abingdon boys school - STRENGTH.

Never a band to disappoint, abingdon boys school put out another powerful single in the first quarter of the year. STRENGTH. is a powerful track with a pleasant, upbeat B-side.

The title track opens with their signature synth-drum intro by Toshiyuki with a very imposing stance. The deep sounds give the song a sense of importance from the get-go. Takanori's voice is, as always, well in tune with the song, and Sunao andShibasaki consistently play a nice harmony to his singing. The breakdowns throughout the song are catchy and drive the track along with a strength unparalleled by other mainstream rock bands. At the climax of the song, Sunao lets out a sharp, piercing guitar solo, and a near-metal drum pattern complements. The exposition is mirrored in the finale of the tune, closing with the power and dignity it entered with, and a final quick cut leaves a lingering seriousness.

The B-side, Freedom, is far more upbeat than its predecessor. The synthesized sounds are more prominent here, with a rising and falling sound dominating the background and fast, loud drumming hitting hard against smooth vocals. Takanori's vocal performance, though, is immobile and holds its headline position in the song until breaking to give way to a guitar solo. The solo is structured around the electronic backdrop, and it weaves in and out until the vocal verse returns. In the last third, the listeners are treated to more guitar solos, swapped back and forth between Shibasaki and Sunao, offering contrasting complementary sounds. Shouts of "Freedom!" scattered throughout the song resonate in your ears and tie the ends of each chunk of song structure together; the song is certain to stay in your memory even after the last notes fade.

abingdon boys school rarely, if not never, disappoints their listeners. STRENGTH. does nothing but add to the band's repertoire of intense and emotional songs.