QUASER

This album "46" created by a veteran (but vivacious) Japanese progressive rock unit QUASER was released in 2016 to pray for earthquake, tsunami, or terrorism victims like The Great Hanshin Earthquake, The Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, or 9.11 Terrorism ... all of disasters have happened when the minute hand pointed the 46 minute. I've listened to some tracks upon the stage in Hiroshima, just before the 24th Memorial Day of The Great Hanshin Earthquake, and got pretty immersed in their magnificent, thrilling, intensive play. The four Quaserers, especially Takuya who suffered from the disaster 24 years ago have strong intention to pass down the serious story for every young people from now on, and this album should be the memorial collection for all Japanese.

Yes you have extreme brave ... the first track "Braves" is their supporting song for you, who cannot know what you have to do under kinda tough situation like a disaster. They sing it shall be alright you have clear encourage everytime, everywhere. These words along with deep, heavy, jazzy, and beautiful symphony can come here because of their action and passion 24 years ago. "Resilient City" was recreated by themselves via mystic melody lines and crazy powerful footworks. "Flight Of Hope" should be possessed around everyone. Gorgeous keyboard play and guitar cry might toss you a hope of delight. One of the most melancholic melodic prescription for you is "On The Beach" filled with meaningful lyrics and heartwarming sound collection.

Of course as you've realized already, their strong intention to hope safe and peace can be heard especially via the last symphonic suite "Repromised Land". Powerful melodic departure based upon critically strict rhythm nation is perfectly, permanently synchronized with Takuya's stoic lyrics. Theatrical sound diversity goes ahead smoothly but every phrase rings your bell definitely. Tough journey to a new dimension for them should let themselves digest the real world and understand which way they must go ' guess they would have create the material under such an ardent mental condition. "We have to walk for the repromised, reconstructed land eternally, even if slowly" is their sincere message through the epilogue.

This brilliant creation will notify you of massive vitality and forcefulness beneath human mind. Let me say thanks to QUASER a Japan pride and power, please.

Japanese band QUASER was originally formed back in 1976, and was an active live unit until disbanding in the early 80's. But following a decade of inactivity the members decided to give it a second go, and have been a going concern again since 1993. ":46" is their most recent production, and was released by JPRG Records in 2016.

Quaser's fifth studio production and sixth album overall documents a veteran band that are sure in what they want to do and how to go about it. While fairly broadly spread over the progressive rock spectrum, my main impression os that those with a taste for the more demanding aspects of symphonic progressive rock will be something of a key audience for this specific album. Especially if those into this type of music tends to find lead vocals delivered with something of a dramatic flair to be a good thing.

Next step for Morita was to revive a proper Quaser line-up and stabilize a core for live performances.He recruited bassist Yusaku Nakatsuhama and experienced drummer Kazuo Katayama, formerly of Mugen and Midas.But in January 95' all activities stopped, after Kobe was struck by a thunderous earthquake, resulting a tragedy of over 6,000 lost lifes and over 150,000 damaged buildings.Months after the shock the resurrection of Quaser continued with the arrival of guitarist Masami Katsuura.Parallel to composing material for a new album the band performed a sum of 10 lives over a span of three years.Second album ''Remergence'' was published in 1999 on Belle Antique.

The positive consequences of establishing a full line-up have been taped on Quaser's second effort, which is by no means a stylistically different album compared to the first one, but the natural instruments and the tight performances by talented musicians are more than evident.The sound comes often like a cross between FOCUS and UK with strong references to Japanese Jazz-Fusion and a guitarist ripping off the ALLAN HOLDSWORTH acrobatics.So this is modern Symphonic-Jazz Rock with some beautiful solos in the vein of JAN AKKERMAN, supported by some laid-back organ patterns, which usually break into fiery Fusion with virtuosic plays and a technical, solid rhythm section.The atmosphere is extremely grandiose at moments with an obvious 70's-sounding pomposity, changing into mechanical, guitar-based technique, led by a jazzy background.Vocals are not bad also, balanced and controlled singing by Morita, which surrounds the nice instrumental ideas of the group.Of course not all things have been fixed in the process through time.The production is rather slick and Morita has not abandoned some of the weak synthesizers of the debut.But in general ''Remergence'' is a step forward for the band, easily swirling around the old, symphonic days of Progressive Rock and the modern, technical Fusion territory.

File next to NATHAN MAHL, WAPPA GAPPA, AIN SOPH and KENSO.Not compared to the best albums of most of the aforementioned groups, but still this is well-played Symphonic-Fusion Prog with plenty of interesting climates.Recommended.

Japanese band QUASER was originally formed back in 1976, and was an active live unit until disbanding in the early 80's. But following a decade of inactivity the members decided to give it a second go, and have been a going concern since 1993. "Delta Flux" is their most recent production, and was released by Poseidon Records in Japan and Musea Records worldwide in 2011.

Quaser's fourth full length production documents a band secure in its nature, featuring material of a fairly refined nature, generally melodic and harmonic, but with a fair degree of details for the attentive listener to savor. As far as a target audience is concerned, fans of neo progressive rock and symphonic art rock should both take the time to find out if "Delta Flux" is a production that could be to their liking. My estimated guess is that they'll appeal to any of the factions.

A Japanese progressive act formed in 1976 with its only consistent member being keyboardist/singer Takuya Morita.The band played initially instrumental Symphonic/Jazz-Rock,influenced by E.L.P.,SPACE CIRCUS and PRISM.They had a great live activity and recorded many demos,before moving to Tokyo,where they added vocals in their music and made a contract with Alfa Records.However progressive rock was out of fashion and Quaser disbanded in 1982.About a decade later Morita reformed Quaser and released their debut ''Out of quaser'' on Belle Antique,actually this was more of a solo release with the help of some musicians like Yozox Yamamoto of Ain Soph on guitars.

Morita remained faithful to his old roots,thus the album contains mainly light Symphonic Rock blended with Fusion with plenty of vocals and filled with synth sounds.The arrangements are quite interesting with some good orchestrations on the instrumental parts and, quite surprisingly for a Japanese project, decent vocal lines,sung both in English and Japanese.They are also some piano-based Classical references along with lots of dissonant parts in a Fusion style,dominated by Morita's synths.Still the album ended up to be a little far from being really good.Some sampled instruments are over-cheesy,the synths of Morita are very digital-sounding and plastic,while I doubt the drumming comes from a human,it sounds very mechanical and far from live recorded.Additionally the mix doesn't help at all.Plenty of the instrumental parts remain in the background when Morita sings,while some bombastic parts sound too light due to the production.

Morita's Quaser made a decent comeback after all these lost years,but the lack of some real musicians and the amateur production did not eventually help.Still the album should normally find some luck in the collection of Symph/Fusion fanatics,despite not being of first priority...2.5 stars.

Cool creation dedicated to Mr. Duck.

QUASER are a Japanese progressive rock quartet with powerful guitar bullets, beautiful keyboard crystals and solid rhythm section bombs. This compilation album includes songs already released in their previous albums, "with digitally remastered". Namely we can enjoy their fundamental elements in each QUASER's era and, I consider, can feel their strong intention that they should keep them powerfully progressive. The first track "King Of Pancrase" has a very chilling guitar solo spun out by Masami and heavy, trailing (always delaying a bit like an echoic effect, maybe with his intention methinks) drumming by Kazuo (his drum solo is my love), with smart & slender keyboard sounds and deep bass ones. Actually we cannot expect consistent phylosophy or dramatic structure for typical compiled albums ... this "Essence" is one of them ... but luckily we can enjoy a magnificent story in the last four tracks "Promised Land". And especially the seventh one "Mr. Duck" I cannot help weeping with listening to. This song was dedicated to Eisho KAMOZAKI (drums), who has already passed away in a tough illness. All QUASERers might have composed this song, with their memories about him and his play. This soft and quiet song has terrifically deep sorrow and power we can feel. This is the moment we can be immersed in QUASER's hearty creation.

A good compilation indeed.

P.S. Why have they been added in Progarchives as a "Jazz Rock / Fusion" band? At least for me, they have a fantastic "Neo-heavy-symphonic" colour ... :)

Quaser's new album "Phase Transition" shows dead-ended society and Promised Land beyond same named suits of 22 minutes long. Lyrical vocal and metal instrument battle will bring you to the end of walls of melotron. The music features hi-tensioned melodies & Japanese vocals with classical arrangements; alternately aggressive and gentle with symphonic keyboards edgy guitar and a heavy rhythm section.