Yakuza Transmutations
Prosthetic Records 10049-2 August 7, 2007
By Jason Jordan
Whereas their previous endeavors were considerably rougher around the edges, Japans, er, Chicagos Yakuza have hit the nail on the head with the hour-long Transmutations as far as production is concerned. Even if their most recent offering isnt their best, it definitely sounds better than Amount to Nothing (2000), Way of the Dead (2002), and their Prosthetic debut Samsara (2006). Sanford Parker (Minsk) again lends his recording abilities to the group, and similarly, neither the songwriting nor the musicianship have changed a great deal, which means that the foursomes latest is another intriguing, melting pot. Yet, Transmutations doesnt clearly outdo Yakuzas prior work.
Doomy, seven-minute opener Meat Curtains demonstrates the groups range, moving from a slow, sludgy pace to one that is fast and jarring, even though those familiar with Yakuza already know to expect tempo and instrumental variation. The Minsk influence really manifests itself on tribal, sax-laden drifter Egocide, although it doesnt drift for long. Not coincidentally, Bruce Lamont threw down guest sax on Minsks Relapse debut The Ritual Fires of Abandonment, so a natural likeness to each other isnt surprising. Theres also noticeable Black Sabbath vibes swirling around throughout the record, which, again, isnt flabbergasting since bygone pieces veered that direction, too. Congestive Art-Failure and Praying for Asteroids are both heavy, rambunctious numbers, while Raus has that patented Neur-Isis feel aside from the clean, echo-y vocals. Steal the Fire, at just over two minutes, is a short burst of fury, which appears right before the Middle Eastern forces of The Blinding come into play. Existence into Oblivion is essentially made by Staffels drumming and Lamonts saxophoning. Perception Management is similar to Egocide, though Black Market Liver seems focused on vocals more than any other attribute this time everyone except drummer James Staffel contributes vocalizations of some kind further lending credence to the notion that Transmutations is a vocal record. Closer Zombies explores the dichotomies found in opener Meat Curtains and elsewhere, making a nice book end.
Package-wise, the main differences this time around are that a statue doesnt grace the cover artwork as in the past, and that the booklet is of the poster variety, so it folds out. Unfortunately, the lyrics were printed to form a large circle just like the track listing on the back and reading them proves tedious. Still, the arts symmetric, geometric design is a pleasure to take in.
On the whole, Yakuza are a complex outfit, and the song descriptions above merely scratch the surface of such multifaceted tracks that are obviously more effective when heard. Transmutations requires more effort than Samsara and its predecessors, but the results are nearly the same. In other words, if you havent enjoyed this unique band up to this point, Transmutations wont change that. If you have, then this is another worthy investment.
Official Yakuza Website
Official Prosthetic Records Website
Prosthetic Records 10049-2 August 7, 2007
By Jason Jordan
Whereas their previous endeavors were considerably rougher around the edges, Japans, er, Chicagos Yakuza have hit the nail on the head with the hour-long Transmutations as far as production is concerned. Even if their most recent offering isnt their best, it definitely sounds better than Amount to Nothing (2000), Way of the Dead (2002), and their Prosthetic debut Samsara (2006). Sanford Parker (Minsk) again lends his recording abilities to the group, and similarly, neither the songwriting nor the musicianship have changed a great deal, which means that the foursomes latest is another intriguing, melting pot. Yet, Transmutations doesnt clearly outdo Yakuzas prior work.
Doomy, seven-minute opener Meat Curtains demonstrates the groups range, moving from a slow, sludgy pace to one that is fast and jarring, even though those familiar with Yakuza already know to expect tempo and instrumental variation. The Minsk influence really manifests itself on tribal, sax-laden drifter Egocide, although it doesnt drift for long. Not coincidentally, Bruce Lamont threw down guest sax on Minsks Relapse debut The Ritual Fires of Abandonment, so a natural likeness to each other isnt surprising. Theres also noticeable Black Sabbath vibes swirling around throughout the record, which, again, isnt flabbergasting since bygone pieces veered that direction, too. Congestive Art-Failure and Praying for Asteroids are both heavy, rambunctious numbers, while Raus has that patented Neur-Isis feel aside from the clean, echo-y vocals. Steal the Fire, at just over two minutes, is a short burst of fury, which appears right before the Middle Eastern forces of The Blinding come into play. Existence into Oblivion is essentially made by Staffels drumming and Lamonts saxophoning. Perception Management is similar to Egocide, though Black Market Liver seems focused on vocals more than any other attribute this time everyone except drummer James Staffel contributes vocalizations of some kind further lending credence to the notion that Transmutations is a vocal record. Closer Zombies explores the dichotomies found in opener Meat Curtains and elsewhere, making a nice book end.
Package-wise, the main differences this time around are that a statue doesnt grace the cover artwork as in the past, and that the booklet is of the poster variety, so it folds out. Unfortunately, the lyrics were printed to form a large circle just like the track listing on the back and reading them proves tedious. Still, the arts symmetric, geometric design is a pleasure to take in.
On the whole, Yakuza are a complex outfit, and the song descriptions above merely scratch the surface of such multifaceted tracks that are obviously more effective when heard. Transmutations requires more effort than Samsara and its predecessors, but the results are nearly the same. In other words, if you havent enjoyed this unique band up to this point, Transmutations wont change that. If you have, then this is another worthy investment.
Official Yakuza Website
Official Prosthetic Records Website
