Minamata - Fukushima
Second time around, we get to review another album by this French project called Minamata. Last time was an industrial-disaster-based album called the Niigata 1964-1965, which also got into the top ten of Kalteldur that year (nr. 1!). This album was released on Force Majeure in 2017 and is still available on Discogs and the label's Bandcamp site.
We´re still in Japan with this album, and we´re dealing with another disaster. The Fukushima incident, a major nuclear accident, was caused not only by an earthquake but also by a tsunami. The power plant couldn´t cool itself down, and the result was a total radioactive contamination. 164.000 residents were forced to evacuate, and 41.000 people (today) are still waiting to return to their homes. It is estimated that the contaminated area will have been "cleaned" in 2050, and the cost will run up to 180 billion US dollars.
The first track is called tepKO. Stands for Tokyo Electric Power Company. The company, which owned the Fukushima power plant. Lots of ups and downs, controversies, and mainly failed security about the safety of their power plants (Homer Simpson). The track starts like a rising sun in the early morning, a haunting string-tone/violin-ish sound rising with more and more intensity. Kind of sounds like some sort of warning... of things to come. Scary haunting drones, and then somewhere a thundering underground explosion. Neo-classical melodies sweep over the icy soundscape, while occasionally, metal-on-metal clangs together. Also, an alarm siren is going on as well. A Powerful intro track, really enjoy the way the artist has managed to create it as painful and sad as possible.
The second track at(H)oM, a playful play with words... At Home or Atom... get it? Again, with a subtle but thunderous industrial soundscape. Still getting that feeling that something really bad is going to happen, just haven´t happened again. But yeah, there is definitely a storm brewing. Halfway through the track, we´re getting washed away by distorted vocals and dark, mournful melodies. Scary in that apocalyptic, but also really beautiful as well. I love that he holds onto that Minimata sound/aesthetic, which was also present in the former album from 1986.
The third track is called tsunaminamata. Rhythmic banging of metal, angelic choirs, old-school power-electronics vocals (Grey Wolves, Genocide Organ), shimmering crystaline sounds, and the roaring sound of huge watery waves banging on a huge wall.
The fourth and last track, eKlipS. Longest track on the album, and the most soundtrack/ambient-based. An epic industrial soundscape with a martial feeling. Actually, a really seductive dungeon-synth melody in there (for the dungeon synth fans!). Halfway through, it kind of changes into a new track/direction in sound. The track ends in a blaze of powerful angelic power electronics. Almost taking my breath away there (just for a moment).
Fukushima is a powerful album, delivering harsh industrial soundscapes with the aesthetics of power electronics, while maintaining a sense of beauty in the eye of the storm. A French project worth taking notice of (check Discogs).
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Discogs (band):