siLLy puPPy Originating in Sapporo, Japan in the far north island of Hokkaido, the power trio of Ryoji Shinomoto (guitar/vocals/composer), Shuji Shinomoto (drums) and Aruta Watanabe (bass/vocals) started out in 2010 as Suicide Heaven before quickly changing their moniker to Gyze under which they released four albums and an EP. And now in early 2024 with the addition of additional guitarist Shinkai Yukihiro, the band has undergone a brand name change once again and is now known as RYUJIN.

While not exactly a debut given that the music pretty much continues on in the same vein of the band’s mix of melodic death metal, power metal, symphonic metal and Japanese folk music, this is the debut on the Napalm label so perhaps a name change was needed for contractual purposes. Whatever the case as RYUJIN the band debuts as a four piece which results in an even more powerful power death metal assault to your senses. This album features 12 tracks and hits 57 1/2 minutes playing time. Guitarist / vocalist Matt Heafy of Trivium, Mindscar, Capharnaum and Roadrunner United makes a guest appearance on three tracks.

Labeling themselves as “Samurai Metal,” the band indeed slays you like a beastly dragon trying to destroy Tokyo. The band follows in the footsteps of many melodic death metal bands that have crossed over into the world of symphonic and power metal much in the vein of Finland’s Children Of Bodom with quickened ninja guitar moves that unleash neoclassical splendor into highly melodic and well-crafted compositional fortitude. The tracks excel at rampaging guitar riffs, guitar shredding run amok and keyboard runs that match the intensity. Vocals range between clean operatic outburst and growling death metal grunginess. What sets RYUJIN apart from its European counterparts is the inclusion of indigenous Japanese folk music which finds itself come out in the moments the metal subsides for the tiny moments of breathing room.

The band released a series of singles from 2021 to 2023, of which only “Gekokujo” appears. The closing title track is the single off of this release and the only power ballad on the entire album. This is pretty much the 2020’s to cheesy 80s AOR and my least favorite track as even the unedited version that sits at ninth position of the album seems better suited to the album’s flow. It’s not horrible but just sounds so generic and earnest for its own good. Other than that the album pretty much sails on with extremely fast tempos much like Dragonforce, Wintersun, Imperial Circus Dead Decadence, Skyfire and of course Children of Bodom. The clean vocals when present completely remove any traces of death metal making this more of a symphonic power metal album during those moments. The Japanese folk music isn’t really integrated into the music too much but rather serves as an accent to the European metal styes.

Overall this is a decent release from RYUJIN but like many similarly minded power death metal acts tends to rely on the simple trick of crafting as many tracks in the same style without much variation. Sure the melodies are distinct but there are really no major surprises and it all sounds like it’s playing it a bit too safe. All one has to do is revisit classic power metal albums like Helloween’s “Keeper of the Seven Keys” set and compare and many of these modern power metal related albums just don’t have the same ingenuity, creativity or originality. On the plus side, everything is performed dynamically well with top notch musicianship on board churning out one rampaging track after another. With a bit more variety of track this band could really be a top contender for modern power death metal.