Album Review - Saturated (In Monochrome) by Cö Shu Nie

Cö Shu Nie has grown to one of the better bands of today, from standout projects like 7 Deadly Guilt or Pure, which featured the awesome single "Asphyxia." Their discography is a modern linchpin for any newcomers looking to explore the J-rock genre. For their latest project, Saturated (In Monochrome), the band takes their well-defined sound and amps the quality to ten, producing a hard-hitting album that's yet near formulaic in its madness and beauty.

Miku Nakamura is one of the best voices in the genre, avoiding the baby-face squeal that usually plagues singers in the genre. Her tone often ranges from adorable to an artist willing to reach a growl appropriate for a rough & rugged rock band. On the flip side, her natural abilities to belt out a lengthy, exasperated note when duty calls have allowed her to stand out among her peers, and throughout this album, she manages to catch both fire and an appropriate balance on when to summon the proverbial growl or scale things back for traditional lighthearted singing.

The project is ten songs, yet somehow does not feel longer than eight tracks, if that makes any sense. Between the energy of songs like "Antiseptic," a hard-hitting track matched with blaring guitars and Nakamura, who sets the appropriate tone, or the anime-intro-appropriate "Noise," there are moments of the album which you may wish could last forever, or those that feel too short to be true. Yet, the vibes never lack the appropriate energy. It's album medicine. 

Overall, through 31 minutes, the madness of this project comes in spurts, with impactful intentions. Yet, its downtime, which Cö Shu Nie are known to produce, is sparingly at best but still present. For those new to the genre, you are certain to find yourself liking a major chunk of this album.