Album Review: Anthem's Nucleus

We’re nearing our first stop fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

June has been a fun little month. We’ve seen Anthem’s start in the 80s, a glimpse into their brief time in the 90s, and saw their return at the dawn of the new millennium. Today’s review concludes this portion of our trip in Japan, and it harkens back to the relatively recent year of 2019. By the time of that year, Anthem released classic after classic, but that elusive U.S./European market still seemed just out of their grasp. That all ended with the subject of today’s review! So sit back, relax, and enjoy my review of Nucleus. Let’s begin!

Background
From 2000 & onward, Anthem were back with a vengeance. Seven Hillis, Black Empire, and Engraved were just a few of the musical colossi they unleashed in the land of the rising sun, but their presence in the United States & Europe was still within the realm of cult territory. However, fate in the realm of Heavy Metal can be quirky & strange, and the band got the biggest opportunity to finally gain a significant foothold in those territories after they signed up with Nuclear Blast Records. After acquiring the services of Swedish producer and engineer Jens Bogren (Longtime Anthem producer Chris Tsangarides died a year prior), Anthem got to work cranking out a hell of a statement by the name of Nucleus. Released on March the 29th, 2019, the album was seen as something of a success for the group, as it also helped them get into the 2019 Keep It True Festival. The crowd for them was largely unfamiliar with their work, but they would ultimately steal the show!

Basic Description
Heavy Metal Anthem 2.0.

If the previously mention release was a vision into the past, then Nucleus is a look into Anthem’s present. Well, more accurately it’s a look at material from 2001 to the late 2010s. However, much like HMA, there’s improved instrumentation & production, and you also have the entire album sung completely in English. Granted, Anthem didn’t call upon the services of Graham Bonnet this time around, but Yukio Morikawa’s grasp of the English language is surprising & impressive! I do have one huge gripe with Nucleus (More on that below), but it in no way ruins how good this release is for me.

Best Track
I was kinda surprised when the revised version of Venom Strike came on. I was so used to the original, that when this edition was playing, I found it just as good as the Domestic Booty release! It was shocking to hear it completely in English, but it was very welcome since I could finally understand it all. Not only that, but the highly improved instrumentation & production value give this new release some much needed de-ageing, even though the original kicks all kinds of ass!

Venom Strike

Worst Track
Nucleus suffers the exact same problem that Heavy Metal Anthem did. Mainly, I’ve heard all of these songs before on prior albums. Granted, these are tracks from their return after 2000, but I’ve listened to them before. Perhaps the single biggest problem Nucleus suffers from is that there’s no older songs on this album (Apart from the one I mentioned above), and that’ll serious dampen the enjoyment factor for older fans. This certainly feels like a release that caters heavily towards people (Particularly those in the U.S. & Europe), and while those in Japan will definitely enjoy it, the more old-school fans will probably not like it as much. I can understand why Anthem didn’t cover old songs, since they already did that with Heavy Metal Anthem nearly 20 years prior. Teaming up with Swedish producer & engineer Jens Bogren, you can tell that a more modern direction was needed to push the band into the newer markets they were going into.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

Nucleus

Overall Impression & Rating
Nucleus, much like Heavy Metal Anthem from 2000, is a damn good collection of tracks, and acts as an anchor into a market that has eluded the band for decades. Granted, there is the big dent in the armor in the form of a lack of pre-new millennium tracks, but this release isn’t trying to conjure up the past. Nucleus is an album that is showing the world who Anthem are, and that they’re ready for new fans to come into the fold. If you can get past the lack of 80s & 90s songs, then you might dig this energetic compilation.

Nucleus gets a 7 to 7.5 out of 10.

And so, the first part of our tour of Japan is done. Anthem has been an absolute treat to listen to, but they’re not the only legends from the land of the rising sun to kick ass. So join me in July, for I’ll look at a band that managed to gain a surprising foothold here in the United States. See you all very soon!

Album Review: Anthem's Heavy Metal Anthem

Kon'nichiwa fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Well, we’re back on the Anthem portion of our trip through Japan. We’ve seen their beginning in the 80s, and one of only 2 releases in the 90s. Today, we’re coming to the year 2000. The year that Anthem would return, and what a return it is! Not only that, but a very special guest would come along for the ride, and prove that he still had the skills behind the microphone. So, let’s sit down for a nice bowl of ramen, say a prayer of thanks, and enjoy my review for Heavy Metal Anthem. Let’s begin!

Background
With the release of Domestic Booty, Anthem’s tour venues kept getting smaller & smaller, until the point where it just wasn’t worth it anymore, and the gas in their tank finally ran dry. Feeling the strain, the band finally called it quits, and went their separate ways throughout the rest of the 90s. Then the dawn of the new millennium came by, and the weirdest thing took place. Naoto Shibata was in a restaurant one night, apparently quite shitfaced, but he just so happened to be sitting opposite from iconic Japanese Metal producer Hisatake Yamasa. Mr. Yamasa said to Naoto that he’d be up for doing another Anthem album, but only if the legendary yet obscure Graham Bonnet would sing on the album....and that’s exactly what happened!

Basic Description
Black from the Past

Though I do have one rather big issue with the album (More on that below), I find that the music on Heavy Metal Anthem is quite welcome. The songs on here are a variety of tracks from all throughout Anthem’s past, though a little bit more in the Yukio Morikawa side of the band. The production is a big step up from their time in the 80s to early 90s, as things come across more crisp and clean than before, the instrumentation feels more polished, and Graham’s singing is particularly refreshing since you can finally understand the lyrics. It’s not a precise translation however, as Graham Bonnet said in some interviews that he did take some liberties, but it’s still neat!

Best Track
Though I would have loved to have hear Graham belt out Voice of Thunderstorm, he still manages to sing his ass off another No Smoke Without Fire classic, Hungry Soul. The instrumentation & production are certainly an improvement in the 8 years since the track’s original, and it’s interesting to hear Graham Bonnet sing a complete English version of this song. Mr. Bonnet hadn’t lost his vocal talent since his Alcatrazz days & his ventures afterwards, and on here he’s king.

Hungry Soul

Worst Track
Heavy Metal Anthem was a pretty strong return for Anthem. It proves that they weren’t rusty in any way, and Graham Bonnet still knows how to belt out a tune. The album’s only fault isn’t with the music per se, but more to do with the fact that I heard these songs before. Yes, there’s improved instrumentation & production, and there is English-language vocals, but all of the songs on here have been on other albums before it. This will be an issue with the last album I’m looking at towards the end of the month......but I’ll get to that when the time comes.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

Heavy Metal Anthem

Overall Impression & Rating
Heavy Metal Anthem is proof positive that Anthem were back! Sure, the music they did here have been on other records before hand, but that doesn’t mean the quality is bad. This release was a message to the Japanese people that the band never truly died, and they’re still ready to kick all kinds of ass. If you like the band’s older material, but improved & with English vocals, then Heavy Metal Anthem might be what you’re looking for.

Heavy Metal Anthem gets a 7.5 out of 10.

And that was Heavy Metal Anthem. The first release from Anthem in the new millennium, the back would go on to have a wondering resurgence in Japan, release a horde of new classic albums. Well, we’re about to start on the next leg of our tour, so join me in a few days when we’ll take a look at what is the anchor that finally landed the band here in the U.S. & the rest of the western world. See you soon!

Album Review: Type-O Negative's Slow, Deep, and Hard

Happy Birthday Slow, Deep, and Hard!

Okay, I’m off by just a few short days. My apologies. However, I’m sure as hell not going to miss the chance to celebrate the beginning of the career of one of my favorite bands! Type-O Negative have a storied history in the world of Heavy Metal, and one that thankfully hasn’t been forgotten even over 11 years after the passing of legendary frontman Pete Steele. The subject of today’s celebration just so happens to be the slightly late 30th anniversary of Type-O’s first ever release, and I don’t have to say the name again since I said it above. So let’s cut the cake & celebrate!

Background
When Carnivore split up soon after their second release, Pete Steele was already spinning his creative wheels in regards towards his next musical venture. Feeling that he needed different people to explore this new avenue, he called upon the services of Kenny Hickey (Guitars, backing vocals, and a prior bandmate from an older venture), Josh Silver (Keyboards, backing vocals, samples), and Sal Abruscato (Drums). After assembling this crew, a name was needed. At first, it was Repulsion, but that bottomed out because there already was a Repulsion. Then they changed it to Subzero, but there was also a Subzero already out there. After taking a bit for the name, it was decided that it would be Type-O Negative after spotting a blood donation ad in the newspaper. Pete got the guys, and then got the name.

With everything solidified, the boys went into Systems Two in Brooklyn, 1989, and recorded the beginning of their infamous career. Originally titled None More Negative, it would originally be released in 1990 under the group's former name Repulsion, but ultimately come one on June the 11th a year later under their new name to much fan-fare. According to Hickey, Peter based the main rift of Gravitational Constant: G = 6.67 × 10-8 cm-3 gm-1 sec-2 (Yes, that’s a song name) off of the theme song to The Munsters, and in 2009 Roadrunner Records put out a remastered version on March 24, 2009.

Basic Description
Raw, hard, and fun.

Now, I should point out that this isn’t a full-blown Gothic Metal album. Hell, a lot of the band’s patented gothic tones isn’t here necessarily. Slow, Deep, and Hard comes across more like Carnivore-grade punk, but with a metallic edge that still brutally cuts. Much like the equally iconic Motorhead release Overkill, this release is just as good among the fans of Punk as it is among the fans of Heavy Metal. I do think this is a flaw, but I’ll save that for later. I will say that this is an absolute headbanger of a record for the most part, but leaves room for some oddly sophisticated musicianship, and expands Pete Steel’s musical skill most definitely.  

Best Track
Xero Tolerance is a perfect example of the dark & dry humor that Pete Steele was known for throughout his life. Basically, the Green Man is singing about wanting to kill his girlfriend who happens to be cheating on him, while also speaking about the “little green monster” egging him on to commit this violent act. Instrumentally, it goes between raw punk and gothic, and the transition between the two is practically seamless. Vocally, Pete is violent, furious, and oddly light-hearted when he gets to the more comedic portions. It’s a weird little track that’s hard to explain, so click on the link below to give it a listen!

Xero Tolerance

Worst Track
I find that the album’s only fault lies with it’s identity. Much like Life Is Killing Me, I’m not sure what Slow, Deep, and Hard wants to be. However, LIKM’s identity issue comes with it’s tone, while the identity issue with this album comes from it’s style. At times this record comes across like a 3rd Carnivore release that’s more sophisticated than what came before, and other times it feels like a sloppy Type-O Negative album. It’s this bipolar nature that can make this record a little confusing to watch, as it sometimes shifts between these two personalities seemingly at random.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, click on the link below:

Slow, Deep, and Hard

Overall Impression & Rating
Slow, Deep, and Hard was the album that set Type-O Negative on the path to success. It may not have a solid identity, but it does have solid craftsmanship & talent behind it. Pete Steel already proved that he was a creative force with Carnivore, but it’s on this album that showed he was capable of much more. If you want to see an example of how Heavy Metal didn’t “Die” in the 90s, and you want a nice mashing of Metal & Punk, then this is definitely for you.

Slow, Deep, and Hard gets an 8 out of 10.

And that was my review for Slow, Deep, and Hard. Again, I feel a little bad for being slightly late with this review, but I hope you didn’t mind. Anyways, we got a little more traveling in Japan to do, so see me next week when I’ll be reviewing Anthem first release of the new millennium. Until then, take life nice & slow.

Anime Review: Yu Yu Hakusho (Season 3)

We can stop here for a break fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

I’ve definitely been having fun looking at Anthem so far, and I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about them! However, I’m putting on the breaks for a bit to catch my breath, and I think an anime review is in order. I took a look at Season 2 of Yu Yu Hakusho earlier this year (In February to be specific), so I figured that it was time to give Season 3 a look at. Will it be just as action packed as before? Will it have just as good a cast as before? Will the story be just as good as before? Well, let’s find out!

Story/Setup
Taken from the box:

“From cutting classes to brawling in the streets, Yusuke Urameshi is not your typical role model. In fact, this kid's nothing more than a fourteen-year-old delinquent with a talent for trouble. But in a single selfless act Yusuke dies while saving another. For such noble sacrifice he is given a second chance at life, but it's to be a life far different than the one left behind. Now a Spirit Detective, the young man must track down demons and humans alike who desire to rule over the three realms of reality. The Dark Tournament has come down to a final grudge match and Yusuke's full wrath is unleashed as a friend's blood stains the arena floor. But there will be no time for rest or recovery as kidnapping follows victory and further intrigue threatens the boundary between worlds. A tunnel is being carved, one which completed will lay waste to the World of the Living. There are seven who seek an age of destruction and chaos, and hero must battle fallen hero. ”

I’m just going to cut to the chase: I am not a fan of Season 3's story. At the very beginning, it feels like it’s going to go along with the tone & feel of Season 1 & 2, and at certain points afterwards it does come across like that. However, this 3rd outing goes in an exceptionally grey direction, and not the kind of grey I like! This is the kind of grey that’s dark, bleak, cynical, and offers such little hope that there really isn’t any to begin with. On top of that, it does the whole “Mankind is bad so they must be eradicated” deal that I find to be so cliched & insulting to my intelligence. These things aren’t bad per se if they’re written well, but I sat there constantly screaming into a pillow as the main bad guy went on & on. I think another reason that I couldn’t stand this was that we got a sliver of this from one of the main villains in Season 1, but at least in that circumstance it was only in a scene or two. On top of that, this bleak-brand of greyness also pours over onto the new characters, but I’ll get to that in a little bit. This is all so frustrating, because when something happens that I like, I like it! I’ve never encountered a story in all my years of running this blog that leaves me so conflicted & infuriated.....and I’m not sure I ever will again.

Animation
(See review of season 1 for details)

Voice Acting
Like Season 1 & 2, the voice acting in Season 3 hasn’t changed all that much in terms of quality. The host of new characters certainly adds variety to the voice cast, but the rule of the last 2 seasons still applies: characters don’t sound good at first, but get better over time.

Characters
Like I said above, the story made my blood boil, but the characters......sweet Jesus the characters! Not with the main cast, mind you. The cast we’ve known since season 1 are still fantastic, and they grow & evolve in some incredible ways. There are also a tiny few new characters that are introduced that are certainly likable, and all but one managed to stay until the end (Spoiler: one of these characters were killed semi-off screen). However.........HOWEVER!.......the rest of the cast that is introduced makes my blood boil. Like I said when I talked about the story, everything is exceptionally dark, bleak, grey, and cynical, and the other characters introduced can’t avoid this. I will give the main bad guy credit in one regard: he knew exactly what he was doing. He knew what his plan was, and he knew exactly how to target his minions & convert them to his side. But, like I said earlier, things are so cynical that said minions ultimately don’t matter in the end, as they were really just meant to make Yusuke & the gang squirm. To see if they were “Willing to go all the way” in their mission to stop him. I hate characters like this if they’re written poorly, and in my personal belief I think they are here.

Availability & Pricing
As with Seasons 1 & 2, you can find Season 3 in a bunch of stores & websites. Best Buy, FYE, and Amazon all have it for roughly the same price ($19.99 to $27.99), but like I said when I reviewed season 2 (Which you can read here), I got my copy at Katsucon 2020 along with 2 & 4.

Overall Impression & Rating
Yu Yu Hakusho: Season 3 is absolutely frustrating for me. When I hate it, it hate it! The story and some of the characters get way too grey & cynical, and not even the kind where I think it’s clever & doesn’t think the viewer is an idiot. The fact that said greyness & cynicism comprises a majority of this season adds to my frustration. Yet, when I love this season....I love it! The fight scenes are damn good, and a small few of the new characters that are added I kinda like. On top of that, when things feel like the first two seasons I seem to be more entertained & it keeps my attention. I don’t know....Season 3 has me conflicted. It’s not the worst I’ve watched from this series, but the things that bug me prevent me from liking it as much as Season 1 & 2.  

Yu Yu Hakusho: Season 3 gets a 5 out of 10 at it’s worst, but an 8 out of 10 at it’s best.

And that’s my review for Season 3 of Yu Yu Hakusho. I don’t know when I’ll get to Season 4, as I want to take a break from this series on account of my feelings towards what was going on here. However, we got a bit more to see during the Summer in Japan, so stay tuned!

Album Review: Anthem's No Smoke Without Fire

Anthem rings out once again fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

We began our metallic trip through Japan with the group’s first release, aptly titled Anthem. From there, they dominated the Japanese mainland throughout the 1980s, and even had a brief amount of time in the states. However, as that decade went on, the band became worn out with the constant touring & album release, and new band members would come in as others left. Despite this constant flux, the dawn of the 90s saw what may very well be one of their most classic records ever made. So, be sure that the air you’re breathing is clean, get on some heat protection, and enjoy my review for No Smoke Without Fire. Let’s begin!

Background
By the time 1990 rolled around for Anthem, the band were exceptionally drained. The mix of constant touring, not to mention the equally constant pressure from the record label to also keep making records, created a lot of tension. So much tension in fact, that Hiroya Fukuda threw his hands up in frustration at the rest of his bandmates and promptly quit the band, though he would promise to stay to finish making what was to come, and what an album to come! Released on March the 21st, 1990, No Smoke Without Fire is an example of a band making at 24-karat diamond under extreme pressure. However, with Hiroya leaving he unintentionally put Anthem in a really rough spot, and so they put out a signal for anybody to join the group. They got their answer in the form of the Japanese equivalent of Yngwie Malmsteen, Hideaki Nakama. Though Nakama didn’t play on No Smoke Without Fire proper, he did provide an instrumental piece on the remastered edition by the name of A.D.D., which is a really stunning piece if you’ve heard it.  

Basic Description
Smoking Hot.

Okay, got a quick story for you. No Smoke Without Fire, at the time of writing this, is the only Anthem album I own physically. In fact, it’s the first release from the band that I have. I originally ordered it towards the end of February this year, but it ultimately didn’t make it towards the end of March due to said order getting cancelled. So, I decided to import the CD itself on the 25th of that month, and the delivery date was the 30th of April to the 20th of May. Color me surprised when it showed up on the 15th of April!

So what about the music itself? Well, No Smoke Without Fire is a damn good release from Anthem! The band was running on nearly empty by the time the 90s came about, but they weren’t completely empty. Everybody still had the talent & skill to create some killer music, and at this point thanks to legendary producer Chris Tsangarides, Anthem got a bit of Judas Priest mixed in with their own material. The end result is a record that’s still distinctively Japanese, but has a bit of European Steel to give it some spice. Pretty cool if you ask me!

Best Track
Voice Of Thunderstorm is just crackling with Japanese electricity! Possibly the fastest song on the album, it doesn’t sacrifice stability as it plays. Takamasa Ohuchi’s drumming is shocking & potent, Naoto Shibata’s basswork gives the song some meat, Hiroya Fukuda’s guitar playing comes out like lightning, and Yukio Morikawa’s 3rd release on vocals for Anthem is easily his best (Though his voice on Domestic Booty isn’t half bad either). Skipping this track should be considered a war crime.....it’s that damn good!

Voice Of Thunderstorm

Worst Track
Nothing. None. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Anthem made an absolutely flawless record in 1990. Production sounds crisp & clean, the instrumentation is on point, and Yukio Morikawa is a wonderful replacement for the equally talented Eizo Sakamoto. Apart from that, the only standard problem across all of these reviews will be locating the damn things on a physical level.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

No Smoke Without Fire

Overall Impression & Rating
No Smoke Without Fire began the potential of what Anthem could do in the 1990s. Despite the band being nearly burned out at the start of the decade, they still had enough gas in the tank to crank out something awesome, and over 30 years later it has aged like the finest wine. Like so much of what came before it (And after), this release would have been quite welcomed here in the United States if Anthem was pushed here. Even if it never got here in a massive capacity, this is one firestorm you might not mind getting burned by!

No Smoke Without Fire gets a 10 out of 10. It deserves every...single...point!

And that was No Smoke Without Fire. Sadly, not long after this the band would put out their final release of the 90s, and for 8 long years the sounds of Anthem would no longer echo in Japan. Luckily, the beginning of the new Millennium would bring back these legends....and an old friend would come along for the ride. So, join me in a week or two when I’ll take a look at the band’s first release of the new age. See you then!

Album Review: Anthem's Anthem

Hello fellow Otaku & Metalheads, and welcome......to the Summer of Japan!

This June marks 5 years since I’ve been doing music festivals here. Thrash Metal, Power Metal, Industrial Metal, Hair Metal, and Power Metal again last year. For 2021, I wanted to travel to a country that I don’t think I’ve covered on my blog before (Outside of the Monster Musume CDs), and the Land of the Rising Sun seemed like a good choice. In addition to exporting stuff like anime & other treats, Japan is also a surprisingly potent hot spot for Heavy Metal, and over the next 3 months I’ll be covering some of the most popular & iconic band to have ever come out of Glorious Nippon. To kick things off, I’ll start our trip to Japan with one of the biggest behemoths of Japanese Metal you’ve likely never heard of before. So, get some Yen for the train, be sure to be respectful to the passengers when you get on, and enjoy my review for Anthem’s.....Anthem. Let’s begin!

Background
Our story begins in Tokyo in the year 1980. A quartet of men would come to form what would be the Japanese equivalent of Judas Priest: singer Toshihito Maeda, guitarist Akifumi Koyanagi, bass player Naoto Shibata (Nicknamed "Ski") and drummer Takamasa Ohuchi (Nicknamed “Mad” due to his drumming style & drinking habits). Koyanagi would actually leave in late 1983, and his replacement would come in the form of guitar god Hiroya Fukuda. In December a year later, Toshihito Maeda would leave as well, and would be replaced by Eizo Sakamoto just in time for the band’s first release. Anthem would be release in July 1985 by Nexus (In Japan) and licensed to Europe by Roadrunner Records, but never released in the United States & the rest of the world (As far as I know).

Basic Description
Badass & Raw.

Anthem’s inaugural release is the ultimate example of pure potential from a new band. The record does have a few issues (More on that below), but everybody in the group show that they got the talent & the skill to be something incredible. Not only that, but they got a no-nonsense attitude that gives them the aura of musicians who shouldn’t be messed with. Sure, the music is about as Engrish as you think it might be, but that’s just a hiccup in what’s otherwise a damn good record. It’s a shame that Anthem has such an obscure cult following here in the United States (And much of the rest of the world by extension), because albums like this would be the catalyst that would turn them into bonafide legends all over! Despite that, Anthem’s first CD rightfully earns it’s place not just in Japanese Music history, but in the illustrious halls of Heavy Metal itself.

Best Track
Blind City is a banger of a song. Perhaps the heaviest thing on the album, everything that’s good about Anthem’s beginnings is here. Guitar & Bass that team up like shinobi, drumming that hits as hard as a truck, and Eizo Sakamoto’s vocals (Despite some issues below) come out like thunder. The pacing is right smack dab in the middle: not too fast, but not too slow. It hits that sweet spot where it doesn’t feel like things are going to fly off the tracks, but at the same time you better get off said tracks before you’re splattered all over the ground. Definitely a song you shouldn’t skip!

Blind City

Worst Track
Nothing! Virtually every song on this album is damn good, and shows off the potential of the fledgling band. However, the album’s only fault, and it’s a rather big one, would be the production quality. To say it’s rough would be putting it mildly: at it’s best it’s still listen-able but it could be better, and at it’s worst.....woof. On top of that, there are in studio screwups in the base tracks that ended up on the final release. However, to crown the issues that plague this release would be Eizo Sakamoto’s vocal work. It’s not the worst that’s out there, and on plenty of the tracks he’s working within the band’s confines, but there are a few songs where it comes across like he’s somewhat straining when hitting the highnotes. Once again he’s not awful, but maybe he needs to not stretch out his vocal cords so much.

About the only other issue with Anthem’s inaugural release isn’t with the music, but with finding the thing. Anthem’s music is difficult to locate outside of Japan, and export costs can make purchasing the thing an expensive proposition. There are some pricings where it doesn’t massively make your wallet bleed, but other times a price listing will make your jaw hit the floor. As sad as this will sound, if you don’t decide to buy this album, then downloading it is a free alternative.

Other
If you’re curious about listening to this album, then click on the link below:

Anthem

Overall Impression & Rating
Anthem isn’t the most perfect beginning record. You got the production quality, the screwups, and Sakamoto trying too hard to hit the higher notes all coming together to cause issues. However, there’s still a great album inside this gunk. Great guitar & bass work, thundering drums, and vocal work that would make an oni shake also come together to create a spark that will burn throughout the decades. It may not be flawless, but there’s something phenomenal here. If you can somehow find this physically, or locate a link to download, then jump on it if you can!

Anthem gets a 7.5 out of 10.

And so ends the first review of the Summer of Japan, and we’re just getting started! Anthem would go on to dominate the Land of the Rising Sun throughout the 1980s, so join me later this week for when we’ll examine a release from their all too brief time in the 90s. See you then!