A brief history: The Mad Capsule Markets are the biggest selling Japanese metal/alternative band ever. However, it's fair to say that outside of Japan, the rest of the world never really caught on to it. This, their eleventh, yes eleventh album, but their third (as far as the U.S and U.K are concerned) sadly doesn't quite hit the mark. Now, their last two albums both were masterpieces. 'OSC-DIS' or 'Oscillator in Distortion' was an awesome fiery, snotty punk fuelled pop album that beautifully created the mix of their perfected sound. Just listen to its opening track 'Tribe' on some huge bass-y speakers and try and convince yourself it's not amazing, - it's a hard task. Then the follow up '010' was a more mature sound from the Japanese noiseniks still keeping some of the poppy conventions from their previous album but an awesome, well accomplished album, perfectly finding the balance between pop, techno, punk and metal.
So maybe, just maybe it was where to go next that faults 'Cistm Konfliqt'. Its starts well enough with a seven second introduction called '-start ID-" which really is an ID signing in, leading to 'Retalk" which is an absolutely awesome track, and could easily be placed along the last two albums finest moments. This only proves that The Mad Capsule Markets have an undying talent in making fantastic introductions to albums like 'Tribe' and 'Introduction 010/Come' regardless of what the rest of the album is like. Sadly this really is the best track you will find on this album, it seems the stereotypical Japanese pop that they like to incorporate in most of their biggest selling music, (and why not, they can) and there's little to shout about this time. Lead single 'SCARY' is, in all honesty, ***e. From the moment the vocals start you are just driven insane, this is just not funny. However, read the lyrics, and make it to the impressive outro, and you find that this was possibly a really good track desperately trying to get out of, what seems like an uninspired sound from a band, who considering their longevity shouldn't be doing this now. Follow up single and track 'W.O.R.L.D' isn't great, but it proves as a far better track than the other single, and feels a bit more comprehensive it in its mix of simple, easy to digest, melodies and riffs complemented by awesome samples and drum beats that the band
have perfected in their history.
There are still plenty of interesting things going on with the record. 'CRACKER!!!' proving as a well refined industrial metal/drum 'n' bass spliced mix that you can expect the band to do throughout their career. Also 'Let it Rip' and 'CiSTm K0nFLiqT' Prove as interesting tracks, and all in all because of the mix of good and bad tracks, this is a listenable album, but its not consistent enough, there are too many bad songs for a band who on their last two albums achieved absolute mesmerizing heights in their style of music. So in the end, it's definitely worth listening to The Mad Capsule Markets, if you haven't heard much of them, where have you been? 'OSC DIS' and '010' where two of the best albums written in the 21st century, but both if you are a newcomer or a veteran, this album probably isn't the safest bet to rely your opinion on. Mind, its nice hearing the live versions of 'Pulse' and 'Island" at the end.
Adam Turner-Heffer
