Zennou Naru Musuu No Me Wa Shi O Yubisasu - Balzac

Balzac's unpronounceable fourth album is a satisfyingly more bad-ass affair than their previous works, with most songs taking on a heavier and more aggressive, almost hardcore punk tone that's no longer so reminiscent of the Misfits, or is at least confined to the other band's 'Earth A.D.' period, without being as good. There are still some minor examples of studio trickery such as film samples and a strange lapse into a piano rendition of what sounds like Xavier Cugat's 'Brazil' at the conclusion of the title track, but for the most part this is straight-up punk rock with less focus on gimmicks and more on the intensity of the performance. Unfortunately, the material ...