Three songs, forty minutes. Akai Yami was my first introduction to Japan's Birushanah. The band uses two metal percussionists as well as a drummer, a fretless bassist and guitarist. "Jyodo" is a calm and intriguing opener that features traditional Japanese percussion. However, this doesn't last long, and the twenty-minute track, "Akai Yami," begins. Vocals vary greatly during this song. Long-held bellowing notes, mixed with short bursts, are sure to surprise any listener. The eponymous song changes greatly, from traditional Japanese movements to sludge to quicker technical sections. The singing changes into furious shouts, and the pace picks up without warning. The final song "Kairai" continues in the same way "Akai Yami" ends, but it takes the listener on a journey through space as well.
