Hebi Katana light the fuse with "Imperfection", a
doom/proto-metal beast that reeks of incense smoke and glowing tube amps. The
Japanese trio – Nobu (guitar/vocals), Laven (bass, ex-Robots of the Ancient
World) and 
. Goblin (drums,
Deathblast) – sound like they’ve been teleported straight out of a basement
club in the early 70s, only to remind us that crushing riffs, occult vibes, and
psychedelic twists are timeless. Released through Ripple Music, a label that’s
become a seal of quality for authentic heavy sounds, their fourth record feels
like a breakthrough — three friends jamming with nothing but pure joy, fully locked
into their own sound
Right from the opener "Bon Nou" you know they’re not interested in polite intros. It starts melodic, then rumbles into heavy territory, pulling you straight into the haze. "Dead Horse Requiem" slows things down, dragging itself like a midnight ritual through smoke, layering subtle dissonance that creeps under your skin before circling back into a warm, uneasy groove. With "Praise the Shadows", the occult atmosphere takes center stage: hypnotic riffs and vocals that shift from hushed invocation to full-blown eruptions in the chorus, like a black mass that soothes and unsettles in equal measure.
"Echoes from the Old Tree" brings a contrast, weaving melancholy with almost playful passages that load up tension before the whole thing ignites in "Blood Spirit Rising". This is the album’s beating, furious heart – raw, old-school power, a bass solo that cracks the floor open, and then the full band storming back in for a finale that rattles every bone. Closer "Yume wa Kareno" sneaks in with dreamlike calm, drawing you into a trance before unleashing groovy, hypnotic riffs that carry the record into its inevitable, crashing end.
Yes, you’ll hear Sabbath in the walls, Budgie in the air – but Hebi Katana are no retro knock-off. They take the essence of those heavy roots, twist it with their own dark, psychedelic streak, and create something that feels not nostalgic but eternal. "Imperfection" is raw and intense, yet full of subtle detail; an album that thrives on light and shade, dragging you down only to lift you back up with another wave of riff-driven fire.
This isn’t just a record you listen to – it’s one you "live through". For anyone who breathes heavy music, "Imperfection" is essential. Ripple Music once again proves they know how to unearth gold straight from the lava.
-Helge Neumann
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