Sukekiyo - IMMORTALIS (2014)

J-rock supergroup Sukekiyo were formed by Kyo of Dir en Grey as an outlet for his softer songs, which would not so easily fit with that band's increasingly heavy sound. Featuring former members of genre heavyweights Rentrer en Soi, Kannivalism, and 9 Goats Black Out, the band has an impressive pedigree. While Kyo's presence naturally at times makes the band feel a little like Diru's softer, artier cousin, this is no mere retread; Sukekiyo definitely have their own distinctive and unique sound, as the influences of the other bandmembers come to the fore. Cryptic song titles like "Elisabeth Addict," "Nine Melted Fiction," "The Daemon's Cutlery," and "In All Weathers" showcase Kyo's poetic gift, and here he's also much more visual than he's been in many years; disturbing promo photos show him in garish, corpse-like geisha makeup, with S&M-style straps tightly tied around his face and head. Haunting opener "Elisabeth Addict" and the follow-up instrumental "Destrudo" set the scene, with ethnic percussion and haunting piano. There's a distinct feel of the Orient here, with an Indian classical influence, and a definite prog/art rock inspiration as the album progresses, reminiscent at times of King Crimson or newer bands like Opeth. Some of the album's more extreme moments even recall the twisted blues-skronk of Captain Beefheart. Certainly it doesn't sound like anything else going on in the J-rock scene at the moment. It's a much more "musical" album than Diru's recent efforts, and Kyo really gets the chance to use the full range of his beautiful voice, swooping from a gentle croon to powerful operatic high notes. The closest things this album has to a "pop" song are the wonderful, dynamic, immediately accessible "Zephyr" and "Mama," ironically the songs here that sound most like Dir en Grey, albeit their early material. There are also a couple of really heavy tracks showing that Kyo has not forgotten the hardcore Diru fans, although these are still distinctly rock- rather than metal-based. The final verse of "Kugui," with Kyo's rich croon floating over expansive guitar chords, tinkling zither, and piano is simply gorgeous, and "Aftermath" is genuinely haunting; not the carnival-house-of-horrors cheese peddled by many other visual acts, but a song that creates a truly spooky, creepy atmosphere that evokes lonely spirits lingering in abandoned, dusty halls. This is an amazing album: rich, deep, intricate, involving, content to unfurl at a slow, languid pace, and richly rewarding repeat listens. It should appeal to Dir en Grey's more open-minded fans, as well as to anyone with a taste for intellectually and emotionally stimulating avant-garde rock music.