Review Summary: NCIS's sophomore album offers a great collection of songs but doesn't quite live up to its predecessor.
Japanese bands are somewhat infamous for their frequently-bizarre names. From a country that's produced artists like Win A Sheep Free, Green Milk from Planet Orange, Missile Girl Scoot, and Mass of the Fermenting Dregs, Nothing's Carved in Stone sounds like a rather sedate, and certainly more intelligent, name for an indie rock act. Their first album Parallel Lives reflected this, offering musically satisfying and imaginative indie rock that seemed totally divorced from the genre's trends overseas. It's clear that guitarist Shinichi Ubukata, formerly of Ellegarden, wanted to branch out and flex his musical muscles that were obviously heavily constrained under the formula of pop-punk.
But in spite of any prog-rock accouterments, Parallel Lives often felt like pop punk just beneath its surface, offering great melodies and memorable chorus in addition to great musicianship. The result didn't sound much like post-punk, garage rock, or new wave, but rather a great blend of pop rock sensibilities and more adventurous elements. On their sophomore effort Sands Of Time, the band doesn't stray too far from the style of their first record, a slightly poppier overall sounds notwithstanding. Although there aren't as many great songs here as on their debut, it's still a worthy effort worth checking out.
The first two tracks, 'Chaotic Imagination' and 'Cold Reason,' don't quite put the band's best foot forward - the opening songs have plenty of energy but don't feel quite melodic enough to make for a good pop song, and neither heady enough for prog-lite. Although the first two tracks certainly aren't bad songs, they're quickly overshadowed by the title track, which bounces along with a fantastic chorus. Like in the best moments of their debut, Hidekazu Hinata's distorted bass is a major driving force in the song, even getting its own solo before Ubukata's guitar offers some great melodies in the final chorus. Last year's single 'Around The Clock' is another strong track that shows NCIS's grasp of melody at another high point.
'Sunday Morning Escape' is another standout, a slightly darker tune with a great chorus and blazing guitar solo. "Rendaman' is a harder track similar to the first two, but unfortunately even less memorable, while 'Slow Down' is rescued from mediocrity by some interesting drumming. 'The Swim,' first featured as a b-side on their last single, is another outstanding track powered by a fantastic guitar riff. 'Pendulum' seems like a grab at arena rock, but it's a surprisingly successful song on its own merits with a great chorus, and helps to save the album from an otherwise less exciting ending than it deserves in 'Palm.'
Nothing's Carved In Stone clearly have great songwriting talent powered by skilled musicians. Hinata's bass, for example, is far better suited to NCIS than his often aimless and self-indulgent playing with Zazen Boys. Ubukata's guitar has a lot more breathing room than in the confines of pop-punk, and the other members are no slouches, either. Taku Muramatsu in particular deserves credit for his singing: all of the lyrics are English, and easily some of the best for a Japanese rock band. Muramatsu's vocals are clear and easy to understand, particularly in comparison to some other all-English Japanese acts (I'm looking at you, The Band Apart.) NCIS doesn't quite succumb to sophomore slump on Sands of Time, thanks to several strong tracks that are easily among the band's best. If the group can return with a more defined vision and some better hard rock tracks, their third album should be the best yet.
