MUCC // Review
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CD: Shion Released: 13 October 2008 |
Where on earth do you begin to describe MUCC to someone who has never heard or seen them? Well, they’re Japanese, and signed to Spinefarm UK. (Yes, the label that normally concentrates on Finnish bands), and they were on the Taste of Chaos tour. But MUCC are certainly no typical melancholic Finn love metal rockers, or Japanese visual kei eye candy, or a bog standard emo screamo band; they really do transcend categorisation. MUCC are basically a reviewer’s nightmare!
They sing in their native Japanese, thus immediately potentially putting a barrier up to many of those not accustomed to JRock, as it can often be an acquired taste. The diverse mix of styles is also a bit of a culture shock to the non-initiated with MUCC throwing in, as several Japanese artists do, dance, electronic, punk, distortion, ballads, thrash… all on the one album. Disjointed and confusing is how some Japanese bands can seem at first until you get used to it.
And MUCC do more than their fair share to throw in as much confusion as possible. The traditional instrumental start doesn't remotely let you know what to expect, then the opening track track Fukurou no yurikago has some Middle East type sounds with front man Tatsuro reaching some pretty high notes. Nuritsubusunara enji crashes in next with growling deep thrash vocals to show his range and the band’s diversity. Despite the heavy metal riffs, the chorus is still pretty catchy, something that MUCC usually manage well. Fuzz has 80s synths, and Sorawasure starts with violins but then goes almost dance. But there are some great lead guitar riffs that the likes of Metallica and Sepultura would be proud of to make sure MUCC do fit very firmly in the rock bracket for those reviewers desperately wondering where to place them when there are all these strange sounds coming from this CD.
Sometimes the whole thing gets a little trippy and you get dragged in to float around. It’s almost intoxicating. That is until Tatsuro’s sudden rabid vocals jump in and pull you back into the present reality. Tatsuto's voice sometimes has a few too many effects placed on it, and can be lost behind Miya’s guitar, but on the whole he demonstrates what a fine vocalist he is.
The CD packaging and artwork is classy and well done, and there’s a live bonus track and a video, giving a good value for money feel to the album.
Some of MUCC’s sounds, like many JRock bands, are very experimental, and consists of a real mix of styles. Not all of the album feels like it gels all of the time due to the many different styles. The western press, with their penchant for pigeonholing, will struggle with such bands, and some rock fans will find this quite a challenge on first listen. But anyone who likes decent guitar and rock music, especially with good choruses, will see pretty quickly that MUCC have some great infectious rock songs and a versatility and originality that you probably only really find coming out of Japan at the moment. This is an amazing clever album and MUCC are an incredibly talented band. Probably too much so... MUCC are way ahead of their time.
Review by Lynn Wyeth
Track Listing
| Shion |
[01] Instrumental (Suion)
Bonus material (on cd release) |
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