PLASTIC DOGS

Another brilliant album gem crystallized with four instrumental explosions filled with passion and technique. A Japanese heavy avantgarde madness PLASTIC DOGS were founded in 2017 as a brainchild of Ryoko ONO, one of the most Zeuhlish aggressive saxophone players in Japan. The quartet featuring four virtuosi - Ryoko (alto saxophone), Kota UEJI (drums), Tsuyoshi HAYASHI (guitars), and Yuji MUTO (guitars) - have recorded and produced material composed by Ryoko for 'setting up' their first full-length opus for over two years. Sounds like her composition was too complicated and too violently speedy even for the super-combo to play and harmonize together, according to Yuji's words (upon our rendezvous in June this year), but the four excellent players have completed this debut album "Growl" that has more and more powerful and energetic musical / progressive persuasion.

And let me say for all progressive rock freaks "please do not misunderstand, but some stable moments here and there are transient and quite fragile like a shimmer's life". The mainstream launched via the four impressive, intensive instrumental weapons is kinda sound extremity, like the sleeve pic figured and painted by Ryoko (flooded with her strong intention here methinks). This incredible melodic collection sounds sometimes jazzy, sometimes metallic, sometimes hooliganic, and sometimes funky (and no sexy hint allover lol). Of course, you would have serious stress fracture around your cervical vertebrae if you do headbanging to their songs (but their soundscape should enforce headbanging upon you sadly?). It's pretty mysterious and amazing their explosive play can be perfectly merged, unified, harmonized, and synchronized together. Lots of simple phrase repetitions are built up for such a complex global sound image. My love is "Zodiac" including slashy funky kinky appearances here and there. In "Fiona" some melodic guitar shouts sound like Carcass' "Heartwork" filled with splendid guitar works actually.

Their eleven infernal sound bullets will give you prime happiness for 47 minutes. Recommended for all avantgarde- progressive rock fans except ones with heart diseases.