Reviewing Japan's Overlooked Rock Veterans Ningen Isu - Part 22: Kuraku / Pain and Comfort (2021)

Musical Comfort Through a Painful Pandemic

While the world around us keeps changing through a challenging pandemic, Japanese progressive metal trio Ningen Isu keeps releasing excellent albums at steady pace as Kuraku, which is best translated to Pain and Comfort, comes around two years after the band's most commercially successful effort at home and abroad. If the pandemic hadn't had such negative impacts on sales figures around the world, this new output might have set a new record mark. This excellent album comes around with thirteen new songs and a generous running time of seventy-one minutes.

The band's excellent chemistry remains unchanged with tight drum patterns and playful percussive sections, vibrant, swaggering and dynamic bass guitar sounds and variable guitar play from acoustic folk rock sections over gripping hard rock riffs to technically impressive progressive metal fury. The band has enriched its sound with a few Japanese folk instruments at a few moments and experiments a little bit more with sound effects provided by electronic musical instrument theremin for instance. This diversified musicianship has been influenced by a quirky, experimental and diversified songwriting that offers highly entertaining surprises. However, the band hasn't adapted a more commercial sound at all as this record's production might be the heaviest the band has ever had and is firmly rooted in different metal soundscapes. This energy is also once again exemplified by the three different vocalists with the guitarist's epic and melodic chops, the drummer's energetic and youthful style and the bassist's gloomy, gruff and raw approach.

Just like any other record by the band, this twenty-second album by what might be one of the world's greatest bands offers multiple highlights that stand out brightly. Let's take opener and single ''Toshishun'' as an example. The song starts with elegiac, melancholic and mysterious guitar tones intertwined with percussive folk drum patterns and airy, dreamy and enchanting melodic sing-along vocals by the guitarist. The tale of a wasteful young man tested by a mysterious wizard then evolves into a thunderous doom metal epic while keeping its catchy vocals. Enthusiastic guitar solo sections take the lead in the dynamic middle part before the song gradually slows down and concludes atmospherically poignant just below the eight-minute mark. Some people might consider it daring to put such a detailed, long and varied song at the beginning of a record, let alone choose said track as first and only single of the album but Ningen Isu proves once again that it's a band that likes to think outside the box and values quality over comfort.

The next highlight follows immediately afterwards with ''Kamigami no Koshin'' that translates to ''March of the Gods''. The song has an energetic mid-paced swagger with tight drum sections, powerful bass guitar tones and dynamic guitar sounds on the thin line between progressive rock and heavy metal. The atmospherically meandering middle section feels like an auditive drug trip honouring hard rock veterans of the seventies such as Led Zeppelin.

''Ningen Robotto'' means ''Human Robot'' and intertwines military march drum patterns with high-pitched electronic soundscapes. The song then evolves into a tight space rock tune with mechanic precision that is contrasted by a few more melodic sections with more melancholic lead vocals by the guitarist and longing electronic sound experiments. The middle section slows down considerably and almost feels like a progressive rock ballad but as soon as you are fooled into digging this unique atmosphere, the band cranks up the volume, speed and diversity and delivers one of the record's most adventurous instrumental sections that should also please fans of dystopian rock bands such as King Crimson or even Magma. Despite all those changes, the band manages to always remain coherent and relevant as it concludes its song by hearkening back to the song's gripping main motive. 

Another noteworthy track certainly comes immediately after with ''Uchu Kaizoku'' which means ''Space Pirates''. The song starts with mysterious electronic sound experiments reminding of Japanese science-fiction television shows and movies of the sixties. What initially sounds like the excerpt of a soundtrack to the Ultraman series or a Mothra film develops into a swaggering space rock tune in the key of Hawkwind or Steppenwolf. The experimental instrumental middle section then combines the sound experiments of the exposition with the space rock swagger of the rising action. The vocals stand out positively here as the bassist's raw lead vocals are supported by the guitarist's more uplifting backing vocals which makes for an almost cinematic listening experience.

The band continues on a very high note with the excellent ''Haya re GT'' that is best translated with ''Go, GT, Go'' and indeed evokes strong feelings of dynamic car rides. The song has a dirty production with bumblebee bass guitar tones, fierce upper mid-tempo guitar riffs and heavy bass guitar sounds that remind rapid heartbeats. The catchy chorus combines the guitarist's energetic lead vocals with the drummer's cool backing chants. The instrumental section wonderfully meanders back and forth between playful progressive rock and tight hard rock. This song sounds like a brain child of Voivod and Loudness and grows with every spin.

''Nayami o Tsukinukete Kanki ni Itare'' is quite à propos in times like these as it translates to ''Get Through Your Worries and Reach Joy''. The song has incredibly dynamic heavy metal guitar riffs that are contrasted by playful vocals between the guitarist and the drummer that add a healthy dose of harmonious energy. As the song progresses, minimal folk instrument sounds are interwoven that give the song a more melodic, nostalgic and progressive vibe. While the different elements might need a few spins to unfold their potential magic, this song offers the highest replay value on the album.

A final masterpiece that needs to be pointed out is album closer ''Yoake Mae'' which means ''Before Dawn''. The song takes its time to unfold a mysterious, ominous and otherworldly atmosphere with mantra-like chants, explosive changes of pace in the rhythm department and gloomy doom metal riffs. The song hearkens back to the outstanding opening song and concludes a very strong record on a perfect note. 

While six songs have been described in great detail to give you a good idea of the band's creativity, musicianship and style, any of the thirteen songs on this output is worth your attention as this record qualifies for the top tier of Ningen Isu's impressive discography.

At the end of the day, Ningen Isu's twenty-second studio album Kuraku is both one of the band's heaviest and most playful efforts. It goes down as a definite highlight in the band's extensive discography that is certainly worth your attention. The band has never released a weak or even just an average output in its career but the trio has been on a particularly excellent roll throughout the last decade. It's great to see that this new decade continues on a very high note as the Japanese progressive metal trio even delivers the goods in times of change. Ningen Isu's Kuraku can rightfully be considered the greatest studio album of the year.

Final Rating: 96%