Into the Purgatory

Into the Purgatory is a fulfilling work released after more than fifteen years of accumulation since formation, on which Syu’s neoclassical guitar and Masatoshi Ono’s overwhelming singing again powerfully show the band’s core. Fast riffs, finely chopping drums and the splendid color of the keyboards firmly keep extremely high tension in each song. Content where the sure ability cultivated over a long career shines. From the power of the speeding opener “Purgatorial Flame” and the drama of “My Hope Is Gone” to a cut like “Fighting of Eternity,” every song is engaging, while cuts like “Glory” and “Never Again” convey the work’s fullness. Masatoshi Ono’s overwhelming high range and Syu’s virtuosic guitar are powerfully in sharp form throughout. A record on which, as if a little freer from the succession of concept works, the songs have truly varied expressions. Even so, its melody and the precision of the playing do not fade in the least. A mature power/neoclassical-metal work that, while fully entertaining with outstanding technique, firmly delivers the songs’ deep drama — a record where the band’s maturity shines.