EP REVIEW: Oriental Symphony – Gyze

Marking ten years as a band, Japanese metal outfit GYZE are in a celebratory mood. Latest EP, Oriental Symphony, is a key part of those festivities, boasting a smattering of new material and reinterpretations that showcase the distinctive sound the band have cultivated over the last decade.

For the uninitiated, GYZE are to Japanese metal what ENSIFERUM are to Finnish, melding the aggression of death metal, the speed and energy of power metal and the traditional melodicism of their native folk music to create a uniquely energetic sonic tapestry. While essentially a folk metal band, the reliance on traditional Japanese melodies and instruments distinguishes GYZE’s output from their European brethren’s, taking the blueprints of the genre and localising it perfectly. With Oriental Symphony, GYZE offer an EP of two relatively divergent halves that see the band tap into the wide influences that provide their brand of folk metal’s foundation.

The main body of work comprises of the band’s latest three singles, all released as part of their anniversary. These cuts see GYZE exercise their metal chops in a variety of ways, with the opening title track in particular proving a showstopper. An epic that clocks in just shy of ten minutes, Oriental Symphony sees GYZE deftly switch gears from soaring guitar harmonies and harsh screaming to sweeping and cinematic orchestral soundscapes a la Howard Shore, while weaving in Japanese folk instrumentation. Coupled with bombastically rousing choruses throughout, the track lives up to its title of ‘symphony’, encompassing distinct movements buoyed by reoccurring and reinterpreted motifs. However, a symphony is nothing without the musicianship to back it up and the band’s virtuosity is apparent with every driving guitar lead and thunderous rhythm section.

By comparison, second track Voyage Of The Future is a relatively straight-forward affair. Arguably the closest the album comes to European folk metal, the song has flashes of WINTERSUN and ENSIFERUM thanks to its tight, palm-muted guitar rhythms paired with multi-layered choruses that channel a medieval army’s chant. Building momentum throughout thanks to Shuji’s never ending kick drums, the song’s climax is nothing short of a declaration of battle.

The final wholly new track of the EP, Samurai Metal, is perhaps unsurprisingly the one most influenced by the folk roots of GYZE’s homeland. Although a metal anthem through and through, Samurai Metal’s backbone is formed of a range of traditional Japanese instruments; ever-present shamisen melodies and haunting shinobue flutes trade off with manic guitar leads as the band wax lyrical about their heritage, acting as both a manifesto and a call to arms.

Following the fury of Samurai Metal, the EP takes an unexpectedly mellow turn for its second half. Etenraku ~ Far Eastern Land sees the band reinterpret the opening tracking of their previous album, Asian Chaos, in a restrained and serene manner. The winding, heavy guitar leads of the original are traded for lilting piano lines and Japanese folk instrumentation that accentuate the track’s more symphonic qualities. Similarly, the EP closer sees earlier cut Voyage Of The Future repurposed as a short acoustic and orchestra arrangement that, while radically different to its original incarnation, exudes a haunting familiarity. Both these delicate instrumentals really bring to light the keen sense of melody that GYZE display throughout all their tracks, whether heavy or quiet. Moreover, they provide a wonderfully peaceful salve to the intense metal of the rest of the EP.

With Oriental Symphony, GYZE flex their folk metal muscles by showcasing the wide range of their sound, from breakneck metal to literal symphonies. The result is an EP that not only celebrates the band itself, but also showcases a culmination of the sound GYZE have been honing over the years. To both long-time fans and newcomers then, Oriental Symphony has plenty to offer and is a fitting where to mark the conclusion of this chapter of the band.

Rating: 8/10

Oriental Symphony is set for release March 26th via Out Of Line.

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