“In the sea of regrets that govern the present, we feel the pain.“
Just from the artwork of their sophomore EP, Immaculate, alone, you can tell that Japanese melodic death metal outfit View From The Soyuz mean business. Formed in the summer of 2021 and recently signed to DAZE, the group (composed of vocalist Masa, guitarist Nari, bassist Sima, and drummer Shunsuke) wear their influences on their sleeves, interpreting the formula of mid-2000s metalcore into a raging sea of death metal riffs.
“Caligula”, particularly, feels reminiscent of an older August Burns Red song with the intensity cranked a few notches, as well as a successor of The Fall Of Ideals-era All That Remains. It’s a song of tasteful chaos. Following the more classic, galloping riffs which dominate the track, the crushing chugs of the pseudo-breakdown which wraps it up are accented by colourful licks. Resolving the tension of otherwise extremely guitar-driven songs is something the band handle capably across the breadth of Immaculate, with the only notable exception being the instrumental “Chronostasis” with which it opens.
Second single “Sky Burial” suffers somewhat from its length. Apart from Masa’s fluid vocals, the first 1:40 suffers from a lack of progression, particularly in an underutilisation of the melodic lead from 0:27-0:36 that otherwise could have steered the track in the theatrical direction it was evidently intended. Admittedly, for any who are nostalgic for that iconic tapping riffage of ’00s metalcore it will be a non-issue, but I personally find View From The Soyuz’ strength to be on both the more melodic and hardcore side respectively. Everything from the double-time section onwards is compelling and, most ironically, immaculate.
It is unfortunate that “Stick In The Mud” is a vinyl exclusive, because it’s one of the EP’s most aggressive and engaging tracks, wrought with hardcore influence – everything from the unrelenting harsh vocals (including a feature from Yuki Murakami of Japanese melodic hardcore band Octavius) to the dynamic guitarwork, which slides effortlessly between chugs, two-step riffs, and melodic leads. It injects a new life into the quartet’s sound. An earlier version of the track can be found on streaming services, but without the snappier drums and careful production of the EP version it lacks some comparative punch.
The closer, “Frozen Black”, achieves the epic vibe that “Sky Burial” missed the mark on. The track doesn’t try to hard, yet manages to show the best each member has to offer. A wide mix, deft guitarwork, and a tasteful piano section that eases into one of the record’s most emotive leads make it another standout track. I think it lacks a proper conclusion, but the bulk of the song hits the mark I would expect of a melodic death metal closer. Really, future efforts could benefit from leaning into the contemplative texture of the symphonic elements to create atmosphere and further break up the riffs.
For a band which formed under two years ago, Immaculate is a startlingly polished effort which will appeal to those looking for classic metalcore riffs as well as fans of the more modern blend of metalcore and melodic death metal in the vein of Heaven Shall Burn. For me personally, some of the riffs can become a little tiring, and the production could afford to be crunchier, given the moments of hardcore weaved throughout.
However, I cannot deny that it is a tight collection of songs View From The Soyuz has put together here; my rating reflects a lack of hooks and external influence that I would have liked to see, rather than the nostalgic interpolation that the quartet is so clearly focused on. That they have already established themselves in the Japanese scene, in addition to opening for international acts like Unearth and Xibalba, bodes extremely well for the future. Here, they kick 2023 off with a bang.
Immaculate will be available this Friday, February 10th, via DAZE.
6.5/10