Thanks to the joy of the internet, we’re now treated to bedroom wonders at a rate of proliferation and proficiency I could scarcely imagine when I was hawking bootleg Guns ‘n’ Roses tapes round middle school. But here we are, in the year 2010, and although I still don’t have those hover boots, or even that portable TV I asked for back in Christmas 1995, I do have the benefit of being able to hear artists like Chimpspanner and the subject of this review, Cyclamen. Formed around the talents of Hayato Imanishi and self-released, this is a pleasingly polished piece of post-millennial metal.
First of all, and in my opinion, vital for any band that cites Sígnor Ros as an influence, the fact all the vocals are done in Japanese, lending an air of mystery about the proceedings, like the Icelanders singing in their own made up language on ‘()’. Like the way Till Lindemann plays on the qualities of the German language to complement Rammstein’s driving metal, Imanishi’s use of his native tongue adds an extra layer of intrigue (for non-Japanese speakers) to music that is already by turns mysterious, exciting and captivating.
As you’ve gathered, the ethereal tones of Sígnor Ros are a heavy influence on this album. ‘Hope’ has the same choral high vocals, complementing the swirling metal underneath that will remind listeners of My Dying Bride if only they were more of a hippyish bent and were mourning over a felled tree instead of a dying lover. ‘Comfort’ sounds like a break passage on an early Dillinger album, fleet of finger. But you’re a metal fan, and you want to hear about how ‘Grand Annihilation’ sounds like Devin Townsend working out his emotions on a punchbag with George W Bush’s face on it. Not a scrap of riffing wasted on this one: the strings are palm muted with hands of concrete, as if they’re getting charged for every string they let ring for more than a quarter of a second.
In fact, Devin Townsend is a good comparison, especially post-Ocean Machine: there’s a concerted effort here to not merely bash you over the head with how speedy the guitars are, but then again, if you don’t appreciate the spazzmörgåsbord of ‘Thirst’, it’s a fair bet you didn’t like Sikth as much as I did. In which case, the Opeth-stylings of closer ‘Full Moon Night’ will be much more to your liking. What really makes the album stand out though is the sheer cohesiveness: a unity of vision, influences and talent brought together in one wholesome vision. With the plus side I just have to direct you to the website below, rather than getting hold of a cassette deck.
http://www.myspace.com/thiscyclamen
