Year: 2005
Time: 52:32
Size: 121,8 MB
Label: Roman-za
Styles: Progressive Rock/Neo-Prog
Art: Front
Tracks Listing:
1. Mugen No Utage - 7:50
2. Sunahime - 6:43
3. @Hotel_Panorama - 7:42
4. Akai Dress No Maria - 6:01
5. Koisuru Osama - 7:25
6. Tsumibukaki Chocho - 7:47
7. Colchis No Shanikusai - 6:24
8. Koyoi Mo Romance - 2:36
Musicians:
Hina - vocal;
Ikkou Nakajima - guitar;
Myourou Kitashirakawa - keyboards;
Katsunori Hamada - bass;
Satoshi Izatani - drums.
Nakajima Ikko may be best known as the ounder of Pageant. Later he formed Ie Rai Shan. Romanza is a band he formed in 1999.
Ikko NAKAJIMA, the frontman / guitarist of a Japanese Symphonic Prog gem PAGEANT, obviously influenced by Genesis, has worked out a detailed plan for founding an offshoot for reproducing PAGEANT faithfully in late 1990s. In 1999 he finally founded ROMANZA as another incarnation of Japanese Symph / Neo-Prog, but sadly this combo went into hibernation owing to the female vocalist stepping down two years later. Ikko invited another female vocalist HINA and founded another (short-lived) offshoot ROMANZA-BEKKAN and released an album A Grand Romance In Far East (Toho Dai-Romance) in 2005.
In 2013 “original” ROMANZA became active again and have gigged vigorously around Japan (no official album yet except some unofficial live albums).
In general Japanese Neo-Prog combos are highly qualified and lowly originated, let me say. Recently there are so many good players and their recording condition (mixing, mastering, directing) is basically not bad, but I cannot feel huge addiction nor impression via their good material, regardless of "so-called" originality they claim. Yes their "originality" is not real originality ... melody lines, rhythmic basis, or soundscape via their material might be almost like I've heard somewhere previously. Hmm something is different about that.
Anyway, this album "The Grand Romance In Far East" would be in another dimension methinks. ROMANZA-BEKKAN founded by Ikko NAKAJIMA is one of offshoots of a Japanese Neo / Symphonic Progressive combo PAGEANT, and Ikko says "clearly" their playing style would like to lean toward GENESIS. Sharp-edged passionate guitar fulminant and gorgeously brilliant keyboard stream have obviously got influenced by the progressive rock vanguard, and it's comfort they understand what they want to do. Qualified play is of course awesome and dramatic theatrical melody lines and lyrics completely ring the bell of Neo-Prog freaks.
A "Romantic" portfolio of sound and creation ... this phrase might be fit for their musical view. The vocalist Hina cannot be felt so skillful nor so expressive but who cares? Her serious and sincere voice attitude for songs can be appreciated, and all of Romanzers at another venue (Bekkan in Japanese) play decent Neo-symphonic progressive rock upon this creation. Obvious Neues cannot be heard but highly recommended for every symphonic (authentic or Neo) progressive rock fan.
The Grand Romance In Far East
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