Single: Girugämesh - ALIVE
Release date: 10.6.2009.
Track list:
1. ALIVE
2. GAMBLE
So Girugämesh introduce us with their first single of the year, the new release after their last year's third album MUSIC.
ALIVE is an uptempo, grumbling, powerful metal-rock anthem with earthquake riff attacks, pumping bass-lines and soaring chorus. Mix all the ingredients, add a bit of scratching and you'll get every other great Girugämesh rock hit. Th only thing I hear as an improvement from the usual pattern is the metal rhythm-like drumming by Ryo which give an additional punch to the song. You love Girugämesh for songs like this one, and you'll certainly won't love them less for ALIVE.
GAMBLE goes on the harder track with a whirlwind of distorsion blasts, drum outbreaks and sinister bass. Satoshi takes the lower, vicious registers to bring out a certain, surpressed anger which simply explodes on a growl-mosh chorus explosion. And again you won't find anything new here, just the good combination of songs such as Patchwork, Volcano and similar.
So yeah more-less ALIVE is a sniper sure-shot of a single, bringing all the characteristic and loved elements this band offers combined in two pretty decent songs. Most likely it's kind of a redemption single for the last years pretty experimental and more risky album which didn't quite hit all the expectations from a lot of their fans. Oh well, better to stick with the confirmed, good-old winning recepie than going into the unknown, at least that's Girugämesh's philosophy on this single and I'm certain the fans will not mind it.
Because ALIVE is a true showcase of this band you can reccomend it to a potential new-fan without fear.