Review | HOUND ROAR “DIG-ROCK -dice- Type: HR”

HOUND ROAR arrive with a fancy take on funk and jazz in “ROAR“, their outstanding debut song.

HOUND ROAR is a rock band fronted by HIBIKI (CV: Toshiyuki Toyonaga), with guitarist SHOMA (CV: Ryohei Kimura), bassist TOYA (CV: Hikaru Midorikawa), keyboardist SHION (CV: Yuichiro Umehara), and drummer SOGO (CV: Takashi Kondo).

Title: DIG-ROCK -dice- Type: HR
Label: TEAM Entertainment Inc. 
Release date: 26/05/2021
Genre: Funk-Rock

Tracklist:

1 - スタート・フラッシュ
2 - 閉ざされたデビュー
3 - 再会と邂逅
4 - そして偶合
5 - 音楽なんて、だけど
6 - ROAR [DEBUT SONG]
7 - 猛犬注意

Track analysis:

6 – ROAR

Funky guitar riffs are HOUND ROAR’s greeting card in “ROAR”. But sooner you’ll understand that this band shines a whole lot in the bass department.

The slap bassline is fat and punchy, lending a lot from jazz and funk, creating a danceable sound at the same time that it leads the way for all other instruments in this song.

Complementing the massive bassline are fast-paced jazz inspired drums following an odd time signature and loungy piano melodies that help set a laidback tone to this track.

The verses have a lot of flair and the chorus is incredibly melodic, with Toyonaga’s falsetto pitch vocals being the perfect contrast to that striking bassline.

On the vocal end, Toshiyuki Toyonaga is in his element, showcasing a lot of comfort in his range, shifting between higher and lower toned sections seamlessly, adding vibrato and falsetto on top of it all while exuding a charisma that fits the band’s jazz-rock sound like a glove.

Absolute masterclass by Toyonaga on the vocal end.

All and all, “ROAR” arrives as a flawless debut song by HOUND ROAR, setting the bar pretty high for upcoming releases while embracing an exciting unique sound within the DIG-ROCK franchise.

HOUND ROAR “DIG-ROCK ―dice― Type：HR” is available for purchase at CDJAPAN.

DIG-ROCK -dice- Type:HR

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