CORRUPTED are a five piece from Osaka, Japan consisting of Chew (Drums, Conductor), Talbot (Guitars, Cymbals), Hevi(Bass, Vocals), Ippei(guitars, acoustic) and Mark Y (Guitars). This was the last album that Hevi did with CORRUPTED as he left the band recently and is pursuing other things. Now I usually don’t like to do a track by track analysis of an album as I find that a little boring, but I think I’ll make an exception here since there are only three tracks. The album opens with GARTEN which begins with rather timid reverb laden guitars which keep building up until they reach a crescendo and things get a little more detailed with many layers of atmospheric guitar work, the intensity of which is increased by very orchestral sounding cymbals and Hevis deep growls. This gives the track an epic feel, which makes it hard to describe in words, this would be the perfect soundtrack to the time when you are standing on top of Mount Everest and can see the world beneath you. The second track AGAINST THE DARKEST DAYS is a shorter much more simpler affair with simple acoustic guitar work that brings still images of sorrow to mind. I have to admit that although this was touching it wasn’t really something that I was going to remember for a long time. The last and most interesting track on this album is GEKKOU NO DAICHI, which is a mix of some rather modest Drone Metal with the guitar atmospherics added by some very strong melodic elements which makes this CORRUPTED’s most emotive piece of art yet. Listening to this track almost feels as if one is about to die and his entire life is passing through his eyes, which almost gives this eerie feeling as if the band had intentionally written this song for Hevi as they knew he would leave.
With all that being said, I can safely say that CORRUPTED have definitely made an album that outshines their last effort by many miles. This is definitely one of CORRUPTED’s most emotional and uplifting album which heralds the end of an era for the band, as it now seems certain that the band will be permanently shifting away from heavily distorted dirty grisly guitar riffs to a more eclectic, almost "post rock-ish" sound.
Recommended if you like: EARTH, ISIS, NEUROSIS, ASVA and the likes.
Bottom Line
A fantastic album that inspired a deep surge of emotions within me, not sure if fans of CORRUPTED's earlier albums will like this, but if you liked their last album you’ll definitely love this!
