Mutyumu (夢中夢)

If there ever was a band that lived up to its name, it would be Mutyumu. A "crazy dream" is probably the best description for their music. A crazy dream full of fire, statuesque figures, impressionistic operas, delicate ballet performances, leering demon faces...the images are as diverse as the instrumentation and song structure. At one moment you'll be treated to very soft piano and violin melodies, only to be bashed over the head with a massive heavy metal dirge the next. Similarly, the vocal treatments range from almost inaudible whispers to angelic female falsettos to guttural male bellowing.

The work of Mutyumu is extremely artistic and symphonic, yet not overly so. They never stray into straight-up new age territory, while also staying clear of schlocky death metal. Simply put, it's goth in the very best sense of the word. Mature and very sophisticated, classically dark, they never go the easy route of over-the-top style over substance, instead doing the reverse. Avoiding slathering on the gloom, they strip things down to few elements, developing them into minimal symphonies. They even have a few regular rock songs that wouldn't be out of place on a Bauhaus or Buck-Tick album.

Their raspy strings and twinkling pianos along with other synthetic sounds set them apart as something more than your average band that just gets on stage and rocks out. They have extended atmospheric sections that either lighten or darken the mood, like either the sun or the moon rising over a secluded pond. A bit like Matyoshka or Sigur Ros with their trance-like crescendos, they seem to find their most beautiful moments when they're either their most calm and repetitive, or their most loud and soaring. Case in point, the incredible "祈り," ("Prayer") which builds to ridiculous heights over ten minutes.

Having been formed in 2002, they are still a bit young, yet their solid sound and production really hit the ground running with their first self-titled album in 2006. Their 2008 follow-up Ilya cranks up the number of full-band rock outs and death-metal blasts. It's much less subtle and atmospheric, aiming more for the gut with a clearer guitar/drums/bass/vocals format and less of a focus on the strings and piano, though they are both still very much a part of the equation. (Again, refer to "祈り" above.)

Whatever your poison, be it classical strings and high society, or ancient demon metal and flaming pagan rituals, you'll find much to sink your teeth into with Mutyumu's twisted dream-scapes.

眼は神/L'œil est Dieu



Official Site
MySpace (English)
MySpace (Japanese)

Members:
Hatis Noit - Vocal
Ryota Yoda - Guitar
Junpei Suda - Drums
Yuko Ikenaga - Piano
Yuji Hayashi - Bass
Ryota Taniuchi - Violin

Releases:
Ilya - 2008
Mutyumu - 2006

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