I saw RainbowDragonEyes in Nashville a few years ago and it was one of the coolest chiptune shows I have ever attended.

With chiptune, most people assume the use of old game consoles with unique sound chips to make dance music. This isn’t always the case. For example, YMCK uses mostly NES sounds but the music consists of jazz progressions and has a jazz style. It’s effectively jazz, without sounding like it to the untrained ear. This is the case with the latest from RainbowDragonEyes, The Primordial Booze, a chiptunes power metal album.

It’s hard to articulate which song is better on this album. I just put on my headphones and start rocking out. It has that energy of power metal, the finesse of chiptunes, and epic guitar solos without guitars. You don’t have to think about it, you just get into it.

Here are a few of my favorite tracks from The Primordial Booze.

Every track feels cohesive with the others. As an album, The Primordial Booze performs above average. While every song has its own similarities to the others, there are also surprising new beats that grab you in unique ways.

The previous album, Super Eurobit and the Seventh Enochian Key, is enjoyable too, albeit in a different way. There are fewer metal overtones and a eurobeat flavor to the music. It’s not bad, but it’s not as fulfilling as the latest album.

I enjoy that it ventures between video game homage, dance, and metal because I do enjoy all of those (especially when using those old sound chips from the Sega Mega Drive and similar chips). Early albums are often like that, with the artist struggling to find a musical identity.

Regardless, both albums are great. However, if I were to buy only one, I’d buy the newer one. It’s better, hands down.

Check out the RainbowDragonEyes bandcamp page, and listen to any song you want.