Within the last couple of years, I've expanded my own musical tastes into the realms of K-pop and J-rock. Music brings the world together, and it is in these sonic journeys that gems can be found which forever change one's perception. To that end, these new musical paths have led me to coldrain, a Japanese group with seven studio albums and nearly two decades of experience already under their belts. Earlier this year, the band signed with Century Media Records, marking a new chapter in their story, as well as a potential to reach hordes of new fans. Their comeback was marked by the single “Incomplete,” which I've frankly had stuck in my head since the first listen. Vocalist Masato's range is something to behold, bucking the trend of a lot of post-hardcore vocals and going for a higher register for cleans. Whereas most bands are going lower and lower, Masato's vocals soar, with his screams sounding smooth. As for the aforementioned song, it's a fist-pumping, “fuck it, we ball” anthem that was the ideal choice for the first taste of their new beginning. It worked on me, at least. “Chasing Shadows” came along with a powerful opening and a melody that is immediately catchy and whistleable, even unconsciously, and its chorus is one that could induce a feeling of wanting to run into a brick wall and break through it. Again, Masato's vocals are commanding as he fully sends it. It was here where the announcement of the OPTIMIZE EP came, and having gone two for two, it seemed like everything was coming up Milhouse for coldrain. The third taste of the EP was “Free Fall,” which feels like it harkens back to the band's punk roots initially. It is the most aggressive, abrasive track on OPTIMIZE, and positioning it last of the five was a calculated decision, as if the band are asking the listener for every last bit for one more round. That wasn't all, though, as the EP's release gave us the title track and “Digitoll,” with the former feeling like something straight from the 2000s metalcore heyday. It is energetic, and putting it first out the gate on the EP makes entirely too much sense. The second of the to-be-heard cuts “Digitoll” is maybe the least impressive of the release, but it's still a fun track with a little bit of a swing to the drumming by Katsuma, whose snare-happy skin-bashing is a highlight of the whole affair. Even with the prevalent electronic elements which threaten to overseason the proverbial broth, his percussion helps make things feel truly alive. With OPTIMIZE, coldrain have hard-launched a new beginning with a bang. At around eighteen minutes, there's barely any fat on the cuts here, and what is here is damn satisfying. Whenever studio LP number eight comes, be it immediately following their upcoming tour or sometime thereafter, now is a better time than ever to get hip to these Japanese powerhouses. Doing so will leaving you chasing anything but shadows.
OPTIMIZE is out now via Century Media Records.
