Groove metal and emotional acoustic R&B coexist in harmony in “EROSION with YOU from CARNELIAN BLOOD Vol.2 BYAKUYA”.
Brief introduction
CARNELIAN BLOOD is a mixed media – voice comics, music, etc – project created by Rejet. EROSION stems from the franchise as its representative group, a rock band with 5 vocals.
EROSION‘s lineup includes Shoya Chiba, leader Ryota Suzuki, Arthur Lounsbery, Toshiyuki Toyonaga, and Yuya Hirose.
Review
Title: EROSION with YOU from CARNELIAN BLOOD Vol.2 BYAKUYA Release date: 26/01/2022 Label: Rejet Genre: Rock / Groove metal /R&B
Tracklist:
1 - Devil’s Dinner (EROSION song) 2 - Looping (BYAKUYA solo track) 3 - 今日からよろぴくね☆ 4 - 約束～彼の場合～ 5 - サイコーにぴえんなゲーム 6 - 月の裏側 7 - 約束～彼女の場合～
Track by track analysis:
1 – Devil’s Dinner
Despite the brief electronica – more like glitchy synths – intro, EROSION change things around for their sound, bringing out a groovier sound, with a massive bassline and pounding bass drum-driven drums leading the way in the verses in “Devil’s Dinner”.
The verses are deep, intense, and incredibly groovy, with some nuances between the first and second verses.
The first one is more focused on its bassy sound whereas the 2nd time the verse takes the spotlight, guitars shred their way through the song, and the bass elements are toned down ever-so-slightly.
Things change for the chorus in which guitars scream, vocals go loud, adding depth to the unfathomable bassline-driven instrumental. One thing I particularly like in this song is how melodic how each member is in their performance.
There is a big focus on vibrato – something all vocalists bring forth – and perfect unisons but not performed in what you’d consider a “flat” way. That melodic twist to the vocals complements the bass sound in this song (a treat for fans of bass-driven music and robust performances).
The build up to the last chorus brings dramatic toms-driven drums forth, creating the final stage for EROSION’s vocals to leave a mark.
2 – Looping
Wrapping up this release is BYAKUYA’s “Looping”, a sweet 90s-inspired R&B tune that is all about its good vibes.
Well, that’s what you’ll first think about this song however there’s a certain melancholy in the composition that, if you had any doubts about it, Yuya Hirose fleshes out with his emotional performance.
The verses are quiet, with an acoustic guitar riff looping in the background as a simple, slow-paced R&B beat paints a nostalgic, slightly melancholic soundscape that you’ll want to both lose yourself in as well admire in a distance. Overdriven, emotional guitars take you by the hand to the chorus.
Electric piano, funky guitar riffs, and a sampled beat create a soundscape in the chorus that, in a way, channels summer vibes to me.
There’s even a keytar part in this song right after the chorus, serving as the bridge to the following verse. And if that is not a keytar, it is a heavily processed bassy synth that emulates the sound a keytar would make. Still an awesome little detail in this song.
Another tasteful detail in this song – could have been a feature however it is really brief – is the acoustic guitar solo played in Spanish style, further enhancing those loungy yet emotional vibes that “Looping” is all about.
On the vocal end it is safe to say that if there were any doubts about Yuya Hirose’s talents as a singer, those are dispelled with this solo performance.
His control in a whispery style of singing is commendable, the consistency across the performance (with you barely noticing him raising and lowering the output of emotions), how he effortlessly adds little head voice accents and R&B-riffing to the endings of his words… This is a stellar performance that will sound completely simple however it is quite complex and with a lot of depth to it.
Masterful performance in a song that ends up standing out as the best in this CD.
Final considerations
EROSION really did change things around for this entry. And oh boy, what a change this one is!
While the band has been known for their uptempo, aggressive rock sound with nu-metal influences, this time around the band embraced the groovy side of groove metal and added that to their sound.
That leads to “Devil’s Dinner” sounding refreshing in their repertoire – the first time embracing such a groovy sound – but also extremely intense and powerful even without the “aggression” in their sound.
That change also leads to BYAKUYA’s “Looping” to be a beautiful emotional R&B tune with strong 90s influences.
This is a first in this franchise and somehow, it works so well within it and is a perfect suit for BYAKUYA as well as Yuya Hirose who went for an outstanding performance with a high degree of difficulty despite it sounding fairly simple to tackle.
Yuya Hirose’s performance in “Looping” is exactly why he’s one of the most exciting young talents among seiyuu (and why I’ve been saying for years that if there is a seiyuu that deserves a solo debut, it is him).
He’s a highly skilled singer with a unique voice tone (within the tenor range), unreal control, and a vast skillset that makes him a threat on the vocal end (falsetto, vibrato, head voice, just for starters).
Those levels of control, comfort, and his emotional range stand out in this R&B tune that is surprisingly melancholic at its core.
As a whole, “EROSION with YOU from CARNELIAN BLOOD Vol.2 BYAKUYA” shows that there is much more to EROSION and certainly much more to uncover with each character.
The band can be emotional and aggressive without their sound having to be necessarily all about shredding guitars and hard-hitting, fast-paced drums.
There is beauty and tragedy in a slower, more melodic approach to their rock sound and it has been working in their songs released so far in the “EROSION with YOU from CARNELIAN BLOOD” CD series.
And BYAKUYA bared his heart out in “Looping”, easily takes the crown as the best song in this CD (and best solo song so far in this CD series).
All in all, this is a perfect entry in this CD series, one that makes me look even more excitedly at the upcoming entries (NEIGHT, YORU, and TOXIN).
EROSION with YOU from CARNELIAN BLOOD Vol.2 BYAKUYA is available for purchase at CDJAPAN.
“EROSION with YOU from CARNELIAN BLOOD Vol.2 BYAKUYA” is available for streaming on Spotify.
Do not support piracy. Remember to support EROSION by streaming via official outlets.
