All Hail:

The Japanese power trio, Ningen Isu (translation: "human chair") is a group of masterful musicians that propel hard rock/heavy metal into new and exciting places. The songs are truly immaculate in their composition and Ningen Isu's delivery is never anything short of progressive perfection. Each piece seems like a complete group effort, there is never any showboating, no one player tries to grab the spotlight, it's all one big tight ball of focused power!

Some band names I could drop to give the uninitiated a reference point would include stellar acts like Black Sabbath, King's X, Baker-Gurvitz Army, Tool, hell...i can even hear a bit of "Black Album"-era Metallica going on here; but there is something that sets Ningen Isu in a class all their own. They harness an original sound that brims with intensity, integrity, intelligence, and quality. Their artwork for their albums is always well done and I love the dark and sometimes haunting undercurrent that runs throughout their record sleeves and their music.

This is their 1999 album entitled Niju Seiki Sou Sou Kyoku (translation: Twentieth Century Funeral March). I don't know about you, but after listening to this amazing album, I'm ready to join that March. Whatever they say...

Highly, highly recommended!