With a blast of a comeback back at Shinkiba Studio Coast last year which was completely sold out, and the return of their bassist Akinori who had to leave the band, it is almost certain to say lynch. is fully back in the game. And after two singles without him, they created this album to re-record the songs with their original line-up fully restored. Though none of the songs are actually new, it’s still worth it to review, as the album as a whole worked out really well.
Tracklist:
1. SIN
2. SORROW
3. BLØOD
4. BLACK OUT DESTROY
5. KALEIDO
6. THE WHIRL
7. CREATURE
8. DIES IRAE
9. TRIGGER
The album starts off with SIN, a track that, in the beginning, sounds as if it was right from a video game soundtrack. The beat gets the listener pumped up for something exciting to happen and it invites you to start clapping at the beat. A perfect opening, both for the CD and for any live performance to start with, getting the crowd hyped for what is about to come next.
The hype isn’t long lasting though, as the band then surprises us with SORROW, more of a ballad than a powerful song the intro led us to believe was coming up. Though it was surprising at the least, it still hits the right notes, getting the listener on the edge of their seat to follow the smooth and low sound of Hazuki’s voice. The pace is rather pleasant and makes the listener hunger for more all the way till the end of the track.
And that hunger gets fed instantly as BLØOD sounds through the speakers, blasting the listener of their seats with the first notes that hit your ears. The song is rough and harsh yet has an addicting beat to it. I definitely can imagine this song getting stuck in my head the rest of the day. As the refrain comes up there is a little calm in the storm, giving us some rest to balance out the madness of the track.
The track doesn’t end there though. Almost as if the band had planned it, BLACK OUT DESTROY blends in with BLØOD perfectly as if it was meant to be one entire song. The same energy can be found here as well as the inability to listen to this track without moving anything. Everything in this track screams at you, getting you worked up and leaving you wanting to jump of your seat and start headbanging at the spot, or at the least move your leg at the beat. Yet again lynch. manages to balance it out with a softer spot during the refrains leading up to them with amazing breakdowns.
Finally, in for some rest, KALEIDO takes it down a notch, focusing more on the melodic part of the music and less on the harsh blast of guitars and bass like in the previous songs. Hazuki tunes in with softer, more uplifting vocals to make the song feel much lighter than any of the previous tracks.
Back into the harsher sounds of the album, THE WHIRL is a beautiful power ballad, combining the smooth vocals with forceful guitar riffs. It feels very trancelike to listen to when the soft chorus sounds, relaxing and peaceful, a false sense of comfort that gets destroyed instantly by the rough screams Hazuki sounds. A true ‘Whirl’ of emotions.
Then the album turns to CREATURE. With this song, I really felt like jumping and screaming. The intro warms you up for the chorus and just gets you going. The guitars lead you into a pleasant beat that just wants to make you want to be all hyper and jump up and down in your seat. I found this to be a nice track with a great cooldown that lets you rest a little before the storm picks up again.
DIES IRAE follows up next with a strong guitar riff that builds up amazing tension into what would be the ultimate moshpit track of this album. It’s full of aggressive energy that explodes through the speakers with full force. A true metalcore feels that made me want to move at every beat, barely managing to keep me from banging my head at the spot.
Last up was TRIGGER. If there had to be a song I said stood out the least on this album though, I had to say it was this one. It felt a little unoriginal, the melody feeling quite familiar and overused. At the end, it went on a little longer than I had hoped as well with repetition that wasn’t needed. Overall though it did manage to cool me down after the chaos left by DIES IRAE and the song was nice and smooth.
Looking back at this album, I didn’t once have the feeling that this was two singles mashed together as one. It felt like a ride from the beginning to the end and it was like it was planned to be like this all along. The album got me hyped at the first sounds and before I knew it I was at the end already. I definitely recommend this for anyone wanting to rock out a little as this album gives you just that.
Rating: 85/100
