Yakuza "Transmutations"

I'm getting really tired of writing about music that has to come with a "lacks originality" warning, so I'm challenging myself today with Yakuza's somewhat mind-fucking but intriguing Transmutations.

But where do I start? The pronounced saxephone parts and jazz influences? The explosions of thrashy, chaotic metal? The gloomy, Isis-inspired, ethereal atmospheres? The slow, tense buildups? I don't know. Yakuza is downright ambitious, and it's near impossible to nail down their sound with a single term. Call it progressive metal, post-metal, avant gard or whatever you will; Transmutations basically has it all and, for my money, is more interesting than the numerous post-something bands following the exact footsteps of Isis.

The broad transitions between sheer intensity and somber restraint remind me of the underrated Buried Inside, but Yakuza's moods and atmospheres are distinctly powerful. When I play this record at work on a pair of headphones, it's pretty close to being warped into a world where the sun never breaks through a thick cloud cover and a depressed populace wanders around staring at the ground. And when the hoarse, clean singing morphs into screaming and the drumming explodes with metallic energy (think Mastodon), it's like seeing that populace start furiously beating one another with a zombie's rage. Maybe I've been watching too much television or I'm crazy, but I picture stuff when I listen to Transmutations.

"See" stuff for yourself: Yakuza - Egocide

The record lasts an expansive hour and is hit-or-miss, so it's tough to make it through in one sitting, but it definitely tries to stay interesting and the jazzy instrumentation adds a much appreciated (and surprisingly natural) depth.