Liste des groupes Cyber Metal Nakaruga Nakaruga

Switzerland has always been home to some fine bands. Among the few worth citing, Celtic Frost or Coroner, or for the matter that interests us The Young Gods.

Nakaruga is a rather young band. Following a few disappointments or just cases of Force Majeure, the band formed in 2008 with the aim of doing something right. Listening to this promo CD, you know that they mean instantly. The band's bio and the whole package are done very much professionally, much more than you'd be expecting from a “teenage” band. These guys mean business and they’ve put everything on their side to obtain it.

The style is industrial metal. I should develop on this because under that federating moniker, there is much to be found and much to be tossed away. Forget the atmospheric kind of bands that put a few riffing combined with fruity loops stolen from the net, forget the oh so grotesque bands that put some electronica in their glam rock. Nakaruga deals with “heavy” industrial metal. The best name that came across my mind when listening to their promo over and over was Strapping Young Lad. Remember this exhibit of furious riffing, inhabited vocals and the subtle touch of electronic instruments? That was the path of SYL’s City and is now Nakaruga’s.

The first three tracks are rather plain. Aggressive vocals combined with great guitars and real drumming with a few hints of electronic here and there. I daresay they’re pretty straightforward and that their main aim, in which it is rather successful, is to move your head and feet to the rhythm and jump just about anywhere. I’ve seen on their Facebook page a few pictures of recently played gigs and if you do too, you’ll just have to admit that these guys are just having a ball performing their songs on stage. Hence, in no way, plain and straightforward would ever mean that you're going to get bored to death. Quite on the contrary. Forget the usual convoluted structures that lead you nowhere and expect that in-your-face kind of feeling.

Still, some variety is often required to make a name for yourself in this ever-growing scene, and it comes in the track “Fear Nothing But Nothingness” which starts off pretty fast to give way to some jazzy post-rock session. The change may be surprising but it’s well thought and combined with the overall aggressive tones. It adds more depths to Nakaruga’s music and I wouldn’t be surprised if the forthcoming record, because I know there'll be one, would explore more these areas.

The last track is rather an outro rather than a full-fledged track. It is fully instrumental and also fully electronic. It’s sour and beautiful at the same time and it very much reminded me of Marilyn Manson’s Cryptorchid on Antichrist Superstar, probably the one and only reason I keep listening to this CD any longer.

5 tracks are never enough when you get the hang of something. You can obviously play it over and over until the songs flow naturally in your head but you still find yourself yearning for more. The possibilities for Nakaruga are vast and I certainly can hope for them to find the best path ahead of them. Their path.