A great representation of the band's unique style.
Matenrou Opera’s new album, JUSTICE, was released in Europe on July 6th thanks to European record label Gan-Shin. It is the band’s first full album after signing with the major record label. This album has got the power! Since the very beginning you can feel that band didn’t hold back while recording it, and they made use of many different elements, which added an impetus and monumental feel to it. The choirs, the keyboard—which sounds like a church’s organ—and breathtaking solos are all overwhelmingly fast and complicated. There’s also the vocals, which carries a multitude of emotions and makes you instantly enchanted with Matenrou Opera’s universum. From the first notes you are thrown into a vortex of music.
The album starts with a symphonic-like tone, which continues through the first four songs. Starting with JUSTICE until the fourth Helios, you can admire intense melodies build by the band. Songs change into one another smoothly, almost like they were meant to be one elaborated composition. Moreover, although singles usually don’t suit the whole album on which they were forcefully placed, on JUSTICE you don’t have such feelings—the singles suit this album very well.
Before continuing with what could have been an album full of monumental-like symphonic tracks, the band changed their musical direction at the right moment, keeping the listening mood interesting. IMPERIAL RIOT starts a new chapter on this album. This time it’s a more rhythmic, modern kind of rock music. Melodies are faster and symphonic keyboard parts changed into synthesizer-like sounds. Songs are laid back but still equally emotionally filled, and the guitars never intend to slow down. The most prominent changes are noticeable in the vocals. Sometimes songs even contains a rap part, like in Mermaid, and the singing style is adequate to the songs’ atmosphere.
sono is a talented vocalist who has the ability to adjust his singing to the song’s mood—every emotion is clearly heard in his voice. The best proof is in 21 Mg, which consists of many mood changes. sono starts singing in a calm and balladic way, then changes to a melodic and more cheerful style, and finally starts to scream dramatically in addition to hitting high notes. Lasting almost six and a half minutes, 21 Mg is the longest song on this album. It is elaborate and every member uses this opportunity to show his musical skills in it.
After four songs there is another change—to keep the balance, apparently. This time heavier sounds return in the instrumental track, Just Be Myself. Despite being heavy, there’s something in this track that is heartwarming with a positive spirit. Encouraging chants only emphasize the self-confident attitude of the song.
The instrumental break leads to the most symphonic songs of the album. The first four songs were symphonic as well, but they were more like music suitable to be played in cathedrals, in which one can envision high ceilings and stained-glass windows. APOPTOSIS and NEW CINEMA PARADISE, rather, bring to mind the splendors of mansions and palaces. There’s a certain playfulness in these songs, which can be also found in Versailles’ songs for example. Waltz-like rhythms in NEW CINEMA PARADISE don’t make you think about the cinema in the first place, even though it starts with the sound of movie projector. It has the feeling of many beautiful couples dancing in a wonderful huge ballroom.
Speaking of dancing, Kizuna -full chorus-, is the ideal song to cling to your partner while swinging to the music. It’s an emotional ballad with violins, the piano and other classical instruments, as well as steady drum beat. The guitar solo is fitted in nicely, too. sono’s voice is calm but also full of emotions. With a slower pace than other songs on the album, this tune makes you want to dance in your partner’s arm.
At first you might think the last song will be also a ballad. The beginning suggests a serious, dark mood, but the whole song ends up being elaborate and surprising. The main melody is bright but mixed with monotonous, choral melodeclamation and a highlighted drumroll, both of which emphasize the chanting. Here you can find a contrast between elements of seriousness in choir parts and bright, light and enjoyable choruses. It is a very interesting composition, which closes the album in a good way.
This album shows what Matenrou Opera really is, including things that represent their name. "Opera" is everything "classic" on this album, and "Matenrou (skyscraper)" represents modernity. Those two elements are mixed on JUSTICE and correlate with each other. It’s a totally awesome release, even better when you think it is band’s first major album. Let’s hope that future releases will be as good as this one. JUSTICE can be recommended to new and older fans of the band, as well as every person who just want to listen some good music.
