POWER - "CHIKARA" (CD)

It would be a lie if we did not hear the ongoing expression of Mr. Nemoto and others who have been active in bands such as SWIPE, THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT, and Z. I don't know about the old Japanese EMO scene, but I can tell you that the expression/works left by these guys are serious.
I don't know what the Japanese EMO scene was like in the past, but I can tell you that the expressions and works they left behind were serious, and their sound is not just EMO that follows a musical style, but traces of trial and error. It is different from the "emo" (which is a convenient word because of its abstraction) that is instantly consumed in Japan today. The unique rhythm, beat, sound, and lyrical expression. And more importantly, a sense of color, including all the artwork. I think it was also an update of those things.
To be honest, POWER's sound source was not something that could be understood immediately after listening to it all, but that is why it is interesting. It means that there is a depth to it, so you don't listen to it as an EMO, but as music of someone who is still updating it. The Japanese language has a written form in the first half of the album, but by the time you get to the last song, "Hell," you've forgotten the kanji and it's broken down into hiragana and katakana, and more and more senses. But it's not difficult, and for those who have heard "THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT" and "Z", I think you'll be able to enjoy it.

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SWIPE〜THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT、Zといったバンドで活動してきた根本氏らの現在進行形の表現をスルーしてしまったらそれはもう嘘ではないでしょうか。
昔の日本のEMOシーンなんてものは僕にはわかりませんが、彼らの残した表現/作品物がマジだったってことはわかるし、そしてその音は音楽スタイルを踏襲というだけのEMOではなく試行錯誤の痕跡。現在の日本でインスタントに消費される「エモさ」(それはその抽象さ故に便利な言葉でもある)とは違う。独特のリズム、ビート、音、歌詞表現。さらに言うならアートワーク全てを含めた色彩感覚。それらの更新でもあったと思います。

POWERの音源は正直言ってその全てを聴いてすぐ理解できるものではなかったですが、だからこそ面白い。それはそこに深みがあるってことだから。EMOとして聴くのではなく、今も更新し続けてる人の音楽として聴く。日本語はアルバム前半では文章体があるのに、最後の「HELL」い至る頃には漢字を忘れて、ひらがなとカタカナ、もっともっと感覚に分解されたものになっていく。でも難しいものでもなく、THERE IS A LIGHT THAT NEVER GOES OUT、Zを聴いてきた人にとっては全然いけちゃうと思います。

tracklist:
1.WELCOME
2.BEACH
3.HEAT
4.FIRE
5.FORM
6.TURN
7.FAMILY
8.HELL
9.GATE