MoNoLith – Reversible Days (review)

J-Rock Reviews

MoNoLith
Reversible Days

Review by Jen Wang

JRock247-Monolith-Reversible-Days

MoNoLith is a band of extremes, which fits for its dual vocals. On one hand, they have a pop side that is filled with sweetness and optimism. On the other, they venture into the dark, sinister realm of heavy metal. Their latest single, Reversible Days, highlights the best of these two worlds.

The title track jumps straight into its upbeat melody. Bright notes of the piano ring out with the guitar providing a touch of rock ‘n’ roll. The vocals are smooth, and at times, Keita and Ryu sound like the one person. Hayato’s drumming is playful and drives the song forward. Overall, it’s well-suited for a mainstream audience should MoNoLith ever choose to go that route.

The band does a complete 180 with “Dekisokonai”. A bestial growl kicks things off, followed by creepy whispers and death vocals. The guitar riffs are heavy, thickened by Takafumi’s ominous bass. Ryu goes through vocal gymnastics with the singing, growling, and screaming. At the end, he sounds like he’s dying, leaving a haunting impression long after the song is over.

A bonus track on the Type B edition, “Kimagure na Kamisama” starts with the sharp sound of the guitar, indicating a return to a pop-rock style. The reverb and synth add a dream-like quality to the melody while the drums maintain a quick pace. Shuhei nails a solid guitar solo before falling back to let Keita and Ryu’s vocals shine. At last there’s great harmonizing between two contrasting voices that MoNoLith is known for, as well as some impressive falsetto.

This light, upbeat style of pop-rock really suits the band, but this single also proves that they haven’t gone completely soft. They definitely sound more polished yet they have not lost any of the energy, which can get chaotic with two vocals on top of guitar and piano, that makes them fun to listen to.