By DJ Sakura666
Some photo’s of #OblivionDust through out the years, from the very beginnings up until now. 25 years of OD ! So glad to see they continue to rock. Thanks to the official Oblivion Dust Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook pages for keeping OD alive. Found these photos all over the internet. Credits to obliviondust.net
It’s been 6 years since a release from the Japanese rock band Oblivion Dust. The infamous DIRT ep came out in 2016, I bought it the day it came out on ITUNES and listened to it repeatedly in my car, at the gym, I played it for friends, everyone loved it. They came to America in 2017 to perform at an anime convention in New Jersey for a weekend of fun times. I was there! Then they went back to Japan and toured year after year, after year. I am not sure if it was during the tour or in between tours but K.A.Z accidently broken his wrist, or arm or hand so he had to stop touring for quiet sometime. Singer Ken, and guitarist Ryo from NYF played support during these dark times. Time went on, still more touring, and K.A.Z was healed and was able to play live again.
Then COVID happened. Everything shut down. People were forced inside. We all remember, more dark times. I do believe K.A.Z purchased some synthesizers while he was healing with his injury. He had made a few sounds with them and posted them to YouTube, during the pandemic. They were really cool. Very inspiring.
But the future for #OblivionDust got kind of blurred. K.A.Z was making new sounds with new synths and computer programs, he also appeared in ZOOM meetings with ANIS and they made a cover of a Depeche Mode song together, and performed it on ZOOM one time. It was so cool. I was there! Then singer KEN Lloyd announced his solo works. He put out 2 really great songs, and also started an online shop selling clothing, candles, smells, teddy bears, all cute things that shipped to USA. He also started a late night radio show on Radiko called Night Owls with co-host lead singer of En-Trus, Kyoka. Still at the same time OD bassist Rikiji is actively involved with side project like IMOCD and others too. Alot of underground punk bands. Fun times, but all going their seperate ways. So we just figured life would just go on with no new music from the band. Again. Until the tweets from social media (mostly Ken’s twitter) came about working on songs and writing lyrics. Studio days. Then boom! Announement mid Oct or so with new video. New music would be coming out. Along with a tour in Japan. Now us fans are happy!! Just a few words to get us up to date…
I actually can not tell you how many times I’ve listened to this EP. I have left it on repeat for hours on end, at work in the background, at the gym. It’s the perfect length for a workout and the end song is a good come down song, of course, if you don’t burst out in tears!! I also play it in my car. I’ve shared it on my social media. So here we are! I was so happy to find out there was new music coming from OBLIVION DUST. Very pleased that the new EP is up on streaming services too. Since it started streaming on Spotify a few weeks back it has over 3000 streams for each song. I heard Spotify is very unfair with the earnings, but we might have made them a few dollars. I hope it help. I also purchased it on ITUNES. The hard disc will be availible for purchase at the end of the Nov and hopefully this review will be out before then too.
I hope you enjoy this review. I haven’t reviewed anything in a very long time. Sorry!!
Let’s start with the cover!
My review of the cover
It’s so bright and beautiful, but also soo dark and sinister. That ominous hooded boy. Sitting on the edge of the ledge of another new building. The way the city and the lighting falls on the city makes me think i am looking out a window down at NC or a Neo Tokyo. Is he waiting for his UBER in the sky? Is it Ken or just some netrunner or maybe shadow broker?
The cover does set the setting for the EP. We traveled to the past, heard the future, while sitting in the present. I am more of a fan of all the band members on the cover, but this one is so busy and eye catching. I like it. 👍
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Now the EP !
Everyday Negative – here it is. The first song on the EP. We heard the intro before. They used it in the announcement video they posted around the internet. Airy synths, and a synthesized guitar. Was I just transported to the 80s? This is so vastly different from anything Oblivion Dust have ever created!! It’s just the first song and I am being reminded of New Order, Duran Duran, The Smiths. I am not sure where this is coming from but the music is amazing. Ken starts to sing, I love his voice, but unfortunately there are no lyrics as of yet. Most of the lyrics are clear and relatable. If you were an angsty kid growing up in a futuristic city. ‘Somewhere!’ Ken voice is loud and has a cool echo effect. There is wonderful guitar solo. Ending the song with the catchiest lyrics ever ‘I’m so Negative’
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Glitch There are more airy synthesizers at the beginning. ‘No feeling’ is repeated over in the intro. I hear a drum machine. Some glitch noises. Phat keýs. The lyrics are darker and more repeative. The music is more danceable. Rhythmic. I have danced and bounced to this song more then the rest. ‘I come with knives’ is a line in the lyrics. He is a hunter? He is being hunted. People are out to get him? ‘Take every bullet in my heart’ I picture this song in an anime. I really love it.
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Satellite I had heard that they were playing a new song at their lives from fans a while back. Then I saw them perform this song on a few of the online lives. It was very different. Faster pace. Fun! Addictive. A great new song from OD! Was it the start of a new album? We would have to wait a few more years. I was so happy to see the studio verion on the EP!! ‘I climb so high!! Satellite Satellite!’ I can picture Ken climbing the walls during this song.. lol.. have you heard he used to jump on drum kits during live sets. Punk rock 🤘
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Lust & Graffiti Nightcrawler part 2?? Sounding a lot. Almost the same intro. This song reminds me of a few songs off DIRT. It is very heavy, dark, loud, angry. Reminding me of early Nine Inch Nails too, because of the synthesizer arrangements. Definitely feel the EDM beats here. I wanted to get out my stompy boots. Is there anything sexier than ‘Lust & Graffiti’? I don’t think so
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then stop.
End.
Amazing moment.
Amazing EP. The only downside to this EP is that it’s very short. Just like ‘DIRT’; but just like DIRT there isn’t 1 bad song. I few people I have spoken to were not as impressed. Which I just couldn’t get my head around. I give all the songs 10 Sakura. So overall a 10 for an EP. It is available on all streaming services and hard copies are up for pre-order at your favorite cd shops. I preordered my hard copy and it will be shipping NOV 30th. Fan club members did receive the hard cd early, I still think the fan club is very stingy and not fair for fans overseas. I am sorry if you got kicked out because of me. I did some dumb things, I didn’t think people would see it honestly. I still don’t understand the fan club things, but that will be another time. I have used up enough of your time, and my time, never guess how long this took me.
Searchlights Things are winding down on this EP. This light treat, with soft Ken vocals, panning effects, echos. ‘Are you out there?’ Soft electronics, is that a moog? So calm and relaxing. This song, along with “Everyday Negative” send me to my teenage years. So beautiful. A precious love song. 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸
Traces This is it. The last song. A tissue song. The slow power ballad. Oblivion Dust are good at power love songs. ‘When you say’ blew me away to tears when I watched it live, so did “All I Need’ 😭 Traces reminds me alot of Caprice, but it is definately the saddest track they have ever put out. This is a great song, it is hard to review it without the lyrics. It seems very final. It’s a great way to end this EP.
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Traces you left behind..
