Review: ALSDEAD - Paradox

Since I decided on becoming at least semi-active again (or rather, I decided to stop being a lazy fuck and actually update my blog once in a while) I've decided on reviewing something every few days at least. I need to keep up on the new releases but at least be a few months behind so I can get some thoughts together and not let first impressions dominate what I think and how I feel about a particular piece of music.

Had I done that to Paradox trust me this review would have turned out quite differently.

This isn't the standard ALSDEAD fare since they decided to give us three tracks instead of two with this offering - however more doesn't always mean better. The main turnoff to this entire single would be the title track itself. I came into this thinking that it would be the best one out of the three but it's actually the worst. Paradox is the weakest track this band has given us so far and that's because it has a very sharp contrast between hard and soft. The beginning riff is deep and sick and it makes you think you're going to headbang and then it brings you into something as light as Kizu (Violent of Reason) and the transitions aren't working in their favor. The chorus doesn't add any points to it and the speaking part that Maki does at the breakdown is done much better in the track Cynical. At the end of the day, Paradox is too all over the place to be considered much more than an average song.

A_Dust and Cynical (No Nai Ranbu) are the two other tracks and I find them better in many different ways. A_Dust isn't as rough as Cynical but it showcases some experimentation with electronic synths and the chorus in this song is the best out of the single. The thing that gets me with A_Dust is that this band has always been about pushing boundaries with their music and at least bringing some new stuff to the table and A_Dust stops at "electronic effects". Maki's sing-scream style is still pretty much the same and the other members haven't really done anything awe-inspiring. A_Dust could have been so much more but they stopped short and called it a day. Cynical gets the same treatment but even worse. I've even heard others say that Cynical is a Kizu with a crazier solo. I have to disagree. Even though they might have recycled a few ideas (especially in that dreadful chorus) overall I don't get a Kizu vibe from this track at all. In fact, I had to go searching for similarities between the two. There aren't many other tracks in their discography as raw and frantic as this and even though the chorus doesn't really fit with the song too well every other part of the song just pulsates with raw energy. In a way, these two songs are all you really need for a single - one hard rocker with a great chorus and some synth behind it and another one that exemplifies some revelry in rock. Both of these are above average with Cynical edging out A_Dust based purely on the energy in the verses and the kickass solo.

This single didn't make me feel as much as Violent of Reason or S.a.g.A. did but when I gave it time to grow on me I began to like the single much more. Paradox is a hard pill to swallow but old and new ALSDEAD fans alike can enjoy the first and the third track and take on the second track whenever they feel like taking a risk with the band. They have a new single coming out in a few months so hopefully this band has decided to both get a lot better and take some more risks with their music.

Rating: Slightly Above Average - worth checking out.