Rockamenco - PASION

Although the common thought in Europe about Japanese music is that it's only made of pop, rock or metal, this is far from the truth. Avex gives us proof with the unique band Rockamenco, which uses a delicate mix of flamenco and rock. So let yourself be taken away by PASION: set sail under the sun of the warm rhythms of this musical style and discover some unique and exotic music.

As soon as you hear the first notes of the CD, you'll feel only one urge: to stamp your feet and clap your hands. Indeed, there is no depressing or dark music here, just the desire to give pleasure to the audience and to make them dance. With twirling flamenco and a mix of acoustic guitar, technical skills and electric rhythm, the seven member band shows no sign of fear with this opening number.

The vocalist of this band is KSK Arita. Though it is a little surprising to hear a Japanese man singing in Spanish style, it is simply proof of how musical the Japanese language is and how close it sometimes sounds to Iberian languages. With three skilled guitarists, a bassist and two drummers, Rockamenco doesn't lack in sound. Yet even with such complex musical patterns, the listener doesn't get overwhelmed and instead, finds himself submerged in extremely brilliant compositions.

Morena is proof of this, with its generous solos. No Satisfied is another excellent track, with its blues vibe and notable solo by Ichiro, one of the guitarists of the band, who delivers a pleasant diversity of style. (He also performs in another band, the sons, and has a solo project under his own name.)

The ballads continue on successfully, following more lively tempos. Whatever the speed, PASION ends up reflecting the culture of countries where feasting and dancing are a part of life. It has to be said that besides singing with a typical Iberian accent in Japanese, the singer has a really beautiful voice. With a sometimes hoarse tone of voice, but always in tune, KSK Arita transmits a lot of emotion through his voice. He covers them all, from utmost joy to sweet melancholy, and sings to the rhythm of flamenco guitars. wasabi shows a particularly good performance by KSK Arita, where his voice works wonders with the calm tempo.

The musicians are also very talented, and their numbers do not dilute their technical skills. As the nearly instrumental song Passion proves, seven minutes of totally crazy guitar solo following guitar solo and a cascade of drumming only leave the listener craving for more sound. The album doesn’t have any filler tracks and ends quite strongly with Baila! Baila! and Happy Monday Morning.

In brief, PASION is a great surprise for a band's first album. Rockamenco manages to successfully mix two styles that wouldn't normally work together. Full of great songs and supported by a very talented and charismatic singer, this album must be listened to - on a beach, with a margarita in hand!