Japan’s leading prog outfit unfastens any seat belts on its third outing, a highly ambitious concept work concerned with history’s scientific and technological revolutions.
The band, who arrived with 2011’s Water Reincarnation before 2013’s Dino Rocket Oxygen, comprise former J-Pop star, songwriter/keyboardist Yuka Funakoshi, bassist-keyboardist-producer Shan Taguchi, drummer Ikko Tanaka and guitarist Takashi Miyazawa. From the resonating synth chords, alien chorale and warm flutes of opening track Birth Of The Earth – Collision it’s clear the group are enhanced by one of the most richly impressive studio sounds ever to grace a genre which can rise or fall by its sonic quality. With that attribute in their pocket, the band traverse sky-scraping classic themes, convoluted riffage and stretches of glistening, piano-garnished calm on Stone Age, Age Of Steam, On The Radio and epic I Am Thee (Awakening Of Cloneroid), displaying the kind of technical ability and passion usually only found in veteran greats. The booklet, designed by foremost Manga artist Hideji Oda, adds to the evocative, thoroughly addictive nature of this most delightful prog dragon from the Land Of The Rising Sun.
