Onmyo-Za
Fuuin Kairan

In the West, when thinking of Japanese metal, the first name that comes to mind is certainly Loudness. However, over the years, Japan has given rise to other important bands. Formed in Osaka in 1999, Onmyo-Za is considered one of the most important metal bands in Japan. To date, they have released a series of highly successful albums, with their last seven consecutive albums not falling below the 13th position on the Japanese charts. Musically, their characteristic is blending classic heavy metal (similar to that of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest) with Japanese folk music. Singer Kuroneko ("Black Cat"), the stage name of Akiko Kunimoto, is considered one of the best metal singers in her home country and is cited by numerous women playing in various rock/metal bands in Japan.

The album titled Fuuin Kairan is an EP released by King Records in 2002, containing unreleased tracks written between 1999 and 2001 that did not make it into the previous three albums. Unlike these, there is a noticeable improvement in production quality (the earlier ones were still raw, probably due to a limited budget), a greater maturity in the arrangements, and a more personal style. Dodomeki (a demon from Japanese folklore, a thieving woman whose stolen coins have turned into hundreds of eyes on her arms) begins with a bass-driven riff, and the track turns out to be very thrashy and heavy with the female vocals adding further feeling and power to the song. The same goes for the following Kamaitachi (referring to a mythical Chinese monster, Qiongji) which is characterized by sharp riffs and artificial harmonics. Worth mentioning is the lengthy Tsuchigumo Kitan, which starts with a very Sabbath-like riff and rhythm, briefly transforms into a Speed Metal track after the chorus, and then returns to its initial style. Next comes Uwabami Banzai ("Cheers to the Heavy Drinkers"), which features a groove typical of '70s blues bands. Another highlight is Shinshoku rinne ("Cycle of Erosion"), which is very heavy and even includes a blast beat. The album closes with the ballad Tsuki hime ("The Moon Princess"), a track that refers to Kaguya, the protagonist of Taketori Monogatari ("The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter"), dated to the 10th century and considered the oldest example of narrative in the country. Recently, an animated film based on this tale has been released, reviewed here by Joe Strummer. The track, however, is characterized by very well-executed acoustic elements.

In conclusion, this is an excellent album of pure heavy metal and is recommended to all those who love Loudness and Japanese metal in general.