East of Eden – Forbidden Fruit: 1st Piece (Victor Entertainment/JPU Records)

Friday, 22nd December 2023 By Katarina McGinn

Rating: 9/10

A new Japanese symphonic rock/metal act formed by violinist Ayasa (of Bang Dream‘s Morfonica), East of Eden brings with it a host of expectations. Mostly because in addition to Ayasa, the rest of the group is comprised of some equally accomplished musicians as well. There’s drummer Mizuki, founder of Lonesome_Blue, guitarist Yuki of instrumental act D_Drive, bassist Wakazaemon of Maximize the Hormone’s Cottelee franchise band, and vocalist Akane Minato (ex-predia). Given Ayasa’s talent for violin, in what she’s showcased both as a solo performer and as a part of Morfonica, putting her as the ringleader for some very capable individuals means that the symphonic part of East of Eden is going to be very strongly utilized.

Starting off the 5-song EP in a one-two punch is some of the most energetic and bombastic material of the release. “Evolve” showcases the frantic mixture of guitar riffing and Ayasa’s violin entanglements in the best possible way. The driving tempo just makes you want to move around and then it elevates to a potent, soaring chorus that lets Akane shine while still keeping the rest of the instrumentation at the forefront. The way Ayasa integrates the violin into this group is nothing short of playful, and really aids in giving East of Eden a very unique bit of flair. “This Moment” gives a bit more wiggle room to the bouncy drum and bass work, and the more mid-tempo pacing really lets the momentum build – certainly a highlight later on is the shreddy violin solo that then moves into an extended guitar one – until both Yuki and Ayasa share the solo in a beautiful combo to finish it.

The remaining three songs of this debut offer some different takes, showing different angles that the band could continue further down with more material. “Rasenkairo” utilizes more electronics than the opening pair, even employing it effectively in some of Akane’s vocal performance. Truthfully, this chorus is probably her strongest in terms of sheer power of the EP. “Mujuryokuhiko” feels the most epic of the bunch, with the playful violin giving it an almost jovial feel that effectively contrasts the more rock-driven nature of the rest of the group. Ayasa’s solo in this song is a real stunner. Last in the mix is “Hanabi,” which has the most fun and rock-ish attitude. Emphasized by Akane’s vocals and the more frenetic tempo of the verse breaking into a real fist-raiser of a chorus.

Energetic, playful, and adventurous are all apt-descriptions of East of Eden’s first foray into the music world. There’s something exciting about the way they utilize Ayasa’s violin to provide a symphonic sound that does not feel like your standard ‘symphonic’ group. Forbidden Fruit features a number of excellent musicians who seem intent to really push some boundaries of what you can accomplish in the genre, and with this strong of a debut, the sky is seemingly the limit for what they can accomplish as they move onwards.