the studs - Ano oto

For the second release of their three-release campaign for October, the studs released Ano oto on the eighth of October. The single follows Creepy Crawly and precedes Tobari.

The single, with only one studio track and three lives, opens with the title track Ano Oto. The song opens with a very simple drum rhythm and continues along at a slow pace in every part of the instrumentation. The vocals are nice, but otherwise uninspiring. The build up in the chorus is shy of being intense, and is only a ripple on a calm track. Nearing the halfway point, Daisuke belts out some drama that proves a little dynamic a little too late, and when the vocals return again after the halfway point, they are nothing more than cacophonous shouting with an absence of technique. The song ends without a bang, and it leaves one wanting more - but not more of this track.

The three live tracks supplementing the disc are only mediocre at best, and are just as dull and plain as the opening song. All three feature slow, predictable instrumentation, with only tonight is the night showing a bit of Daisuke's potential. The other two, false the skin and Nageku akairo, are tracks that have no highs and lows, only a comfortably played, simple and boring middle-ground.

This single from the studs is a large disappointment, and doesn't even touch on the potential of a band that, just a year ago, released a refreshing, loud and energetic mini-album. Let's hope for something better in the coming months.