The Mad Capsule Markets is the latest Japanese rock band attempting to break down the East-West music barrier and make it huge in the United States. But America does not need The Mad Capsule Markets. America has seen other bands do what the MCMs are attempting to do, only better, and in English.
Self-described as "digi-hardcore-punk-metal," their mismatched, poorly structured album Oscillator in Distortion could be more aptly described as "migraine." Each track is a heartless cut-and-paste job that steals from someone else's music. The typical song structure is as follows with little variation: hardcore verse, punk rock chorus, metal bridge, with a techno breakdown thrown in somewhere. Throw in some cellular phone static and you have an MCM masterwork, guaranteed to make ears gush blood. Their signature sound seems to be the horribly distorted vocals forced onto every song, regardless of how inappropriate they sound. Even on more sensitive tracks, such as the Weezer-inspired "Island" (with ooo-wah falsetto backing vocals), the grinding effect remains, rendering their buried lyrics even more indecipherable.
What are the Mad Capsule Markets trying to hide? Possibly the misuse of their talented drummer's wild syncopation, or their hopeless banality, but more likely the absurd premise of the album. Evil robots are taking over the world, and we must overcome our abstractions and kick their asses with machine guns. The album cover depicts the three band members posed in bionic commando outfits. It's an allusion to their bizarre music video, in which our heroes fly through a space station, tears inexplicably streaming down their faces, blowing up robots Matrix-style. How distinctly Japanese.
Oscillator in Distortion is the MCM's ninth album, so lack of experience cannot to be to blame. To make it in the states, one needs to offer more than a Samurai android rap-metal garage sale.
