NOSPUN: Ozai (PROGRESSIVE METAL): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

After a beautiful debut album, which earned Nospūn praise from Music Waves reviewers in 2023, many were eagerly awaiting the follow-up to “Opus.” That wait is now over, as the Charlotte-based band, recently emerging from anonymity, returns with a second album, or rather an EP (five tracks, 27 minutes). This second effort isn't really a second effort, since “Ozai” is a reworking of Nospūn's first production, released ten years ago under the name... Ozai!

So what is “Ozai” about? Beautiful things, and above all, something to reassure fans who have been with the band since the beginning. To provide some context, we strongly recommend rereading our review of “Opus.” Not only does this help to situate Nospūn in the musical universe, but it also provides an opportunity to see how much the band's music has evolved. Indeed, resolutely progressive metal on the album released in 2023, the band was leaning more towards djent at the time, without going overboard or falling short—just listen to “Mecca” to be convinced. Influences come from all directions (Periphery, Dream Theater, Haken, Textures, even Opeth), all finely digested so as never to fall into the abyss of repetition. Whether under the name Ozai or Nospūn, the band has its own personality, and that's naturally what makes it stand out from the crowd. To be clear, no track is inferior to any other. This band is very creative: musically rich and technically flawless, whether in the convoluted riffs typical of prog and djent or in the individual flights of fancy (vocal range and guitar solos). It's a treat from start to finish.

The point of EPs is to make the singles stand out, and that's the case with “Effervescent Power,” which shines brightly. Not only is the track catchy, with a well-crafted riff that straddles prog and djent, but Phillip Rich's chorus is one of those that you find yourself singing long after you've heard it: “With the force of a supernova, the effervescent power flows through me” is an unstoppable hook. “Jormungand” is the other gem on this EP, a sort of epic track that could have lasted 20 minutes on a traditional prog album. Here it lasts only 5:30—EP obliges—but it surrounds us from start to finish, like the serpent Jormundgand in Norse mythology, alternately taking us into its deep waters before bringing us back to the surface to breathe and ending the Nospūn adventure on a high note.

Ten years before “Opus,” “Ozai” showcased all of Nospūn's qualities. This revisitation allows us to wait impatiently for the band's next new productions, while hoping—we can dream—that they will come and play their music live in France. - Official website

NOSPUN

OZAI

AUTRE LABEL

PROGRESSIVE METAL