FunkFreak75 Amazing violin and keyboard led instrumental Prog Fusion from Japan that harkens back to the debut album of the 1978 supergroup UK as well as to late 1980s JEAN-LUC PONTY. Bass player, "Dani," drummer Shirou Sugano, keyboard player Toshimitsu Takahashi, and violinist/composer, Akihisa Tsuboy are all incredibly gifted musicians, but what's more, they each have an extraordinary gift for melody and rhythm. Also, a special shout out has to go to bass player, "Dani"--who is also the album's engineer--for his great recording/engineering job.

The album begins with the hard-driving, bass-grooving 1. "Hatenaki Shoudou" (6:24) (9/10)

2. "Catastrophe" (9:31) is an amazing offering of frenzied, multiple layered electric fusion (another mostly hard-driver) in which the band's cohesive play and interplay are put on full display. Parts jaw-dropping, parts are goose-bumpy gorgeous. Incredible song. (20/20)

3. "Antartica" (13:28) has a much more neoclassical, symphonic soundtrack feel to it. At times this sounds like something from traditional Scottish folk melodies, at times like a military march, at others concerto-like, and even some brooding KITARO-like folk. This is a complex and maturely constructed piece that only impresses. It's only shortcoming is in the flow and that it doesn't have quite the melodic draw of the previous two songs. (27/30)

4. "The Desert of Desires" (7:38) opens like a ELP or ASIA tune before establishing an organ based, Bruford-drummed bass display. Soloing electric guitar enters at the one minute mark. Very accomplished 80s EDDIE VAN HALEN-like playing. At 2:17 everything drops away to allow an electric piano to establish a slower tempo in order to display a more emotional, bluesy guitar solo style. Reminds me of WHITESNAKE. The chord and melody work of the last two minutes is the best part. Nice work. Nice piece. I don't connect with the emotion of this electric guitar playing or heavy rock style as much as the fusion violin work of the first two. (16/20)

5. "Another Episode" (8:28) again opens like a familiar VAN HALEN song before displaying its violin-centricity. Some absolutely stunning melodies are quickly established and heart-wrenchingly performed. Even the piano and bass are integral parts of the emotional mix of this song. I like the presence of some more Japanese feeling melodies in this song. Very much like the incredible soundtracks put together for Studio Ghibli Hayao Miyazaki films by composer Joe Hisaishi. Awesome synthesizer solo in the sixth minute! The ensuing "farfisa" organ doesn't fit quite as well but its presence is only brief. The next percussive synth chord section is also a bit out-of-date but it evolves into a piano-based return to the opening melodies (though on electric guitar and synthesizer instead of violin). Still a pretty awesome song! (18/20)

6. "Ness No Kioku" (9:41) opens with a low and then high toned SHANKAR-like solo violin. The melodic style here is also much more akin to Middle Eastern or Indian traditions. Truly awesome musicianship in the rhythmic support of the bass and drums. Probably the best and most exciting song on the album, start to finish. (20/20)

7. "Divine Design" (9:26) opens with perhaps the most engaging three sections of the album. Very JEAN-LUC PONTY and DANIEL KOBIALKA-like. A simpler song construction establishes itself for the first four minutes--though there are at least five shifts in that time. The sixth shift at the 4:45 mark goes straight for the J-L PONTY jugular--much in the same way Jean-Luc did in his faster-placed songs and soli from 1975-84. And great, very tight band support throughout the song, into and with every style and tempo shift. Guitar appearance leads into a return to some of the song's opening themes--layered one over the top of another! Cool song! (20/20)

So professionally done, such high level of musicianship and composition. With the amazing start with the first two songs and the equally amazing final two songs, this one is very close to a masterpiece.

Five stars, for sure a masterpiece of progressive rock music.

kev rowland This is the second album from Japan’s KBB and one that I was looking forward to. I haven’t heard KBB’s debut album, but have heard some of their songs and I still play Akihisa’s album that he recorded with Natsuki Kido. Akihisa plays violin and guitar (and wrote 6 of the 7 songs); Toshimitsu Takahashi is on keyboards, Dani on bass and guitar and Shirou Sugano on drums. So quite an unusual line-up, and in many ways an unusual album: this is jazz-rock with very strong progressive tendencies. Curved Air is probably the closest comparison, but even that doesn’t really cover it.

It is an instrumental album, but that is primarily because there is just no room for vocals. In “Kraken’s Brain Is Blasting” there is a passage where all of the band take off in a tumultuous run with Akihisa just managing to keep in front. At times the others play a concerted piece which is at odds to the main melody, yet at others they are very much locked together. On “Slave Nature” there is a much more prog feel to proceedings with some great fretless bass just behind the lead instrument, whether it is violin, keyboard or electric guitar.

For those who enjoy complex instrumental music at its’ very best.