Yakuza
Samsara

THE REVIEW

Post-metal, sludge, avant-garde, alternative, atmospheric, astral (? only Toby Driver could have thought of this): by now it's pointless to reiterate that in metal music a niche has emerged not based on clichés and safe bets but on experimentation, sound and cultural research, continuous movement, and self-criticism, indicators of a maturity often hidden behind the usual big names.
The Yakuza belong to this niche. This very recent Samsara has nothing to envy of anyone, and indeed, it provokes a lot of envy. Yes, because these guys are full of ideas, they use them well and don't just spin in circles: Samsara is a whirlwind of spectacular blows.
The band consists of Bruce Lamont (vocals and saxophone [!!!!]), Matt McClelland (guitar), Jim Staffel (drums), Jackson (bass). You read that right: saxophone. It's not present in every track, and that's a good thing too—otherwise, you might think "oh, they throw in a weird instrument now and then to be cool"—no. No, no no. The compositions are so well done that they flow with disarming ease, despite the undoubtedly heavy timbre.
I've been a bit too metaphysical so far. So, let's say, coming down to a more earthly and sensory level, that Yakuza's music is heavy, massive, and large, subliminal and destructive (no, Subliminal Crusher has nothing to do with it), but it is also strongly spiritual, sometimes reflective and methodical, impactful yet subtle, then swelling into spectacular sound walls. The vocals are a sort of scream-growl that sits between post-hardcore and metalcore, only to drop to more guttural levels, in the right place and at the right time. The saxophone seasons it all with a touch of class, notably inspired, dreamy yet dramatic, or sensual and strong, or even angry.

This is courageous music. It has received excellent reviews but an incredibly insufficient public response. Granted, the five stars might be a bit too generous all around, but it deserves more than four—and it definitely deserves a listen. Because, besides being courageous, it is fucking beautiful.