Deep Blue : Chaos From Darkism

Alternative Press (p.111) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "The studio sides frequently show surprising sonic polish....The album quickly throttles the irony out of its premise and snags you with its genuine...urge to rock."

That Balzac are the Japanese answer to the Misfits is a fact not denied by anyone, including the Misfits themselves: they've even released Deep Blue: Chaos from Darkism on their own label. However, this extensive introduction to Balzac shows that, whatever the similarities in imagery, the band is no copycat, at least as much as it is possible in punk music. On the surface, Deep Blue: Chaos from Darkism is one grim, energetic record that combines the roughness of hardcore -- namely Hirosuke Nishiyama's hoarse shout and the dirty guitar tone -- with the classic melodic punk of Bad Religion. This means you get a lot of reasonably speedy, slightly metallized numbers that are very heavy on gang choruses and fast bass drum bonking. Some bits, especially the intro track, even serve as an amusing footnote to the idea that punk and black metal have more in common than either cares to admit, though Balzac are probably channeling the goth gloom of Danzig there. However, like many Japanese bands, Balzac are unable to keep their radical face all the way through, and so the record gradually eases up the mood all the way to "Alone," which is one turn of the knob away from being fit for a sunny punk-pop band like Beat Crusaders. There's also a little old-school thrash metal around; "Ziggy Stardust" is a fitting tribute to its hero; and one of the unnamed tracks courses lazily through relaxed blues, ascending to a larger-than-life chorus in the process -- all that to keep things from being monotonous. Most importantly, Balzac have a keen melodic sense: they never lose the catchiness even in the hardcore bits, but avoid being cheesy or too sugary, staying true to the punk ethos without losing the entertainment factor -- which is the main point for a horror-punk band anyway. ~ Alexey Eremenko