EP REVIEW: Glory, Glory, To The World – Lovebites

Something trivial like a mere global pandemic wasn’t going to shutter the relentless momentum of LOVEBITES. Having only released their latest album in 2020, the excellent and towering Electric Pentagram, the Japanese quintet have made use of their enforced downtime from touring to produce an EP of new material. With the rousing title of Glory, Glory, To The World, the EP sees the band playing stretching their well-established power metal sound just enough to keep things fresh throughout.

On the more traditional side of things is the blazing opener, Glory To The World. The track is an apex of Euro-styled power metal, replete with multiple soaring twin leads, an ear-worm of a chorus and a magnificently thunderous rhythm section. So far, par for the course for LOVEBITES. However, Glory To The World brags its own unique character compared to the rest of the band’s output. Incorporating a number of gospel and orchestral elements, ranging from choirs to sweeping string sections, the track has an especially majestic tone that accentuates its inherent sense of grandiosity. Its epic sensibilities are only furthered as vocalist Asami trades off with Midori and Miyako’s guitar leads in the chorus, eventually building in to a shred-off. It’s a bombastic tribute to the pomp of power metal.

On the heavier side of the spectrum is No Time To Hesitate, LOVEBITES slowing from the previous track’s throttle to an aggressive mid-pace. The barbed rhythms delivered by the rough-edged guitars perfectly complement the vocal swagger of Asami, whose delivery sees more bite than usual – particularly on her rising vocal belts towards the end. The only moment of calm on No Time To Hesitate is its chorus, with a typically melodic hook providing a great offset to the rest of the track’s domineering vibe.

The metallic heaviness remains fully in tact on next cut, Paranoia. Initially starting off with a haunting piano melody and a nod to the band’s symphonic tendencies, LOVEBITES quickly devolve in to unbridled thrash riffery that wouldn’t sound out of place on a KREATOR album. The thrashier riffs give way to spiralling, chaotic guitar melodies before culminating in a rousing chorus that, while it may not quite hit the same peaks as elsewhere on the EP, is suitably memorable.

If Paranoia and Glory To The World flirt with orchestral elements, Dystopia Symphony fully embraces them in a borderline neoclassical number. The song retains the heaviness of the previous two cuts, but the BEETHOVEN-inspired synth runs bring to mind a weightier version of SONATA ARCTICA’s piano-driven melodies, while the gothic atmosphere channels the soundtracks of Castlevania games. A song about Beethoven coming to terms with his hearing loss, Dystopia Symphony is a frenetic and chaotic composition that sees LOVEBITES’ effortlessly balance melodicism with metallic intensity. It all peaks with a frankly incomparable middle eight section; haunting guitar leads twist and entwine around each other and over dramatic orchestration, while a roaming bassline and off-beat drums create a sinister groove.

All of this creates an unsettling break in the fast-paced chaos of the song, before building in to major scale twin guitar leads a la Kai Hansen and Michael Weikath. Of particular note throughout the song is drummer Haruna, whose playing on the track is impeccable; her relentless double kick doesn’t let up throughout the majority of the song, driving the panic-inducing chaos of the number.

The UK version of the EP closes out with Winds Of Transylvania, a song LOVEBITES recorded as the opening to anime series Vlad Love. A strong and heavy power metal number in its own right that cops further inspiration from Beethoven (specifically referencing the famous opening motif of his 5th), the number feels a little bit anticlimactic following on from the extensive ambition of Dystopia Symphony. It’s a nice bonus for UK fans, but less essential than the EP proper.

Whereas the only real complaint that could be levied at LOVEBITES’ previous album was that it slightly outstayed its welcome, the short and sharp Glory, Glory, To The World learns from that. Taking a less-is-more approach to the release, LOVEBITES have been able to craft a handful of songs that all exude their own distinct character. Indeed, the angelic splendour of the title track and the neoclassical nightmare of Dystopia Symphony represent two of the band’s best tracks to date, while also showcasing the breadth of their sound; from the overwhelmingly upbeat to the downright menacing. Moreover, it shows LOVEBITES experimenting slightly more with their sound – hopefully the variety of Glory, Glory, To The World is a sign of great things to come.

Rating: 8/10

Glory, Glory, To The World is set for release on May 28th via JPU Records. 

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