弌 (TWO) [AKA: VIVA KOENJI !]

If you don't like absolutely freaking out, don't listen to Koenjihyakkei. This is their second album, after the self-titled Hundred Sights of Koenji (which translates to Koenji Hyakkei). This band seems closer to Tatsuya Yoshida's other band, Ruins, with a fuller sound due to a larger amount of people playing at once. Please note that this is not Magma, it mixes traditional Zeuhl with Noise-Rock.

This album doesn't have an introduction. It gets right to the point with "Grembo Zavia". Shrieking guitars, frantic drumming, and the crazy gibberish vocals of Zeuhl. Most of the song is hyper like the intro, however, there is a more calm breakdown after the middle, towards the end. This breakdown, despite being calmer, is still crazy. It's only calmer by comparison. Overall this is one of Koenjihyakkei's best songs in my opinion. I highly recommend it. 5/5

"Graddinoba Revoss" (all of the album's titles are unintelligible) starts off with chanting lyrics, like most of the other songs have. It is a very "imperial" song, sounding like the music made for some emperor's army to march to. Very dissonant, and also very strange. 3/5

"Sllina Vezom" is much more sleek than the last track. It's more keyboard based, and has more chanted lyrics. After this section, there is a dissonant piano section that I tentatively call a solo. The main piano part in this section blooms into a full out section a bit later in the track. This track is really good, I think it's the best track on the album. 5/5

"Quidom" makes use of screechy vocals and dissonant guitars to provide a very short and choral song. Had it been longer, it would have gotten annoying, but they kept it under five minutes, so it's not so bad. 4/5

Surprisingly, "Aramidda Horva" does not contain an introduction. It's another Noise-Zeuhl song and this one is especially loud and dissonant. 4/5

"Brahggo" is a bit slower, which is a refreshing change. It features a tabla track that gives an ethnic feel. The guitar is still loud and distorted, though, so it keeps a noise-rock sound. 4/5

"Cembell Rotta" (what is with these titles?) is a bit of a departure. The guitar is a bit calmer in this track, and, in my opinion, this sounds much more like Angherr Shisspa-era Koenjihyakkei. After some loud sections, quiet acapella whisper sections transfer to some more loud sections. 4/5

"Rissenddo Rraimb" is a very fast-paced song. It places fast riffing keyboards (can keyboards riff?) at the front of the music. I like Yoshida's drumming here, it's very frantic as if he's playing for his life. 5/5

"Guoth Dahha" is like a mix of "Cembell Rotta" and "Graddinoba Revoss". You'll find yourself saying 'whoa' after listening to this. It takes a lot to get into. 3/5

We've come to the last song, "Pamillazze". This track is very avant-garde and random. The only instrument that seems to be playing to any sort of pattern is the vocals, the rest are very dissonant and extremely random. It's a bit lacking, you want more to close the album out. 2/5

If you're a fan of either Noise-Rock or Zeuhl and especially Ruins, this is worth checking out. I think the group of the former will appreciate it more, though. An all around good album and highly recommended for people who want something new.