My Immortal Enemy - Akuma
"Those We Leave
Behind" released in 2008 had a good chunk of my life revolving
around a previous relationship I was involved in. The band the album
was from was one out of California Los Angeles in the city of Long
Beach called I Am Ghost. Whom I saw quite a few times spanning 2008
through 2010, during which time the band would break up; reuniting
briefly several years later, to conclude their commence together with
a finale if you will in 2016. But before the reunion would take
place, main frontman and vocalist behind said band Steven Juliano
would go off to form another band named Requiem For The Dead, later
shortening it to Requiem. That band releasing a debut album "Always
And Forever" (2011) and follow-up EP "Memories" (2013)
under the Requiem For The Dead namesake, later releasing a whole
another album titled "The Unexplainable Truth" under the
Requiem name. That band would soon disband as well, having Steven
Juliano go on to form another band this one being a whole another
entity altogether calling themselves My Immortal Enemy.
My Immortal Enemy
would be as said prior, a whole new project and band from Steve
Julaino. This band taking an entire year of time to write and record
what would be their debut album "Akuma". Releasing single's
over the span of several month's thus including "Paradise",
"I, Devil'lyn", "Dangerous", "Atlas",
and "The Laughing Heart". The album would consist of
12-tracks described by the band as "rock anthems", having
been recorded at Indigital Studios, then being mixed and mastered by
Zack Ohren whose other worked included such bands as Machine Head,
All Shall Perish, and Set Your Goals.
So then, how does
this projected band line-up to the likes of Steven Juliano's past
band projects i.e. I Am Ghost, Requiem For The Dead, and Requiem.
Well "Dangerous", as a single was released this past spring
time in April, the teaser then full track fully released and it being
the opener of the album, would be a rather solid choice. Except the
intro of the track is whether just thrown at you, as opposed to
having a "build-up" to it, it is just dropped upon you,
giving you a rush of energy and pulsating tension that makes the
music electric. In short the track is simply put “fast” yet
energetic.
"I, Devil'lyn",
was another one of the single's to be released, it's teaser released
in May with the full track released the next month of June. How it
aligns after opener "Dangerous", is more or less another
powerful punch, with more heaviness to it. Think of I Am Ghost's
"Those We Leave Behind" (2008) crossed with Requiem For The
Dead's "The Death Note of Shipwrecks" slightly.... with a
dash of "Sticks & Stones & Her Lovely Bones" by
Requiem.
Now "Into The
Blue", sounds in similar fashion to that of I Am Ghost's
"Killers Like Candy", but only similar in some aspects.
Instrumentation for one, sounds in a way of one another, because of
the heavy tone in some parts, whilst the vocalization is mellow
throughout. It just recaptures that essence beforehand if you will
sort of. "The Laughing Heart", is another one of those
single's released already it being released back in March; it went on
to showcase an element just as the other single's already mentioned.
Containing a heaviness in tone, where the vocal chords are intense
yet energetic through and through. Steven's vocal work being a lot
like I Am Ghost's timing than his later banded projects.
"Atlas",
follows suit, as it was released in April along the same time frame
as others noted already. Except this one tends to include Steven's
vocal work to be more put together, calming in on the scream antics
more so at times, as other tracks had them as well, except they are
presented more regularly at times. "Paradise", had its
teaser in the mid to late summer, the full release coming in August
with teaser in July. How does this single track hold up to those that
came before it. Well as it turns out, it stands well on its own doing
actually. It brings to mind later I Am Ghost meets Requiem vibes
thoroughly well, in fact it has a circular fashion that makes the
music very familiar yet re-freshening.
All of the tracks
that follow; "Blood On My Hands", for one falls in-between
the likes of newer I Am Ghost as far as sound goes. Think "Don't
Wake Up", vibes and you get an ideal of how it ends up. "Chances
Are", lingers with intensity that calls to the old material of I
Am Ghost, energy galore really, vocal chords fulfilled like no
tomorrow, keeping everything at a high end level, that the song
becomes repeatable. "After The Funeral", leans more into
the Requiem terrain, sounding a lot like their album, capturing that
same source of tone, vocals are more "in your face", with
an assortment of growls and screams, making the track more appealing,
but sound a lot like "Say Hello To The Devil For Me" from
Requiem.
"Shiver",
sounds like it would have came off of Requiem For The Dead's album
"Always And Forever", particularly a track "Kill Or Be
Killed". Coming to the end with "Dearly Departed",
combining the likes of the three previous bands Steven has sung for,
same as what has been said for the most part. That energy and
vocalization is all what this track has embedded within it.
Intensity, mellow passion with lots of melodic tension with fast
paced pressure, it just rings an effort of the trio of his past.
Lasting in on the
finale of the "Akuma" debut album from My Immortal Enemy
comes "Hellos Are Harder Than Goodbyes". The twelfth and
last track to the album, turns out to be one that like the rest, are
a lot like the past working’s in all honesty. Not saying that this
is a bad thing, far from that, it means a remembrance. I Am Ghost was
a part of Steven’s life for a good amount of time. To hear a lot of
that band’s work in a similar way in these other bands is a chuckle
of a good time. Each one may sound a lot alike at times, including My
Immortal Enemy’s material. “Akuma”, as a whole though, is a
stand alone piece of work. It does bring a familiarity to the
listener, not necessarily being an I Am Ghost 2.0 per say but quite
close enough.
My Immortal Enemy
has dealt with some minor change ups since it’s formation, playing
shows included, with releasing it’s array of single’s and this
album to boot, surely the fans of the past creations from Steven
Juliano will welcome this projected band with arms open widely.
Having the single’s as call outs to the past, with the remainder of
the album’s other track offering’s as acceptance of the future,
and where this band could end up next. Let the excitement commence.
