Review by Lawrence Stillman on August 11, 2024.

What happens when a band becomes really good at their genre but decides to create a new band doing something similar (thus NG+ because you start a fresh band with all the knowledge needed to succeed)? Well, you get a band with a virtually flawless discography. Thousand Eyes is one such band, built from the ashes of their predecessor band, Thousand Leaves, and I'd argue that the band's material allowed them to shine better compared to relying on Touhou leitmotifs as the bedrock of their songwriting.

While a listener knows exactly what he will be getting into if he is a fan of Thousand Leaves, this review is for those who didn't know this band prior to my review. Thousand Eyes primarily play melodic death metal, and while it sounds off-putting for elitists, their melodic death metal is known for having a menacing atmosphere while keeping an above-average speed and pacing compared to their European and American peers, and this is what I really enjoy about melodic death metal as a whole, keeping the speed and aggression while incorporating melody into their sound.

The riffs here remain excellent all around (for melodeath standards anyway); they usually sound aggressive like any other melodeath band, but at the drop of a hat, the riffs can immediately transition into something melancholic and/or sunny-sounding while still being fitting for the song and not sounding jarring or out of place. The same can be said for the solos too; they can make the listener feel different, contrasting emotions all at once, and the best part is that every song has at least one solo, so listeners can enjoy those solos no matter what song it is. This aspect of Thousand Eyes is what I think most mainstream melodeath bands have forgotten to do; instead, they opt to play uninspired riffs and solos, with the songs sounding mostly the same. Some parts of the album sound like they came from a video game. While this might be intentional as their predecessor band made music based on a bullet hell game, what I meant is that some songs here do fit in some games, especially JRPG battle themes. While I might like it, I do know that it might not be a cup of tea that everyone can be satisfied with. While I might praise this album for what it does, there are still flaws (or at least flaws to me alone). Namely, this album (and the band as a whole) stays true to the melodeath formula instead of innovating new tricks to stay fresh. While this is something I dislike, I do have to give them credit for writing genuinely memorable riffs and solos within a stale genre that needs something really good and kickass to be relevant again, actually giving me something to look forward to when a band in the genre releases a new album.

If you are into the more standard melodeath-sounding albums, I cannot recommend this album (and the band) enough to whoever reads it. But if you are not the kind who likes this style of melodeath and want something more winding and complex, go find my reviews on melodeath bands and see which one fits your palette (because idk if anyone actually reads my reviews).

Highlights: 'Final Reign' (especially the solo towards the end), 'Lost Forever', 'Rampage Tyrant', 'Day Of Salvation'

Rating: 8.3 out of 10