CD Review: Insanity Injection – PSYCHOTIC CABARET

PSYCHOTIC CABARET is the first mini album by Visual Kei band Insanity Injection. Before this release, the band came with the single ADVENT OF SLAUGHTER that got reviewed before on AVO.

The mini album PSYCHOTIC CABARET consists of 7 original tracks,  now we also know that 2 tracks of this mini-album are digital singles, namely The Baptist and SENSE OF ASH.

Tracklist:

01. Raise the Curtain
02. Re:incarnation
03. END TRIP
04. Kaleidoscoppe
05. Cold Shadow
06. SENSE OF ASH
07. The Baptist

PSYCHOTIC CABARET is a fitting title when you look at the cover of the album, where you are brought to spiritual levels through the decoration of space. The stage has partly a filling of candles and a pentagram with a number of other symbols to bring out the spiritual. On the side of the stage you see the tables where the audience can sit to watch the psychotic cabaret. The title is extra emphasized when you listen to the first track of the mini-album, Raise the Curtain, which can actually be an introduction to the shows of the Visual Kei band, it gives an interesting vibe with the introduction done is in English. It is also a great introduction to the mini album and is referred to as an introduction.

Re:incarnation is the second track of the mini-album, but also the most striking. The track, which is referred to as Act I, is over 11 minutes long and that is not what I often encounter with Visual Kei bands. But it is very impressive how Re:incarnation remains interesting because of the various additions, such as the spoken word in English, which more often returns to PSYCHOTIC CABARET. But in Re:incarnation it seems like you are listening to a theatre piece. The spoken parts are interspersed with singing, shouting and headbanging moments, but the track is put together in such a way that it collapses like pieces of a puzzle. You will not get the chance to get the feeling that it is boring, with this track it is necessary to pay attention, if you want to know what Kyouka has to add. Singer Chaos, funny enough, takes care of the moments of rest.

You might think that everything the band has put into Re:incarnation, but the only thing that can be heard in all tracks is the atmosphere that Insanity Injection gives. No song is the same. The vocals of Chaos – sometimes it comes across as whiny – Kyouka screaming in the background – what he is best known for – heavy guitar work, instrumental it is standing strong like a house, the mix-down of all tracks – which was done by guitarist Makoto – makes Insanity Injection intriguing. The costumes that the band members wear make that complete and that is to be enjoyed in the booklet that accompanies the mini-album.

SENSE OF ASH – Act V on the mini-album – is a track that needs an extra mention. The track is entirely in English and the band shows how it works with two vocals. The lyrics may be noted separately in the booklet that comes with the album, but once you’ve listened to the track you know which part is sung by Chaos and what part Kyouka has in it. SENSE OF ASH has a pace where heads have to bang (hard).

Those who follow Kyouka (ex-Aliene Ma’riage and many other bands) closely will not be disappointed, as he is very present on all tracks, next to singer Chaos. If you want to hear more Kyouka, then you will have to go to the older work of the musician. Anyway, Insanity Injection has shown with this mini album that they know which direction they want to go with their music, something I did not have with their single.

Rating: 75/100