KOENJIHYAKKEI’s third album is being revamped, revisited and on vinyl for the first time on the 17th of February. Years after its original 2001 release, the Legendary Japanese band’s leader, Tatsuya Yoshida, and the current Koenjihyakkei line-up (as heard on Dhorimvishka) returned to the Nivraym master recordings and went to work, adding new flourishes, additional overdubs and re-recorded drum tracks. Today, we are unveiling three of the mind-blowing tracks exclusively ‘Mederro Passquirr’ (remastered), ‘Axall Hasck’ (remastered), ‘Becttem Pollt’ (Live At Club Goodman). Fusing elements of frenetic progressive rock, psych-folk whig-outs and labyrinthine collisions of instrumentals, opera and choral vocals, their sound is a riot of multicoloured imagination and adventurousness.
“After years of working with Tatsuya’s other band, Ruins, we released Koenjihyakkei’s fourth album, “Angherr Shisspa,” in 2005. Then we brought their first, second and third albums out internationally,” comments Mark Fischer, the founder and CEO of SKiN GRAFT Records. “In 2018, Koenjhyakkei returned to great acclaim with album number five Dhorimviskha, which we followed up with a vinyl release of Angherr Shisspa. Now we’re bringing back the third album under the title “Nivraym (Revisited)”. It’s received an extensive overhaul since its original Japanese release. When the 2023 version is compared to the 2001 original, it is a huge difference”.
For its first ever vinyl release, the album has been remixed, remastered and re-sequenced for this revolutionary revisitation – the band’s purest, most uncompromising expression of Zeuhl music to date; blending progressive rock, symphonic rock, fusion and neoclassicism with the energy of hardcore punk, the volume of metal and the attitude of rock in opposition.
Photo credits: Tatsuya Yoshid
Pre-order “Nivraym Revisited” release here.