2017年2月19日日曜日

TESTAMENT live at Umeda AKASO Osaka Feb 18, 2017


I think that "Into The Pit" does describe what happened last night while I was watching TESTAMENT on stage in the near front row.  I lost my glasses when stage-diver (not a LOVE LIVER) suddenly climbed my back to the top of my head to surf the crowd to the stage.
I came back home and told the story to my wife, then she said, "Oh, it was an expensive show, wasn't it?"  ^_^;

Anyway, it was an awesome show.

The show started with the title track of the new album, Brotherhood of the Snake.  90 minutes of pure thrash metal.
Among others, songs from The Legacy, The New Order, and Practice What You Preach albums really takes me back.

Singing along part of Alone In The Dark made me realize that good melody is a part of TESTAMENT.  That's real fantastic.


2017年2月15日水曜日

BLINDMAN To The Light (2016)


A long awaited release by a Tokyo based authentic hard rock act features a new singer, Ray.

Former singer Manabu Takaya was one of my favirite hard rock singer.   When I heard the news that he left BLINDMAN in 2014, I couldn't quite imagine how this band would sound like without him.
Watching their live performance featuring Ray in 2015, I felt like somethig was missing while the sound was nothing but BLINDMAN.  The second time I saw Ray on stage in 2016, however, I just figured that he has become a part of the band.

All songs on this album are all solid, energetic and emotional.  There is no filler.
I think Tatsuya Nakamura's guitar play and Hiroki Matsui's keybords provides the best combination of melody and power.

Among others, track 3 "Sleepless Night" is a killer - fast, aggressive and melodic.
Slow and emotional "Angels Cry", track 5, makes the power surge up within me.

I now strongly believe that the band has entered a new stage of its carrier with this album.

http://www.blindman.jp/