Search - Kenso :: Esoptron

This CD is a MAJOR dissapointment

Jim Hackner | San Antonio, TX | 05/21/2001

(1 out of 5 stars)

"When I ordered this CD, I expected the usual immaculate playing and production from this band (I have all their other CDs, and I recently saw them at Progfest 2000). Unfortunately, what this CD consists of is terrible compositions (except for maybe 1 or 2 tunes... the opening track is absolute garbage) that sound like they were recorded in mud (or someone's garage). This ranks right up there with Genesis's ABACAB as one of the biggest musical dissapointments of my life."

Kenso - Recording Is Horrible, Material Good

Steven Sly | Kalamazoo, MI United States | 07/08/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Kenso is a smoking all instrumental fusion prog rock outfit from Japan who have been around for more than a decade now. Led by guitarist extraordinaire Yoshihisa Shimizu the band has become one of the leading exports from Japan in the progressive rock world of late. I own three of the band's albums and I think this one is the weakest of them. One thing that I find very annoying is the recording itself is pretty bad. The album sounds like it was recorded in a tin can, and although I can usually overlook things like this, on "Esoptron" I find it particularly annoying. The material is all good to great, but I really enjoy the heavier approach that the band would move towards on more recent discs. This album is ok, but I think you would do better checking out either "Yume No Oka" or especially "Fabulis Mirabilibus De Bombycosi Scriptis" first."

These guys have unbelievable chops, but it'd be nice if you

EtherealCereal | Michigan | 09/19/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Kenso is a band out of Nippon Japan, led by a guitarist who is also an M.D. Starting with the first track 'Kojinteki Kikyu', the band takes off into a blazing instrumental, showing that they can hold their own with prog-metal stalwarts Dream Theater and Rush. The rest of the CD is mellow songs mixed with hard rocking fusion. Unfortuinately, most of the instruments are hard to tell apart on this CD, as the sound mix is mediocre at best. The songs sound like someone put a microphone in the middle of the room with no regard for what instrument was soloing at the present time. Hopefully, in the future, someone will remaster this CD so you can get the best out of it. Until then, buy only if you're a Kenso completist."