Review: Gackt - Jesus

Since I happen to be going in no specific order and since I have a few extra minutes after moving in, completing the slew of recent Gackt releases is definitely in order. I do only have two left, so those that aren't fans of Gackt won't have to suffer through much more but all this damned "mandatory orientation" is seriously screwing with the schedule I had over the summer.

Then again, I had all day during the summer to do reviews and I cranked out one a day. Now that I have about 15 minutes to scribble something together I STILL manage to crank out one a day. Doesn't that speak volumes about my work ethic...

01. Jesus
02. Sayonara - ЯR II ver.-
03. Jesus (Instrumental)
04. Sayonara - ЯR II ver.- (Instrumental)

Jesus as a song rocks hard but as a single falters a bit short of my expectations. This stems in part from the fact that Lost Angels had two B-sides while this just has one and said B-side isn't as solid as some of his other efforts. I am quite aware that Lost Angels comes after this single but it's just the fact that this single could have - no, should have - come back in full force is what bothers me.

Usually when you re-do a track, you're supposed to make it better, not equally as bland. Sayonara is a re-recording from one of his tracks on the Rebirth album and I'm not fond of either track to be quite frank. Gackt's slower, more ballad-like songs have a tendency of dragging themselves on until they get to the point of unpleasant and Sayonara is no exception. Until it gets up to the part when the violins kick in, the song is terribly boring and minimalist almost to the point of bare-bones. The violin portion gets a mention simply because it brings up the entire atmosphere of the track and provides something halfway interesting to listen to. Needless to say it's the best part of the entire album. In it's wake, the rest of the song seems to get better and if you manage to stick it out to the violins you just might end up finishing the song. Nonetheless, this song is just too long for me to recommend sticking it on repeat.

Jesus, however, is more gratifying. It busts out of the gate with "hey's", guitar riffs that immediately grab your attention, and Gackt's singing is emotional without sounding forced. Couple that with a great solo, a better ending than normally expected, and no part of the track that leaves me unsatisfied, and I'm quite happy with Jesus. Some fans were unhappy with Jesus and thought Gackt was being anti-Christian with his lyrics and accompanying music video (Gackt sings about a guy begging to God and Mary to save him from suicide and the guy in the PV was supposed to be Hitler I read). What's so anti-religious about that? I have just one sentence to say to those people:

"Target the actual bands that actually say 'fuck Jesus' in their lyrics instead of those that include Jesus and poetic license in their music. I actually saw an album titled 'Fuck me Jesus'. There's something you should go take a look at, not some bishounen rock artist who is pumping out singles because he's running out of money >.>"

So that was three. Bite me. Other than that little rant I'm pretty much done with this single. Two instrumentals, not worth mentioning, one good track, one letdown.

Recommended:

Jesus

Score: 75%

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%

Review: Gackt - No ni Saku Hana no You ni

I have no idea how many singles Gackt has released without putting out an album proper but I believe the number approaches double digits. Since I believe that all of this material is too diverse and unfocused to compile on an album, all of these singles are worth reviewing. I was interested in this single after hearing Gackt just showed up at a high school graduation and performed this without any warning. "Public clamor for this was just so great" I read, "that they requested this be released as a single".

It ain't that great.

01. No ni Saku Hana no You Ni
02. No ni Saku Hana no You Ni (minna no uta)
03. No ni Saku Hana no You Ni (pf. style)
04. No Ni Saku Hana no You Ni (Instrumental)
05. No ni Saku Hana no You Ni (piano solo)

If Japanese isn't a language you understand and/or you weren't subjected to SPARTAN EDUCATION whilst you were a growing young lad or lass, then this song to you is going to be extremely boring. It takes him a year to put this together and it sounds like Gackt put together the instrumental portion to this on the car ride TO the high school and just winged it from there. He probably got off light with the title track because the message in the lyrics are so uplifting and he sings it so well. In fact, it's the exact opposite of what the sonic soundscape is: bright and inspired. I expected no less from a graduation song but still, the lyrics are touching. However, the lone acoustic doesn't work for a song of this length and the changes are subtle, making for one long, monotone track that seems to lack a chorus. He's done better than this.

The Minna no Uta version is merely a shortened version of the first track and it's better only for the purpose that it's suck in a more condensed version. I'd skip the first two and go to the third, which is a piano-backed version. The piano sounds like a more natural tone for this track and works more wonders than the acoustic ever could. If you desperately need to hear this track for whatever weird Gackt cravings you may have than this is the only track I'd recommend. However, Gackt doesn't remedy the problem of having a chorus section and the song just goes on and on and on and on with no sense of direction or purpose.

Oh well, at least the piano sounds nice.

The acoustic instrumental sucks anus and the piano version is rather boring if I don't have Gackt's voice to provide some additional variety to the track background so I can pretty much cut the review short. No ni Saku Hana No You Ni is extremely boring and doesn't come off very rewarding at any point in the single. With five tracks and all of them rather disappointing I'm going to have to give this single the recommendation of a pass, although the third track does get a mention for standing out the most in my mind.

Score: 45%

Lyrics

daremo inai GURAUNDO no namae kizanda sakura no shita
itsuka kimi to mou ichido
koko ni kuru koto wo yakusoku shiyou
CHAIMU no hibiku koutei no
katasumi ni saku hana no you ni
yasashiku waratte kureta kimi dake ni tsutaetai
tada "arigatou" to...
bokutachi wa itsu no hi ni ka
mata kono basho de deau sono hi made
no ni saita hana no you ni
kesshite makezu ni tsuyoku sakitai

kayoi nareta kono michi mo
kyoushitsu kara mieru keshiki mo
"itsumademo wasurenai yo"
to namida ukabeta, kimi no egao mo
itsumo minareta yuugure ga sakura namiki wo somete yuku
bokutachi wa sorezore no omoide wo
mune ni daite aruki hajimeru
itsuka mita yume no basho e tadori tsuku made
akiramenaide
mada na mo nai hana dakeredo
kesshite makezu ni tsuyoku sakitai

itsu no hi ka aruite kita michi wo
furikaeru toki ga kuru made
no ni saita hana no you ni
kesshite makezu ni tsuyoku sakitai
bokutachi wa itsu no hi ni ka
mata kono basho de deau sono hi made
no ni saita hana no you ni
kesshite makezu ni tsuyoku sakitai
kesshite makezu ni tsuyoku sakitai
sakitai...

No one has engraved their name on the ground beneath the cherry tree
So let's make a promise to
come here together again someday and do that
Like the flowers that bloom in the corner of the schoolyard,
where the echoing of the school bell can be heard
I want to express to you, who gently smiled for me,
a simple "Thank you"
One of these days, we'll meet here again,
so until that day...
I want you to grow stronger and never-give-up,
like the flowers that bloom in the field

The road we got used to walking down,
and the scenery we saw from our classroom
With a smile upon your face and tears in your eyes you said,
"I'll remember them forever"
We got used to always seeing, the setting sun coloring the rows of cherry blossom trees
And as we begin to walk towards the future,
we'll hold each and every one of these memories in our hearts
Until you reach the place of the dreams you've envisioned
Don't ever give up
You are flowers that have yet to be named,
but I want you to grow stronger and never give up no matter what

Someday, when the time comes
to look back down the path you've walked
I want you to have grown stronger and have not given up,
like the flowers that bloom in the field
One of these days,
we'll meet here again, so until that day...
I want you to grow strong and never give up,
like the flowers that bloom in the field
I want you to grow strong and never give up,
I want you to flourish... (1)

Review: Gackt - The Next Decade

This is another one of those "obligatory bounce-back" reviews. I have been looking forward to this single's release for quite a while. When I found out that this was going to be the second single for Kamen Rider I wondered if it would live up to the Gackt standards. Would Gackt actually compose this single? Will it terrify his fanbase? Will it be good?

Let's see...

The Next Decade
T.N.D. Orchestra Attack Ride
The Next Decade (instrumental)

I am not sure what to think of this song just yet. It is another typical Gackt song put together in a Gacktish fashion with a few touches here and there to separate it from all of his other works. Gackt's baritone voice is fresh all around and does not fail to disappoint but the transition to the chorus feels a little clunky the first time around. The blending of his electronic, Ghost-ish effects with the rock attitude of Flower was done very well and the opening was obviously inspired by Koakuma Heaven. Throw in some Faraway "hey's", a solo that sounds like it was lifted right out of Jesus, and the experimentalist vibe of In Flames and The Next Decade completely owns the trash that was Journey through the Decade. It even beats out all of the other Anniversary singles because it sticks to what Gackt does best while still changing up that formula enough to seem fresh. However, there is something about the tuning and the notes that the guitars play that unsettle me. I am not the biggest listener of Gackt but I can't help but say this is nothing more than "standard done right".

T.N.D.Orchestra Attack Ride is a twist on the usual instrumental. It combines classical instruments with rock instruments whilst removing the solo, creating what sounds like a different song if you don't pay attention close enough. Compared to the next solo, this one is more interesting to listen to just because there are more layers to peel through and enjoy. Since it's just a straight rehash of the first track without Gackt, his absence makes it less stellar. The "hey"'s made me jump and appreciating the artistry of the guitars and double bass drums is always nice but I would have much preferred another twist on an instrumental version of this song, such as a T.N.D.Distorted Attack Ride or something. That would have turned out equally as interesting as the former track.

If this is a taste of what is to come, I am interested in what Gackt has in store for us. Sure, what he is giving us is a mix of old and new but as long as it all comes together I am sure I will enjoy. It's not exactly the 'epic' I was hoping for but it is definitely a great listen and recommended.

Recommended:

The Next Decade
T.N.D. Orchestra Attack Ride

Score: 80%

Review: Gackt - Flower

I've begun to notice after the release of Faraway that most of Gackt's music is composed in a Gackt-ish pattern. I'm not going to ruin the following review by spilling the secret formula to his success but I just had to say that. Now that it's out of my system I'm a firm believer in saving the best for last, and I believe Gackt is as well. Flower is the best single out of this month long spree he's had, even if it's still following the same mold as most of his other songs.

01. Flower
02. In Flames
03. Flower (Inst.)
04. In Flames (Inst.)

Call me crazy but the moment I saw this cover I knew that this was going to be a rock single through and through, and Gackt did not disappoint. Flower is not some ballad that we're all going to have Lost Angels flashbacks of, so you can sigh from relief. Much more than any other song he's released this month, I was impressed with the solo and more importantly the guitarwork going on in the background while the guitar goes wild. This is the Gackt that I want to hear: rock that's got attitude but isn't abrasive to listen to. For some odd reason, the starting chords sound like something straight out of a Brilliant Green song :\. The rest of the song moves into a more Gackt-sounding atmosphere but those chords just won't get out of my head. This song singlehandedly blows away all of his singles except for Jesus and Ghost, which I would place on equal footing with. It's a typical Gackt song, but after this month it's really all I ask for.

I was actually looking forward to In Flames more than the title track because I didn't know what he was going to do with it. This is an experimental side of Gackt that isn't going to send you running away in terror. The haunting mood the beginning sets is supported by the bass, which was fantastic in Flower but shines here even more. Most of the time I say I dislike songs that transition from soft verses to loud, poppy choruses badly, but this song has nice transitions from chorus to verse and back to chorus, which makes it all seamless. The solo in In Flames is just as good as the one in Flower, and then it's followed by Gackt duetting with himself backed by some piano. I really would have preferred if Gackt had taken the end of the solo and then gone even more hardcore and taken that verse up to the stratosphere instead of slowing down, then speeding up, and slowing down again. Nonetheless, the ending of the song is just as haunting as the way it started. I'm also sensing a bit of Lust for Blood at the end and I'm starting to wonder how the two would sound back to back ^.^

We have instrumentals. Nice, but Gackt's voice makes the tracks sound a lot better. Good for novelty, not worth space on your MP3 player unless you like a particular track. Same old, same old.

I was very pleased with this single. After just a few singles I found myself into this single more than anything else he's released so far. If I had to put the singles in any sort of meaningful order they would be this:

Flower > Koakuma Heaven = Lost Angels > Faraway

Just in case you needed my opinion on the entire release campaign. Flower gets a 9/10.

Review: Gackt - Lost Angels

By the time Gackt's third single is released everyone's too afraid to go buy it....

1. Lost Angels
2. No Reason
3. Suddenly
4. Lost Angels (Instrumental)
5. No Reason (Instrumental)
6. Suddenly (Instrumental)

I was actually shocked by the length of the title track at first: it's over six and a half minutes long, and in those six minutes it does very little to variate. It seems a ton of Gackt's songs follow a pattern and this isn't an exception. It starts out with some nice piano and violin work and then bursts out into some rock which is a usual Gackt move. If Koakuma Heaven was disco and Faraway was pop-rock, Lost Angels shows more of Gackt's newer rock style. For some reason though, this song strikes me as if Mars and Diabolos had a baby. It sounds nice but it's rather boring and too familiar.

No Reason starts out harder than Lost Angels and moves at an overall faster pace. Even though it's a heavy piece of rock it's different. There aren't any noticeable stylistic changes but it's different from his later pieces of rock which usually are in your face with it's attitude while this song stays more reserved. It reminds me of Black Stone in the way Gackt delivers his vocals, but it's noticeably different so it feels like more of a cousin (yes I know that sounds weird). No Reason isn't as majestic as the title track but it doesn't try to be. It's straightforward and a wonderful track to include that compliments rather than tries to compete with the A-side. Best song here.

Suddenly starts out low like Lost Angels but the drumwork in this song stands out from the minute it first starts. This song is a perfect example of how electronic effects should be used in a song because it's used sparingly in parts but it's noticeable and it works. Gackt doesn't rely on the effects to make the song: he just uses it to accentuate an already great song. The guitar wails in the background remind me a little of the guitarwork in the eccentric Cube but it's minor and it melts into the background and doesn't take over. Suddenly works a lot like No Reason on this single and it works, although the song might be a little too tame for some people to enjoy.

Then of course we get the instrumentals, but this time we get three instead of two. The instrumental for Lost Angels works better than it has for any single since Ghost and it grants more of an appreciation for the instrumentation of the title track. The other two feel like add-on's but I surmise it would be worse if they weren't included to begin with.

This single more than satisfies my Gackt cravings and it's a good effort from a superb artist. The only thing I can hope now is that Flower is just as good as this single. 4 out of 5.

Review: Gackt - Faraway ～Hoshi ni Negai wo～

01. Faraway ～Hoshi ni Negai wo～
02. Oblivious～Kao ni Nai Tenshi～
03. Faraway ～Hoshi ni Negai wo～ (Instrumental)
04. Oblivious～Kao ni Nai Tenshi～ (Instrumental)

After the heart attack that was Koakuma Heaven, Gackt's second serving won't send you running in terror, but it's also not as interesting. In what sounds like a ballad-to-be, the song instead is a pop rock tune that just makes one wonder how this is an A-side and not a forgettable B-side. I honestly don't remember how this song sounds and after listening to it Gackt didn't give me any incentive to go back and listen again. It's not bad, but it's not good either. It lacks the emotion and energy that he usually puts into his music, and it ends off coming up flat upon the first listens, and at a runtime of just over five minutes it meanders off in one direction for too long without expanding upon itself in order to justify a "good" title. It's decent and a good reminder of his earlier works so if you're in a nostalgic mood for some Rebirth you'll find that this track is more than satisfying.

That clap-clap-WOO! pattern is going to kill me one day gackt

Oblivious is a half-acoustic ballad, with a great passage in the middle that at least has you remembering the song after it's done. In an age where many artists struggle to produce ballads, it's a memorable B-side that deserves more than one listen. That pattern I mentioned earlier rears it's ugly head, as the composition reminds me too much of "Last Song" and the chorus from "Kimi ga Matteiru Kara". Geh...

And then we have the obligatory instrumental tracks which really do nothing for me but add more playing time to the single. There's never a down-side to having these included but I always feel that a single from Gackt could always benefit from another song.

"Faraway" isn't as out there as "Koakuma Heaven" and I guess it's more tailored towards the fans that prefer his older works to his newer ones. It's a more accessible tune but it plays it too safe in order for me to give it a high score. It gets a 3.5 out of 5 from me, and that's mostly because the B-side overwhelms the A-side in terms of quality.

Review: Gackt - Koakuma Heaven

I believe Gackt is trying to repair his musical inactivity in 2008 with a slew of releases in 2009. This is the fourth release he's done, and might I say this track is terrifying. I can rest my case with Gackt on the cover. I cannot believe he looks like that...

01. 小悪魔ヘヴン
02. My Father's Day
03. 小悪魔ヘヴン (Instrumental)
04. My Father's Day (Instrumental)

Stuffed to the brim with synthesizers and vocal additions, Koakuma Heaven sounds as close to a disco beat as Gackt has ever gotten. If the techno-beat of Ghost turned the heads of his Dears, then this single might send them running in the opposite direction. For all that it's worth, however, the song seems too overdone. I guess it would be better live if we heard his voice naturally and without any alterations to it.

If you can crawl thorugh all the extra additions that he threw into this song, from the trumpets to the background singers to the distortion, then you'll find a catchy, upbeat track that follows in the vein of Ghost and dares to go where he hasn't gone before. It's really one of those love it or hate it deals, but I'm rather fond of it.

After I have my bypass, that is.

My Father's Day is like a muted Jesus affair. Jesus was the rocker that started off this craze and anything upbeat that he's released lately is liable to be compared to it, and so is this. My Father's Day sounds like a mash-up between Jesus and Black Stone, and it's familiar territory that he's done before so there's nothing new here. If you're looking for new though, go to the first track. I suppose he needed something safe so he wouldn't send his fanbase running for the hills, and this track is pretty solid. It's just...familiar.

Like usual, we have the instrumentals, and judging on how you did with the previous two tracks you'll either mildly tolerate their existence or forget that track three ever existed. Unlike Jesus and Ghost, Koakuma Heaven follows in the vein of Journey Through the Decade in that the instrumentals are unneeded and don't serve a purpose. I guess they're always nice extras to have :\

Overall, it's a solid single that shows that Gackt isn't out of creative ideas yet. I'd give this single a 4 out of 5.

Review: Gackt - Journey through the Decade

I was hesitant about this single before it was released, and I guess that was because it was going to be used as a theme to something just like Ghost so I wondered if Gackt would somehow jump the shark and create something bland. My fears weren't that far off, but Gackt didn't go bland. He just elected not to do much....

01. Journey Through the Decade
02. J.t.D. Re-Mix RIDE ''Distort''
03 J.t.D. Re-Mix RIDE ''Symphony''
04 Journey through the Decade (instrumental)

Journey through the Decade is the Gackt single that Gackt didn't write, and to me the weakest after Ghost and Jesus. It tries to emulate Jesus but doesn’t carry the same energy that that track had, so it ends up just being a regular song. At least it’s a good theme for Kamen Rider Decade.

The second track sounds like it was inspired by Ghost and I think it would have been a better addition if Gackt had used his vocals instead of leaving it as an instrumental. Interesting but ultimately not repeatable.

The same can be said for the third. It falls more in line with Gackt's usual style than the title track itself, but it goes voiceless and therefore doesn't pack as much of a punch. The last two tracks have proved to be real disappointments because they miss the one element that would make them superb remixes and instead sit on the single as lazy additions.

The last track is just an instrumental of the first track and is the weakest on the entire single. I wasn't too fond of the single and Gackt's voice made the song listenable so omitting him from this track lessens the impact even more.

If you like instrumentals then this single is great but it doesn't measure up to the standard that Gackt has set for himself in the past, which is a real disappointment.

3/5