[Jrock] VELTPUNCH- When we Drive

VELTPUNCH are an underground, but apparently popular, Japanese alternative rock band that formed in 1997. I discovered them through the opening for Nabari no Ou, CRAWL and after much searching thankfully found the rest of their discography. They are an amazing band with a similar style to LAST ALLIANCE (Who I also adore). Their style is heavy but melodic like LA, and packed with power and emotion. Something quirky I notice about them also is that all of their covers feature the same style of crude cartoons XD Well anyway, this is their first album (I think) released 2000.07.20.

The album opens with Hand with a gun, a track with a lengthy but interesting introduction that gives the song a bit of a punk feeling. The song has a pretty light and playful feel despite the dark undertones. It's not fast paced, or hurried and slowly builds up at its own pace. It soon loses that punk feeling after a while, but remains light whilst gaining a rather melancholic mood (especially in the chorus'). The vocals are pretty bad but in the way that so many Japanese bands manage to make work. Although there is a lot of repetition the track changes for a really pretty bridge (I love how the instrumentation dominates apart from the soft, almost haunting vocals), a more powerful in your face chorus and finally right at the end the loud, frenzied, instrumental break. This is a cool opening, starting lightly before ending loudly and in your face: I'm guessing most likely some of the other stuff that follows will be in this same kind of style.

Next is Six, which has a pretty pop-rock opening and feeling throughout. That rebellious feeling of teen music you know? Much like the song before it is a rebellious and playful track, although this one doesn't have the same melancholic feel. However it does build up to gain a slightly heavier, angrier feeling. Actually, I really like the dynamics of the song, how the vocals are almost spoken quietly at points and although it is a pretty repetitive song, I'm glad for the instrumental break which makes a good change as well as right at the end the vocalist uses a beautiful falsetto.  This track doesn't stand out as anything special, even less so than hand with a gun but it's good so far.

One thing I'm noticing also is how well the album flows. I didn't even notice when after six the third track began. Each track flows that smoothly to the next. Well, Fine is a bit different from what came before it. The short track begins with some really cool bass before the rest of the instrumentation comes in, and it is a lot heavier than the previous tracks but also has a bizarre jazzy feeling. It's quite upbeat. But loud. The instrumentation dominates the song, smothering the vocals. I think this track is giving the instrumentalists a chance to shine, and technically although I'm no expert I think it is really great. The song goes through some very interesting changes throughout the song. It's a fantastic track in a way, although I sort of think of it as a short instrumental interlude (despite the brief vocal section).

So moving swiftly onwards for ヒヨリングマンディ(Hiyoring Monday). This is a pretty grungy track, opening sluggishly with heavy bass and guitar. Again the vocals are smothered by the dominant, heavy instrumentation. But this creates an interesting mood to the song. And it soon changes; losing the heavy feeling and gaining clearer vocals for the moody chorus where again the vocalist uses his higher register beautifully.   It's an extremely moody track, but really pretty in it's own way. There is something almost haunting about it once is loses its earlier grungy feeling (whilst remaining pretty heavy in a different way). I love the constant changes and shifts in the instrumentation, and I think the vocalists sound good here.  The repeating spoken bit at the end is slightly creepy though XD

Track 5 has a bizarre title- picopicoman.  The opening is awesome though, as is the really high guitar part that comes in- the song feels so urgent but yet so dark and threatening. Really it reminds me of something but I can't place it. I love it though.  There is something very dark about this song, and it feels very urgent.     

Track 6, All the same is a sad and far more toned down track. It opens with a very mellow guitar part, and some really gorgeous female vocals that blend into the background creating a haunting atmosphere.  It's not a heavy song; it feels calm, quiet and reserved. The focus is like Fine on the instrumentation.  I was expecting it to change dramatically though, and it does.  About half way through it suddenly becomes louder, more choppy and frenzied and the female vocals also become more prominent. It changes again, staying loud but taking on that gentle feeling again. I love songs like this- ones that start so quietly and gently then suddenly change. Powerful stuff.

Starting with just drums, Rice 100g then builds up to be another funky number like picopicoman and the later fill in the blanks. Muffled vocals, slick instrumentation heavy distortion deluxe. And of course, awesome title here to make it even cooler. Without even realising (in fact I began reviewing as if they were one song) the almost purely instrumental tracks slides into Repeat(loud version) You can treat them like one song, with Repeat as the chorus. Just when you Rice100g is another  one of these groovy numbers it slides into Repeat which suddenly amplifies the muffled vocals and instrumentation for the chorus, dying down again and taking on a more urgent feeling and then becoming louder once more. Like the title suggests, there is a lot of repetition. But there is one more surprising change towards the end, for the final chorus which is pretty desperate and less muffled whilst still pretty distorted. How...completely interesting. Veltpunch knows how to create some very interesting, surprising music.

The next track 地下(Chika)  has a pretty quirky opening quickly becoming a fast paced rock number with the same kind of mood as the beginning tracks of this album.  I love the feeling of this song, and the vocalists’ voice is much stronger here: sounding pretty good (in context). The track flows by quickly without dragging or growing boring; filled with power and emotions. 

There is one weird opening for Steel Need. I think we have gone back to the style of the earlier tracks, because this one has a mighty long intro just like Hand with a gun. It's very mellow and laidback, with only the faintest traces of vocals. After a pretty grating few seconds opening, it tones down to becoming quiet bitter and regretful like some of the later tracks. It's really gorgeous…like all the same but with a totally different mood to it. But yes midway it becomes loud and angry, gaining back that choppy feeling of the opening. There is then a bit of distortion before it tones back down. And repeat. But as I mentioned earlier, I love it when Veltpunch do songs like this. And they do these songs so well.

The next track Fill in Blanks has a pretty groovy introduction, with some cool bass going on.  The muffled vocals combined with the instrumentation gives this an almost sexy bordering on sleazy feeling...which is odd and something I wouldn’t expect from this group. Really the distortion and heavy bassline...it is all there. But it's got a dominant 'cool' feeling. The track is quite short too, short and sweet I would say.

Then the last track, ♪Feel♫ which is such a beautiful song. Starting with gentle guitar, soft muffled vocals come in- contributing to the overall sad feeling of this track. There's something almost haunting about it. Slowly the song builds up, introducing stronger guitar chords over the other part whilst the vocals still remain soft, holding back.  It builds up...builds up... growing louder, stronger instrumentation before everything stops holding back for the bitter chorus packed with regret, pain, sadness- it's overwhelming. It's loud and it's powerful. Notice how this song is dominated by the female vocals too, and I'm a sucker for females doing rock. But the song slips back to become quiet again, and throughout the song it moves through different dynamics like this. The band works together so well here- each member getting their moment to shine yet coming together to create something amazing. This song is over 8 minutes long, but it's a glorious, epic 8 minutes packed with powerful emotions that cheesy as it may sound- really makes you feel. What a way to end this album.

Overall rating: 10/10 (Amazing)
Favourite Tracks: ヒヨリングマンディ, all the same, 地下, Steel Need, Feel

Veltpunch ♥♥♥♥ Feel was the best way to end this album, because that is one of the strongest and most gorgeous songs on the album however the entire album is brilliant in itself. Veltpunch's music is some pretty powerful stuff. And all the songs here are so different and unique. There are some which are fast paced and in your face throughout, some which are cool and slick numbers, whereas my favourite style is where they slowly build up the song blending loud and quiet sections effortlessly. Either way the albums flows beautifully, ties together by definite music styles whilst each songs remains unique and different from the last. Just listen ok? If you like rock, you like bands like LAST ALLIANCE then you need to listen to Veltpunch. Their music ranges from good to incredible. You wouldn't think this is their first album, because it sounds so perfect.