7 Years Ago

Grab your aviator goggles because Fate Gear takes off once again on a biplane equipped with guided missile launchers. Yep, everyone's favorite all-girl Japanese steampunk-infused power metal band is back, although in this case it almost feels more like a project than a band. While Nico is still apparently their vocalist, she only sings lead on "嵐音 -Arashine-" and "Little Spring", whereas the other tracks feature a grab-bag of guest vocals. The primary vocalist is actually Maki Oyama, a forceful presence unleashing her vibrato-drenched fury like a battle-princess, wearing goggles. But other singers provide a diverse feel to the album, like one of those 'metal opera' deals without all the proggy shit and back & forth jousts between cast-members.

Along with the vocals, there's diversity concerning the compositions as well. The most notable is probably "心葬", the one track that features Ibara from the gaudy Emille's Moonlight Serenade. Former Galmet member Idyako guest-drums on this number, providing the slow-groove rhythm under the gothic-leaning metal. Ibara's vocals are more reminiscent of seiyuu singers, providing a major contrast from Maki and even Nico's pipes. A jarring tonal shift from the racing power metal of the title track, but a few more surprises abound, such as the piano-driven "Little Spring" or the anthemic heavy metal of "Chained-Destiny" that draws from the playbook of Show-Ya right down to the song-title.

"Fenixx 2011" a sleek remake of a fast-paced Destrose track that was first released as a single in 2012. My guess is that the 2011 in the title refers to seven years before this album's 2018 release. I don't know, it's a pretty batshit concept, but Mina is, as anyone reading this probably knows, a bit of a loose nut. And this is Mina's band, hence the typical revolving door of performers, just like Destrose. But maybe the solution has finally been found concerning employee retention. Rotate the fucking members. If Mina & Nico have a spat, Nico takes a break and another singer hops on board. Issues with the drummer? Borrow another drummer and let shit cool down. No one seems to want to hang with Mina for a lengthy duration, so cycling members could be the way to keep the Fate Gear dream alive.

While 7 Years Ago has a clearer production than OZ -Rebellion-, that magic steampunk vibe of their prior release is missed. This album is more like a bunch of songs thrown together, as cool as many of them are. I don't really mind the swapping of vocalists willy-nilly, but I dig Nico, and wished she got the bulk of the tracks rather than Maki. Maki's fine and certainly talented, but too stoic at times, whereas Nico is the voice of steampunk personified (that is, if it ever became an actual music genre). I'm not surprised that this band is in a constant state of flux with Mina at the helm, but there's no reason to stop checking out this band's work in the future, whoever winds up being in the band for their next recording sessions. The fast power metal tracks still boast a little more grit and attitude than much of their peers, and the songs that flirt with other genres wind up surprisingly classy. Shit I might even like "Little Stream" the most out of this collection; a touch of Elton John in that little bugger.