TAKAYOSHI OHMURA – Devils In The Dark (2013)

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TAKAYOSHI OHMURA is perhaps the most talented guitar hero coming out of Japan since Akira Takasaki (Loudness). At least for this humble reviewer after listening his awesome CD as solo artist entitled “Devils In The Dark”.

Ohmura, 30 years – and male in case of doubt if you see one of his androgyny pics on the www – is a graduated musician from the prestigious Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT) in 2002 and since then does not stop to work in the Asian music business. As session musician with several rock&pop artists (the big-in-Japan act Liv Moon to name one) and with international renowned musicians such as Vitalij Kuprij, Richie Kotzen, Mark Boals and Doogie White.
Precisely, for “Devils In The Dark” he has called top class vocalists to sing his rocking tunes: Russell Allen (Allen/Lande), Titta Tani (ex-DGM, Phoenix Rising, Ashent), Cris Powers (Razer) and Doogie White, while in the instrumentation we have Marty Friedman, monstrous 8-string guitar player Francesco Fareri and drummer Louis Sesto (Soul Doctor, Blindman) alongside other Japanese talents.
“Devils In The Dark” is a polished, bright sounding classic Hard Rock album featuring, of course a killer six-string work, but also terrific vocal performances, strong musicianship and… very good songs!

Ohmura is a clean, super-fast guitar slinger, but never, never in this recording shreds out of place. In fact, his exquisite legato-built solos are short and to fit the songs, all around the four minute mark. Some cuts are really Melodic Hard Rock oriented with massive keyboard presence, and the varied vocal contributions help as well to balance the album from its harder moments.
The enormous “Never Surrender” opens the disc with stabbing keyboards which never disappear during the song, then a mammoth rhythm section enters together with the sharp guitar riff and the highly melodic vocals of Titta Tani (who released a very good Melodic Rock album with Phoenix Rising presented here), and the track literally explodes. The chorus catch your ears with its power and precision, and during the solo section Marty Friedman duets with Ohmura in a memorable battle. Awesome track. Check the video below…
What follows is a collection of really well cafted hard (melodic) rockers mostly co-written with the vocalists involved so expect a quite Euro/American style, with harder moments in “Wanna Get A Good Love”, “The Night Of U.S.A.” and “Shadows Of Eternity”. The melodic equilibrium is provided by the harmony layered “Under One Flag”, “Solitary Universe” and the short instrumental “Trust”. There’s also some variation in the song skeleton with the interesting “Poison Eyes” where female singer Akane Liv (Liv Moon) plants her particular vocals.
Another highlight is without a doubt the shining “Delusional Dreams” showcasing the always great throat of Russell Allen, a melodic yet fast paced hard rocker with tons of keys, pumping bass, multi-track layers of guitars and a razor solo.

“Devils In The Dark” is an ec-stat-ic album by – to me – the new guitar hero the world needed: Takayoshi Ohmura.
Conducted by this brilliant young six-string master, all these talented musicians have recorded a thrilling, exciting CD that never decay in quality and rock your socks off.
Sadly only released in Japan at the moment, “Devils In The Dark” is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by this blog.

01. Never Surrender (feat. Titta Tani & Marty Friedman)
02. Wanna Get A Good Love (feat. Chris Powers)
03. Delusional Dreams (feat. Russell Allen & Francesco Fareri)
04. Poison Eyes (feat. Akane Liv)
05. Trust ~ instrumental
06. The Night Of U.S.A. (feat. Chris Powers)
07. Solitary Universe (feat. TOKI & Tatsuya Nishiwaki)
08. Shadows Of Eternity (feat. Chris Powers)
09. Under One Flag (feat. Titta Tani)
10. A Little Song (feat. Tatsuya Nishiwaki)
11. The Night Of U.S.A. [single version feat. Doogie White] (bonus track)

Takayoshi Ohmura – Guitars, Bass
Russell Allen (Allen/Lande) – Vocals
Akane Liv (Liv Moon) – Vocals
Cris Powers (Razer) – Vocals
Titta Tani (ex-DGM, Phoenix Rising, Ashent) – Vocals
Toki (C4, Stealth) – Vocals
Doogie White – Vocals
Marty Friedman – Guitar
Francesco Fareri – 8-string Guitar
Tatsuya Nishiwaki (Liv Moon) – Keyboards
Louis Sesto (Soul Doctor, Blindman) – Drums

BUY IT !
www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=KSCQ-1018
www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00B960AEU