A scorching guitar-led momentum carries throughout “Shadow of Kunoichi,” a recent single from Los Angeles-based artist Maybe Human. Taking inspiration from alt-metal acts like White Zombie, Tool, and Primus in addition to the prog-friendly elements like Buckethead, the project engages with nostalgic guitar tones evoking thunderous ’80s and ’90s dark-rock stylings.
The guitar styling is befitting of the track’s thematic approach, which per the artist bringss “forth a mysterious seeker vibe,” that’s reflected in the music video (above). They continue: “‘Shadow of Kunoichi’ runs deep into unpacking the shadow of oneself and the mysteries that lurk about along the way.”
The production wastes no time, beginning in what feels like the middle of an erupting guitar sequence. More concise, melodic guitar lines emerge as the one-minute turn approaches, following a distortion-fronted textural appeal to get underway. A percussion-focused ascent a minute thereafter gears back into the sweltering guitar distortion, prior to a riveting final minute that converges the murkier and brighter guitar tones. “Shadow of Kunoichi” is a gripping instrumental rocker from Maybe Human.
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Best of November 2023’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup, as part of the artist’s promotional campaign.