by slightly fuzzy, rapidly trickling higher synth and Cecilia Dassonneville’s hollow vocals. Raised synth vibrates though over the unstoppable beat and out into silence along with rounded synth bubbles.

Massive bass pulsates while fat string-like sounds echo out to begin “Overwater.” The drums hit hard to push the music forward while haunted higher sounds float in. Cecilia Dassonneville’s slightly distorted, frozen vocals flow over the aggressive drums and bass.

Clashing, shining synth trumpets out in powerful flashes over the shadowy vocals and underneath it all, the drums and bass heave and surge. Broad guitar twangs briefly and the unrelenting rhythmic pulse shapes the music. Cecilia Dassonneville’s voice feels bereft in a poignant way as the metallic guitar reverberates into open space in mournful lines.

Huge synth chords burst out in thick, shining lines and again the drums and bass drive onwards with muscled energy. The intense synth blocks add gleaming weight and the beat jumps while a twisting rope of medium-low synth winds through before silence falls.

Our narrator speaks of surviving a storm by staying still, commanding the waves and pulling “every rope until blood starts to dry off, but don’t give up.” She says that there’s no other way to pass the storm and “break the winds on your tired face.” She adds that in “just a moment, one last moment” they will remain “overwater.”

The storyteller talks about fighting without winning or losing. She points out that “if you see wonder” the cold will vanish but “you can’t give up, there’s no other way.” The narrator goes on to say that “the salt in your eyes” won’t be painful much longer. Once again, our storyteller talks about one final moment of being “overwater” before the song concludes with one word: drowning.

Conclusion

Mother: Remixes does what all good remix albums manage to do and enhances the existing music. The remixes here take what was good about the original songs and increase the intensity of those elements. The end result is music that fits in well with the source material’s intent while extending it and deepening its power and meaning.

To learn more about Echobery'l’s music, visit them here.

The Last Years - The After

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

The Last Years's The After is a powerfully affecting, musically lush and lyrically expressive musical exploration of hope, love, pain and longing. It weaves together strong vocal performances with skilled guitar playing and interwoven synth sounds.

One of the most effective aspects of “The After” is the lead singer’s voice. He has a strong, extremely expressive and wide-ranging voice that captures the emotional tenor of the lyrics. There’s an aspect of his voice that manages to be both powerful and full of melancholy, imbuing each word with deep feeling.

I also find the lyrical content of the songs on “The After” a major draw for me. The lyrics are well-crafted and capable of reaching deep into my heart and extracting the emotion within me. The way in which the words explore complex and contradictory feelings is clear and hard-hitting. I appreciate the skill that went into their writing here.

This album effectively uses the other musical elements to support the lyrics and vocal performances. The guitar has an expressive quality to it, the synths that weave through the music are all well suited to complement the singing and the drums and bass create a strong underpinning. Taken together, the musical backing helps the vocals and lyrics to shine.

My Favourite Songs Analyzed

“Past Lives” comes into being as shining, hollow synths ripple quickly over metallic percussion and expand. A bright electric guitar flashes out in slowly unfolding notes and spinning, shimmering synth arpeggios are guided by the pulsating drumbeat. The lead singer’s strong, resonant voice fills the song, carrying the aching vocal melody and skillfully imbuing the words with deep feeling.

Drums throb and propel the music onwards as the guitar spins out a tightly woven line. The rising expression in the lead singer’s voice joins the as guitar cascades and gleams over the steady drums and solid bass throb. The vocals leap out, emotive and soaring, the melody tinged with nostalgic yearning. Glowing arpeggios dance and the drums add shape below the soaring vocals as the guitar also yearns and climbs.

Our narrator looks back at the layers of our lives and their lingering influences. As the song begins, he speaks of looking “behind the paths we shared” for the memories there that are “so few and proud.” He talks about how we are coming closer to “the falling edge.” As we slip down, we are “losing ground in the fight we’ve made, promises we’ve held.”

The storyteller talks about the different lives within our own lifetime that hold us down. He goes on to say that “we’ll find our way” as we search for the liens that “call out and beg for clarity” as well as those that “we draw through sand and time” as they ask for certainty.

Now the narrator states that “behind each heart is a failing love” that fades out. He speaks of the “old bones of our wasted years” feeling nearer. There’s a heart-wrenching poignancy as the narrator speaks of the “lives we lost and gave away, our youth is dead and gone.”

Bending, shadowed synth with a nasal quality is swept by flowing winds as “Small Hours” opens. A steady bass throb moves as the vocal melody caresses the listener’s ears. The lead singer’s voice is intensely expressive and and the vocal melody is softly touching.

Trembling synth vibrates before the drums thunder and the lead singer’s voice leaps upward again, full of deep feeling. The song moves into a segment in which fragile, tremulous synth vibrates over gently throbbing bass. The guitar charges, the drums batter and the lead singer’s powerful voice soars pleasingly out over the glittering guitar.

Now the guitar’s extended notes glide, flashing over the heaving drum weight and rumbling bass. The vocals hurt and hope as the guitar trips out in resonant notes. The drums and the reaching vocal melody echo alone before the guitar flickers out again. The song ends in an impassioned intertwining of rippling synth and crying guitar.

Life is a struggle between our darker and lighter feelings and impulses. The storyteller speaks of being “deep in the quiet now” and as he’s surrounded by stillness he is just “holding on.” He says that he’s unable to move as the dark night “holds me down and never looks back.”

Our narrator talks about reaching out for a helping hand but only finding “the lies that we’ve held tight.” He goes on to speak about our hearts “failing in the light” as our dreams die along with our pride. In the end, we have to “push through to make it through the night.”

As life unfolds we find ourselves walking through “the dust and the pain” to which we’ll close our hearts and “wipe away the heartache.” Inevitably we wait “for the morning to come to fight the night again” and wipe the heartache away. As the song ends, our storyteller says “We close our eyes and push through to find the light.


“Out Of Focus” starts as massive drums clash and a bass flow adds a softer weight underneath them. Swirling synths interlock and a bright guitar with an open feeling carries lightly slipping notes that float through over the drum pulses. The guitar has a loose-limbed quality that I find quite attractive.

The lead vocals are soft but strong, emotion pouring from the gentle melody that they carry over the oscillating synth background. The drums add needed direction to this song. The lead singer’s voice trembles and mourns as the distant guitar carries over the gigantic drums and underpinning bass.

Now angular synth vibrates underneath the other musical elements. As the drums pulse, the guitar howls upwards before the singer’s strong, emotional voice calls out once more. The glittering guitar accents the music as the song fades on fragile chimes and swirling breezes.

There are many ways in which to fail and stumble in life, but people seem bound to repeat old errors. The narrator talks about how he’s “fallen on this sword so many times that I’ve lost count.” He adds that it is all we know so “what’s one more?” Our narrator points out that the “broken bones” won’t let him go but says “they’re all we know, that’s something.”

The storyteller muses that “our misspent lives” form the paths that we leave in our wake but “it’s all we know” as we all fall down. Eventually “the lines that mark our faces fade to dust” but “we fall” and it’s still all we know. In vain we “reach for fools and comfort” as we “fall through the darkness.”

Ominous, shadowy sounds shift darkly into open space and a flowing, deep synth carries a roaming, vibrating note pattern to commence “The After.” The flowing synth notes climb triumphantly, buzzing above throbbing drums. Now the vocals cry out, adding a sense of mingled emotions that I feel fits the lyrics well.

The angular synth wall moves again, the drums driving on as the lead singer’s voice flies out to fill the song with deep expression and energy. The guitar slices out in bright, impassioned lines before the darker, gentler synth flow moves. Drums cascade and powerful synth leaps up along with the guitars that coruscate with feeling to match the earnest expression in the lyrics. The guitar slows and moves in shining lines that float into quiet.

This song examines heartbreak and loss as it unfolds. The storyteller talks about how he has to pick his heart off the floor adding that “it’s broken but we’ve been here before.” In his mind there’s a “worn out tape” that he’ll listen to as he “hear(s) the way I feel tonight.” Now the narrator shuts his eyes and as he crosses the line, he says “it’s cold but I’m on my way.”

As the broken relationship in the song fell apart, the narrator says that they ran out of time and went “drifting through the fighting” before being “buried by goodbyes.” They now find themselves “underneath the after” but that’s alright as “the after won’t mind.”

Our storyteller points out that a “slow and steady call” is comforting “in these moments.” He says that as their “song nears the end” they will be alright and start again. He concludes, “I open my eyes one last time and it's cold and I'm on my way.”

“Floods” opens as swirling synth tides move under shining higher notes that shiver through the music. Wide, gleaming guitar forms a dancing pattern as sharper-edged guitar cuts through in a dynamic, energizing line over the drum and bass motion below. The lead singer’s voice mingles power, emotion and an underlying ache that I find quite moving.

A climbing, strong chorus explodes over the textured guitars, full of intense feeling. The guitar briefly moves alone before the shaping beat comes in again and the vocals burn with emotion. Trembling synth vibrates in and the guitars charge in a hard-hitting line. A guitar solo cries out, flowing in a rough-edged melody mingling loss, hope and dreamy feelings as xylophone-like sounds add richness. The song comes to an end on trailing guitar.

Love is a wistful and heartbreaking thing and this song explores those feelings. As the song begins, the narrator speaks of “ripping through the cover” that moves through the darkness. He says that for those who knew it from the start, it was a “broken whisper.” The narrator muses that if they could be “the last lovers tangled in forever, failing to become one” then with a “clever parting glance” that put blame beneath them, the song’s subject “knew we’d never stand a chance.”

Conclusion

The After is an album that effectively combines all of its musical, lyrical and vocal elements to create an emotive, expressive examination of the impossibly complex mess that human beings all have to muddle through in our lives.

To find more info on The Last Years, visit them on Bandcamp here

Cat Temper - Cat Out Of Hell

Review by Karl Magi

Overall Album Impressions

Cat Temper’s Cat Out Of Hell is a guitar-fuelled attack on the senses that oozes power, energy and a profound sense of forward motion. The music interlocks mighty guitars, leaping synth lines and intense percussion into a solid wall of life and strength. Adrenaline pumps through the music and all the elements conspire to send the listener's heart rate through the roof.

The guitar work on Cat Out Of Hell hits with ferocious force and seething strength.There’s an enormous amount of power in the guitars along with a rough-edged grit that fills them with character. Cat Temper has made the guitars into a physical force that imbue each track with muscle and sinew, contributing to the forceful nature of the album.

Cat Out Of Hell sees synths deployed in a way that suits the blistering nature of the album. The synth choices that Cat Temper has made all add to a sense of bursting energy and dynamic motion as they trumpet and flash through the other musical elements. I enjoy how the exuberance of the synths combines with the sheer propulsion of the guitars to keep the energy levels high.

Another strong aspect of Cat Out Of Hell is the melodic writing on the album. Cat Temper’s melodies are well-considered, memorable and contribute to the overall feeling of the album. The melodic content has a similarly energizing and dynamic feeling to the other musical elements and adds to the surging power of the whole recording.

My Favourite Tracks Analyzed

“Purradise By The Dashboard Light” starts off with rapidly leaping, energetic electric guitar arpeggios arcing upwards before massive power chords growl. A churning synth pattern adds more forward motion to the track, the high synth singing out in a triumphantly rising line. The synth pulse becomes rough edged and urgent as an engine roars around it. I enjoy the sheer dynamism radiating from this track.

Now the drums pound and throb and flashing, bursting synth chords adds light to the proceedings. The chords fly out beneath the insistent synth pulse and battering drums push the track onwards. A section with metallic percussion and a hollow, rattling drum is driven by the consistently energetic beat. The guitar churns out a rapidly spinning series of textural arpeggios and shimmering synth chords rise.

The track launches back into the “A" section along with the addition of snarling guitar. A segment in which brassy, tense synths climb in ever-tightening lines breaks into warmer, swirling synth arpeggios below gritty, slicing guitar. The music returns to the propulsive, pulse pounding synth pattern before a rapid drum flourish brings the track to a close.

Snarling electric guitar moves in sharply cutting lines and drums batter with ferocious energy to open “Hot Catootie.” The guitar is full of hard-hitting energy as it moves in a throbbing wall and nasal sounding, high synth wriggles in between the bursts of powerful guitar.

The guitar’s heft and the propulsive percussion add surging energy as flashing synth chords vibrate. A segment in which elevated, unique sounding synth writhes moves into the bending, leaping lead synth. The devious nature of the main melody is entertaining for me.

The ferocious guitar tide washes in as the high synth snakes in a minor key melody. Spinning arpeggios fly upwards in bright arcs. The guitar’s presence is dominant and the drums are on full attack. As the song winds down, the guitar’s blunt force is broken by trembling synth bursts and the dancing, wiggling melody sings on distorted synths.

“One More Hiss” commences as round-sounding, pulsing synth moves over broken, rough-edged bass and quickly bouncing drums. Now a steadily ticking percussive trickle moves in to add shape to the music. Twanging, jangling guitar carries a melancholy melody over the uneven pulsation below it.

The next minor key, broad-sounding melody brims pleasingly with mystery and uncertain intent. Dramatic vocal synths add more power as metallic, bending synth roams.The guitar churns powerfully and the writhing lead synth melody is devious and dark. Huge walls of guitar float out over the pulsating bass and come to an end with flashing instrument that echoes in the winding lines into silence.

Overpowering blocks of heavy guitar grunt into the track, lending an enormous presence to the music as “Bad For Good” starts. The guitar is joined by shattering drums and they blend into a snarling assault on the senses. Glittering, glassy synth flashes in carrying a melody that mingles light and shadow.

The guitar slashes in, a ragged sonic wound and wobbling synth punctuates the shimmering chime instrument. I enjoy the way in which the guitar is a raging creature split by descending, threatening higher synth as the drums and bass form a chest-punching wall.

This is music with weight and muscle to it. String-like synths saw in to create more terrified sounds as dark bass swirls and the guitar and drums form a maelstrom. Leaping, digital sounding arpeggios whirl through and the bursting chimes flash as the growling voice of the guitar lacerates and fades.

“Whiskered Youth” opens on an exceedingly deep, throbbing bass undulation as a sweeping series of bright, rough-edged notes floats above it. Warming, rich synth flows in to add depth and the guttural wall of a powerful guitar adds shadows while the massive drums slowly throb.

Now medium-high, gritty synth carries a melody pleasingly full of bursting energy and dramatic power as oscillating bass adds motion. A repeating low pulse shapes the music as higher, swirling synth carries a broken and yearning melody.

The guitar climbs in a darkly majestic sweep as open, hollow synth trickles in quick, light notes for contrast. Tense, high synth calls out in a minor key melody that flickers with a sense of adventure before the music returns to a more threatening feeling. The track ends on quick, shining synth bursts and drums.

Gleaming synth calls out in rapidly moving patterns that create a dynamic pulse as “Feral Angel” launches. A kick drum hits before snarling, deep guitar adds churning motion and the full drum kit comes in to increase the track’s energy further.

A trumpeting synth calls out in a motion-filled, uplifting melody as the guitars propel the music along. The brassy lead synth melody speaks of adventure and excitement as it charges dynamically. The track enters a segment in which deep, gruff synth moves in blocks before the trumpeting synth cries out again.

I enjoy the JRPG vibes that I get from the arcing lead synth melody. Guitar flashes in a yearning line and trembling, bright synth moves in rippling blocks. Cascading, glittering arpeggios whirl and the resonant, powerful guitar raises the energy level as quick tapping sounds shift in the background and the track fades out on flashing, trumpeting synth.

“Cat Out of Hell” comes to life as heavy, seething synth pulses steadily into a howling void and bright, broad synth climbs in powerful notes over the pulse. Gigantic, pounding drums and dense bass are blasted by a sweeping sonic tide. Hollow, shining synth notes flash out again in that climbing line as the solid throb moves far below. A distorting, medium-high synth carries a minor key melody with a thrillingly evil sense of triumph over the pounding weight and propulsion of the percussion.

Shivers of shadowy sound move before the melody takes on a more uplifting tone. There’s a return to the minor key threat as flashing sounds sweep through and the heaving weight keeps pushing the track on. The guitar roars out in brooding power chords below the dancing synth above it. The guitar chugs while the elevated synth twists through and the drums batter on. The track is massive and muscled now as it drives on to the end.

Conclusion

Cat Temper has combined an energetic, hard rocking sensibility with strong melodies, atmospheric synths and an ever-present sense of fun to produce an album that oozes personality. I am always interested to hear what this innovative artist comes up with and Cat Out Of Hell doesn’t disappoint.

You can find Cat Temper’s music here: https://cattemper.bandcamp.com

KENSHIRO+ - Of A Million Crowns

Review by KIZUNAUT

KENSHIRO+ is an electronic musician from Budapest, Hungary. He has his roots in the metal and hardcore scene, starting his musical ventures by picking up the bass as a teen. His current project was born during his university years when he started producing solo because he didn’t have the time to play in bands. While KENSHIRO+’s music has a solid base of synthwave influence, he has always been into the idea of blending together different genres, enjoying acts such as Nine Inch Nails and Celldweller that mix electronics and rock, heaviness and elegance. 

Of A Million Crowns is the third EP from the Hungarian artist. The EP draws its central themes from ideas that are unusually relevant to real-life events compared to a lot of synthwave music out there. Dealing with ideas of identity, the desire to give away responsibility to others and humanity’s collective burden of taking leadership for itself, the EP comes from a genuine place of powerful inspiration. Coming at the tail end of the Omicron Corona wave, the artist elaborated the ideas behind the EP to me with the following words: “(KENSHIRO+) is meant to express values and ideas that anyone can stand for or relate to… I definitely felt like I’m saying something we are all thinking: The world is collapsing above our heads ad we either learn to carry it together or it will crush us all”. 

Musically, KENSHIRO+ sought to find new directions after his previous EP, Vantablack Hearts, saying that he felt he had done everything he could with synthwave. Seeking ways to expand his sound, KENSHIRO+ sought to go for a heavier sound while also incorporating influences from post-rock. He also decided to incorporate some spoken word elements, feeling that they would be a way to elaborate on the central themes of the EP. The overall tone of the album hits a wonderful bittersweet spot, with many of the tracks sounding equal part melancholic and hopeful, fragile and defiant in a way that harmonizes with the core themes very well. 

The end result is an enjoyable mix of influences with a big heart, which however suffers somewhat from some production flaws. While the tracks have clarity and utilize the stereo image effectively, the EP is somewhat inconsistently mixed from track to track, and often the drums are lacking in impact. The production feels rather airy, not bad in itself, but I feel a more aggressively compressed style would have suited the material better. The flaws in production, however, are not severe enough to make the EP unenjoyable for me as the compositions and ideas are strong enough to carry it through.

On to the music itself, the EP starts with The Invitation of a Few (intro), a very short intro consisting of a bassline rising in volume, a string part and a with a spoken word part over it, narrating how humanity has become divided, it’s leaders have abandoned us and how people are now looking for a leader to rally behind, the “Monarch for the Rest of Us”. The intro bridges directly into Fate Is A Sleeping Slave, a synthwave piece that mixes together driving rhythm guitar with bending, sweeping string leads. The latter half is more atmospheric, featuring ethereal choirs hovering over the rhythm elements. A very solid and quite uplifting track.

You’re Still Yourself opens with a mix of deep synth bass, a bright saw arp and organ pads before the track kicks off with a rock-inspired rhythm, building up layer by layer, alteration by alteration as the track moves on. The mix of arps, synths and changing rhythms paints a kind of hopeful, defiant atmosphere and is perhaps the best example of post-rock influences on this album. The latter half features a spoken word part about how humans are the architects of their own identity. 

Behelit offers a bit more metal-influenced offering, bursting into life with a mix of sinister, mysterious arps, skittering drums and heavy, sweeping synths, alternating between more traditional darksynth parts and parts that very strongly recall metalcore played with synths to my ears. The latter half features a very synthetic breakdown that also brings in some rather esoteric sounding wailing choirs.

Not So Fragile is my favorite track from the EP. The track starts with dusty, forlorn synth horns before coming into life in a mix of bending synths and driving rhythms. The track has fantastic energy that mixes melancholy with optimism in a way that fits the name of the track perfectly. The breakdown in the middle of the track is extremely powerful and memorable for reasons that are hard to articulate: it reminds me of some kind of high-tech melee duel. 

The album ends with The Coronation of Millions (outro), which segues immediately from the end of Not So Fragile. It simply features synths fading out and the narrator from the intro returning, this time telling that all humanity’s candidates for leadership have rejected the crown, and instead humanity has chosen to take control of its own destiny. 

KENSHIRO+ has talent both as a composer and conveyor of ideas. While the EP is a bit rough on the edges when it comes to the production side, I think it only makes this more human. 

Of A Million Crowns comes from a rare place of inspiration, exploring current, very pressing issues in a fresh, original manner. I first listened to this when it came out several months ago, and it felt like it captured something very ephemeral about that transitional period out of omikron and into the future. Sadly, the future has turned out to be darker than expected, and it’s haunting to listen to it while a war rages on in Ukraine, a war started by a false king handed a false crown by people who found it more convenient than the alternatives. Rarely music captures so much of the zeitgeist with so much prescience and with so few words.

For more KENSHIRO+, visit kenshiroplus.bandcamp.com