DEHUMANIZING ITATRAIN WORSHIP - 二次元コンプレックス 2D COMPLEX

The album wastes no time making its intentions clear. Opening instrumental 'Lucky☆Slam' erupts with lightning-fast blast beats, a thick, driving bass line, and a barrage of raw, chaotic guitar work. Despite its overwhelming intensity, the track never descends into aimless noise, beneath the apparent disorder lies a surprising sense of cohesion. It serves as an explosive introduction, making it immediately clear that the listener is in for a relentless and unpredictable ride. The real opening statement arrives with 'Slamonogatari'. The track immediately sets the tone with melodic pig squeals, inviting either a frantic mosh pit or relentless headbanging. Ominous guitar lines soon emerge, accompanied by forceful drumming and a prolonged, sinister growl that builds tension before giving way to equally dark and aggressive vocals. Towards the end, the band unexpectedly introduces a melodic guitar solo. While it feels somewhat detached from the song's otherwise uncompromising brutality, it remains an enjoyable addition and offers a brief moment of contrast. Next up is 'Brutal Panzer', a track that begins with a slightly more restrained approach, though without sacrificing any of its brutality. Amid the relentless blast beats and crushing riffs, subtle traces of J-pop melodies and traditional folk influences occasionally break through, adding an unexpected layer of contrast. Wild growls and ferocious pig squeals remain at the forefront, ensuring the song never loses its savage edge. 'Twisted Light' is closer to what I look for in slam death metal. Rather than relying on constant stylistic shifts, the track builds around a solid instrumental foundation and a commanding vocal performance, resulting in a more focused and coherent composition. That momentum is briefly interrupted around the halfway mark, where a series of sound samples feels somewhat distracting and disrupts the song's otherwise strong flow. Even so, the vocal delivery remains consistently forceful, helping the track retain its intensity until the very end.

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'苦痛昇天" opens with heavily distorted guitar work before once again introducing J-pop-inspired samples that continue throughout the track. The pace remains relentless, while the vocals shift more towards piercing screams than the deep growls heard elsewhere on the album. Although the performance is as energetic as ever, the constant presence of the samples tends to overpower both the instrumentation and the vocal delivery, making it difficult to fully appreciate the song itself. Fortunately, the closing guitar solo is left uninterrupted, providing a welcome reminder of the band's instrumental strengths. 'Song of the Neet' offers another unexpected twist, opening with anime-inspired samples before launching into one of the album's strongest instrumental performances. The guitars and rhythm section feel particularly tight, creating a solid foundation for the track's relentless energy. Vocally, the band also introduces occasional hardcore-infused passages, adding yet another dimension to an already diverse performance. 'Utsushiyo' serves as the album's second interlude and marks a complete departure from the relentless assault that precedes it. Built around a delicate piano melody, the nearly two-minute piece replaces brutality with calm, offering the listener a rare moment to breathe before the album descends back into chaos. With the previously released single 'Yomi', the album enters its final stretch. The track builds on the band's established formula, yet introduces a darker, more brooding atmosphere that feels slower and more deliberate. Despite this shift in mood, the brutality remains uncompromised, driven by a relentless barrage of blast beats. Piercing screams and menacing growls dominate the vocal performance, reinforcing the track's oppressive intensity. The album concludes with '約束#, a fitting closer that gradually unfolds from distant, distorted melodies before the drums slowly emerge from the background. Atmospheric synths add another layer of depth, only to be overtaken moments later by the band's trademark relentless drumming. As the song progresses, blackgaze elements become increasingly prominent, giving the closing moments a more expansive and emotional character. It is a strong and memorable conclusion that brings the album to a satisfying close.

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An ambitious, chaotic and highly distinctive release that thrives on its unpredictability, even if its excess and constant sensory overload won’t appeal to everyone.

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SCORE 6.5/10

REVIEWED BY SWAMPY