Reviewing Japan's Overlooked Rock Veterans Ningen Isu - Part 21.5: Ningen Isu Meisaku-sen San Ju Shunenkinen Besuto-ban / Ningen Isu Masterpiece Selection 30th Anniversary Best Edition (2019)

Another Excellent Compilation for Old and New Fans from Everywhere

Ningen Isu's most recent compilation translates to Ningen Isu Masterpiece Selection 30th Anniversary Best Edition and celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of the band's first extended play. Some people might wonder why the band has decided to issue another compilation five years after the previous one. There are several reasons justifying this output reasonably. 

First of all, the band has already released three entire new studio records in between both compilations. 

Up next, the band has recently been becoming more popular internationally and this compilation serves as a welcome introduction for all the new fans who are willing to spend some well-invested money on an expensive Japanese import version.

Thirdly and lastly, this release also includes one rare track as well as two brand-new tunes that can only be found on this output.

Let's take a closer look at these three songs. Opening tune "Inochi Urimasu" which could roughly be translated to ''Sell Life'' is the main theme song for the television drama series Mishima Yukio Inochi Urimasu. This song is sinister, menacing and fast and exemplifies the band's heavier side perfectly as it opens the compilation with a bang.

The second disc starts with ''Ai no Nirvana'' which means ''Love Nirvana'' and is also among the band's heaviest songs ever. The pace by the bass guitar and the drums is on the thin line between upper mid-temp and full speed while the fierce guitar riffs take no prisoners. Wajima Shinji's melodic lead vocals have a gripping urgency while Suzuki Kenichi's lower register in the slower middle section oozes with atmosphere. This song is an instant classic and one of the best songs Ningen Isu has ever written.

The final new song follows immediately afterwards with ''Akumu no Josho'' which translates to ''Nightmare Introduction". This shorter tune meanders successfully between thrash metal riffs, thunderous heavy metal soundscapes and doom metal reminiscences. The lead vocals are performed by Suzuki Kenichi's whose raw style indeed adds a profound, creepy and cinematic atmosphere to this focused tune. The crazy shouts in the discordant middle section are the cherry atop the cake.

As you can read, this complation doesn't only include twenty-two classics but also three excellent new songs that are among the very best the band has ever released. This means that this compilation isn't only essential for new fans and occasional listeners but even to fans of old date and people who might have purchased one of the previous compilations like myself. Please note that the version of this release on streaming platforms such as Spotify omits several songs that can only be found on the glorious physical version due to copyright issues as far as I'm informed. In addition to this, the booklet here features English translations for all tracks for the first time, CD Japan offers an exclusive thirtieth anniversary logo pick with each purchase and the limited edition even includes a hand towel which makes for a quite surprising gimmick.

Final Rating: 90%