Cocobat Crunch

Although this act are mentioned in the same breath as other Japanese artists like Sex Machineguns, Volcano, Aion, Metalucifer, and Hellhound theirs isn’t exactly a style rooted in the classic power/speed/thrash canons. In fact, based on the album reviewed here, their approach is radically different from the old school mentality of the other mentioned bands…

cause this is groovy 90’s post-thrash, not strictly done-by-the-book but the condiments dissipating the aggro clout are not the most delectable ones in the world; not by a long shot. The prevalent Pantera-sque stomps are early established with the elephantine title-track, and they permeate nearly every composition featured here, the good (the jumpy semi-technical nod to Meshuggah "Another Me"), the bad (the frivolous rock'n roll stroller "Punch You"), and the ugly (the messy rock-ish non-sense "21st Century Schizoid Man"). Semi-rebellious attempts at retro thrashing like "Can't Wake Up" are quickly stifled, the guys simply can’t wake up for those more proficient sounds, settling instead for the dragging bluesy/balladic boredom "Cry of Pain" and the failed venture into a more experimental song-writing that is the air-headed funky "Sideball Uncle", a poor uncle… sorry, man’s Death Angel (think “Act III”).

If there’s any plus to be mentioned here, it has got to be the bass player whose authoritative burps are omnipresent, the man tumbling walls with ease, notching up the funk at every opportunity, aiming at the premier position on the bass pedestal in his motherland. And he should by all means get there, unlike his colleagues who don’t make a very big effort in breaking the rigid numetal confines. On the other hand, one shouldn’t denounce them vehemently; they began this venture at the start of the 90s, and they struggled... sorry, stuck with what was trendy during that period, including on the sophomore “Struggle of Aphrodite” which was even more derivative and trite, lacking the several outside-the-box decisions from here. “Posi-Traction” was a nearly all-instrumental affair which also introduced stoner/doom and garage rock elements into the sturdy groovy skeleton, one that stayed dominant all the way to the early-00’s.

With “Ghost Tree Giant” things started moving around in a more volatile manner with heavy metal, industrial, alternative, doom, and even in-vogue-again retro thrash tunes tussling for domination for a varied, not always coherent ride. Not too bad overall, the band are obviously searching for a change, like the title of their latest so far opus hints, and they may as well find it… innovation doesn’t quite grow on trees… unless it’s a coconut one.