Wheels of Ömon

Japanese experimental outfit Kuunatic attempt to fuse the anarchic ethic of punk with the epic storytelling of progressive rock. The album places us in orbit around the sun Ömon observing the goings-on upon the planet Kuurandia. This high concept gives license to deploy a broad palette of distorted guitars, traditional Japanese percussion and tribal chanting. It is bewildering at times. Opener ‘Yew’s Path’ blasts forth with the bombast of a video game boss battle, leaving the listener unsure if they are encountering serious masterwork or playful parody. Kuunatic’s vocal work supplies the surest guide. Unsettling harmonies ripple through the trio’s chanting on ‘Kuuminyo’, which features guest vocals from Repko, part of the Ainu Japanese minority. A more South Asian vocal style on ‘Halu Shanta’ evokes an alien puja ceremony; giving the record a sense of geographical scale. Eccentric but epic.