AINSEL - CROSS GAME

AINSEL started their career in Hiroshima, however the musicians managed to expand out of their home prefecture rather quickly and found devoted fans all the way up in Tokyo. The recipe of their success is quite simple – the band not only offered a recognizable style starting with their first releases, but also improved and strengthened their sound over time. For their third single, CROSS GAME, AINSEL decided to do what they do best without any experimentation, and the release only benefited from this decision.

First off, one of the most recognisable features of the band’s music resides in its ability to offer an interesting and diverse sound within each track. Moreover, while listening, the moods and emotions of the tracks make them feel more like exciting stories rather than average songs. The members draw listeners into their works so deeply that the tracks seem to last much longer than they actually do.

The new release follows exactly the same path. The opening, CROSS GAME, shows AINSEL’s strong side right from the start, creating a portal with the song's measured but heavy intro. Through this portal, the band instantly drags the listeners down into AINSEL’s world, where the musicians constantly change the tempo or take turns in the lead position during the long instrumental parts. The interesting opening piece works as a nice starting point, even though it gives no warning to listeners about all of the dangers ahead!

A warning would have been useful, because one can easily drown in the stormy metal track Re:BIRTH. With a loud, sometimes even epic sound during the verses, AINSEL creates disturbing feelings of unavoidable and rapidly approaching chaos. These lead to the chorus, which is heavily packed with emotions thanks to RiKu’s vocals. It is safe to say that the singer is largely responsible for the band's original style. Her voice not only immediately sticks in the listener’s memory, but also impresses with its strength and density. It has a sound that is usually reserved for a more academic style of singing, and there are few female singers who can boast such powerful vocals.

On the other hand, the final track, Parallel World, is not as bold and seems a bit overshadowed by the previous tracks. However, do not underestimate this song – it confidently completes the release, leaving listeners with a really nice impression. The same could be said about the entire single overall, as well. CROSS GAME gives listeners three complete stories that are atmospheric and vary by mood. These tales are skillfully told, in AINSEL’s powerful but catchy and charismatic rock-metal style.

CROSS GAME is available on digital platforms such as iTunes / Apple Music and Spotify. Links to the release are available here.