Visual kei act Magistina Saga started in 2010, and have three previous full-length albums under their belt, with the last one releasing in 2021 (Athanasia). Add to that a slew of previous EPs and singles sprinkled throughout the band’s existence, and there’s a pretty sizable discography to be had. BloodMossAgate is their fourth album, which offers a mix of symphonic metal, gothic tones, some djent, and a bit of Japanese flair to it, to create an album that feels a bit different than what’s coming from this particular genre in the West.
Other than to discuss the aforementioned genre-blurring, it’s hard to really put a pin on what Magistina Saga is doing. “Chain of Causality” starts things off after the short instrumental title track intro, which sets up the mood for the song to explode with djenty riffing, spooky keys, and Iori’s commanding clean vocals. It’s really all about the atmosphere with this mid-tempo track, focusing on the dreamy yet thunderous sound the band conjures up. It’s follow-up, “Blood Riding Psycho,” moves into more epic and urgent territory, elevating the tempos and melodies and swirling them around into something even more majestic.
“Trinity Blaster” merges these faster tempos with even more bombastic, and almost anime-OP sounding, keys to give it a slightly different flavor to the frantic riff energy, which includes a scorcher of a solo later on. When combined with it’s follow up in “Voltage,” which takes the grooves into more modern directions (still with a ripping solo), it’s another example of how they can manipulate their sound to keep things fresh without disrupting the flow of the album. Single and later track “Regret” embraces an almost power metal energy to it amid the symphonic goth vibes, bringing an uplifting chorus that lets the song soar a bit, while the high-energy riffs ensure the feeling is on the buzzing, crunchy side. Closer “Lament” ends things with a more traditionally gothic feeling, with Iori and the keys/piano start the song off before the moves into heavier territory, but the sweeping, cinematic feel never fades and it makes for a powerful finale.
BloodMossAgate should be an easy sell to any fans of symphonic or gothic metal, but with it’s expanded range and unique elements, it’s also not bound to them either. Magistina Saga capture a sound that is ripe with standout qualities, from the heavy riffs to Iori’s compelling vocals to the cinematic atmosphere, there’s a lot that they have to offer. Fascinating music that is begging to be heard.