Japanese Jesus are a Limerick duo who comprise of Bertie Kelly on guitars, bass and vocals and Den Dunworth on drums who have described their sound as fast and hooky.
Their debut five track EP `Depression Breakfast` is released this month after a number of well received singles.
`Insignificant` introduces us to this release and it`s a delightfully raw, forceful and hypnotic aural assault and brought to mind the joy of when I first heard Northern Ireland industrial rockers Therapy?`s `Teethgrinder` for the first time over thirty years ago. The grinding pounding `Tension` did leave you with the perception of a pressurised situation about to let loose and blow. The anxiety is intensified as there`s a delightful nigh on disconnected reflective dreamlike segment midway before the song erupts in a cacophony of noise in the last twenty seconds.
`Eamon Dunphy (is always grand)` is a sixty-eight second stream of consciousness that appears to be in admiration of the former professional and Irish international soccer player, writer and broadcaster who always seemed to divide opinion. We have a more reflective and thoughtful mid-tempo rhythmic rock out in the form of `Lactose` whose title is maybe a metaphor for the sugar present in milk which can have unpleasant consequences.
We close out with title track `Depression Breakfast` which is another contemplative, ruminative composition that has a larger than life feel with a hefty slice of lyrical irony thrown in for good measure.
The `Depression Breakfast` EP runs at around fifteen minutes in length and is a cracking showcase for the talents of this duo. It was also good to discover something other than the post punk we`re all being served from Ireland`s capitol city Dublin. If I had to put them in a musical genre, I’d offer them up with the likes of bands such as Idles, Sleaford Mods and TV Priest.
On the strength of this extended play i`m sure there`s much more to follow from Japanese Jesus and I for one, can`t wait to hear it.
Rating 9 / 10
