This progressive rock band from Japan really has me scratching my head. On the one hand, the band churns out some melodic, symphonic rock featuring lush keyboards and angular guitar work that would prompt many listeners to smile. However, the band features a female operatic singer whose vocals are so grating and overpowering that the wonderful music underneath suffers as a result.
It’s not that vocalist Hiromi Fujimoto has a horrible voice. In fact, were this not progressive rock and perhaps some classical or period music, you would say that she has a beautiful voice. However, it just does not fit the music, which is a real shame, as the keyboard, guitar, and violin work here is top notch. Musically speaking this band has similarities to other Japanese prog giants such as Kenso, or Ain Soph, perhaps with a bit more crunch on the guitar side and less of a jazz influence. Upon repeated listens to this CD I was left with a strong desire to want to hear this as an instrumental release, without the overbearing Japanese vocals. On a pure sonic level, there are many moments of musical beauty that are as epic sounding and symphonic as anything I have heard in a while. My advice guys-sack the vocalist and become an instrumental outfit, as the nature of your songs seem better fit for that format.
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