PureVolume

HYPNOGAJA

Truth Decay

(Union State Records)

9 (out of 10)

MODERN ROCK WITH HEART: Singer/songwriter Jason “ShyBoy” Arnold has an expertly crafted album with Truth Decay. Alongside guitarist Jean-Yves “Jeeve” Ducornet, keyboardist Mark Nubar Donikian, drummer Adrian Barnardo and bassist Bryan Farrar, the quintet known as Hypnogaja bucks the soulless modern rock trend on each of this album’s 14 tracks. Then again, given the members’ collective pedigree - Arnold has composed music for the video game Devil May Cry 4, as well as TV programs, while Ducornet has written and produced songs for Carlos Santana - the fact that these songs stick so well doesn’t come as much of a surprise. What does ring pleasantly odd is how well these songs flow, and how much atmosphere and heart can be crammed into each of these tunes. Truth Decay strides the line between dark, almost goth influenced rock, while stressing a mild progressive streak here and there, possessing both commercial appeal and musical acceptability from cover to cover. Arnold’s songwriting doesn’t insult the listener’s intelligence - these songs are catchy and don’t need to drop the lowest common denominator - but rather balances self-indulgence and extroverted sheen in a way that should win over the dourest of skeptics. A Perfect Circle for a new millennium? A poppy Porcupine Tree? Perhaps. Either way, Hypnogaja rocks. - George Pacheco