ASUNOJOKEI - Awakening 2xLP (Swirl / Multi Splatter Vinyl)

Label: Dog Knights

In a scene with fickle tastes, "masterpiece" is not a word or concept liberally thrown around. With the work of Taito, Japan's 明日の叙景 (Asunojokei) reaching for those heights, though, it is necessary to stop and investigate more deeply.

While the four-piece makes for relatively easy listening compared to its black metal peers, the band's knack for composition is anything but; hanging listeners on every note while simultaneously drawing them forward in sudden, dynamic changes facets the listening experience on their debut full-length Awakening which released in February 2018.

With progressive droplets texturing sturdy bridges of sound, a stunning is balance is struck and maintained as this album unfolds. Asunojokei (whose name translates to English as "scenery of tomorrow") has been carefully curating their vision of the future since 2015's demo release. With an incredible range of sounds to embrace, there is no shortage of color in Asunojokei's unforgiving and unrelenting universe.