Nantokanaru is a Czech alternative rock band, and their newest EP, Emotional Damage Wreckage, truly delivers on its title. It’s short but sweet, offering only three tracks. It’s worth a listen, even if you have only a little time to spare.
“Omatsuri” is a face-melting introduction to Nantokanaru’s sound. I was fooled by the deliciously funky and fresh rhythm in the opening seconds, so it was quite a shock when the bass-driven, muted rhythm was suddenly being played on distorted guitars. It blasted me off my seat, demonstrating that this is more than just your run-of-the-mill alt-rock band. If anything, I got serious nu-metal vibes from this track. In particular, I was reminded of Incubus’ albums in the late ‘90s. I loved the record-scratching, the meaty bass guitar grooves and wacky rap-singing in the verses, and the mega electric guitar choruses. All in all, a very satisfying opener. And the title track “Emotional Damage Wreckage” follows with a bang. Leaning even more heavily into metal territory, while still retaining some alt-rock flavor, Nantokanaru demonstrates that this is a band with a wide variety of influences. Guttural electric guitars introduce us to the song, along with super sleek string bends to the high heavens. Melodic guitar arpeggios and beautiful singing break up the carnage in the mellow, gentler verses, but everything explodes into an incredibly chorus about, as the title makes clear, “emotional damage wreckage.” After all of that insanity, I didn’t know what to expect from “In The Light.” The band flexes their creative muscles so impressively on the first two tracks that I really had no idea which direction they would take. The third and final song on the EP is a stunning, stripped-back closer. A gentle guitar arpeggio is met with tender singing. Then, a warm and welcoming bass guitar line enters the mix. The calm instrumentation really gives room for that rhythm to flourish. All of the instruments mix wonderfully together. And the final minute of the track was glorious. A chanting chorus of singing rings out above powerful guitars in a gargantuan crescendo. As the instruments fade away, a sublime violin piece brings the song and the EP to a close. Every now and then, a new band enters your life that completely blows you away. I promise that this is one of those bands. Give Nantokanaru’s new EP a listen to see what I mean.
1 Comment
11/15/2022 02:27:18 am
Thank you very much for the elaborate and professional review!
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