TOSCCO

My first impression was is that a Heavy Metal band crossed with RIO and a dash of good ol' fusion. Upon further hearing, this is my final veredict.

The intro "The Great Man" builds up tension for the next track "Overdrive Locomotive" brilliantly with flute (I'm not sure), pyching us up for the Roller Coaster ride of our lives.

"Overdrive Locomotive" opens with a full Fusion/Metal assault to your ears, you first notice the excellent drumming and powerful bass in some of the crazy mood breakers. The ride begins again, full blasts of guitar and some nice keyboards, brings to a calm, almost instrospective part before catching energy again. Think as if Pantera's Guitars and Magma's keyboard, drumming and bass worked joined up.

" Nord Company Vs. Lead Company" starts with some rather strange drumming and goes up to a Prog Metal pace where guitar and bass combine to make an unique sound while Drummer Keiichi Nagase brings all of the components together while the strangeness of Kenichi Morimoto (keyboards) adds a Zappa-esque touch to the music.

"Filial Piety at the Dawn" Very weird, indeed! Starts at a slow pace, with strange keyboards and guitar, then morphing into Heavy Metal spirit and coming back again! a Space/Psych/Metal song

"The Sushi Bar" Piano in the start, something you wouldn't expect after such adrenaline-filled ride, keyboards settle in, setting a calm mood and... Breaking to another Zappa/Metal-ish vibraphone-guitar duet. Metal, Space and twisted breaks can be listened. This could be a mixture of the last 3 songs: The energy of "Locomotive", the Zappa touch form "Nord VS Lead" and the Space/Psych feeling of "Piety"

"He is coming to Tokyo Town": A lot of Piano/keybord orchestration, near the bombastic line, bringing variety to the album and thus being one of the highlights of the song.

"The Picture Book - X Rated": Starts with drums and bass, joined quicly by a very Magma-ish piano. Guitar work brings yet again a Metal feeling to the music. The song it's based around a theme (you will notice) and constantly twisting it with catchy yet complicated musicianship

"The Three Leaves Insect": A more fusion oriented song. Lots of piano and crunchy guitar to spare. Lots of mood breaker and tempo twists, like a metal solo coming to a slow, organ intermission, only to be driven to a fusion frenzy with a wild piano solo to boot, and coming back to a drowzy, almost Mellotron-ish break. Eventually drown by a battle of instruments, fighting to show their technical prowess, passing into Metal in a tug of war of sorts. Massive virtuosity here, worthy of being one of the epic songs of the album.

The Great Man (Revisited): An acoustic version of the first track.

Sentence: This album overwhelmed me at the first listen, but eventaully subcumbed into it's technical yet fascianting music. It's very Metal influenced so many will complain, I think it gives a certian edge to the music that alone it could not create.

Essential? Could be, as it brings the best from various genres, but it's not for the weak of heart or those that can't stand the distortion of Metal.

My rating: 4.5 - Excellent musicianship, intelligent and creative music, great production but not may not appeal those who doesn't like experimental/complex music.

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