Date released:
Track list
1. 紅蓮 (Guren)
[PV] [Listen]
2. 傀儡絵 (Kugutsu e)
[Listen]
3. 虚無の終わり 箱詰めの黙示 (Kyomu no owari Hakodzume no mokushi)
[Listen]A year has passed since
the GazettE's last single
HYENA. Six months since the release of their third album
STACKED RUBBISH which was, hand on heart, stacked rubbish with a handful of shallow songs. Damn, even
the GazettE themselves admit that the album wasn't their brightest achievement and not to mention that loads of fans were left disappointed or/and left with a bitter aftertaste.
The GazettE were facing a stagnation in their non interrupted series of amazing achievements.
But I must say that my faith in the band and their talent was restored with the
Guren single.
Guren is a lyrical masterpiece, something like
CALM ENVY (without the irritating parts) and
Kagrra,'s Irodori no sanka combined into one beautiful and a bit reminiscent song with a constant flow, minimalistic and yet wonderful instrumental parts supported by the beautiful strings in the background. A song to dive into, freed from any aggression but yet strong in emotions, without being too emotional or pathetic. As beautiful as a Japanese lyrical scenery, with some profound feelings which can only be expressed as
物の哀れ (mono no aware).
Kugutsu e may begin calm, with an intro almost identical to Chizuru, but after a few moments it grabs you by the neck with it's distorted guitars, fast beat and heavy bass. A fast, schizophrenic, adrenaline charged ride through the chaos. This song is even for GazettE terms very chaotic, combining elements from nearly every good 2006./07. released GazettE song. Although it doesn't bring anything new, the pure excitement and adrenaline in this song combined with already known elements make this song sound refreshing and dynamic without losing depth, raping STACKED RUBBISH's songs analy. Rocks hard and is extremely addicting.
Kyomu no owari Hakodzume no mokushi surprised me with verse riffs resembling those of
RED...[em] (just a bit reduced) from
Dir en grey. But that is not the only resemblance. I could easily imagine
Kyo singing the dark, mysterious, haunting and a bit sarcastic
Hydra-666-esque verses. But after the first verse the song erupts in a instrumentally vast and almost apocalyptic epic masterpiece, reminding mostly on a more intense version of
Chizuru but with sarcastic bridges and a very intense chorus that prevents the song from becoming
Chizuru.
Kyomu no owari Hakodzume no mokushi is what Apocalypse would sound: angry, desperate, ironical at times, dark and overall filled with emotions.
I simply can't express how glad I am that
the GazettE have finally made a single to be proud of and most important with depth. I am glad that this songs are the songs you could dive into and
feel. And they get better with every listening. For me it is not important how the songs are, if they bring something new or not, but if they don't have a depth, If they can't awake any emotions, then they are not something I would be overall pleased with.
Guren has showed that the boys are capable of making interesting songs that manage to sound exciting, fresh and new, even with combined elements from their previous releases. Although returning to their post-
NIL, pre-
STACKED RUBBISH state, this returning is not a stagnation, it is a development to more mature sound with more and more improving instrumental and yet still preserving the undeniable energy and chaos
the GazettE are so known of.
What
NIL is compared to other
GazettE albums,
Guren is to singles. A masterpiece that stands out with it's quality even with all the flaws and virtues. This single is not just an obligatory to
GazettE fans, but also to anybody who wants to hear some quality Visual kei stuff (and not the usual trash). A masterpiece worth your listening (and money).
And I couldn't imagine a better present for the upcoming Valentines day and my birthday. 心からありがとうガゼット様。愛してる。