Review: Shinko Syukyo Gakudan NoGoD - Ifukyou

Look confused? Yeah, it's nothing more than the name for Aka Fukyou.

BUT WAITPLOX, AKA FUKYOU IS READ AKA FUKYOU! WHY IS IT IFUKYOU ZESSHOKU?

Let's take a look at the Kanji.

Aka Fukyou is meant to be written 赤布教. This single is written 赫布教. That's a slight change that makes a huge difference. What's worse is that the title track can be read either Ifukyou, Gu Ren, or Gu Hasu and the second track can be read either Yuiitsu Uta or Yuiitsu Ka. I'm going to go with the second just because of some particle rules I don't feel like getting into at the moment. This is about as bad as Dou (which can be read Dou, Shirube, or Michibiku). No one actually knows which one Danchou had in mind for any of these, but most people use Aka Fukyou as the "accepted" term. Since I don't like to be most people, and honestly because I don't believe "Aka" is correct, I'm going to redo this review calling this album Ifukyou.

These are the times when it's beneficial to know some Japanese O_o.

01. Gu Ren
02. Yuiitsu Ka

In order to start Gu Ren off, you have some German speech straight out of MEIN TEIL that's supposed to buff NoGoD's multicultural cock and fulfill their "abuse of another language other than English" requirement that every indies band needs to complete. Danchou has an annoying tendency to hold out his notes after the end of his verses and simultaneously not project his voice, which makes him sound like he had a lobotomy. Danchou's vocals also aren't in prime form and he sounds like he'd rather be doing something else than singing that song. What is cool about this song that was excluded on the Kanna Fukyou re-recording is the way the solo is done. The re-recording is more straightforward about the scurgling part while this version has a little slowdown before they jump back into it. Speaking of scurgles, Danchou's screaming at this point sucks. It's almost as bad as Ruki's scream from Headache Man except it's more of a scurgle. From the muddy production to the little nuances they didn't throw into the re-recording this version of Gu Ren is worth hearing, even if it's just once.

Yuiitsu Ka is a far more stable song than the former after the first minute or so, and that's because of the senseless screaming at the beginning that in theory was good but with Danchou's voice didn't work out so much. I sense they were trying to go into the depths of depravity but didn't go much past the ditch in the side of the road. In fact, that's what the song digs itself into until it switches gears and starts shredding some psychedelic, Beatles-esque riffs. I personally don't like the sound that Danchou makes when he chokes himself, and it shouldn't be recorded in the middle of a pop-rock track. The complexity and extra riffs that NoGoD throws into their music nowadays isn't found in this song but I’m pretty sure this song threw everyone for a loop when it first came out. Compared to most of their earlier stuff, this song sounds like a completely different band. It’s probably the first song that accurately displayed their style of pop rock as we know it in 2009. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Personally, I like tracing back the progression of a band, and I’m glad that NoGoD decided to move out of the realm of hitting-every-note-possible-on-the-guitar-at-one-possible-time-to-cause-a-divide-by-zero-error-and-make-the-world-explode-from-an-overload-of-awesome playing with Danchou screaming as if he’s shitting babies. This is the style of music that they’re best at, and I think that’s the kind of music that they should stick with.

I honestly can't imagine this band without Shinno anymore o_o. What surprises me even more is that the release after this Kanna Fukyou, is miles better than both of these tracks. The two of them feel almost like throwaways in that they weren't expounded upon as much as they should have been. I want to hear a re-recording of Yuiitsu Ka one day, since we got a re-recording of the first track already.

I also don't understand why Karin's bass is louder, crisper, and more prominent in a track that was released almost three years ago >.>.

Much like I said with Ao no Daichi, you can't buy Ifukyou anymore since all 2000 copies are sold out so if you want it you're going to have to scour eBay or search the Internet. The former is faster in my opinion so do that if you want to hear these two tracks. The B-side is worth a listen but leave the A-side alone and go for the superior version on the mini-album.

Recommendation:

Yuiitsu Ka

Score: 65%

Gu Ren

Original Lyrics

“kane de subete ga kaeru shakai” shugi wa kokochi ga
ii
kyou mo kokoro no kayowanu
yuugi wo saa kono heya de

dore dake karada kasanete mo umaranai kuuhaku ni
kuruisou ni naru boku wa mada
aka wo hoshigaru

kankaku wa kitto
haruka mukashi ni nakushita
dakara ima wa
omoidasenai hazu na no ni

te wo nobashite
risei wo koroshi
yokubou ni mi wo yudanereba
eien ni hirogaru ginshoku no sekai
mada yureru kimi no tomoshibi irodoru kage wo
motome samayou boku wa maru de
minikui honoo

te wo nobashite
risei wo koroshi
yokubou ni mi wo yudanereba
eien ni hirogaru ginshoku no sekai
mada yureru kimi no tomoshibi irodoru kage wo
motome samayou boku wa tada
mou ichido ano goro no you ni

soshite mata uso wo kasaneru yoru

Translated Lyrics (remember I’m still working on my mad 3PIC skillz so don’t take this as a final perfect translation but it’s pretty damn good)

“All the bells turn society over” my doctrine is agreeable
Today my spirit wavers
Come to this room of sports

Only now once again my body is buried in emptiness
I am in total confusion
I desire perfection

I surely sense
the past howling far away
So now I shall put my thoughts into action

My hand extends
My sense of murder
My body desires to devote itself to
Spreading my will all throughout the world
Yet you send light to color my shade
I demand to wander in the circle of an ugly flame

My hand extends
My sense of murder
My body desires to devote itself to
Spreading my will all throughout the world
Yet you send light to color my shade
I demand to wander in the circle of an ugly flame
In order for that time to come again

and also lies depend on more lies

Yuiitsu Ka

Japanese Lyrics

Onaji kao shite onaji fuku kite
Onaji kyoku shite onaji kao shite
Onaji furishite gerogero sakende
Minna issho ni 1.2.3.go!

Watashi ga subete no hitotachi ni
Ataeta “kosei” to iu takara
Subete chigau idenshi wo motsu bokutachi no me no
Utsuru no wa

Tada, hitotsu de aritai
Kurutta sekai de
Tada, hitotsu no boku de itai
Tada, boku wa tada, utau yo
Ima wa todokanai chiisa na koe dakedo
Hyakunengo mo kono koe ga todoku you ni

Akogareteita ano hitotachi ni wa
Kesshite narenai kara
Onaji hito janai kara
Ima wa takai kabe mo
Boku wa boku no yari kata de kanarazu
Koete miseru sa

Tada, hitotsu de aritai
Kurutta sekai de
Tada, hitotsu no boku de itai
Nara sonna koto yamete yo
Kimi wa shiawase na no?
Anata wa mitasareru no?
Tada, boku wa utau yo
Ima wa todokanai chiisa na koe dakedo
Hyakunengo mo sennengo ni mo
Towa1 ni todoku you ni kono koe ga

English Lyrics

Identical heroes wearing identical clothing
Identical situations with these identical heroes
Identical irrational heroes disgust me averting these situations
All together now 1 2 3 GO!

I represent all of the people
Handing out “individuality” as treasure
We all possess different genes and experiences
And they show

Only, we are one and the same
A crazy world
Only, I am the only one that remains
Only, I’m the only one singing
Now reach a little toward that voice
so that this voice reaches out for a century

Yearning to be those people
Never to become accoustomed to
The same people
Now, a tall wall
Is my, my place of refuge
Until I cross over

Only, we are one and the same
A crazy world
Only, I am the only one that remains
If only this would cease
Are you happy?
Are you satisfied?
Only, I sing
Now reach a little toward that voice
For 100 years, 1000 years
For eternity so that you can reach this voice