Fullarmor is the side-project of Straightener front-man Atsushi Horie, along with three other members of other bands. Their first self titled album is very much like Atsushi's main gig, namely guitar heavy emo-esque indie rock, centered around his vocals. That first album is the only time that Atsushi sings along with playing guitar, just as he does in Straightener. The two following albums find him sticking only to keyboards and guitar.
Once the band went instrumental, things changed drastically. The songs became much more complex and flowing. It's as if taking out Atshushi's vocals allowed them to flex their muscles a bit and breathe some jazz into their compositions. The funky jazz elements remind me very much of the video game cover band The Advantage, or perhaps an upbeat Downey. The songs are rather game-like, sounding a bit like crazy boss themes or space adventures. This may be because the songs are locked into one main riff or basic idea rather than the usual verse/chorus structure. The production is very open and loose, giving them a very live feel as well, again much like the way The Advantage approaches their covers.
The band also has two bass players, which also adds a unique sound to the mix. Along with Atshishi's piano and keyboard playing, the band has come a long way from their indie-rock origins and moved into their own new territory.
Money & Game
Official Site
MySpace
Members:
Atsushi Horie: Vocals, Guitar, Synth
Hinatch (ex.Zazen Boys): Bass
Jun Izawa (LITE,SEABARA): Bass
Oniy (The Zoobombs): Drums
Releases:
Fullarmor (2003)
Zion (2007)
Cataract (2008)
