ArkRoyal is a band that does things a little differently. Even superficially; the fact that their singer Illumina also plays guitar is quite an anomaly by Japanese rock standards, to the point where I might have thought it actually was illegal to do so for all-female bands – or visual kei bands, for that matter. All kidding aside, there is something uncharacteristically low-key about ArkRoyal that sets them apart from the rest of the scene. Despite there being plenty of instrumental fireworks on their debut album ‘Clymenus’, the quartet from Hokkaido actually manages to make the album sound like a relaxed rock record.

Compositionally, ArkRoyal clearly is a heavy metal band of the more traditional ilk, with the occasional power metal leanings. Mostly due to Illumina’s voice, however, the music has quite a relaxed vibe. She has a wide range and she sounds classically trained, but her timbre has a tranquil, dreamy quality one would sooner expect from an indie band. In addition, drummer Meg-Chan’s creative rhythms barely seek to set the room on fire. That may sound like a complaint, but instead, it serves to give ArkRoyal an identity that is completely their own. And more importantly, one that actually works.

While Illumina and fellow guitarist Ika can play lead guitar like there is no tomorrow, it never gets as flashy as is common in the Japanese rock industry. Even the instrumental ‘Justice of Arrow’ is no mere excuse for virtuosity, choosing to tell a story through melodic themes instead. Not unlike Iron Maiden’s early instrumentals. The rest of the album ranges from the melodic hardrock of the supremely catchy ‘Last Moment’ to the borderline thrash metal of the awesome closing track ‘Kagerō’. Borderline, because despite Meg-Chan’s fairly intense drumming on the track, the production keeps it from becoming decidedly aggressive.

That is my only issue with ‘Clymenus’: the mix doesn’t suit the compositions. It’s fairly dry and modest, which keeps moments like the fairly propulsive ‘Bloom in Hades’ and the awesome triplet riffs of ‘Retriever’ – of which you can just hear that they will make live audiences go crazy – from getting off the ground. Also, I’m not sure if ‘Dystopia’ is the ideal opener for ‘Clymenus’. It is an excellent, surprisingly atmospheric J-rocker and one of the highlights here, but it doesn’t exactly pull the listener into the album. My guess is that they saw it as a moodsetter. But at seven minutes, it is a bit long for that.

Besides that, ‘Clymenus’ is an impressive debut album by a promising band that really does something different than other bands in their scene. They have enough skill to keep the attentive listener engaged, but at the same time, ArkRoyal’s music is pleasant enough for casual listeners who just wants a couple of well-written songs to fit their mood. While I do think the more direct production style of last year’s ‘Vengeance’ EP would have fit this material better – some of these songs don’t quite grab the attention they deserve – there is enough promise here to keep me interested in ArkRoyal’s future.

Recommended tracks: ‘Kagerō’, ‘Retriever’, ‘Dystopia’, ‘Last Moment’

Order ‘Clymenus’ from nearly anywhere in the world at CD Japan below

Clymenus

ArkRoyal