ANGEL'IN HEAVY SYRUP IV

I have the Monotremata Records version with a different album cover and track listing. ANGEL 'IN HEAVY SYRUP were formed in Osaka Japan in 1990 and released four studio albums in the nineties with this being the final one from 1999. The drummer quit after this was recorded which pretty much ended the band. An all female group starting out as a drum/guitar/bass trio before adding a second guitarist for their second album. We do get vocals from the bass player in Japanese and some have issues with them but I think they're fine. I am in love with the guitars on this one.The second guitarist adds some grit for sure but the main guitarist has that Duane Allman style with lots of high pitched picking and man it sounds good.

"First Love" is a great example of that guitar work over the bass and drums, what a beautiful sound here. Soft vocals join in before 2 minutes and they will come and go. Some wordless melodies later. Excellent start. "Space Conquest" opens with an experimental guitar solo that sounds amazing lighting it up over the soundscape guitar and drums. So good! An energetic instrumental that does change in tempo and sound with it going dark after 3 minutes. "A Series Of Water Mind-Rubens And The Cathedral" again has those amazing sounding guitar sounds and I actually am reminded of IRON MAIDEN's lighter stuff here and I like the wordless vocal melodies creating another layer later on.

"Adios In Those Days" is catchy with some fast paced picked guitar standing out along with the vocals. My least favourite of the six tracks but it's still a good one. Best part is the guitar after 4 minutes when the vocals step aside. "Voyage" is my favourite. How good does this sound? Just this beautiful, trippy, repetitive sound that I can't get enough of. Guitar over top is picked and it echoes. Vocals arrive but not until after 4 1/2 minutes, but this is about the guitar man. "Fate" is the 11 minute closer and it hits the ground running with some serious bass and drums with guitars over top. Vocals after 3 1/2 minutes and they will come and go. Love that fast and fluid guitar solo to end it.

4.5 stars if it was all instrumental but regardless I am a huge fan of this band's sound.