Loudness-The Sun Will Rise (2014)

Loudness-The Sun Will Rise (2014)

“I'm not a fast thinker, but once I am interested in something, I am doing it for many years.”

Haruki Murakami

By: Ghost Writer

What a delicious surprise finding about this record issued last year by Japanese premier heavy metal band Loudness, a band that truly has survived the test of time not only playing hard and heavy but also improving in interesting ways towards an even more abrasive sound, amazingly without losing that melodically edge that made the band famous in the first place.

In these days Japan seems to be in the middle of a fight trying to reencounter their identity after more than a decade of economic stagnation and what seems to be a little isolation, overshadowed by the success of South Korea first and the China, but you cannot count out the mighty oriental dragon, and that attitude, mix of heavy spirituality, overdriven ambition and hardcore discipline is precise what makes Japan and Loudness elements you should never consider defeated.

From the amusing opener Nourishment of the Mind, is easy to detect that Loudness is not your typical metal band, how could they be? So Got to Be Strong resume the take no prisoners approach and the strong Japanese mentality, reflected all along this powerful The Sun Will Rise Again, a record a little bit awkward in a way The Scorpions sounded a little bit awkward as a German metal band, but what Loudness is awkward, they are pure fresh air to metal, and the metal thrashing mad attack of Never Ending Again is a powerful proof of it, guitars are abrasive and rusty, the rhythm section is dynamics and precise while vocals add an interesting element of melody that gives the band it's particular personality.

Guitars again sound wonderful on The Metal Man, a piece if truly daring and dirty music, an incredible connection between early metal of the 80s and today's technique, while Mortality is quite lethal in its relentless delivery, with a few weak spots in the drums, which tend to sound too thin in the mix.

The title track is another outstanding track, although is closer to traditional 80s metal, and the next song Rock You Wild, besides the prototypical metal cliché if the theme rocks real hard, again thanks to the really raw and hot guitars.

In the end, Japanese metal, like German metal or Mexican metal could be a little cartoonish at some times, but Loudness plays it with atypical conviction, resulting in a perfect reflection of Japan current status, a country of brave people who will surely overcome adversity in any moment, Greatest Ever Heavy Metal could be a big dumb song title, but you have to hear it to believed it, you have to feel the power of this guys to understand that the Empire of the Sun will surely rise again.