Featured Review #5: XII by 12012

[nullmoon 784]

Artist: 12012 Mini: XII Score: After years of uncertainty, 12012 finally leave their fans a release that shines with confidence.

12012 have been struggling to find their sound for quite some time now. Throughout the years they have had a number of stylistic changes, jumping between gothic hard rock tunes and gentle pop melodies before settling on dark chugfests. It’s ‘Deicida of Silence’ and ‘The Swan’ which grabbed my attention, with new guitarist Saitou embellishing the band’s sound with the technical skill missing from their lacklustre self-titled album. With the announcement of their final EP before an indefinite hiatus, I was expecting 12012 to leave with the same deafening roar they displayed with their latter EPs. On the contrary, ’XII’ signals another sonic change for the band. Rather than creating more confusion for fans, 12012 seem to have found their identity.

What hits you about ‘vicious of absolution’ is how calm it sounds in comparison to ‘The Swan’. The downtuned riffs and thunderous drums have been given less precedence, instead running in tandem with audible basslines and gentle piano tones. Although lacking in sheer volume, the opening track is a brilliant showcase of Wataru’s vocal skill. The poor engrish and harsh vocals that hampered previous releases are gone, leaving us with a strong and emotive voice which has been missing since ‘Seven’. Although a quiet track, the intricate bassline, tinkling piano, and complex drumming in the background perfectly complement Wataru’s voice, creating a dark and despondent atmosphere fitting for the band’s potential final release. Devoid of chugging, screaming, or deafening blast beats, the song sets the tone for the majority of the EP.

‘story of a different dimension’ leads into more familiar territory, sounding like an experiment between ‘Diamond’ and ‘The Swan’; catchy and instrumentally balanced, yet dark and with a killer riff you’ll be humming for days. Again, Wataru’s vocals are impressive here, perfectly matching the energy of the song without going overboard. The chorus in particular highlights this, as well as the foregrounding of the bass guitar on ‘XII’, which allows the whole EP to sound more atmospheric than previous efforts. Saitou’s guitar work is also given a larger role in this song, infusing it with some much needed energy after the previous solemn affair. Due to its catchiness, infectious rhythm section, and frenetic opening riff, this is easily the strongest song on the EP and one which best shows the band’s newfound confidence.

This leads into ‘the red’, which is reminiscent of 12012’s latter EP. The sludgy guitar is back along with the guttural growling and desperate shrieking. Although out of place compared to the rest of the EP, the song is a perfect fusion of their pop and death metal sounds, with clean vocals and melodic instrumentation placed in parallel next to their binary opposites. Although the weakest song on ‘XII’, it displays a successful amalgamation of 12012’s previous sounds. Although this fusion is explored in every track on the EP to some degree, it’s this song which makes it the most apparent due to the ever-changing musical atmosphere.

In sharp contrast to this, ‘alone’ is taken straight out of 12012’s poppier back catalogue, making it a less challenging track. From the guitar tones to Wataru’s softer crooning, the song could have easily been slotted into ‘Mar Maroon’. Initially I couldn’t bear it; the mildness of the track detracting so much from what I was now used to from the band. However, repeat listens revealed the track to be one of the most musically balanced, with each member being easily audible. Due to this, the song is fuller than ‘the red’ in terms of its sound and allows each member to stand out in their own way. Not only does this make the song pleasant to listen to, but it also helps to convey the sound of ‘XII’ through its rich instrumentation. Complemented by basic guitar chords and beautiful piano, this song shows how 12012 can write a good pop song without deviating from the gloomy theme of the EP.

This skillful mix of genres is also apparent with the EP’s closer, ‘aqua’. The longest track on ‘XII’, this song starts with a simple electronic backing tune and piano. Once again, Wataru’s vocals take centre-stage here alongside a sombre bassline. It takes a while for the song to gain pace but as soon as the drums kick in, ‘aqua’ is given real weight. Matched perfectly by the louder, more insistent vocals, a true sense of closure is given to the EP. Wataru’s plaintive cries also convey the sadness behind the band’s hiatus which makes the song much more emotive. Sadly, this climax is followed by a clumsy guitar solo which sounds like a collection of odd notes thrown together. Unlike the bass solo preceding it some minutes before, it doesn’t seem to match the key of the song and stands out in the wrong way. The song’s length is also a drawback, weakening the effect of ‘aqua’’s impact through its meandering middle section. In spite of this, ‘aqua’ is an emotional piece and a fine way of ending ‘XII’.

I was disappointed with this EP at first. I hated that the band had changed their sound despite creating something unique with ‘Deicida of Silence’ and ‘The Swan’, flippantly disposing a genre that suited them well. Despite its lack of initial impact, I found myself listening to this EP over and over again, realising each track was as infectious as the last. As a result, ‘XII’ isn’t a step backwards at all, but a display of maturity caused by a fusion of everything that makes the band great. The EP is heavy but in a different way; with nothing used to excess. Every track demonstrates each member’s technical skill with darker, heavier material, but also an awareness of the fans and what they’ve wanted since ‘Seven’ or even ‘Play Dolls’. Due to this, they leave the scene with their most memorable release to date, covering all past soundscapes in a fusion that is a pleasure to listen to. If they ever come back - and I truly hope they do - this is the 12012 I want to listen to. This is 12012 at their finest.