coldrain - Nonnegative (Album Review)
coldrain – Nonnegative
Released: July 6, 2022
Lineup:
Masato Hayakawa | Lead Vocals
Ryo Yokochi | Lead guitar, programming, piano & keys
Kazuya Sugiyama | Rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Ryo Shimizu | Bass guitar, backing vocals
Katsuma Minatani | Drums
Online:
Quite stoked to introduce the legendary coldrain to the Wall Of Sound universe. coldrain are among the ranks of many acts leading the J-rock revolution, having graced world festivals stages such as Download, Rock Am Ring, and the Vans Warped Tour throughout their impressive 15-year career (so far) and new album Nonnegative just happens to follow the trend of epic rock offerings that’s been coming across my radar of late.
It’s a mix of melodic vocals, hardcore screams, riff-led guitar hooks and killer solo passages that offers up something both fresh and familiar to heavy music fans. From the get-go of ‘Help Me Help You,’ coldrain are instantly compelling to listen to, creating a massive musical landscape that has you nodding your head along to each chorus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt4lhjjHP2c
Vocalist Masato Hayakawa has some melodies in him, from hard and heavy belters ‘Cut Me’ and ‘Bloody Power Fame,’ the latter track also serving as the theme for ‘BASTARD! – Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy,’ an anime series currently running on Netflix, to some radio-ready rockers in ‘Boys and Girls’ and the addictively stellar single ‘Before I Go.’
The lead single from the album, ‘Paradise(Kill The Silence)’ serves well as the band’s signature sound with energetic guitars and a powerful vocal hook.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qrwwq_uhlqE
‘2020’ is a heavy take on the pandemic from the coldrain’s perspective, leading into one of the heaviest tracks on the album in ‘Rabbit Hole’ which offers a heavy verse while keeping the band’s melodic sound for the chorus. We’re then treated to a cool cover of No Doubt’s ‘Don’t Speak,’ before the album wraps up with ‘From Today,’ a song that alternates between pop-punk and heavy beatdowns, leaving you keen for another listen from the start.
Nonnegative is a cracking album and a good starting point if you’re keen to get into coldrain’s earlier work. Fans of fellow Japanese acts One OK Rock or Crossfaith will find coldrain a happy combo of the two and is another addition to what’s becoming an extensive list of mine of bands to see in Japan.
coldrain - Nonnegative tracklisting:
1. Help Me Help You
2. CALLING
3. Cut Me
4. Before I Go
5. Bloody Power Fame
6. Here With You
7. Boys and Girls
8. PARADISE (Kill The Silence)
9. 2020
10. Rabbit Hole
11. Don’t Speak
12. From Today
Rating: 9/10
Nonnegative is out tomorrow, July 6th. Pre-order here
Review By – Simon Valentine (@SimonValentineAU)
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