LIVE-INTENSIFIED

A Japanese heavy jazz rock combo NEXT ORDER were founded as a twin-guitar-oriented quartet in August 2002, by two Nagoya-based musicians - Yuji MUTO (guitar), Atsutomo ISHIGAKI (bass) - and two Osaka-based ones - Takumi SEINO (guitar), Hiroshi 'Gori' MATSUDA (drums). They've gigged with lots of progressive artists like Uz Jsme Doma or Gongzilla since their early days, whilst they signed a formal contract with Lolo Records in 2004 for releasing their material all around the world. Through their borderless musical style amongst heavy rock, jazz, fusion, avantgarde, progressive rock, etc. etc., they've launched their original soundscape toward the audience upon stage. Evidently they've placed emphasis upon a close bond between the audience and themselves, and upon live material, so that all of their creations are live-recorded ones (of course this album "Live -Intensified" too).

The first track "NDE?" (dunno what the tile means though ... "So What?" in English maybe). A heavy tip from the beginning has knocked us definitely. Atsutomo's bass explosion is a killer. The guitar sound combination by Yuji and Takumi is very kaleidoscopic and delicious. Gori's square drumming completely supports their whole play ... even though the guitar duo plays aggressively and violently. Sounds like the guitar duo should be the heroes, but their fantastic play cannot exist without the hard / strict / steady turf created by the bassist and the drummer. This stuff alerts us such a matter. Contrary to the heavy start, the following one "Bearclaw", in spite of the title, gives us something of quiet motivation via a contrast between Takumi's gentle guitar crying and Yuji's hardcore shot. Guess the audience should get immersed in their cool, chilling play down their spine. "L. C. M." is a heavy, complex, jazz-based improvisational institution, featuring deeply rhythmic riffs (by enthusiastic Gori and steady Atsutomo). Full of comfort indeed. "Unbirthday Gift", with meaningful touch in its title, has two appearances - one is fluent sound vision launched with smooth guitar streams, and another rigid footsteps based upon drums and bass steadiness. In "Shimauma", in English "Zebra", obvious gales or speedy flows can be felt around me, as if a zebra runs around upon being chased by flesh-eaters, but amazing at something cool along with their excellent play. Traditional colourful mid-tempo sound space can be heard in "Brother Heat" (but not hot but cool!) ... guess we can enjoy improvised calmness after aggressive explosive stuffs really. But wait, don't be deceived. They're still aggressive ... "Overdriven" reminds me that our brain can be overdriven by their massive attack. Yuji and Takumi squeeze their guitar passion play into our braincore and let us bind ourselves strictly. Enthusiasm rules. And the last "Old Red Chair On The Porch" is a compilation of their soundscape, let me say ... sometimes extemporaneous, sometimes floating, sometimes passionate, sometimes chilling, and sometimes delightful. They'd been kicking us away gradually into the sky overthere, okay?

Full of passion, full of comfort, full of sensitivity, and full of innovative deluge via their stage and live-recorded album. Recommended.