In the tradition of SUPER JUNKY MONKEY, BLEACH 03 are your hyperkinetic female Japanese cousins, rampaging the world of rock like a hardcore MELVINS-influenced Domo-kun on amphetamines. No Gwen Stefani fashion-slaves are these. The album begins with rapid-fire unintelligible ranting descending into screaming, which is somehow more appealing when a Japanese girl is doing it instead of a suburban teenager. I was pleasantly surprised to find plenty of variety on this album, however, vocal and otherwise. Song titles like "Canary Teikoku No Gyakushuu (Canary Empire Strikes Back)" and opener "Kuropen Bigaku Tenshi-Chan to Kangaemashita (My Sweet Angel and I Consider the Aesthetics of the Black Pen")" reveal . . . an appreciation for words. What those words mean I cannot say, so the raw, frenetic music this sparkling three-piece produces will have to speak for itself.

The short "Sun-Dance--Moon-Dance" features what would be sing-along vocal lines for Japanese speakers, as well as back-up yelping over a catchy heave-ho rhythm. The one about the Canary Empire (based on the translation provided, the Japanese word for canary is canary) is more along the lines of boppy pop-punk, while torch ballad "Chousen (Challenge)" slows things down for a no doubt heartfelt meditation on challenges. "Raiko - Kareki Ni Hana Wa Sakanai" starts off with a melodic rise before descending into dense noise breakdown that hits like a slice of BOREDOMS, almost like an apology for the slower tempo of the previous track. "Nils" rides an ominous rhythm counteracted with poppy background vocals that comes off like a femme-Japanese version of PRIMUS, and the melodic chorus of "He (Hips)" is catchy enough to transcend any language gap. The range displayed throughout the album makes a formidable advertisement for a Greater East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere of rock n' roll euphoria.

- Shragge

OFFICIAL SITE: myspace.com/bleach03rocks

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