After the departure of vocalist ZIN, remaining members HIZAKI, TERU, RUCY and DAISUKE have returned to the scene with a new single, called “Theory of Evolution”, showcasing the skills of their new vocalist KUZE in August of this year.
KUZE is not a newcomer to the music scene, not in the slightest even. Before joining Jupiter he was the vocalist of Concerto Moon, a neo-classical metal / power metal band formed in 1996. KUZE (as Atsushi Kuze) didn’t join the group until 2011, taking over from Takashi Inoue until his departure in 2018.
Atsushi Kuze leaving Concerto Moon doesn’t mean the end for that project though. He is now replaced by Wataru Haga.
This new single contains a total of 6 songs, of which the last three are the instrumental versions of the first three songs. An interesting note to mention is that the second song, “Bring me out”, has been written and composed entirely by KUZE, and the third song “Angel’s wings” is a creation of both HIZAKI and KUZE together. Why is this an interesting point to bring up? If you’re familiar with Jupiter’s works, you might have noticed that HIZAKI is usually the main composer of the group. So to see a song fully composed by a new member appearing on the first release together is quite interesting, don’t you think?
Theory of Evolution
(Words & Music: HIZAKI)
According to HIZAKI, Jupiter’s concept is based on two things: “the universe” and “myths”. They’ve also shown their talent for powerful names to both their releases and individual songs, to which “Theory of Evolution” isn’t an exception.
Both the song’s name as well as it’s style are powerful, and maybe even a little bit mythical. The powerful symphonic guitar style for both HIZAKI and TERU instantly give the impression that this is a composition by HIZAKI, but another giveaway for this is the style in which KUZE presents his voice. There are quite a few differences between KUZE and ZIN, the main one being that ZIN has a much higher voice and thus a range KUZE can’t reach in this same style. HIZAKI however has a history in which he compliments his compositions with the vocal style of the vocalists he works with, to which KUZE is no exception.
Jupiter – Theory of Evolution (MV)
Bring me out
(Words & Music: KUZE)
While the first song clearly was a familiar style for Jupiter, the second song changes that idea completely. The style of vocals are darker and more sinister than the title song, and also further into the background. Despite that the song is equally powerful to the one before it, combining the bombarding style Jupiter has presented many times before with the slightly sinister classic (mind you, not classical!) metal vibe, all while still remaining in the familiar Jupiter sound.
The main difference however, is that the main focus of the instruments is not on the guitars like so many Jupiter songs are, but instead the focus has been moved to the rhythm section.
While Jupiter is well known for it’s guitars, it is nice to hear this focus being shifted, even if it might be just once.
Angel’s wings
(Words: KUZE / Music: HIZAKI)
The previous two songs showcased the ideas, styles and preferences of only one member each, but what happens if you put both of these people on one song? Well, a combination of the two, obviously. KUZE has a more classic metal style, while HIZAKI clearly favors the symphonic, classical and power metal styles. KUZE’s preferences come out in the vocals, showcasing his range in both directions with both low grunt-type vocals and his highest notes that are very familiar in Jupiter’s discography so far. At the same time HIZAKI makes sure that the instruments maintain in the “classic” realm of Jupiter that we know quite well by now from their previous releases.
This song is the perfect answer to the question of “what happens if you put two different members of Jupiter on one song?”, and if this is any indication for the future, I am quite excited to see what’s coming next.
Instrumental: Theory of Evolution, Bring me out & Angel’s wings
As one would expect with instrumental songs, there is quite a difference when there is no vocalist joining in on the song you have been introduced to before. There is no moment for instruments to hide behind a vocalist, allowing you to hear notes you might not have heard before in the full lineup versions.
Even without the inclusion of KUZE, all three songs are instantly recognizable as the works of Jupiter, even while one song has been composed by a new member who hasn’t composed anything for the band before.
Conclusion
When ZIN announced he would be leaving Jupiter, it came as a bit of a shock to me. ZIN’s vocals in their very first single “Blessing of the Future” intrigued me, and I have followed his evolution ever since that release, witnessing the growth he went through as a vocalist from the very beginning of the band. His voice became a signature sound of the band for me, so naturally I was quite curious to see what a different vocalist, who couldn’t be more different than what was familiar already if he tried. And I am sure I wasn’t the only one with this curiosity.
KUZE has made an amazing choice by adding his very own composition to this release, showing not only his versatility in adjusting to Jupiter, but also his own preferences and style without being too limited by being forced to color within the figurative lines. I am still very curious to what the future of Jupiter will bring, not only for us fans, but also for the members themselves. Especially if the group decides to pull the songs from the “old” vocalist into their live shows. What kind of limitations and surprises will they find on their path from now on? Only time will tell!
Release information
Are you interested in supporting the band by getting your own copy of the release? Here is something to get you started:
 | 01. Theory of Evolution 02. Bring me out 03. Angel's wings 04. Theory of Evolution -instrumental- 05. Bring me out -instrumental- 06. Angel's wings -instrumental |
Artist: Jupiter
Release: Theory of Evolution (Single)
Release date: August 8, 2018
CD number: ZRJP-9803
Available at: Amazon / CDJapan / Spotify
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雪 (Yuki) is the owner and driving force behind Arlequin.
She originally started the project in 2009 as a photographer under the name of Arlequin Photography, but developed an interest in journalism and translation ever since. Because of these interests interviews and reviews were added to the project, until it eventually hit the limits as a "photographer" in 2021, and Arlequin Magazine was added to the mix.
雪 (Yuki) is a native Dutch speaker with a graphic design degree, which means she is also the main person behind Arlequin Creations.
After all these years she is still the main person who does interviews the interviews and live photos that you see on Arlequin, but also a large chunk of the reviews and behind-the-scenes work and communication goes through her.
She speaks Dutch and English on a native level, but also understands Japanese and German.
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