THE BEAST

Shinagawalove - Opium (EP) - Reviewed By zwaremetalen ! Check it out here at this link: https://zwaremetalen.com/albumrecensies/shinagawalove-opium

Shinagawalove is a band originally from Kiev, Ukraine, but now operating from the Czech Republic for a while now. It is a one-man band whose music is based on black metal. But in a completely unique way, other influences are added, such as elements from the core, punk and post worlds. Also a very original band name in itself, where the inspiration for this came from is a mystery to me. It is still a young band because besides a debut album, Vortex , which saw the light of day sometime this year, I can only find a single and a collaboration with Morphed Morphed next to this EP, Opium . There are five songs on this EP. The latter, Boys Don't Cry , may well be a cover of The Cure, who knows. We'll hear about it.

A very lonely guitar strum is the first achievement of this Shinagawalove . A meandering but also sad sounding guitar part gets the support of a knotting bass after a few moments. The drum comes out of a box and sounds cold, icy. It does not miss its target. And before you know it, the intro, I Was Never There, is over .

Opium , the title track, introduces you for the first time to the very tormented, high-pitched screams of this Shinagawalove . Quite corrosive and painful. Of course it's just the intention. Very surprising is the clean vocal part that then takes over. The whole thing reminds me a bit of the old records of Lifelover and friends. Cheerful notes are therefore not conjured from the instruments. However, it can affect me. Perhaps also because, in addition to the classical instruments, an accordion seems to pass by. The combination of the fundamental tones of this instrument with the mournful themes works wonderfully. And Boys Don't Cry ? That indeed seems like a punk/black metal-like cover of the eponymous The Curenumber or I have become East Indian deaf in the meantime.

You can consider this Opium  as a captivating EP. Shinagawalove hits the right sensitive rather depressive black metal chord. A band to follow in this subgenre. As so often, I do advise to have the drum played by a living being, that just gives some different dynamics. It would only benefit the music.

Release Date: May 25, 2023

Genre Description: Post Black Metal with elements of punk, post-punk, dsbm (vocals)

(FFO: Psychonaut 4, Morgenrothe, Vitrail)

Location: ex - Ukraine, now - Czech Republic

Short Bio: Shinagawalove was born as a one-man black metal project that was born in the city of Kyiv in 2022. Over time, he has evolved his style to incorporate a variety of black metal subgenres, post-punk, and elements of core. His music is characterized by emotional extreme vocals, contrasting drums, catchy melodies and existential themes with a hint of mania and despair.

Check them out on YouTube!

Follow the band at these links:

https://www.instagram.com/shinagawalove
https://open.spotify.com/artist/04aZ4dvDWfp6M3JCFyhmCR
https://music.apple.com/us/artist/shinagawalove/1667966886
https://shinagawalove.bandcamp.com/music