20th May 2023

Review: “District Violet” by Majin

Born out of a mutual love of Cyberpunk and Japanese culture, Majin have spent the past four years carving out their corner of the Nu-Metalcore sound space. The south coast quartet have been sharing stages with everyone from Bitterwood to Tyrants to Feel Shame since their debut EP “Warpath” appeared in May 2020. At the same time the band have dropped no less than 11 singles, including covers of cuts by KoRn, Slipknot and Desolated.

Opening the arteries like a hot knife through butter, “Sleep It Away” crosses the territories of Deathcore, Slam and Nu-Metalcore with brutal power, blending elements seamlessly to create on homogeneous entity that flows together like a river to the sea. A “Blegh!” moment is a classy touch, as is a Tech-Metal inspired tapping section and a whispered moment that leads into a passage for two steppers to delight in. There is so much rammed into the opening cut that other bands wouldn’t be able to pull off the vicious vision and all of that before the grand finale. A huge Downtempo Deathcore breakdown section embellished by Slam pig squealing thins the herd separating the wheat from the chaff at the end with a violently turbulent outburst. Flipping the script and embracing Trap Metal, “Devil Transformation” conjoins haunting programmed beats with rap screams before bringing in some DJent inspired guitars, one part older Emmure one part new school Within Destruction – all Majin. It actually feels like a remix of another track but works incredibly well, cut together in style, much like the Spawn soundtrack did conceptually back in 1997.

Continuing to dabble with little moments of experimentation, “Manji Back Fist” has fleeting clean vocal lines during a blood and thunder DJent bounce riff laden track that is otherwise straight Deathcore. The sheer brutality of it is immense, Majin a seemingly unstoppable force of nature, the black plague wind on the horizon. Influences bleed through the bandages of the the bands sound, there are so many that it’s hard to take them in during the whirlwind of sonic destruction they create. Extremes within each song are collosal, no fear of going skull crushingly heavy or dialing it back should they so desire. “Violet Bliss” could easily be renamed “Violent Bliss“, a brutal assault on the senses of powerhouse stuccato riff infestations hitting like punches from a prize fighter. A HUGE downtempo Deathcore breakdown is straight from the playbook of bands like Bound In Fear or Osiah while the shriller vocals that follow it should come with a health warning. If that wasn’t glorious punishment enough “Transcend” smashes the mirror at 40 feet with an undercurrent of programming as introspective lyrics about being trapped inside a digital dream expose natural fears of the direction of modern society in a surprisingly socially aware fashion. Tidal wave after total wave of sonic oblivion continue before fading out into programming with a little Japanese in the background. Brutal and clever, this offering from Majin is the most fun you can have with a visit to A&E [8/10]

Track Listing