Blam Honey - Artificial Delusion

During the late 1990's, Blam Honey produced some of the best industrial music that came out of Japan. It was well arranged, high quality and a distinct sound - it fit beautifully with the image of what Blam Honey was supposed to be. With the release of Artificial Delusion in 1998, it was just another chance for Blam Honey to showcase their talent and let Japan know what they really had to offer.

Enlarge Disorder was the opening track that begins with a heavy, futuristic electronica beat that remains throughout the two minute track. The song is a rock song with an electronic twist, and with a hint of guitar and noise distortion, Enlarge Disorder lays the groundwork for what would be a successful single.

Rink is the most interesting of the four tracks, starting with what sounds like female singing voices being sucked into a vortex before it drops off abruptly and begins a heavy, gothic rhythm with guitar and keyboard. This is the catchiest of all the songs and maintains a good beat as Tatsuya begins to sing. Between his vocals, we can hear the same muffled sound of voices being drowned out as in the beginning of the track, which is an interesting addition to the rest of the song and meshes nicely. Of the four tracks, Rink is a well arranged song that is the most unique display of Blam Honey's creativity on this single.

Hyper Asthenia is an experimental three-minute track that begins with Tatsuya shouting "Can't hear!" It starts off normally before going into slow motion. The song transitions into slow electronic noise. There's an incredible amount of static that leaves room for very little rhythm but keeps the lyrics very clear, so while the song lacks in a captivating arrangement, it makes up for it in industrial enthusiasm.

Fly to Flier is the final track, and it is a perfect closer for this single. The song begins with with a distorted beat and shouted lyrics that are muffled, before launching into a faster paced rhythm which is consistent in the next four minutes. While it maintains an electronica sound, even with the addition of guitar and the distant echoed vocals of Tatsuya, the song leans much more towards the gothic side of the spectrum. As the track continues, the vocals come more into focus and Tatsuya becomes more coherent. His voice blends well with the music, producing a perfect closer. The song ends with loud noises and the same warped shouting voice from the beginning of the song before cutting out.

Without question, Artificial Delusion is a great single. It has style and personality and truly defines the band, which is what music should do. As the third release in Blam Honey's career, Artificial Delusion shows us what Blam Honey had learned up to this point, and a peek as to what they had up their sleeve for the future. It is a single that shouldn't be missed.