Aokigahara. I can't help but feel like I am missing some sort of inside joke here. Furthermore, I really need to buy one of those maps that you put pins in. I don't think Las Vegas, Nevada has been featured yet here on Metal Trenches, but the day has come. With this self-titled release of "dark psychodelia," Aokigahara have put another one to the books for excellent guitar work.
Mathy, djenty, progressive and full of technical challenge. And don't scoff at that second word. You know better than to question my judgement of these matters. The musicianship and vocals bring to mind everything from Fall of Troy and a more melancholy Protest the Hero to The Mars Volta. The jazz influences cannot be denied, nor should they be ignored.
Killer basslines bounce around in the background while the guitars engage in various calisthenics of tapping, harmonics, and other cool tricks. "The Loneliness Engine" flexes the band's instrumental chops with great result. And while the axe remains the star, some backtracking and the classical intro on this song are icing on this rifftacular pastry.
If you through in some death vocals, this would actually sound quite a bit like Chicago's Warforged. There is definitely a similar air of mystique to these arrangements. However, the inclusion of a track called "Boner Cop 2: Bio-Force" let's us know that Aokigahara don't take themselves TOO seriously. You can name your price for this unpronounceable EP as a Name Your Price on Bandcamp.