Monday, November 23, 2020

BLUE ENCOUNT - Q.E.D Album Thoughts(J-rock)

 






    Blue Encount is a Japanese band that I fell in love with after seeing a couple of this music videos on Youtube. Their live performances made me love them even more so I waited for them to have another full length album release. They've released five album releases so far including Q.E.D.: their newest album. Most people know them for providing songs for the popular anime such as My Hero Academia. Japanese people have probably hear their songs in dramas/television abs.  Sadly, these insert songs never gave them large mainstream success in Japan outside of one top ten album. I'm hoping they get at least another top ten album or at least a top twenty spot. 







Tracklist

  1. STAY HOPE
  2. Bad Paradox (バッドパラドックス)
  3. Polaris (ポラリス)
  4. FREEDOM
  5. 棘(Thorn)
  6. VOLCANO DANCE
  7. HAPPY ENDING STORY
  8. あなたへ (To You)
  9. ユメミグサ (Dream Grass)
  10. Humming Bird(ハミングバード)
  11. 喝采(Applause)



    The single releases leading up to Q.E.D were really good in my opinion. I normally get a feel for what the album is going to be like based off the singles and I was really excited for the new album. Q.E.D. didn't disappoint. One thing about the album that I loved right away was the track lineup. Outside of Stay Hope, the first few songs are all the singles that hit hard, Opening Q.E.D with a bang. Stay Hope slides in there with the other songs like a long lost limb. Bad Paradox is a new departure from Blue Encount's normal style. The track has a dance soulfulness in the chorus that doesn't compromise the bands usually fundamentals. The sneaky slight into the guitar playing adds a powerful punch to all who listen. Polaris also booms on strongly with loud instrumentation as the perfect anime opening. This track should have gotten way more love than is did in Japan. I feel mostly foreign fans of My Hero Academia supported the track online. It's a very nice love song that might not seem like one if you don't speak Japanese. Humming Bird along with another song about the band's younger days(I can't remember the name..) were other singles that was released digitally ahead of the album. I can't really use any other words to describe this album except but to say that it's loud in a cool powerful way. Slower tracks give the same tone. 





   The band plays so loud because their frontman has a loud voice. The vibrato in his longer notes are awesome. He sings loud live too. Shunichi Tanabe has become one of my favorite J-band frontmans. He's up there with Taka from One OK ROCK. 




   Q.E.D is a good album and I hope it sells well in Japan. Blue Encount continues to be that gem who flys under the radar. If you know them then you know or you might have heard their songs without knowing the band themselves. Check out their past albums because it's all good. I like this album more than their last mini album..... 

  




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