Customer Reviews

Symphonica

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As other reviews have mentioned,this is Ruins re-working some of their classic tunes with the addition of a synth player and two female vocalists.

Of the additional vocalists,Aki has a nice soprano with operatic aspirations,the other vocalist,Emi,has a huskier,raspier voice which she uses mostly to backup Yoshida and to babble improv.

I was really intrigued by the idea of this album,but in the end,it's weak to me.While Aki is a nice addition,Emi is not a singer,more of an experimental vocalist.The keyboards have some variety of sounds,but too often they remind me of boring,whiny prog rock records of the 70's.The songs feel flat,uninspired,and they lapse into pointless noodling.The production is nothing special either,it sounds like they recorded it live in the studio.

I really have to say if you've wondered what Ruins would sound like even more prog rock you'd do best to try and find cds by Koenji Hyakke.This is another group by Yoshida(Ruins leader)which,as I write this,has released 3 albums so far.It has male/female vocals,chanting,psuedo operatic vocals,harmonies,keyboards,etc.

Aki Kubota,from the Symphonica cd reviewed here,played on the first two albums doing vocals and keyboards.Unfortunately she isn't on the third album,and I think it suffers because Yoshida too often lapses into mid-70's era sounding prog.He favors once again,a certain warbly synth sound that I find weak.

Koenji Hyakke is inspired,colorful,beautiful and fun.Find that instead.

The reorchestration and slightly varied tempi of the songs on this album make some aspects work more and some work less...
I found the transitions in some songs not as fluid as the original versions'.
Sometimes the keyboard makes certain songs even darker and heavier than the originals, and sometimes it makes the music sound a little more cartoony...or anime, maybe.
I would recommend this to people who are already fans of ruins. Newcomers, head straight for "Burning Stone" (Magaibutsu release) or "Hyderomastgroningem" for a more rockin' yet indescribable sound, or the most recent release, "Tzomvorgha" (which is amazing!) for a more, uh, refined sound.
One thing about "Symphonica" is the presence of female vocals really adds a whole new dimension to the zeuhl, the operatic, and not least (for me) the erotic aspects of their music.

Ruins' chaotic rhythm machine gets a zeuhl makeover on this 1998 release. Drummer Tatsuya Yoshida enlists two sopranos, and the keyboardist from Kenso (bombastic Japanese prog-fusion group) to more fully realize his theatric avant-Magma aspirations. The sound is much more textured than your average Ruins release, and a lot closer to what most people consider 'progressive rock.' This is not to say that you will spin this disc right after Dark Side of the Moon. No, this one is a showstopper, as are just about all of Ruins' CDs. The keyboards are what really give this album a zing -- imagine ELP with guns to their heads (and who hasn't), or Magma with cocaine in their veins. Better yet, save yourself a headache and listen to this band! Pretty amazing.

Japaenese operatic punk mayhem. Insane.