Hailing all the way from the land of the rising sun comes the musical virtuosos of 3nd: a four piece instrumental post-rock group from Tokyo Japan. While many would argue that a band with no vocals is a band that holds no discernible personal link to their fans, 3nd’s wide array of sound, layered musical structure, and mind bending beats beg to differ. Their various elements combine and form the bridge linking themselves to their listeners that require no such spoken language.
3nd began their journey to musical greatness in 2001, when lead guitarist Hayamizu Naoyuki assembled fellow musicians Anzai Tetsuya (guitar), Yamamoto Masashi (bass), Endou Atsushi (drums). All three members having previous band experience after parting with their predecessor groups Pocketlife andNATSUMEN, the four combined their skills to form the entity now known as 3nd.
Though already holding claim to a number of public releases, with several mini albums, EPs, and splits under their belt, 3nd’s latest release, World Tour, serves as their first official full length album. Dwelling within are nine vastly different, though equally compelling tunes that will unfold a world of unspoken beauty with each song. From the fast paced onslaught of arpeggios in the opening track “Monsoon”, to the mezmorizing string of key changes and head bobbing drum beats of “SSK”, to the slow, melancholic mesh of key and decibel found in “Midroll”, World Tour goes to the furthest fringe of effort and beyond in conveying as much emotion–be it raw, sombre, or recluse–without uttering a single word.
Though brimming with an uncanny grasp of range with their collective sound,3ndstands out as one of the most instrumentally skilled bands of their genre, which is in reality a hodgepodge of styles that can be categorized only scantly. New and old fans alike will marvel at the command they have over their instruments. Guitarists Naoyuki and Tetsuya form this duo of dueling riffs that seem to at times harmonize and conflict simultaneously, but all the while fitting perfectly to the left and right of Masashi’s bass work, which is by far one of the most prominent and well rounded out of any other groups on their level or in their caste (however few there may be). These three elements, matched along with Atsushi’s amazing math-rock reminiscent breed of drumming which serves as the band’s backbone, bleeds together to form the singular network of intricate art that is 3nd’s music.
While instrumental bands in Japan are more common a sight than out here in the states, 3nd sets itself apart from the rest in the amount of raw passion that emits from their music. In many instances one can find themselves lost in a sea of emotions that are instilled at random from listening to a single track of World Tour. “SSK” for example holds all the emotion and feeling of spastic excitement that borderlines at times on a potential frenzy in the rate of key changes, but periodically will be slowed for but a moment by the bass to remind listeners of their calmer, more contemplative selves, only to rile them up once again moments later with the quickening raps being played upon the snare, prior to segueing once again into the song’s chorus.
World Tour is but a single testament to 3nd’s amazing ability to project their feelings through instrumentals rather than the spoken word, and proves stoutly that emotionally inspiring music doesn’t always need to come equip with lyrics. Hands down, 3nd’s World Tour serves as the perfect introduction to anyone across the globe looking for new sounds from our eclectic family in the east.