Break the Silence, From Intesity to Fairytale
In customary defspiral fashion, Break the Silence features two songs and their corresponding instrumentals but defies tradition in the musical sense.
The title track begins in a way that seems to justify the title. A thin guitar line and some light rhythm with a subtle but building whine come to a brief pause before guitar and drums crash in with a full sound, syncopated to perfection for an attention-grabbing commencement before racing on into the equally sudden verse as TAKA joins the fray. The vocals vary from simple to rapid, weaving about the bass notes into a chorus that opens up from the thorny undergrowth like a white frangipani in full bloom, refreshing yet fierce. The song is packed with action at every moment vocally, instrumentally and rhythmically. In fact, “Break the Silence” is so intense it feels ready to burn to an early finish at around three minutes when a bridge sneaks in to dull the pace.
“Babylon” is a cutting piece with an unnerving twist to the rhythmic opening riffs drowned in digital effect. It’s a far cry from any defspiral work so far, the verse holding a trippy ethereal glow while TAKA’s voice darkens the imagery with its sound reminiscent of a creeping deep purple mist. His falsetto then clears the air a touch but only increases the creepy edge of the number. Even the charged chorus never quite breaks free of the tendrils of unsettling atmosphere. Preceding the guitar solo and muted bridge is a light, airy chiming undercut by drums that only capture the attention halfway as they gain urgency and volume. There’s something of a “fey” theme throughout the piece, but undoubtedly that of darker fairytales fraught with danger and horror.
As usual with defspiral’s music, each instrumental holds its own in keeping the listeners’ interest. “Break the Silence” is particularly busy and maintains the added benefit of acting as a karaoke track if you’re game enough to tackle the challenging music.
4 track CD (2 full, 2 instrumental)
Track List
- Break the Silence
- Babylon
- Break the Silence – instrumental
- Babylon – instrumental
Leela McMullen is a strong believer in the philosophy "no music, no life." Having traversed the range of Japanese fandoms, she found her home at last in visual kei and has made it her mission to share what she loves most with the world. Leela completed her B.A. in Japanese language from Griffith University in Gold Coast Australia. She now lives and works in Japan, striving to bring you the goods, hot from the scene. Follow her on twitter for juicy hints of upcoming articles if you've got a bit of Japanese language under your belt! http://twitter.com/#!/LeelaInTokyo
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