The Stars Will Light the Way

The Stars Will Light the Way is a 2024 work on which Galneryus binds the outstanding technique and deep songcraft it has built over long years even more densely. Showcases on the playing side, such as fast picking and odd meters, are truly many, yet they are deftly used by no means to make the songs seem difficult but purely to carry the melody further, powerfully. A record on which, even as veterans, its creative drive and playing have not dimmed in the least. From the power of the speeding opener “Go Towards the Utopia” and the drama of “The Reason We Fight” to a cut like “Lost in the Darkness,” every song is engaging, while cuts like “Heartless” and “Finally, It Comes!” convey the work’s fullness. Masatoshi Ono’s overwhelming high range and Syu’s neoclassical guitar are powerfully in sharp form throughout. A record on which vocals running powerfully across the high range, the gorgeous interplay of fluid guitar and keyboards and a strong rhythm section vividly draw big ups and downs in each song. Even in a milestone period of a long career, rather than merely re-performing past styles, it sounds a new light evoking hope and powerful advance. A powerful, engaging record showing the maturity of the veteran Galneryus — a record showing the band’s vigor.