By founding Nazoranai, Keiji Haino has created yet another power-trio. However, in contrast to his legendary band Fushitsusha (which consists of Japanese musicians only), they are coming forward as an international avant-rock supergroup, vociferously featuring Sunn O)))-drone-master Stephen O’Malley and the Australian multi-instrumentalist Oren Ambarchi. On »The most painful time happens only once – has it arrived already?« (which is the English translation of their second record), they are rocking away, as they should, in an utmost monumental-psychedelic manner. Haino is focusing on his escalatingly violent feedback-guitar, being comparatively unobtrusive when it comes to using his often terrifying voice. O’Malley, on the other hand, is contributing an almost eruptive bass foundation, while Ambarchi is continuously bombing his colleagues with tribalistic drum-sounds. When comparing it to their debut, this record sounds much more natural, much more compact, and presents itself in a more uncompromising handwriting. The last track, for example, starts out with a conventional drum-beat, only to make it collapse half way in, turning it into more quiet, ritual rhythms. In the end, Haino is finally coming forward with an exhilarating falsetto, almost sounding as if he was a crying angel.
Claire Rousay
The Bloody Lady
Viernulvier