by Sebastian Kluth
Par kluseba
Nemophila is hard-working female metalcore quartet from Japan and Apple of My Eye is the band's fourth full length effort in just above three years. Most bands end up stuttering and lacking quality with such a phenomenal release rhythm but Nemophila has progressively been getting better since its debut and has now established its very own style that cannot be categorized and restrained to specific definitions. This release's colourful, detailed and imaginative cover artwork actually represents the record's quirky content perfectly and my best advice would be to start checking this wonderful band out by purchasing this new record on CD Japan which will also make sense from a financial perspective for fans abroad since the yen has been hitting lows in the recent past.
Let's talk about the music and kick things off with opener "Just Do It!". This energetic song finds the perfect balance between relentless metalcore segments, dynamic heavy metal riffs and a catchy refrain that reminds of kawaii metal melodies. Imagine a mixture of Hanabie., Band-Maid and Babymetal and you know what to expect here. Make sure to check out this single's enthusiastic music video as well.
Nemophila quickens up the pace and increases its intensity on "Brainwash". This musical thunder storm takes no prisoners in less than three minutes and should be particularly explosive in concert. Brutal, fast and precise guitar riffs meet dynamic, loud and proud bass guitar play, ambitious, tricky and versatile drum play and variable vocals going to the limit of what is humanly possible. Despite this ambitious relentlessness, the final result sounds surprisingly fluid and makes for an enjoyable roller coaster ride from start to finish.
The Japanse quartet has always been on the pulse of time and a perfect proof for this statement is wonderful deep cut "Error Detection". This contemporary metalcore song impresses with atmospheric layers and a few radio play sections adding further depth to the song. This track is the perfect combination of creativity and energy on this output.
Nemophila is however also able to slow things down at appropriate moments such as on "Beautiful Days". This song is a harmonious rock ballad that invites to cuddle, dance and sing along. This track is however everything but superficial as proven by its atmospheric, experimental and surprising closing passages. This particular tune might need a few spins to grow but is particularly rewarding to patient listeners who like to think outside the box.
The only reason why this record doesn't deserve a higher rating is because it peters out by the end as the last few tunes can't compete with the ferocious first third or the creative second third of the album. The final songs on this output aren't bad by any means but simply fail to leave a strong lasting impression. On a positive note, the slightly weaker final third only proves that there is still room for improvement for this already excellent band in the near future. They should keep doing what they are already doing so well because they are so highly appreciated for who they are and how they do things.
At the end of the day, Nemophila's fourth strike Apple of My Eye is on the same level as its predecessor Evolve and offers a contemporary, energetic and inspiring mixture of heavy metal, kawaii metal and metalcore that should particularly please audiences on the pulse of time. Occasional and old fans will exactly get the quality they expect while curious newcomers and recent fans should certainly pick this record up to discover this unique quartet to the fullest.
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