“Over the Destruction,” the first single (2015) by the band Disqualia, subverts the expectations one would have of a distinctive rock singer’s first offering as a frontwoman. In Disqualia, the vocalist and songwriter IBUKI, who previously guested on songs by Rie a.k.a. Suzaku and toured with DESTROSE, is backed by a formidable group of musicians. They include hyperkinetic drummer Risa*Risa and incendiary guitarist Narumi, both former DESTROSE members themselves. Sure enough, Risa*Risa’s opening drum enfilade on “Over the Destruction” kicks into Narumi’s spectacular hard-edged guitar riff.

Yet, when IBUKI begins singing the first verse, instead of hearing her characteristically clear and powerful voice, the listener instead gets a heavily distorted IBUKI, singing in English, “We are living on hallowed ground/The time has come to push to fight.” The distortion is disorienting. It is the rock equivalent of disequilibrium. Eventually, the golden-voiced IBUKI emerges, singing the chorus in Japanese. Weirdly enough, the listener wants more of the distorted IBUKI, and, fortunately, gets it. A chill instrumental break continues the sense of confusion before the guitars bring back the fire prior to the bridge. The subversion of expectations embodied by Disqualia’s “Over the Destruction” is at the palpitating heart of rock music. Pulsating.