Review Summary: A true survivor of the test of time.
Genre talk here may get convoluted. FACT’s best album is undefined despite the genres it brushes with: it is an anomaly, or abstract painting. The band play to the strengths of post-hardcore, also clutching the summery melodies of pop-punk, while infused with nu-metal, metalcore, and thrash metal guitar work. I’ve already said too much. There’s even more involved, it’s so very eclectic, while effortlessly sustainable. The album never grows old due to extreme variation and incredible guitar playing. The sound produced is of one body, never janky despite a swirling pool of ideas. It sounds fresh and flows incredibly well.
It’s impossible to give away the magic spell FACT infuse in their music. The nature of their unstable potion explodes in a myriad of colours and possibilities and will undoubtedly be a new, and very different potion for any listener. It’s a goldmine, an album that would be the best album of any band, but more special with ear-candy vocals. Their singer has the perfect mix of punk and pop in his voice; though there’s a generous spreading of auto-tune on top of anthemic melodies, it combines beautifully with his smooth voice. The singing is stunning, something I don’t usually say about pop-punk - no offence.
FACT don’t steal ideas, they recycle and create something usable and nifty. Their often metallic gusto is convincing with dynamic skills, and surprisingly harsh vocals included - sometimes fairly randomly. Saying the album is crazy because it’s Japanese music (with English vocals this time yay) severely downplays the whole concoction; sure they’re crazily unpredictable and switch genres at the speed of light, but the fact that similar bands are too lazy to reach this level reflected more on the state of music at the time. With every brush stroke they paint a vivid, and captivating picture. Despite their audacious ferocity it all sits well, it sounds great, and the choruses envelop you in warmth. The songs are very, very catchy.
I once shrugged off this album assuming it was nostalgia that artificially forced enjoyment, perhaps due to the style of music; I have been previously blinded by feelings, but this is a special case. I still love this album, the vocals sound instantly nostalgic, and the album seems like a forgotten, hidden gem from childhood; it’s the type of music on display, but how they do it makes all the difference. No weak track is found, perhaps a couple less immediate present themselves, but if anything that leads to discovery of nuance. There are many albums that share similarities to FACT’s self-titled album - especially considering the tour de force of music here - but reaching its imposed heights remains a lofty feat for any would-be band.
