Mad Capsule Markets: Cistm Konfliqt
Considering the fact that they are huge in their native Japan with more than nine albums in their back catalogue and have a deranged, upbeat sound that quite frankly has to be heard to believed, the Mad Capsule Markets have so far not managed to break into the UK music industry. So what exactly does their latest LP sound like? Good question. Imagine the electronic bleeps and squeals of recent Primal Scream, Prodigy dance beats and the unashamedly joyous riot of the likes of Less Than Jake backed up by a solid wall of distorted guitars and samples and you’re halfway there. In short, the Mad Capsule Markets combine punk, metal, funk and electronica in an utterly unique way.
Following a short intro, RETALK is a full-on screaming anthem with spot-on drumming and a heavily distorted riff that any heavy metal band would be proud of. Bomb Idea and Scary - Delete streamin’ freq. from the fear side are both high tech punk rock singalongs, but are perfect examples of what makes the MCMs so special: in the middle of all the chaotic, distorted noise are foot-tapping melodies that stick in your head like superglue. W.O.R.L.D. is a spectacular single that could easily cling to a spot in the nationwide top 20 but the nearest this album has to average filler is GRIM MONSTER, which still headbangs with the best of them.
LOUD UP!!, Cracker!!! (the title is untranslated on the sleevenotes) and Happy Ride all have titles that are pretty much self-explanatory, but it’s Sunny Beach Rd. and She loves it - Explore the new day that provide the biggest surprises. The former conjurs up memories of Beach Boys songs of all things and could be the best Japanese summer tune in living memory; the latter is a moment of (relative) calm contemplation, where the distortion is turned down a little and some genuine sentiment emerges.
They scream and shout and make no profound or political statements, but CySTm KOnfLiqT is all about deceptively infectious tunes performed with gusto and at a painfully high volume. It doesn’t quite match the superb OSC-DIS album (live versions of [pulse] and Island, the bonus tracks, hammer this point home) but right now there isn’t a band around who match the MCMs in energy, originality and, well, madness.
In Summary
Quite how Japan have kept this band a relative secret up until now is a mystery: the unlikely mixture of all-out heaviness and pop melodies ought to make CiSTm KOnfLiqT one of the most popular rock albums around. The MCMs are your new favourite band: you just don’t know it yet.
Tracklisting
- -start ID-
- RETALK
- Bomb Idea
- SCARY - Delete streamin’ freq. from fear side-
- W.O.R.L.D.
- Cracker-!!! [untranslated]
- Sunny Beach Rd.
- GRIM MONSTER
- LOUD UP!!
- She loves it-Explore the new day
- LET IT RIP-Download from JOUJOUKA
- HAPPY RIDE
- CiSTm KOnFLiqT…
- [PULSE] -Live-
- Island -Live-
- Video: W.O.R.L.D.
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