Music: Neo-Japanesque Rock/Metal
Website: www.wizards-hymn.com
Duration: 46:22 minutes (9 tracks)
Country: Japan
The music of WIZARDS' HYMN I almost know from the beginning and I think that before I will pass to review I will write several words of introduction. All previous releases of this Japanese band oscillated round Neo-Classical Heavy Metal or Neo-Classical Power Metal. However them the newest album of “Transience” brought changes not only personal but first of all musical. The new vocalist of team became Yusa and in this time the band decided to unroll own's horizons of arrangements, ladling out inspirations from many musical species, e.g. from Gothic or Alternative Rock, Melodious Metal, Classic Music and Soundtracks as well as Japanese Traditional Music. This mixture created the newest album which is called by the members as Neo-Japanesque Rock/Metal. And I desire to affirm you that in music of “Transience” you will losten many elements of new inspirations.
The structure of tracks is coherent in spite of many musical inspirations. The basis of arrangement create pretty heavy guitar's parties interlaced by solos and keyboard's subjects as well as sounds of samples. These in connection with gentle vocalist's singing make associations with EVANESCENCE, WITHIN TEMPTATION or Polish MOONLIGHT. Although the singing of Yuso sometimes is closed in traditional Japanese scales and this add somewhat exoticism. The pace of the tracks are diverse, however average and free rhythms prevail. In places you can liesten keyboard's elements like from soundtracks e.g. in style of HANS ZIMMER or JOE HISAISHI as well as in style of KITARO. The elements usually initiate an concrete track or create a dash to after a moment would flow together with guitar's riffs as well as rhythmical section creating really totally monumental climate.
Generally the album is very mature, it creates melodious metal-symphonic mood with considerable dose of melancholy and fabulous climate. However sometimes I have impression that the vocalist does not feel freely near accompaniment of metal guitars.
note: 9.0/10
Tracklist
01. Remains
02. King and Servant
03. Wake in Dreamland
04. Zero
05. Red Petal
06. The Trace
07. Anytime
08. Hindsight
09. Whisper of Snow
Line-up
Yusa: Vocal
Kensuke Imai: Drums
Toshimasa Kato: Bass
Tsutomu Aruga: Guitar
Junichi Ohtsuka: Keyboard (support)