Df (Never Bend) CD
Df's debut is from 1998, but not everyone knows the music from Df, so time doesn't count. Df is not a "real" band, it's a "one-man" thing" and the man behind Df is Naofumi Tanabe. He plays bass, guitar and he's responsible for the vocals and the drum-machine. And he knows how to handle his instruments. "Never Bend" contains eight songs that are all very varied.Naofumi Tanabe plays a sort of metallish Heavyrock, where his ambitious and talented guitar-play makes the songs interesting. He plays a lot of good and heavy riffs, which reminds me in some songs to bands like CATHEDRAL or TROUBLE. But it's not easy to describe the songs and that's one of the facts, which makes "Never Bend" to a refreshing album. There are very good tracks on it like "Man O'Drill", filled with flexible and precise guitarwork and a Doom-laden feeling.
And this man knows how to groove,when the song needs it. But like I've mentioned before, this album is very varied. For example,"Sunday Afternoon" has more a 80's Dark Wave feeling, but it's still very heavy like the whole album. Naofumi Tanabe changes his vocal-style from clean to distorted.I think, he isn't the most outstanding singer,but his singing underlines the songs and it fits! "Never Bend" is a strong album and I think it's recommandable for everyone who don´t gives a fuck about barriers within the heaviest rock you can get. I hope Df will come-up soon with new material in the future, because he knows how to write songs that are stronger than most of the overrated heavy-stuff today. It was released on the Japanese label BANQUET RECORDS, where you can contact Naofumi Tanabe at: dfpro[at]ab.mbn.or.jp
(KK)