Don’t take that title the wrong way, let me explain myself. Listening to this album felt like diving into a person’s mind; it’s more than a lengthy, two-hour conversation with a friend about everything and anything under the sun. It has variety in what the songs are about, and the pleasant sound is just a plus.
“Psychotic Episodes” has this structural and rhythmical consistency through the constant blare of guitar in every song. But, it’s fascinating how Echoes of Janus managed to make every single one unique in terms of the riffs and progression. When you start listening, you instantly get this presumption ready in mind that this record has clear rock and metal influences. The melodies are uniquely owned by each song that you won’t see any of it coming.
Other than the instrumentals, the songwriting also hit the mark. If you’re not necessarily looking for relatability, definitely check this one out. It really does do the album name justice, as most of the songs have a feel of slam poetry and free verse in them; it all seems narrative at some point, sometimes rambly, but that’s the art of this record. That accompanied with great melodies really hits the spot.
Before I start rambling myself about my favorite lyrics, everything seems random yet poetic, and these are lyrics that spike up curiosity, make sense, or entice a giggle.
The album starts with “Alligator”, which gives us the initial taste of clean guitar tones and vocals, which listeners will eventually get used to in the course of nine tracks. It comprises a lyric along the lines of “I called up Kim Jong Un / Said “get me outta here soon” / then he dispatched a bunch of goons”. Since it’s only the first track, you only start to wonder what this one’s all about, and what the rest are going to mean.
“Raindance” has catchy guitar parts — all of them do, let’s be real — it includes lyrics such as “In nine days my head’s up in the clouds / But it’s really loud / And I’m not very proud / Of the rain dance that I have been countin’ on”. It’s got a solid instrumental towards the end. “Hollow Ground” comes next, and what stood out was the words “Sometimes you gotta fail to win / Trust me – do yourself a big favor / Act now, don’t wait just to find out later” and the positive self-talk near the end part.
After those two songs, it dawned that this album is somewhat about inner demons and trying to outrun them. The title is “Psychotic Episodes”, after all. But, it still explores themes different from the main one, something along the idea of intimacy.
“Would You” is personally a lot to take in, but it’s good that way. A line that struck like a chord was “And I don’t intend to sound hateful but / Friend, would you take a bullet for me?” It’s quite heartbreaking if you think about it. “Bette” plays right after, which sounds more tame than the previous tracks. It’s about a girl who, according to the song, left. The solo and instrumental parts were intriguing.
Next up is “Beat You to Death”, which immediately gave off punk rock energy. It comprises voiceovers within speakers, an awesome riff, and the words were delivered in a rap-ish style. “You should have been more plugged in / To the tyranny, not to the TV” is a great line, and the rhymes in the verses hit just right.
“Japan” will make you instantly go ‘oh, this sounds like Japan’. The entire song is quite literally about the country alone, accompanied by a remarkable melody of guitar. It includes lyrics such as “The choice, it couldn’t be more clear (to me) / I no longer feel alone / And I rejoice in calling this my home”, which on its own is really great to hear, seeing as someone actually found home in (presumably) a country he’s not from.
Admittedly, “Celestial Bureaucracy” is one of those songs that you for sure are not going to comprehend fully on the first listen. It’s not necessarily messy, but it’s full of ideas and words the normal human being would probably have a 30% chance of being familiar with. Nevertheless, it still has some great lines like “Wonderland out in the sky / Twisted rabbit ghost / Won’t let live and won’t make die” and “Fate forged fire / Married with air / Woven with the water / Putrid earth and despair”.
The last track, “Please Send Us Some Love” has an almost reggae vibe and acts like the album’s closing prayer, since it openly addresses God within the lyrics. “Hypocrisy and dishonesty / Chronically on display / And I could use some work ’cause I’m kind of a jerk / And I always gotta get my way” is such a good line though, and it was ended perfectly, as if getting you ready to rewind the whole thing again.
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About the Author
Kate Clarice Lee is a psychology major in Ateneo de Naga University with a knack for music and writing. She takes interest in playing guitar, poetry, creative writing, and lyrics that—subjectively—hit close to home. Kate mostly enjoys indie, alternative, pop & punk rock music.
