A union bursting with life and soul sums up this collaborative EP between wolf-headed rock band MAN WITH A MISSION and singer-songwriter Milet.
Listeners’ first exposure to the combined musical efforts of MAN WITH A Mission (MWAM) and Milet, both based in Tokyo, Japan, was on MWAM’s 2019 EP Dark Crow, where both artists joined forces on the soulful track ‘Reiwa’.
This time in combined EP Kizuna no Kiseki/Koi Kogare, the bar is raised with two tracks brimming with inspirational stories of love, strength, and triumphing through the darkness. With both tracks serving as the opening theme (Kizuna no Kiseki) and the ending theme (Koi Kogare) of the popular anime ‘Demon Slayer: Swordsmith Village Arc’, catchy choruses and repetitive melodic hooks are placed at the forefront of this momentous release.
‘Kizuna no Kiseki’, roughly translating to ‘The Miracle of Bonds’, is a blinding celebration of kinship, hope, and the fierce fight to maintain such relationships. Through lyrics such as:
“The flame resides in the liberating heart”, “even if my soul perishes, let’s keep connecting” and “this flame in my chest, I won’t let it disappear”
the song tells of someone fearlessly tackling pain and anguish to ensure a return to a loved one.
Beginning with a lively shamisen-lead intro that transitions into a powerful melodious guitar riff, the song instantly captures listeners’ attention with its intriguing incorporation of traditional Japanese music into contemporary Japanese rock music.
The calmer verses ensure that Milet’s mature croon and MWAM singer/guitarist Jean-Ken Johnny’s smooth voice is brought center-stage to begin this anthem in a tone of wistful longing. The two vocalists’ voices blend together seamlessly, creating a peaceful harmony that is pleasurable to the ear.
The rushing exhilaration of the chorus’ vocal line is delivered by MWAM’s second vocalist Tokyo Tanaka, whose thunderously sonorous and powerful voice effortfully elevates the song’s messages of steely determination to soaring euphoric heights.
The song’s genius lies in its lyrical balance of feeling both vulnerability and strength throughout the journey to reach a goal; themes which are complimented perfectly by shifts in dynamics and consequently the listeners’ anticipation for the song’s climactic final chorus.
The EP’s second offering ‘Koi Kogare’, ‘Longing For Love’, again highlights the joys of love and the new appreciation for life it brings.
Within the verse, strings back a playful guitar riff, adding an element of tentative softness to MWAM’s signature hard-hitting rock. This is played under Milet and Johnny’s euphonious vocal combination as the lyrics detail the thrill of new-found love with lines such as:
“I’ve been looking for you my whole life” and “It’s chaos, falling in love”.
In the wake of a sudden key change, the chorus blooms into an uplifting and melodious rock ballad with such sentimental lyrics as
“I’m longing for this beautiful world”.
The entire song unites the trio of vocalists to create a mellow, resonant vocal tone that sensitively carries through the song’s bright and hopeful message.
The EP proudly showcases these two songs, including both their instrumentals, and their shortened versions as they can be heard in the anime.
Fans of Milet and MAN WITH A MISSION are again in for a treat with this release championing MWAM and Milet’s versatility in vocal tones as well as bringing positive themes of hope and dreams to eager listeners.
Score/Excellent: The Japanese rock scene is thriving and well due to releases like this. This is no doubt another career highlight for both MWAM and Milet, whose harmonious combination of soul and intensity deliver two thrilling and emotional songs that fans will delight in.
[We rank albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent]
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