Look, I get it: A.I. is here and no one remembers where we put the lid to Pandora’s Box. Regardless of your stance on this divisive (?) topic, the use of A.I. for a band as established as Galneryus via a label as pervasive as Warner is flat-out lazy, unimaginative and cheap. Plus, this particular example happens to be bad Bad BAD, even by typical A.I. standards. I hope the fault lies with the label alone, but no band that works tirelessly on their art should be okay with this level of neglect. If the A.I. patrons / apologists are really so proud of what these systems are capable of within the arts, why is its use so often hidden / anonymous? Please do better.
If you’ve spent any significant amount of time with Japan’s preeminent speed / power / progressive valiants Galneryus, you understand that their career can be broken into two distinct eras: The early Yama-B years, where Masahiro ‘Yama-B’ Yamaguchi’s gravelly voice synched up perfectly with the band’s more primeval approach to explosive neoclassical power (first five albums from 2003-2008); and the the Sho years, where Masatoshi ‘Sho’ Ono—an already proven J-pop star—swooped in after Yama-B’s departure to further lift the band’s more refined, progressive and symphonic face to new and magnificent heights (every album from 2010’s Resurrection forward).
Inside those two distinct eras, however, I would say there is another notable milestone that marked a fairly early turning point for the band, and that milestone occurred in and around 2010 when, along with the arrival of Sho, the songwriting duties shifted from a more “jamming together to write songs” format to having founding member / shred-lord Syu and steadfast keyboardist Yuhki write everything moving forward (with the latter typically penning about two songs per release.) Now, is that such a big deal when the chief architect happens to be capable of this level of shred?
No, it’s really not, as evidenced by the fact that the duo’s stretch as principal songwriters has yielded many of our absolute favorite Galneryus records, my personal fave being their first true concept album in 2015’s raging Under the Force of Courage.
Where things start to get a little tricky, though, is when the years continue to pass, the releases start to stack, and the band never even opts to venture outside of the very same producer for every single album. OCD much? (Said the fellow who always makes a point of stopping the microwave with 7 seconds left.)
Such rigid dedication to a proven formula is precisely what results in the single most common complaint (and sisters and brothers, we humans do love to complain) levied against Galneryus in the modern age: little-to-no-more innovation. More on that spicy little tidbit in a few moments.
So, yeah, Syu and Yuhki write most of their songs using a proven formula that involves a dramatic opening, a catchy refrain / chorus hook, a proggy midsection piled high with guitar and keyboard battles, and a theatrical close, with the biggest deviation basically being Yuhki’s penchant for underscoring British hard rock. Would the duo benefit from locking themselves in a room with nothing but, say, Reign in Blood and Wish You Were Here on loop for a couple weeks before hitting the studio? Maybe, if that resulted in a record throwing down a relentless 2.5 minute song with zero solos (gulp), followed by a fully atmospheric drifter with Yuhki’s keys guiding us through space for five minutes or so. You know, something outside of the time-tested routine. We’re obviously not the boss of this office, though, and having spent the better part of the last two weeks binge-streaming the Galneryus discography in preparation for this write-up, I would now like to take the opportunity to confirm the following bonafide truth:
I would buy 100% of the Galneryus catalog in any physical format if it were suddenly available via a US distributor.
In short, this means all of the albums rank somewhere between good and GREAT, and while I agree it would be fun to see the band shake the hell out of Galneryus rulebook, I also believe being overly critical of this caliber of music is honestly just whack as hell.
Speaking truthfully, I was a bit nervous about the album when the first single dropped because the outset of “The Light of Hope” lead me to believe the full journey might be TOO tinkly / bright / cheery. But in typical Galneryus fashion, the album’s first centerpiece quickly showcases the band’s skill as pure speed metal maestros, and I have come to quite enjoy the song’s big hook within the full scope of the record. J-speed-pop? Sure, why not. To me it sounds tailor-made for the credits of some fresh hyper-action anime from Crunchyroll.
I would say the album does an admirable job of sequencing, given the range displayed here, so it only seems fitting that, following the brightest and most cheerful romp, the next move allows “Let No Time Decay” to hit your face like some sort of fugitive combat vehicle. This is one of the more aggressive and flat-out heavy cuts the band has dropped in recent memory, and it’s something that very much showcases the pure energy and strength of newest member (since 2020) Lea behind the kit. The song of course doesn’t forget the hook, despite its capacity for rage, and it provides a memorable bridge to the nucleus of the album.
Next is the Yuhki-penned “Beyond the Sunrise,” which sounds as if was torn from a similar neoclassical playbook as early Malmsteen. It’s a fun, mostly energetic cut that underscores just how well Sho’s voice has held up over the years. He sounds terrific, nailing the highs like a singer half his age, and the refrain welds itself to your marrow on repeated listens. The album then scoots into a really enjoyable one-two punch with “Break the Silence!” (Syu) and “To the Last Breath” (Yuhki). “Break the Silence is largely a ballad—one of two on the album, both of which could be edited down, if I’m honest—but it’s an infectious 80s’ hard rock ballad akin to vintage Whitesnake that still manages to throw down an excellent rocker riff, and it eventually spotlights an absolutely FIRE Yuhki keyboard solo at its midpoint.
“To the Last Breath” follows, which happens to be my favorite cut on the record. The song jumps from the gate with all the pomp and ceremony of a winning Rhapsody (of Fire) tune, and it pretty much spends its full 5 and a half minutes getting to the business of righteously whipping the listener’s ass with a full payload of power shred. Check out the absolutely killer organ solo and the way it shifts seamlessly into yet another explosive Syu lead before both fly off in unison to make way for the song’s fully dramatic close. Just a pure 11/10 jammer.
“Echoes of Fate” is the true ballad, and similar to “Break the Silence!” it stretches across an excessive 7 minutes, which does feel… rather unnecessary. However, Sho sounds great, and it’s difficult to say no to emotive guitar leads from a guy who probably came out of the womb mimicking George Lynch soloing atop an active volcano. Still, with an album pushing across the hour mark in just nine songs, and with the 15 minute pillar “Without You” still waiting on the precipice, “Echoes of Fate” does feel a bit superfluous.
So, is the 15-minute “Without You” worth the wait? I mean, if you’re into Galneryus epics—which, if we’re being honest, they’re just moderately longer Galneryus songs, even at 15 minutes—then, yes. In this case, “Without You” is a largely speedy number that twists to and fro between breakneck force and delicacy, and it of course affords the largest reach to Syu and Yuhki, particularly the former, whose fretwork starting at about 9:10 is just mind-explodingly precise and tense. I love the way they incorporate those deep chorus backgrounds, too, which makes the song’s close feel even more grand. Also interesting is the fact that, despite laying down lyrics concerning the hardships of losing someone very close to you, the song itself feels quite uplifting.
Is A Cry from the Sky Above essential listening? As suggested waaaaay up there, fans will literally work to find things to complain about with regards to Galneryus in the modern age, especially after laying down 16 full-lengths that largely travel the same footpath. And I get it: A little more experimentation would probably go a long way, particularly when you consider how talented the players behind the project happen to be. But I also believe the album does bend the Galneryus rules just enough by slowing things down and rocking a little harder, which in turn has allowed those indomitable Sho hooks to sink deeper than they have over the last couple of albums.
In the end, as long as I’m summoned to exist in a world that’s reeling with as many trials and tribulations as planet Earth circa 2026, I choose to celebrate an album of this caliber whose overall theme emphasizes the importance of holding on and pressing forward with light and energy in your heart.
Isn’t it wonderful that Galneryus still exists and continues to release confident and optimistic albums such as this? We are lucky to have them in our lives.
