With the announcement that Yuuto decided to leave the band today, I figured that it'd be only right that I finally take a look at X-RAYS and see what his final work with SCREW was like. I'm not going to beat around the bush and banter on and on just to have a set structure: X-RAYS was pretty average in some spots and downright terrible in others. A few issues plague this album through and through and there are plenty of other bands that do this genre and do it better but for an album X-RAYS really isn't all that bad. It just isn't all that good either.
Byou, the vocalist of this band, cannot scream. His singing voice is great, as illustrated in songs like DYSPNEA and Yurikago, but he cannot scream. X-RAYS has a notorious amount of distortion on the screams and instead of filling out Byou's weak spots it just makes the song sound funny and the screams sound stupid. There is such a ridiculous amount of distortion that I don't blame anyone if they stop listening at track five. This little glitch wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that ScReW considers themselves to be a heavy band so we have tracks like dust box and DRASTIC SLAVER which are ridden with nothing but screams and growls muffled by tons of distortion.
The album starts off with answer, which I treat as more of an album opener than a track on it's own. It's under three minutes but it's full of screaming, whispering, tinny drumming, distorted vocals out the window and a respectable guitar line that keeps this song from sinking. It leads into one song that I must point out for review purposes: VII Cardinal Sins. This song is the epitome of "born syndrome": deep heavy verses contrasted with a sung chorus that doesn't fit together well. Throw in some unintelligible growled Engrish and distortion of course and you have a track that's just loud but not clever.
Thankfully this album is miles above the crap Racial Mixture EP they released before this and I do have to say that since they recorded all new songs for this album it's good in that respect. Some noteworthy songs for listening that I need to point out are Ruin and Dread, Dyspnea, Black Monster and Yurikago. These are among the best songs on the album because they showcase Byou's strengths while leaving the massive amounts of technical aid behind. Ruin and Dread combines their crushing sound with the grace of a piano while Dyspnea throws in a nice little acoustic solo over Byou's great singing voice, both of which add more to a song than "scream, scream, scream, layer this shit with distortion, scream some more". Yurikago has a nice tempo change midway through the song that keeps the listener from falling into a sleep from listening so long and Black Monster is that token "we're diversified" track that doesn't fit in on the album. Normally I crucify these but in the context of this album I'd take anything that doesn't outright suck.
EDIT: Due to the comment of an anonymous visitor, it came to my attention that I somehow missed the incredibly good Firefly. Don't ask why I didn't notice it wasn't here the first time but if you're going to pick up X-RAYS you need to invest serious time in this track. I didn't and I missed it the first time around D=. (Perhaps then I would have given X-RAYS a second look)
And then we have tracks that outright suck....what a shame since the songs above highlight that Screw knows what it is they're doing but they just make very poor musical decisions. As stated before, VII Cardinal Sins is a page ripped right out of "born's tips and tricks to making dysfunctional music" guide while dust box is a roaring wall of noise that ought to be destroyed next to it's cousin HEEL (from Racial Mixture). answer and Drastic Slaver both have somewhat cool guitar lines racing throughout but Byou's vocals kill it and Genei no Kusari has a cringeworthy chorus that neuters a somewhat good song.
At the end of the day, Screw is where they are at because they produce what it is they want: music that's great to listen to one minute and just "what the fuck" the next. Byou is nothing more than a poor man's Mao when it comes down to it (and Mao doesn't need digitalization on his vocals to make them "harsh") and ScReW can't keep a leash on their wild side as tightly as Sadie (the band that most jumps to mind when you figure what it is they try to imitate). X-RAYS is very hit and miss as an album but there are a few tracks in here worth putting your attention towards.
If ScReW wants to improve, they'll need to get a vocalist that knows how to scream/growl and compose songs that aren't needlessly heavy and without direction like "dust box". The EQ levels also need some adjustment. Would I ever want to see some songs re-recorded for a future compilation? Sure, but just the good ones.
Recommended:
DYSPNEA
RUIN AND DREAD
Yurikago
Listen: Maybe
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Review: Administrator - A
I'm actually quite averse to songs that start out with just the singer and then have the song curl around it in that vexingly poppy fashion but what I'm even more averse to is what I dub "born syndrome" - a basic lack of cohesion between verse and chorus. This cannot even be excused by musical incompetence since you have to know what the hell you're doing in order to screw up that bad. Administrator's A manages to screw up both of those Visual Kei pitfalls early on with Ace and Hidden Scar.
Ace is your basic run through of an upbeat rock song and doesn't stray from the formula. It doesn't have the same balls that selfish clover had and it doesn't take risks so what I'm left with is just another faceless VK song that wants to bare some teeth but doesn't commit itself to doing so 100% of the time. A few annoying things in this song would be the electronic effects that come in pointlessly, do nothing, and fade away. They'd almost be unnoticeable if they weren't all chained one after another. Another would be the hey's followed by the choir aah's since neither one of them works for Akuta.
Simply put, Ace isn't a good A-side for Administrator's first single. Too generic, not representative of what they're capable of.
Hidden Scar starts out pretty badass and I can even forgive the slight born syndrome but what I cannot overlook is the fact that it slowly segues into some stepbrother of Ace's. In places they even start to sound similar and Administrator remembers somewhere along the line that the song was supposed to be harder so they throw in a growl or two and then return with bad special effects and a bridge and chorus an octave too high for my comfort zone. No. The entire last minute is just painful and it becomes almost unbearable to realize that it's still the same song I was listening to three minutes ago.
Too long, too undecided, does not deliver.
Oboro is the type of song I want to hear from Administrator and easily up there for me around selfish clover. Proper use of special effects mixed with a sense of direction and a memorable riff is only offset by an awkward chorus. If that chorus was better Oboro would have won this race by a landslide but it's not like it's got any competition on A. It's the only song with a solo that I'll recognize and some of the ways that Akuta sings portions of the song sound great. It's definitely the only song I'd recommend out of this affair.
Good, maybe even above average.
A does not deliver but it's not surprising since this band hasn't been around for long and are still trying to find their way. It could have been a lot better but it could have been a whole lot worse so where it sits right now isn't all that bad. It just isn't all that memorable either.
55%
Ace is your basic run through of an upbeat rock song and doesn't stray from the formula. It doesn't have the same balls that selfish clover had and it doesn't take risks so what I'm left with is just another faceless VK song that wants to bare some teeth but doesn't commit itself to doing so 100% of the time. A few annoying things in this song would be the electronic effects that come in pointlessly, do nothing, and fade away. They'd almost be unnoticeable if they weren't all chained one after another. Another would be the hey's followed by the choir aah's since neither one of them works for Akuta.
Simply put, Ace isn't a good A-side for Administrator's first single. Too generic, not representative of what they're capable of.
Hidden Scar starts out pretty badass and I can even forgive the slight born syndrome but what I cannot overlook is the fact that it slowly segues into some stepbrother of Ace's. In places they even start to sound similar and Administrator remembers somewhere along the line that the song was supposed to be harder so they throw in a growl or two and then return with bad special effects and a bridge and chorus an octave too high for my comfort zone. No. The entire last minute is just painful and it becomes almost unbearable to realize that it's still the same song I was listening to three minutes ago.
Too long, too undecided, does not deliver.
Oboro is the type of song I want to hear from Administrator and easily up there for me around selfish clover. Proper use of special effects mixed with a sense of direction and a memorable riff is only offset by an awkward chorus. If that chorus was better Oboro would have won this race by a landslide but it's not like it's got any competition on A. It's the only song with a solo that I'll recognize and some of the ways that Akuta sings portions of the song sound great. It's definitely the only song I'd recommend out of this affair.
Good, maybe even above average.
A does not deliver but it's not surprising since this band hasn't been around for long and are still trying to find their way. It could have been a lot better but it could have been a whole lot worse so where it sits right now isn't all that bad. It just isn't all that memorable either.
55%
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Review: NoGoD - Rashinban
*cracks knuckles*
Now I don't really need an explanation for my extended absence but I believe I owe you one anyway. The excuse is simple: college. Being a physics major + being completely out of my league = tons of catch-up. I also spent the time trying to figure out a way to circumvent the gods of computing at this school and then there was also just general laziness in updating overall.
But I told myself I would do a review on the 23rd for one reason: NoGoD. They're really the reason why I started my first blog and a lack of releases stopped me then. Their new release, Rashinban, is going to lead off this review spree. In the following days I'm also going to cover UnsraW's REBORN, Administrator's A, ScReW's X-RAYS, -OZ-'s VERSUS, Nega's Lover (unplugged), and Lycaon's Cordyceps Sinensis.
NoGoD - Rashinban
I had really mixed anticipations for this release. I doubted they'd ever return to the epicness of the Kanna Fukyou / Mugen Kyou period but I didn't think it would be as bad as the time where we waited for the release of Gokusaishiki to come out. My initial predictions were pretty much true since this EP is split pretty neatly between really commercial, generic pop-rock shit and then badass metal and it all lacks any sort of cohesion.
If you had any doubts about which way this EP was going to go Jigokuchou doesn't give you an accurate representation of what's in store. For one, it's actually pretty damn sweet and minus a slightly lacking chorus the entire drive, energy, and passion that every member puts into this release could make you think that all the songs on this album would be like this. Jigokuchou is full of so many ideas, from chopped up sections to single guitar strumming to a chorus that I like (even if it's lacking) and all of this comes together in a package that I'd actually say I'd put up there with Tsumibatsu Egoist and Saikou no Sekai. However, it is precisely all these ideas that fuck over Rashinban in the end. An EP is a band's way of saying they don't have enough new material to warrant a whole new album but they still have some ideas that they want to present to their listeners. When you use up most of your good ideas in track one, and track two is basically a re-recorded version of a released song you don't give me much hope.
Short and sweet point: Jigokuchou is awesome.
Mr.HEAVEN is pretty much the same it was on the single last month but it feels remastered and has a few neat passages. Guitar lines are redone and restrained and K fits in perfectly like he did before but he's not the primary force behind the song. I like the return to the beginning after the solo and everyone seems more balanced. I even think Karin redid the lame basslines from before so it's still enjoyable, even if it feels less infectious from before.
Hachigatsu Sakujitsu stops the Rashinban train for a little bit as it tries to come off as a failed attempt at a ballad. If you want a good NoGoD ballad find Kono Sekai ni Mihanasaretemo or Rinne Tenshou. Hell, I'll even throw in Yakusoku no Chi in there because even that had more going than this track. Hachigatsu lacks the NoGoD touch and might take a few listens to grow on me. Definitely not addictive at all.
Hakoniwa doesn't bring it back right at ALL. It's another poppy track but it feels commercial and not at all like NoGoD. Once again, NoGoD's done this type of track before (Yuiitsu Ka, Nanairo) and they've done it so much better while keeping the attitude. I don't mind IF they do pop-rock, just as long as they do it the NoGoD way. Hakoniwa is going to be one of those Shirasagi-esque tracks that's good for mild listening but if you need a NoGoD fix it's not going to satisfy you at all.
I wanted to SHOOT myself listening to Kalmia. The choir ooh's and aah's, the forceful beginning reminiscent of MUCC's Flight, the cringe-worthy chorus that makes me want to neuter my reviewing self, the overall blandness in putting things together...this is not the NoGoD I want to hear. Hell, this isn't NoGoD and the fact that this comes after Ring-a Ring-o only exacerbates the problem of "you don't fucking fit" and "you don't fucking belong". NoGoD can pull off hard and soft and poppy songs well but this isn't one of them and the fact that it ENDS off Rashinban doesn't leave a good taste in my mouth. I would have been fine with just five tracks guys.
You probably noticed I skipped Ring-a Ring-o. That's because the song is too epic for words. The name sounds like a fun and silly song but it's far FAR away from any of that nonsense. Far and away the best song here, I felt that actually describing why it was good doesn't work in this instance. Take my word for it - you actually NEED to listen to this track if you're going to pick up Rashinban because this makes the EP.
So in conclusion, this is basically what Mr.HEAVEN should have been last month. It could have even been the new "Batsu" - Ring-a Ring-o as the A side with Mr.HEAVEN and Jigokuchou being the respectable B-sides - but it ended up becoming bloated with so-so tracks that drag down the EP as a whole. NoGoD's trying to show us they can do more than metal but frankly I don't give a damn. You're good at what it is you do and some things you just can't pull off so what they need to do is go back to the drawing board and figure out why songs like Ring-a Ring-o work and others like Kalmia just don't.
You can either sound the part or you can play the part. Rashinban is sounding the part and it's not measuring up. In actuality, the only track I recommend you skip is Kalmia but I feel tracks three and four weren't up to par. It doesn't scratch Gokusaishiki or Mugen Kyou and is way inferior to Kanna Fukyou but it's a lot better than Ao no Daichi or Midori no Kaze. It isn't their best work and it isn't going to rock your world but it's worth picking up if not for the metal monsters they offer here.
Now I don't really need an explanation for my extended absence but I believe I owe you one anyway. The excuse is simple: college. Being a physics major + being completely out of my league = tons of catch-up. I also spent the time trying to figure out a way to circumvent the gods of computing at this school and then there was also just general laziness in updating overall.
But I told myself I would do a review on the 23rd for one reason: NoGoD. They're really the reason why I started my first blog and a lack of releases stopped me then. Their new release, Rashinban, is going to lead off this review spree. In the following days I'm also going to cover UnsraW's REBORN, Administrator's A, ScReW's X-RAYS, -OZ-'s VERSUS, Nega's Lover (unplugged), and Lycaon's Cordyceps Sinensis.
NoGoD - Rashinban
I had really mixed anticipations for this release. I doubted they'd ever return to the epicness of the Kanna Fukyou / Mugen Kyou period but I didn't think it would be as bad as the time where we waited for the release of Gokusaishiki to come out. My initial predictions were pretty much true since this EP is split pretty neatly between really commercial, generic pop-rock shit and then badass metal and it all lacks any sort of cohesion.
If you had any doubts about which way this EP was going to go Jigokuchou doesn't give you an accurate representation of what's in store. For one, it's actually pretty damn sweet and minus a slightly lacking chorus the entire drive, energy, and passion that every member puts into this release could make you think that all the songs on this album would be like this. Jigokuchou is full of so many ideas, from chopped up sections to single guitar strumming to a chorus that I like (even if it's lacking) and all of this comes together in a package that I'd actually say I'd put up there with Tsumibatsu Egoist and Saikou no Sekai. However, it is precisely all these ideas that fuck over Rashinban in the end. An EP is a band's way of saying they don't have enough new material to warrant a whole new album but they still have some ideas that they want to present to their listeners. When you use up most of your good ideas in track one, and track two is basically a re-recorded version of a released song you don't give me much hope.
Short and sweet point: Jigokuchou is awesome.
Mr.HEAVEN is pretty much the same it was on the single last month but it feels remastered and has a few neat passages. Guitar lines are redone and restrained and K fits in perfectly like he did before but he's not the primary force behind the song. I like the return to the beginning after the solo and everyone seems more balanced. I even think Karin redid the lame basslines from before so it's still enjoyable, even if it feels less infectious from before.
Hachigatsu Sakujitsu stops the Rashinban train for a little bit as it tries to come off as a failed attempt at a ballad. If you want a good NoGoD ballad find Kono Sekai ni Mihanasaretemo or Rinne Tenshou. Hell, I'll even throw in Yakusoku no Chi in there because even that had more going than this track. Hachigatsu lacks the NoGoD touch and might take a few listens to grow on me. Definitely not addictive at all.
Hakoniwa doesn't bring it back right at ALL. It's another poppy track but it feels commercial and not at all like NoGoD. Once again, NoGoD's done this type of track before (Yuiitsu Ka, Nanairo) and they've done it so much better while keeping the attitude. I don't mind IF they do pop-rock, just as long as they do it the NoGoD way. Hakoniwa is going to be one of those Shirasagi-esque tracks that's good for mild listening but if you need a NoGoD fix it's not going to satisfy you at all.
I wanted to SHOOT myself listening to Kalmia. The choir ooh's and aah's, the forceful beginning reminiscent of MUCC's Flight, the cringe-worthy chorus that makes me want to neuter my reviewing self, the overall blandness in putting things together...this is not the NoGoD I want to hear. Hell, this isn't NoGoD and the fact that this comes after Ring-a Ring-o only exacerbates the problem of "you don't fucking fit" and "you don't fucking belong". NoGoD can pull off hard and soft and poppy songs well but this isn't one of them and the fact that it ENDS off Rashinban doesn't leave a good taste in my mouth. I would have been fine with just five tracks guys.
You probably noticed I skipped Ring-a Ring-o. That's because the song is too epic for words. The name sounds like a fun and silly song but it's far FAR away from any of that nonsense. Far and away the best song here, I felt that actually describing why it was good doesn't work in this instance. Take my word for it - you actually NEED to listen to this track if you're going to pick up Rashinban because this makes the EP.
So in conclusion, this is basically what Mr.HEAVEN should have been last month. It could have even been the new "Batsu" - Ring-a Ring-o as the A side with Mr.HEAVEN and Jigokuchou being the respectable B-sides - but it ended up becoming bloated with so-so tracks that drag down the EP as a whole. NoGoD's trying to show us they can do more than metal but frankly I don't give a damn. You're good at what it is you do and some things you just can't pull off so what they need to do is go back to the drawing board and figure out why songs like Ring-a Ring-o work and others like Kalmia just don't.
You can either sound the part or you can play the part. Rashinban is sounding the part and it's not measuring up. In actuality, the only track I recommend you skip is Kalmia but I feel tracks three and four weren't up to par. It doesn't scratch Gokusaishiki or Mugen Kyou and is way inferior to Kanna Fukyou but it's a lot better than Ao no Daichi or Midori no Kaze. It isn't their best work and it isn't going to rock your world but it's worth picking up if not for the metal monsters they offer here.
Friday, September 11, 2009
PV: Nega - idle
I'm finally a lot better than I was last week so I've done a lot of thinking among all the coughing, hacking, blood, spittle and snot (and I know that was infinitely more information than you will ever need or was looking for) and realized a few things. The most important was that I was at college and even though my time is lessened and I won't be able to write two or three reviews daily like I used to, I'm going to have a tougher time getting my hands on music due to the school's filesharing policy. Long story short, I'm going to have to find something else music related to do until I get my hands on the new releases until about January, when I have the month off and can download freely once more. Until then, I'll switch my focus to music videos and keep up on some of the new albums the day/the day after they come out. I might also go back in my library and pull out an old album every once in a while when I'm REALLY strapped but for now, visuals are the way to go. And of course, how can you enjoy visual kei without the visuals?
So we have Nega's PV for Idle, which I spent the last few days looking for so they're below. I haven't figured out how to put videos in the post quite yet so you'll have to head over to YouTube to watch it but it shouldn't be that hard. It made me appreciate the song more so now I actually like Idle but when I compare the video to the lyrics I don't find a correlation between the two. The sudden ending at the end of the video is also not cool, especially since the entire video has such good quality I'm entranced.
From what I understand the video is supposed to be about an abandoned world but that's me REALLY stretching it. It's just four guys rocking out in an abandoned warehouse spliced with scenes of what the hell. Seriously, the whole "rocker running away from nothing like a scared bitch and posing like a fashion model" shtick in Visual Kei music is about as bad as the music. Get more original or don't waste my time with stupidity. I hate Versailles for having a seven minute music video full of men staring at me and this doesn't fare any better either.
Jin without makeup is also interesting. He actually LOOKS Japanese.
Three cheers to Nega for throwing away their visual parts one by one. Perhaps they could deliver two singles that don't suck as hard as Grave of the Sacrifice. More dig and ill at the very least (or if you feel like getting really good at it give us some dole/hole era stuff).
So let's recap.
Pros
- Good song
- Good quality
Cons
- Rather bland video overall
A review of idle can be found on the dig review a few months back.
So we have Nega's PV for Idle, which I spent the last few days looking for so they're below. I haven't figured out how to put videos in the post quite yet so you'll have to head over to YouTube to watch it but it shouldn't be that hard. It made me appreciate the song more so now I actually like Idle but when I compare the video to the lyrics I don't find a correlation between the two. The sudden ending at the end of the video is also not cool, especially since the entire video has such good quality I'm entranced.
From what I understand the video is supposed to be about an abandoned world but that's me REALLY stretching it. It's just four guys rocking out in an abandoned warehouse spliced with scenes of what the hell. Seriously, the whole "rocker running away from nothing like a scared bitch and posing like a fashion model" shtick in Visual Kei music is about as bad as the music. Get more original or don't waste my time with stupidity. I hate Versailles for having a seven minute music video full of men staring at me and this doesn't fare any better either.
Jin without makeup is also interesting. He actually LOOKS Japanese.
Three cheers to Nega for throwing away their visual parts one by one. Perhaps they could deliver two singles that don't suck as hard as Grave of the Sacrifice. More dig and ill at the very least (or if you feel like getting really good at it give us some dole/hole era stuff).
So let's recap.
Pros
- Good song
- Good quality
Cons
- Rather bland video overall
A review of idle can be found on the dig review a few months back.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Review: D'espairsRay - Final Call
Let's take this time to recall two things that I've said in reviews prior. The first would be that I would take a new approach to writing reviews and the second is that D'espairsRay's single "Gemini" would be the standard that I would hold all future reviews and releases up to. I haven't actually been keeping to that too much: I still am reviewing things technically and I haven't so much as mentioned Reddish since that review. I think that's because I've heard the songs before, I've picked them because I know what they sound like, and I know what I like and what I don't like.
Final Call is a bit different from the other two reviews I've done this month since I literally just got my hands on the single. Even though I've heard the title track from the music video, I don't like judging a song until I get the actual MP3 since the two tend to differ (sometimes immensely). Now that I have the Mp3 with the entire album, it's time to start this review up!
Final Call is a bit different from the other two reviews I've done this month since I literally just got my hands on the single. Even though I've heard the title track from the music video, I don't like judging a song until I get the actual MP3 since the two tend to differ (sometimes immensely). Now that I have the Mp3 with the entire album, it's time to start this review up!
01. Final Call
02. Going on!
03. Ark in the Storm
02. Going on!
03. Ark in the Storm
In some ways I want to relate D'espairsRay to girugamesh. They both released an album (REDEEMER vs. MUSIC) that was immensely different from their other works and alienated their fanbase because "this wasn't the that I grew to like and got used to!". Both D'espa and Giru failed with their last album in the respect that the new sound they were experimenting with clashed and drowned out their older sound so that the product of the album came out sounding like the hunger cries of an aborted fetus wrapped in cellophane. Finally, both bands are similar in the fact that their post-album singles contain traces of the sound that was on their album but with a new tinge to it that actually makes these singles better than some of the tracks on the previous album.
Finally, the construction of the A-side track and certain elements they incorporated in this single sound like they took them from girugamesh and other bands that dabble in that style.
The guitar work is catchy, effective, and rather simple, cycling between a few riffs here and there so it keeps the journey changing throughout. Some of the work on REDEEMER was just as catchy as this and had more going on in the way of musicianship, so Final Call is already not making me feel that musical nirvana we all listen to music for. I imagine myself on a roller coaster during the entire song, with the beginning effects happening while I leave the station. The song blasts in when I'm on the first drop down and as I go through the verses it feels like I'm taking a lot of twists and turns. The entire song is pretty interesting but much like many roller coasters the more you go on the more similar they all begin to feel. The transition into the chorus feels like I hit a break and I stopped for a quick second before going down another steep drop; it's sudden, uncomfortable and it throws you off, but you're able to get right back into it because it moves at a million miles an hour and it's too exhilarating to ignore.
Hizumi's vocals would be the air that smacks your face as you're on this ride. You can't be on a roller coaster without some sort of air resistance but on some rides there is a such a thing as too much air blowing in your face and that ruins the entire run. Bluntly put, there is too much "air resistance" on this track. Hizumi's mumbling, echoing, lack of screams, and singing that doesn't variate too much makes it sound overdone. Much like SCREW's HEEL, he should stick to one or two types of vocals because if you overdo the vocals it becomes too piercing and difficult to enjoy (if you still need an analogy, it becomes difficult to "breathe"). I don't doubt that Hizumi knew what he wanted to do but on this recording it feels like he held back on some of the parts and overdid others, resulting in what sounds like this.
Some well-done deep vocals mixed with some forceful, clean singing and perhaps a trademark scream thrown in for good measure would have been ample for this track. When you take the entire song into perspective he doesn't mess it up too much but it is noticeable when I listen and that detracts from my experience.
The solo is the part of the song that defies all sort of roller coaster analogy, which means it's that part of the "roller coaster" where it actually makes you feel like you're soaring through the air. The feeling that Karyu captures here and the bridge Hizumi sings are the best parts of the song and the entire song should have moved at that pace. At points, this song becomes a little too fast to sit down and enjoy because it feels like it trips all over itself and the guys said "alright, let's all agree to stop here and play this part!"
Although this doesn't get it's own paragraph, the ending effect was lame, unoriginal and faded too fast. I generally don't like fade-outs unless it's a sustained note but this takes it to a whole different level and it sounds like they ran out of riffs to recycle so they just threw that on the ending and called it a day.
At the end of the day, I don't think I'll ever purposefully put this song on again because there's just so many other songs they've made that just DO more for me than this. It's purposelessly catchy, the riffs feel bland and recycled, and the electronic effects feel thrown in without careful thought.
I pretty much know Going on! is going to be the token "dark and angsty" song on this single but I can't help but like it because it sounds so damn good listening to it. D'espairsRay is just better at playing dark and heavy songs and there's nothing else to it. This pulls you in in ways that Final Call can't and didn't and I'm going to rent out D'espairsRay to girugamesh so they can teach them how to use hip-hop elements effectively.
The entire time I sat on my bed in my dorm listening to this (yes I'm in college, that's why these reviews are less frequent ;_;) I was just in shock because they took me on a fecking journey through emotions with this song and that's something they haven't done since Bullet, Scissors and Cocoon. I could feel the emotions and they didn't sound forced or lazy. Going on! moves at the same pace as Final Call but it feels more comfortable with moving that fast and the transitions between the chorus and the verses aren't as drastic and noticeable. They're nothing more than smooth drops on that roller coaster.
What caught me the most with this song was that piano-backed bridge, which I wasn't expecting at all. It comes completely out of left field and leaves me floating in a state of unease before it's just Hizumi for a few seconds and then it plunges into the madness that is the ending. Hizumi's death vocals make a reappearance on this track and not only does he sound fiercer than I've heard him in a while, he actually sounds like he is enjoying himself singing this song. You can always tell when an artist wants to sing a song and when they sing it just to sing it. This is an example of the former.
I actually would put this song on again.
Ark in the Storm is the transgendered kid that's having trouble deciding what public bathroom s/he should go into. S/he could technically fit into both but neither would actually be proper for him/her. Thus, s/he is left standing outside looking from the "light and poppy" bathroom to the "dark and heavy" struggling to figure out which one to enter because having such cut and dry definitions eludes this little oddity of a track. Normally I would say that combining both elements of the two sonically opposite genres results in an abomination most closely resembling half the stuff from Born's abnormal head machine album but in this case Ark in the Storm manages to pull through and sounds pretty damn good. The problem with most of D'espa's poppier tracks is that it's nothing more than their heavier tracks played just as fast on a higher register, which makes it all sound uncomfortable. Ark in the Storm manages to have it's ankle deep enough in the pool of dark and heavy to sound natural while still being light and containing some violins. It could have been heavier but it sounds fine as is and it goes to show that they aren't putting out heavy B-sides just because they know it works. If you're trying to measure up all the tracks that they've released that contain this post-Mirror D'espairsRay sound than Ark in the Storm easily trumps every other track.
Not like it had much competition.
(And if any of those references above offended you, they shouldn't have. I wasn't poking fun at anyone purposefully -_-;;)
Long review short: playing things faster doesn't always make it better. Final Call is too fast and too messy, Going on! is perfect as is, and Ark in the Storm is a little confused but pulls out alright in the end. I would actually recommend you pick up this single just for the last two tracks but in no way would I suggest you submit yourself to Final Call if you're not a fan of D'espairsRay messing with newer styles and doing it badly.
Recommended:
Going on!
Ark in the Storm
Score: 75%
Finally, the construction of the A-side track and certain elements they incorporated in this single sound like they took them from girugamesh and other bands that dabble in that style.
The guitar work is catchy, effective, and rather simple, cycling between a few riffs here and there so it keeps the journey changing throughout. Some of the work on REDEEMER was just as catchy as this and had more going on in the way of musicianship, so Final Call is already not making me feel that musical nirvana we all listen to music for. I imagine myself on a roller coaster during the entire song, with the beginning effects happening while I leave the station. The song blasts in when I'm on the first drop down and as I go through the verses it feels like I'm taking a lot of twists and turns. The entire song is pretty interesting but much like many roller coasters the more you go on the more similar they all begin to feel. The transition into the chorus feels like I hit a break and I stopped for a quick second before going down another steep drop; it's sudden, uncomfortable and it throws you off, but you're able to get right back into it because it moves at a million miles an hour and it's too exhilarating to ignore.
Hizumi's vocals would be the air that smacks your face as you're on this ride. You can't be on a roller coaster without some sort of air resistance but on some rides there is a such a thing as too much air blowing in your face and that ruins the entire run. Bluntly put, there is too much "air resistance" on this track. Hizumi's mumbling, echoing, lack of screams, and singing that doesn't variate too much makes it sound overdone. Much like SCREW's HEEL, he should stick to one or two types of vocals because if you overdo the vocals it becomes too piercing and difficult to enjoy (if you still need an analogy, it becomes difficult to "breathe"). I don't doubt that Hizumi knew what he wanted to do but on this recording it feels like he held back on some of the parts and overdid others, resulting in what sounds like this.
Some well-done deep vocals mixed with some forceful, clean singing and perhaps a trademark scream thrown in for good measure would have been ample for this track. When you take the entire song into perspective he doesn't mess it up too much but it is noticeable when I listen and that detracts from my experience.
The solo is the part of the song that defies all sort of roller coaster analogy, which means it's that part of the "roller coaster" where it actually makes you feel like you're soaring through the air. The feeling that Karyu captures here and the bridge Hizumi sings are the best parts of the song and the entire song should have moved at that pace. At points, this song becomes a little too fast to sit down and enjoy because it feels like it trips all over itself and the guys said "alright, let's all agree to stop here and play this part!"
Although this doesn't get it's own paragraph, the ending effect was lame, unoriginal and faded too fast. I generally don't like fade-outs unless it's a sustained note but this takes it to a whole different level and it sounds like they ran out of riffs to recycle so they just threw that on the ending and called it a day.
At the end of the day, I don't think I'll ever purposefully put this song on again because there's just so many other songs they've made that just DO more for me than this. It's purposelessly catchy, the riffs feel bland and recycled, and the electronic effects feel thrown in without careful thought.
I pretty much know Going on! is going to be the token "dark and angsty" song on this single but I can't help but like it because it sounds so damn good listening to it. D'espairsRay is just better at playing dark and heavy songs and there's nothing else to it. This pulls you in in ways that Final Call can't and didn't and I'm going to rent out D'espairsRay to girugamesh so they can teach them how to use hip-hop elements effectively.
The entire time I sat on my bed in my dorm listening to this (yes I'm in college, that's why these reviews are less frequent ;_;) I was just in shock because they took me on a fecking journey through emotions with this song and that's something they haven't done since Bullet, Scissors and Cocoon. I could feel the emotions and they didn't sound forced or lazy. Going on! moves at the same pace as Final Call but it feels more comfortable with moving that fast and the transitions between the chorus and the verses aren't as drastic and noticeable. They're nothing more than smooth drops on that roller coaster.
What caught me the most with this song was that piano-backed bridge, which I wasn't expecting at all. It comes completely out of left field and leaves me floating in a state of unease before it's just Hizumi for a few seconds and then it plunges into the madness that is the ending. Hizumi's death vocals make a reappearance on this track and not only does he sound fiercer than I've heard him in a while, he actually sounds like he is enjoying himself singing this song. You can always tell when an artist wants to sing a song and when they sing it just to sing it. This is an example of the former.
I actually would put this song on again.
Ark in the Storm is the transgendered kid that's having trouble deciding what public bathroom s/he should go into. S/he could technically fit into both but neither would actually be proper for him/her. Thus, s/he is left standing outside looking from the "light and poppy" bathroom to the "dark and heavy" struggling to figure out which one to enter because having such cut and dry definitions eludes this little oddity of a track. Normally I would say that combining both elements of the two sonically opposite genres results in an abomination most closely resembling half the stuff from Born's abnormal head machine album but in this case Ark in the Storm manages to pull through and sounds pretty damn good. The problem with most of D'espa's poppier tracks is that it's nothing more than their heavier tracks played just as fast on a higher register, which makes it all sound uncomfortable. Ark in the Storm manages to have it's ankle deep enough in the pool of dark and heavy to sound natural while still being light and containing some violins. It could have been heavier but it sounds fine as is and it goes to show that they aren't putting out heavy B-sides just because they know it works. If you're trying to measure up all the tracks that they've released that contain this post-Mirror D'espairsRay sound than Ark in the Storm easily trumps every other track.
Not like it had much competition.
(And if any of those references above offended you, they shouldn't have. I wasn't poking fun at anyone purposefully -_-;;)
Long review short: playing things faster doesn't always make it better. Final Call is too fast and too messy, Going on! is perfect as is, and Ark in the Storm is a little confused but pulls out alright in the end. I would actually recommend you pick up this single just for the last two tracks but in no way would I suggest you submit yourself to Final Call if you're not a fan of D'espairsRay messing with newer styles and doing it badly.
Recommended:
Going on!
Ark in the Storm
Score: 75%
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Review: Black:List - DESPERATE
As much as I can't get enough of Black:List I have to put my foot down and clarify that I can't get enough of Black:List + Kyotarou. Desperate is the first single this band put out and this was with the original five member formation of
Which basically means I'm treating this as a different band altogether that just HAPPENS to be called Black:List.
You would also notice (if I was motivated enough to put up a tracklist) that they included a re-recorded version of the B-side on this release. In this era of Black:List's formation they HAD an official bassist and a different vocalist. Kyotarou also rewrote the lyrics for the second version of Melancholy so those two tracks are actually different enough to be enjoyable in the sense that you're not listening to the same track twice (nor that you have two of the same song on your media player). With different vocalists and slightly altered lyrics between them, I could treat this version of Melancholy as a half of a song (since I skipped straight to the end with these guys) although I don't think that I should be comparing these two incarnations of Black:List so early on in the review when I said I would treat them as two different bands :x
In an attempt to not compare the two tracks I'm going to mention the title track for a paragraph or two. If Kyotarou's departure from √eight was the worst thing to happen to that band then his arrival in Black:List was the best thing to happen to this band. Vocalist Ryo's voice doesn't suck but it isn't a breath of fresh air either. I've heard his type of voice somewhere before and even though it fits with Black:List's sound well I wish at times that he was more unique in his delivery. I will admit that Desperate's chorus is the most memorable and redeeming part of this song. It's just so catchy and it automatically picks up the song and gets me into it. Nothing else in the song is as memorable as that part except for the drum rolls + bass duet at the beginning that amp up a sense of tension.
That basically means the verses are fucked up and that's mostly due to the fact that I can't hear him. Boo bad mixing.
Once Melancholy (Desperate version) opens up you'll immediately notice a sharp contrast between that recording and the new one on the Melancholy single. The opening effects aren't as sound like a wind-up toy and Ryo's voice are drowned out in the raging guitars of the verses. Another difference, but neither negative nor positive, is the fact that Ryo's lyrics are different from Kyotarou's lyrics. This is pretty much where all the comparisons stop, since Ryo's lyrics and vocal rhythms change the sounds of the compositions to fit him better. So, no more Kyotarou mentions until the end of the next paragraph.
For what it is Melancholy is an OK track but the re-recording on their last single fixes up all the rough patches I'll mention here. The first is too much guitar and some acoustic was needed in the verses. The second was the inclusion of the programmed drums in the beginning because for me they are a touch distracting and lessen the impact of the guitars, which is what pulled me into the second version of Melancholy in the first place. The bass guitar also stands out more in this mix but I attribute that to having a set bass player with his own playing style. The inclusion of the special effects at the beginning (which sound strangely similar to the Ai no Uta opening from illational) were a risk that came out in their favor but once again they redid it better on the re-recording and they don't quite fit in the middle of the track. Perhaps the worst feature of this track is the fact that Ryo is drowned out in the verses and I can't hear his voice singing. I do like the scream that he unleashes at the end (Kyotarou elected not to do that) and with this being the last track on the single it fits well with the whole spiraling-into-sadness vibe the track almost gives off.
If you can't tell I only did this single to review the differences between the two Melancholy songs. Overall, I get a better audio trip when I listen to the Melancholy single so I would suggest you pick up that single and let those sounds paint the inside of your cerebrum all sorts of depressing, angsty colors. The main fault with this single lies not in the band but in the mastering process, which favors the guitars over everything else and messes up everyone else in the mix. Black:List fans may want to pick this up just because it's Black:List but Kuso-honeys usually came into the band because Kyotarou was here so I'm going to have to treat this as a band that only released one single and tell you to check it out and see if you like it.
Score: 65%
My birthday is tomorrow ^_^ so a Black:List review for today is the present I'm giving myself just in case I don't get around to doing one tomorrow (although I think I might).
Which basically means I'm treating this as a different band altogether that just HAPPENS to be called Black:List.
You would also notice (if I was motivated enough to put up a tracklist) that they included a re-recorded version of the B-side on this release. In this era of Black:List's formation they HAD an official bassist and a different vocalist. Kyotarou also rewrote the lyrics for the second version of Melancholy so those two tracks are actually different enough to be enjoyable in the sense that you're not listening to the same track twice (nor that you have two of the same song on your media player). With different vocalists and slightly altered lyrics between them, I could treat this version of Melancholy as a half of a song (since I skipped straight to the end with these guys) although I don't think that I should be comparing these two incarnations of Black:List so early on in the review when I said I would treat them as two different bands :x
01. DESPERATE
02. MELANCHOLY
02. MELANCHOLY
In an attempt to not compare the two tracks I'm going to mention the title track for a paragraph or two. If Kyotarou's departure from √eight was the worst thing to happen to that band then his arrival in Black:List was the best thing to happen to this band. Vocalist Ryo's voice doesn't suck but it isn't a breath of fresh air either. I've heard his type of voice somewhere before and even though it fits with Black:List's sound well I wish at times that he was more unique in his delivery. I will admit that Desperate's chorus is the most memorable and redeeming part of this song. It's just so catchy and it automatically picks up the song and gets me into it. Nothing else in the song is as memorable as that part except for the drum rolls + bass duet at the beginning that amp up a sense of tension.
That basically means the verses are fucked up and that's mostly due to the fact that I can't hear him. Boo bad mixing.
Once Melancholy (Desperate version) opens up you'll immediately notice a sharp contrast between that recording and the new one on the Melancholy single. The opening effects aren't as sound like a wind-up toy and Ryo's voice are drowned out in the raging guitars of the verses. Another difference, but neither negative nor positive, is the fact that Ryo's lyrics are different from Kyotarou's lyrics. This is pretty much where all the comparisons stop, since Ryo's lyrics and vocal rhythms change the sounds of the compositions to fit him better. So, no more Kyotarou mentions until the end of the next paragraph.
For what it is Melancholy is an OK track but the re-recording on their last single fixes up all the rough patches I'll mention here. The first is too much guitar and some acoustic was needed in the verses. The second was the inclusion of the programmed drums in the beginning because for me they are a touch distracting and lessen the impact of the guitars, which is what pulled me into the second version of Melancholy in the first place. The bass guitar also stands out more in this mix but I attribute that to having a set bass player with his own playing style. The inclusion of the special effects at the beginning (which sound strangely similar to the Ai no Uta opening from illational) were a risk that came out in their favor but once again they redid it better on the re-recording and they don't quite fit in the middle of the track. Perhaps the worst feature of this track is the fact that Ryo is drowned out in the verses and I can't hear his voice singing. I do like the scream that he unleashes at the end (Kyotarou elected not to do that) and with this being the last track on the single it fits well with the whole spiraling-into-sadness vibe the track almost gives off.
If you can't tell I only did this single to review the differences between the two Melancholy songs. Overall, I get a better audio trip when I listen to the Melancholy single so I would suggest you pick up that single and let those sounds paint the inside of your cerebrum all sorts of depressing, angsty colors. The main fault with this single lies not in the band but in the mastering process, which favors the guitars over everything else and messes up everyone else in the mix. Black:List fans may want to pick this up just because it's Black:List but Kuso-honeys usually came into the band because Kyotarou was here so I'm going to have to treat this as a band that only released one single and tell you to check it out and see if you like it.
Score: 65%
My birthday is tomorrow ^_^ so a Black:List review for today is the present I'm giving myself just in case I don't get around to doing one tomorrow (although I think I might).
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Review: Nega - quadrangle
It's been the first update in quite a while and I'd have to blame this one on my health, which has taken a recent nosedive with my sudden change in location. I really haven't been coherent enough to write a good quality review and I started this one a few days before I fell sick so Nega gets the privilege of being the first of September only because they've got a head start over 13's Reborn, which I still don't feel like doing.
I'll do the cover and other things later if I feel like it. Since I was so sick, I decided instead of typing up lots of random reviews and trying to look "active" I'd come up with a new way of listening to music and forging my reviews. Focusing more on the technical side becomes difficult when the instruments come together to work as one instead of working as several different entities working in concert. So, we'll start with the quadrangle single which happens to be one of those singles that would challenge how I think about music in more ways than one.
Even though I'm changing my approach toward how I look at music objectively, I still find that the beginning washed-out chorus section was a poor-choice when it isn't accompanied with the music video. The cut on the hole EP was better since it jumped right into the song and the dark atmosphere isn't ruined by the beginning cheesiness. Other than the hard and the soft parts coming one after another to create a feeling of chaos and then slow tension rising into the chorus, there isn't any other part to quadrangle that stands out like a sore thumb. What draws me into this song the most is that Nega plays hard and balances it with the soft well and it doesn't sound like they are forcing the atmosphere. It's possibly one of their better songs.
Mu is one rollercoaster of a track and is constructed in a pattern similar to about 95% of Nega's other songs: there's one cool riff I like and the rest of the song that I could care less about. It starts off like a rocket and then the pace of the track slows at an increasing pace until it reaches a point of brief, hard passages marked with quiet sections. With Mu, there is no guessing what direction Nega is going to go in next because it comes off as if they didn't know where they wanted to go with it exactly so they stuck a few parts together and created this. If they smoothed out some of the segueing (for example, from the screaming to the chorus the first time around) it would be a chameleon but Mu misses that subtle magic by a few inches. There's also some parts where Jin's voice is altered and the soundscape is mixed between flying over a demented circus and some church bells. This song also dips into insanity with some effects placed in the middle which I guess is supposed to straddle the line between solo and breakdown and just continues in the trend of being an unpredictable beast. There are too many pauses and not enough smooth transitions and it is a melting pot of different ideas that wasn't cooked long enough.
introvert reminds me quite a lot of Burzum's Tomhet in theory and placement. It's function is to wind you down after Mu and form a feeling of closed, closeted anger and tension mixed in with random outbursts of insanity. The constant and haunting drum patterns work well at the beginning of the song but the electronic buildup of the effects steals it's thunder as the track goes on. The ending of this track also feels incomplete, as if the song could have gone on for a few seconds longer and faded out. A fade-out would have been the best course of action for this track to take and a sudden cutoff ruins the effect the song was giving off. The title track suggests just what the song does: it doesn't try to stand out and push the limits of this single. It stays forgettable, dark, pretty stable, and at the end of the day won't immediately grab your attention.
So that's the ride through quadrangle for you. It's a pretty good single but the only song I would recommend you download is readily available on the hole EP so that's where I would direct my attention to. Mu is worth a try if you're into Nega when they're being sonically schizophrenic and introvert is a good SE if you're in the mood for it. Fans of Nega already know they like this but newcomers to Nega should look elsewhere.
I'll do the cover and other things later if I feel like it. Since I was so sick, I decided instead of typing up lots of random reviews and trying to look "active" I'd come up with a new way of listening to music and forging my reviews. Focusing more on the technical side becomes difficult when the instruments come together to work as one instead of working as several different entities working in concert. So, we'll start with the quadrangle single which happens to be one of those singles that would challenge how I think about music in more ways than one.
Even though I'm changing my approach toward how I look at music objectively, I still find that the beginning washed-out chorus section was a poor-choice when it isn't accompanied with the music video. The cut on the hole EP was better since it jumped right into the song and the dark atmosphere isn't ruined by the beginning cheesiness. Other than the hard and the soft parts coming one after another to create a feeling of chaos and then slow tension rising into the chorus, there isn't any other part to quadrangle that stands out like a sore thumb. What draws me into this song the most is that Nega plays hard and balances it with the soft well and it doesn't sound like they are forcing the atmosphere. It's possibly one of their better songs.
Mu is one rollercoaster of a track and is constructed in a pattern similar to about 95% of Nega's other songs: there's one cool riff I like and the rest of the song that I could care less about. It starts off like a rocket and then the pace of the track slows at an increasing pace until it reaches a point of brief, hard passages marked with quiet sections. With Mu, there is no guessing what direction Nega is going to go in next because it comes off as if they didn't know where they wanted to go with it exactly so they stuck a few parts together and created this. If they smoothed out some of the segueing (for example, from the screaming to the chorus the first time around) it would be a chameleon but Mu misses that subtle magic by a few inches. There's also some parts where Jin's voice is altered and the soundscape is mixed between flying over a demented circus and some church bells. This song also dips into insanity with some effects placed in the middle which I guess is supposed to straddle the line between solo and breakdown and just continues in the trend of being an unpredictable beast. There are too many pauses and not enough smooth transitions and it is a melting pot of different ideas that wasn't cooked long enough.
introvert reminds me quite a lot of Burzum's Tomhet in theory and placement. It's function is to wind you down after Mu and form a feeling of closed, closeted anger and tension mixed in with random outbursts of insanity. The constant and haunting drum patterns work well at the beginning of the song but the electronic buildup of the effects steals it's thunder as the track goes on. The ending of this track also feels incomplete, as if the song could have gone on for a few seconds longer and faded out. A fade-out would have been the best course of action for this track to take and a sudden cutoff ruins the effect the song was giving off. The title track suggests just what the song does: it doesn't try to stand out and push the limits of this single. It stays forgettable, dark, pretty stable, and at the end of the day won't immediately grab your attention.
So that's the ride through quadrangle for you. It's a pretty good single but the only song I would recommend you download is readily available on the hole EP so that's where I would direct my attention to. Mu is worth a try if you're into Nega when they're being sonically schizophrenic and introvert is a good SE if you're in the mood for it. Fans of Nega already know they like this but newcomers to Nega should look elsewhere.
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