Blood- Vengeance for Blood

Blood's music is uniquely informed by the Japanese music scene, but there's still plenty here for more traditional goths. "Blind," for example, is a classic gothic rocker with glam influences, and "Forever Lost" is a solid mid-tempo gloom piece complete with eerie keyboard effects, grimly marching drum machine, and wailing guitar. Other offerings reveal a more metal influence; "The Funeral For Humanity" starts off with a throbbing bass line and church organs, but gives way to programmed blast beats and bellowed death metal vocals on the chorus. The Japanese approach to underground music has always been more upfront about incorporating pop elements as well, and Blood is no exception. Indeed, some of this album's finest moments are some of its perkiest. "I Remember You" is perhaps too upbeat and melodic for goth purists, but it's also quite irresistible, as is the Hanoi Rocks-inspired "Awakening" and the evocatively titled "Wings Of The Rebellion." The weird French lounge approach of "Se Lever" is a bit more of an acquired taste, but "Voices" builds nicely from charming cabaret pop adorned with lush strings into a classic '80s-style power ballad. A number of instrumental interludes ranging from monstrous growls to gothic cathedral bells help tie everything together into one continuous narrative, which a translation of the Japanese lyrics helpfully provided in the album insert reveals this CD to be a concept album about a vampire. It would be hard for most English-speaking bands to pull such a thing off, but the blend of unabashed glam and metal influences with the theatrics of the Japanese visual rock scene works perfectly here. As a bonus, this CD, which collects the original three EPs that formed the "Vengeance For Blood" series, also comes with a bonus DVD capturing the band's energetic live show. Give this a listen if you're ready for something a bit more exotic and international than the usual Mission and Christian Death copycats. Visit www.curecreate.com to learn more about Blood.