Review: Gackt - Redemption

I don't give a damn if Gackt is re-releasing these at the end of the year or not - this is still fair play in my book and the last two tracks most likely won't make a repeat on that album anyway. This is also the single that alerted me to Gackt. At first I noticed this song only as "that catchy ten-second theme for that commercial" and I hadn't any idea who Gackt was or what this single sounded like in it's entirety.

I just happened to get this song off LimeWire on a whimsical chance and had my mind blown when I added up the pieces....two weeks later.

01. Redemption
02. Longing
03. Redemption (Instrumental)
04. Longing (Instrumental)

Both Redemption and Longing are badass tracks in their own right and even though I haven't heard either track proper in almost a year or two I still can remember how fantastic the string section on the B-side was, or how the echoed scream that marks the apex of Gackt's wrath in the title track scared the hell out of me the first time I heard it. Coming after No ni Saku..., this is a complete 180. In no parts are these two songs boring and in many cases not only can I sit through them but I can stand to hear them again once they are finished.

Gackt has some sketchy English going on (Redemption has a section that will leave you grasping to figure out what language he just spoke) as well as an extremely catchy chorus and a nice breakdown. There is no one section that I have a huge complaint about except I don't really hear him sounding much like himself. He's doing new things with his vocals, which is always a pleasant thing to hear. If you need some music with a lot going on in both the background and the forefront I heavily recommend both these songs.

It sucks to know that Redemption is one of Gackt's most overhyped singles. Although I do enjoy the song I cannot say that it was one of the best things he's ever put out, and many fans will overlook the equally as excellent track Longing. As I stated before, Longing has an avant-garde, extremely experimental string section in lieu of a solo that I feel not only is genius, but keeps the song from feeling like another rendition of the first track. If you're a fan of a dark, hard rock sound then this song is as close to it as Gackt will ever get.

Any fan willing to enjoy some of the monogamous bishounen asskicking samurai warrior singer needs to pick this up along with some of his older and recent work. Some that spring to mind is the last single The Next Decade, Jesus, the entire Diabolos and Mars albums, and perhaps some of his work with Malice Mizer if you can stand to go back that far. Do not confuse the hard rock guitars here for Gackt's core sound, as it's as unexplainable as his sudden nose job between MM and here. He explores a vast variety of sounds and if you're just starting out you have no idea what it is this man is capable of sonically. Although it may be quite hard to digest, this has to be one of the first times Gackt has made a conscious effort towards a harder direction.

Although after the last single this isn't that surprising in my opinion.

The two instrumentals are bonuses but I doubt you'd be listening to those more than a few times for the novelty value. The first two tracks are strong enough to warrant buying this and to top it off you get a video of the monogamous bishounen asskicking samurai warrior singer rocking out with his dreadlocks and being all bishounen to the camera.

How can you not love that?

Recommended:

Redemption
Longing

Score: 90%