Andrew Danso

“Vampire Saga” is the third instalment from Japanese power rockers, D. Its backbone is conceptual, based on the journey of a vampire – that’s as vague as it gets and more so if you’re not fluent in Japanese. While we’re awaiting the English dub, it’s reassuring to know that language never gets in front of their sound, as they’re able to pull off a brand of metal littered in industrial rock, pop, and power references accomplished with a huge amount of polish. It all translates with extreme coherence, which retains enough personality of its own, making it accessible to even the most modest rocker.

“Vampire Saga’s” light-cum-manic sound, and daft concept has to be taken as the sum of its parts. Much like eating the ingredients of a stew separate, picking this apart would make little sense, as “Vampire Saga” simply tastes far better in complete combination, rather than its overly zealous, individual elements.

7/10 PowerPlay issue #131