By Jonny Bakes
A new year is upon us, so I figured what better way to kick off the year with a new release from the Napalm Records roster? The label has always had a knack of digging up left-field metal acts and propelling them into the spotlight to bring us gem after gem so I’m going into this review with high hopes for another Napalm Records debut release!
Today we’re travelling to the other side of the world on the back of a dragon courtesy of Japanese metallers Ryujin (not to be confused with the South Korean rapper…) with a little help from Matt Heafy of Trivium. Now I’m not surprised to see Mr Heafy’s name crop up on this release as his love of Japanese folklore has been well evidenced, most recently through his collaboration with Ihsahn and others on his long awaited solo project – Ibaraki. But this review isn’t about Matt Heafy, he merely provides some additional musicianship and lent his producing skills to shape Ryujin’s self-titled release into the polished beast that lies before me.
Ryujin fuse together traditional Japanese musical instruments with blistering metal to form what an early single describes as “Samurai Metal” to great effect, perhaps even more so than the Finnish “Samurai Metal” band Whispered (who happen to sit among my favourite artists making this no small compliment!). But what is surprising is that the music is somewhat genre-fluid in a way that takes you through dramatic twists and turns as the album progresses, something that caught me completely off guard.
Should you listen to the first full track on the album, you would be led to believe that you’re in for a fast-paced pretty brutal ride that channels the heavier side of melodic death metal, but if you were to pick up a song from somewhere in the middle of the album you’d be more likely to consider Ryujin to be a power metal band. But instead of trying to find the right box for Ryujin, instead appreciate the catchy and melodic riffs, vocal hooks that you’ll find yourself inadvertently humming along to, belting drums, and an artfully weaved story that promises to capture your imagination!
The first track that really stood out to me was ‘Dragon Fly Free’ which I found myself looping around several times before I could move onto the next. There’s just something about the way that the pre-chorus jumps from a slow harmonic chanting to something that’s rapid and harsh before launching into a powerfully emotive chorus backed with traditional elements. In a way, this melding together of harmonies, extreme elements and traditional folk instruments to portray historical tales reminds me of Eluveitie, which perhaps explains why I’ve taken to this album so quickly. And much like Eluveitie, Ryujin also choose to sing in their native language as well as English to add more depth and authenticity to the tales that their music portrays.
Also standing out is the dramatic sounding ‘Kunnecup’ which takes a turn towards the musically extreme yet the vocals become powerful, bordering on operatic (reminding me of Majestica) to give something that positively seethes with energy. This track immediately kicks you in the face with blistering drums and a shredding guitar riff heralding a darker turn after the light and airy tracks that precede it. Yet this darkness yields to a catchy and melodic chorus (in Japanese this time, I might add) that contrasts the heaviness perfectly.
Overall, ‘Ryujin’ made an immediate impact on me but for others it may prove to be a bit of a grower but regardless this is one debut that you should really check out. The musical rollercoaster that takes through powerful melodies, blistering drums and dark vocals will keep you on your toes as you’re whisked through tales of Japanasee history and folklore. The traditional Japanese folk elements will really appeal to anyone who, like me, has an appreciation for Japanese culture – for me this album will be a great accompaniment to my martial arts training for sure! There’s something here for fans of Eluveitie, Whispered, Trivium and In Flames or anyone who’s looking for something a bit different from the norm.
Ryujin are certainly a band to watch as they come crashing into the European market after over a decade cultivating their sound in their homeland – hopefully we’ll see them as late additions to the festival circuit in 2024 as I think they would be perfect for Bloodstock!
- ‘Ryujin‘ is released today (Friday 12 January).
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