Review by Kelly-Mae Matt
With a new member set to debut this month, the dawn of a new era is ready to begin for Satanic Punish. Featuring past singles Propaganda of the Rising Sun (2022) and Across the Future (Beyond 2049) (2023), as well as one new track, metaverse, the mini-album that is Ezekiel is here to take us into the future of Satanic Punish, all while respecting the history of its former members.
Release Date: March 31, 2024
Track List
- metaverse feat. うぇぶ式。
- Across the Future (Beyond 2049)
- Propaganda from the Rising Sun ultimate ver.
- metaverse feat. うぇぶ式。- instrumental
- Propaganda from the Rising Sun ultimate ver. – instrumental
- WHITEWOLF – Re:Recording ver. – instrumental
Review
Featuring the vocals of former member Webshiki, as well as the vocals of the currently unknown ‘Diva’ member set to make her debut this very month, metaverse can only be described as a track unlike any other from Satanic Punishes roster of songs.
The only way to describe this song is, in short, ‘a journey’. Opening with a strong, resonating prelude, metaverse begins as any release by Satanic Punish would during Webshiki and Usagi’s reign; It is powerful, an all-consuming sound that keeps you hooked and wanting for more. Webshiki sounds, as always, absolutely incredible, and Manomu brings both elegance and edge to the song thanks to her skills as both a singer and Death vocalist.
However, the song soon transforms itself into one of a more ethereal, almost dream-like quality the moment we are introduced to the verse. Through gentle vocals, we escape into a world filled with hope amidst the destruction, an outlook that is befitting of Satanic Punish while they move toward the future. It is a sound we haven’t really heard from the group, and yet it suits them perfectly. After so many hardships throughout the years, it feels fitting that metaverse both begins and ends on such a chaotic note, all while containing this beautiful sound at its very core.
metaverse feels like salvation. There is no doubt that this is the beginning of a new era for Satanic Punish and, while it certainly looks like this will be Webshiki’s final release with Satanic Punish, there is no denying that the future of the group looks promising. This is a beautiful track, one that perfectly embodies not only the future of Satanic Punish, but also pays respect to its history as a group.
Moving onto Across the Future (Beyond 2049), there is no denying that this was an incredible release last year. While it is not my go-to song from Satanic Punish, it’s the kind of track that reminds me of how talented this group is as a whole and, of all their songs, this is the one that probably goes the hardest on the Death Vocals; we not only have Webshiki taking the lead, but Manomu and featured vocalist, Bokuga Sakura, too. It is absolutely iconic and, paired with Usagi and Manomu’s beautiful voices, Across the Future (Beyond 2049) is a powerful, mesmerising piece that really set the bar for Satanic Punish.
Truth be told, I do wonder if they will ever surpass it.
Where metaverse sounds like salvation, it is my belief that Across the Future (Beyond 2049) feels reminiscent of destruction. There have been a few songs that feel quite apocalyptic from Satanic Punish, but this one seems to capture the essence of the world coming to its end quite perfectly.
The final song to be featured on the mini-album (outside of the instrumentals) is Propaganda from the Rising Sun, released in 2022. This is one of those songs that I simply forget how incredible it is and, upon listening to it again, remember just how much I enjoy it. Littered with expletives (plenty of ‘Fuck You’s’ to go around!), Propaganda from the Rising Sun has to be one of the most playful tracks from Webshiki and Usagi’s reign in Satanic Punish.
This is a fun song, one that gets better with every listen. With Webshiki’s impressive vocals and Usagi’s operatic voice, we are given a beast of a track that feels both dangerous and sweet. Of the three songs on this mini-album, I think that Propaganda of the Rising Sun is the one I have returned to the most. It’s simply addictive!
Though this mini-album is made up of a new track and two previous ones, I think that Propaganda of the Rising Sun fits perfectly with both metaverse and Across the Future (Beyond 2049); where metaverse felt like salvation and Across the Future reminded me of destruction, Propaganda of the Rising Sun makes me think of the start of the worlds end. This song is the beginning of the end (of Webshiki and Usagi’s time as members), and with that, we end the mini-album on a seamless note.
Ezekiel is a mini-album that depicts a journey of sorts with Satanic Punish, one that is played out in reverse. We find ourselves walking towards the future in metaverse, and in the midst of a world falling apart in Across the Future (Beyond 2049), right before jumping into the beginning of the end with Propaganda of the Rising Sun. This is the very image I have depicted from Ezekiel and, while it might not be the image that Satanic Punish set out to show us, it’s one that has impressed itself upon my mind quite strongly.
Overall, I think that this is an incredible release. All of the songs are incredibly impactful in their own way, and each one feels different to the last. It is also safe to say that I love the newest track, metaverse; it’s the kind of song that moves me and, while it may certainly surprise plenty of Satanic Punish fans, I believe that metaverse is a welcome change of pace for the group. It’s beautiful and fresh, and while it may not go as hard as other songs in regard to the instrumental or death vocals, it’s still impressive and memorable in its own right.
I absolutely adore metaverse, and can see it quickly becoming one of my favourites from Satanic Punish alongside WHITEWOLF, ALPHA AND OMEGA and SKULL MARIA.
Change can be scary, and while Satanic Punish has certainly changed over the past year, I believe that the release of Ezekiel has proven to us all that, sometimes, change is necessary and can even be filled with hope.
Much like the protagonist in metaverse, let’s keep moving forward; don’t fear the change Satanic Punish is going through and never give up.
You can buy Ezekiel on the official Satanic Punish webstore.
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Beyond Senpai 