Reviewing Japan's Overlooked Rock Veterans Ningen Isu - Sixteenth part: Shigan Raisan / Praise for This World (2011)

Heavy, Precise and Short Approaches Making for a Fresh Experience

Shigan Raisan is the sixteenth studio record by Japanese heavy rock trio Ningen Isu. The title roughly translates to Praise for This World. The record includes thirteen new songs with a total running time of sixty-eight minutes.

Several minor changes can be observed in comparison to this album's immediate predecessors. First of all, this album sounds much heavier and relies on tight heavy metal riffs, aggressive bass guitar play and dynamic drum patterns. The thunderous opener ''Futtou Suru Uchuu'' for instance is on the thin line between atmospheric doom metal and traditional heavy metal. The variable vocals by guitarist Wajima Shinji as well as the extended guitar solo in the middle section give this song a mysterious otherworldly feeling that should also appeal to fans of progressive metal groups such as Voivod, Vektor and Heaven's Cry.

Another slight difference is that the songwriting on this output is much more compact, focused and precise than on its predecessors. ''Ahodarakyou'' is a great example for this as it relies on simple guitar riffs and tight rhythm section while the vocals offer the most dynamic changes as they are shifting between the drummer's energetic back vocals and the bassist's rough lead vocals. The guitar solo in the middle section is chaotic and adds more emotional depth to this great tune.

One more thing that needs to be pointed out is that several songs that one could expect to reach epic lengths are much shorter than usual on this output. This approach makes them easier to digest and faster to grow. "Aa Toukai Yo Ima Izuko'' for instance is an atmospheric doom metal monster with almost mantra-like chants but the track also includes some clever rhythm changes and unusual elements such as slow and distorted guitar solos before concluding under the five-minute mark.

Those who appreciated the band's immediate predecessors don't need to be afraid however since this album still includes a few of the band's charismatic epics that take listeners on atmospheric voyages that manage to inspire and move. ''Haru no Nioi Wa Nehan no Kaori'' for instance intertwines slow, melodic and dreamy sections with fast, discordant and aggressive passages. Especially the airy, dreamy and mysterious middle section with its cinematic vibes stands out as one of the record's highlights. However, the song's numerous changes through a running time of almost ten minutes might need a few spins to open up.

A similar tune is ''Kochouran'' that starts on a slow, simple and atmospheric note that would fit perfectly onto the soundtrack of some experimental science-fiction movie. The song slowly quickens up the pace and gets more intense with every minute which is due to Wajima Shinji's dramatic, intense and mournful vocals that might be some of the greatest in his stunning career. The middle section is solidly anchored in mid-tempo sections with intense rhythms before the song's resolution leads back to the melancholic opening section.

Those who are looking for something simpler should appreciate ''Jigoku no Rock Band'' that clocks in at just above two and a half minutes and takes no prisoners. The drum play is fast, pitiless and thunderous, the bass guitar is dominant, energetic and loud and the guitar sound is discordant, speedy and stressful. The rough vocals by the bassist blend in perfectly and remind of brutal band anthem ''Dynamite'' recorded sixteen years earlier.

As you can read, Ningen Isu's sixteenth studio album Shigan Raisan offers classic trademarks that should please faithful fans as well as few fresh new elements that could please potential new fans and make for a fresh, inspired and youthful listening experience. Any fan of doom, heavy and progressive metal should own and appreciate this album and might as well start her, his or their discovery of the band with this very good to excellent mid-career highlight.

Final Rating: 87%