"Perhaps it's just the individual package. But then again, it's girugämesh. An honest fan like me will tell you that even though their music is enjoyable, there are very few tracks that don't sound like something they haven't done before.
So Border as a title track is looking to be a pretty decent track but nothing revolutionary by girugämesh standards. What I want most out of this band is for them to blend their new electronic style of rock with their older, harder style on one album and to do it well so the next album isn't repetitive. Here's hoping the B-side is a normal ballad, or at the very least that it samples from puzzle."
Border is more of the same style of electronic rock mixed with hip-hop elements and sprinkled with a bit of that girugämesh flavor. It's the same formula they've been pulling out their ass for quite a while and it still works because at it's core, Border is another catchy number. My only concern, which is burrowing in my head right now, is what the album is going to sound like. This release schedule is very unlike girugämesh, so are they trying to get these last few songs out of their system before they start a new, experimental phase or is this a sample of what's to come?
If this IS a sample of what's to come the new album has the potential to rank lower than MUSIC.
01. BORDER
02. Suiren
I can't really say that BORDER sounds a lot like the stuff from MUSIC. Sure, it samples electronic effects and puts them in the background and the guitars use a similar synthesizer, but if anything it reminds me most of a mix between MUSIC and Girugämesh. This is a step in the right direction, since MUSIC had a very noticeable imbalance between the electronic and the rock and is the main reason why I hate electronic effects in songs so much nowadays. It still sounds a lot like music I've already heard though, and the whole "rapped verse-hard part-rapped verse-hard part-sung chorus" formula they're using to make their singles are becoming rustic. It's obvious they're using the whole "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" mantra here, but what isn't broken yet is going to become broken over the span of the next few releases if they don't figure out how to change up their song structure enough for me not to realize that I'm hearing the same thing I heard a few months ago. Of course I'm referencing ALIVE, but BORDER is an altogether more cohesive song, is better than a lot of the songs stuck together using this formula, and is just more rewarding for me to listen to. I hate myself for moving along to the catchiness of the song because I'm trying my hardest not to but even I realize that BORDER isn't anything new.
In my opinion Suiren is supposed to be the single here. In the first few seconds, I was going to bash both this song and BORDER for sounding too similar, but Satoshi kicks in with some singing (something he hasn't done since Reason of Crying/Girugämesh if I remember correctly) and there's no rapping to be found anywhere. I don't mind that because this is a major deviation from their usual formula. We have a thick bass, guitars that kick in at the right part and solid drums that aren't wound on a formula. Due to the entire structure of this song, and the fact that we actually have a solo (the last time there was a solo was ages ago) I have to say that Ryo probably wasn't the one that stuck this song together. Most likely Nii or ShuU, but no matter. Suiren is the type of girugämesh that I want to hear and surpasses the single by far in almost every way.
So I suppose I don't have to tell you Suiren made the single for me. I find it better as a B-side than GAMBLE was and BORDER is just about around there with ALIVE. For a newcomer to girugämesh, this is a pretty good place to start to get a sample of old and new all at once. I'm pleasantly surprised with the B-side (even though it's no ballad) but there's two things I want girugämesh to do.
1) Take more risks like they did with Suiren
2) Make their songs longer since neither one of these songs are over 4:00
These two are just the right length but for the album, don't be afraid to give us an epic ^^
Recommended:
Suiren
Score: 73%
In my opinion Suiren is supposed to be the single here. In the first few seconds, I was going to bash both this song and BORDER for sounding too similar, but Satoshi kicks in with some singing (something he hasn't done since Reason of Crying/Girugämesh if I remember correctly) and there's no rapping to be found anywhere. I don't mind that because this is a major deviation from their usual formula. We have a thick bass, guitars that kick in at the right part and solid drums that aren't wound on a formula. Due to the entire structure of this song, and the fact that we actually have a solo (the last time there was a solo was ages ago) I have to say that Ryo probably wasn't the one that stuck this song together. Most likely Nii or ShuU, but no matter. Suiren is the type of girugämesh that I want to hear and surpasses the single by far in almost every way.
So I suppose I don't have to tell you Suiren made the single for me. I find it better as a B-side than GAMBLE was and BORDER is just about around there with ALIVE. For a newcomer to girugämesh, this is a pretty good place to start to get a sample of old and new all at once. I'm pleasantly surprised with the B-side (even though it's no ballad) but there's two things I want girugämesh to do.
1) Take more risks like they did with Suiren
2) Make their songs longer since neither one of these songs are over 4:00
These two are just the right length but for the album, don't be afraid to give us an epic ^^
Recommended:
Suiren
Score: 73%
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