51 posts tagged “single”

ミカヅキノキセキ

Date released: 25.6.2008.

Track list
1.ミカヅキノキセキ (Mikadzuki no kiseki) [PV]
2.デジタルネバーランド (Digital Neverland)
3. ハレノヒ [Type B] (Hare no hi)
3. ひなげし [Type C] (Hanageshi)

Don't get me wrong, I do love the sweetness named Ayabie and their last two releases were honestly just a step away from perfection. But unfortunately I didn't like so much Mikadzuki no kiseki.

Mikadzuki no kiseki reminded me of some older Ayabie works due to it's dominate horns, guitars put in background and a parade like feel. It's charming and catchy nevertheless, but rather forgettable and average for Ayabie. Digital Neverland could be a bit over-the-top for some listeners because of the upbeat, 8-bit electro-pop sound that you're likely to hear on a colorful Harajuku Para-para party (I can even imagine Aoi's coreography for this). Really saharoze and darn catchy but the aloof verses and chorus simply don't make it crappy/crazy enough to make you get all freaky on it. SuG does this better, unfortunately.

The B-sides are somewhat better. Hare no hi is a clap-along, 80's dramatic anime ending kinda song but without the drama, more kind of a happy-jerky Ayabie kinda way. I'm glad to hear more of Yumehito's and Takehito's guitars in the front and Intetsu's bass lines are as perfect as always. Still the song is rather unexciting, though kinda cool.
Hanageshi is probably the best song on the whole single, basically being Ayabie going Kagrra, with Japanese festival like sound, semi-fast tempo, good guitarwork and Aoi's innovative singing that I really like.

Ayabie, as always, perpared a small package of sweetness, power and happiness in their Mikadzuki no Kiseki single, but unfortunately it isn't as strong nor exciting as the previous few single's were. Nevertheless if you count Ayabie as a favorite artist you'll probably count this single as a new one in your collection. Though honestly, we have heard much, much better from Ayabie.

Antlion

Date released: 18.6.2008.

Track list
1. antlion
2. 麝香漂う中で (Jakou tadayou naka de)
3. 男娼と黒猫 (antlion version) (Danshou to kuroneko)

Sugar actually turned to this month's top music discovery to me. I was going through some of their singles to warm up for their first Unplugged style single (as they've stated).

With antlion Sugar definitely proves the unhindered versatility of Visual kei, being a Visual kei band whose style can be described as jazz-rock, even more jazzier than your average jazz-ska-punks Merry and Nagoya kei lords the studs. And the resemblance of the singer Loki's voice with those of Mako is pretty tight, though Loki's voice is a bit more vibrant.

antlion sounds like the kind of music you'd hear on a terrace of a hotel at the seaside on a summer night. The kind of slow-tempo, saxophone enriched (and you don't hear a sax everyday in Visual kei at least) balladesque songs where couples (mostly old folks) go dancing slowly, close to one another. Interestingly the song goes a bit upbeat at the middle delivering a nice bass and drum solo, giving even more an impression of a jazz combo playing. And have I mentioned how floating and light Loki's voice sounds?

Jakou tadayou naka de goes a bit faster, still glimmering with the unmistakable jazzy groove and feel, making you wanna close your eyes on the passages and start dreaming. Glamorous, profound, feather-light and stylish, yes that is how you could describe this, a bit faster than antlion, ballad with this retro sound provided by the electric organ and the saxophone (which dominates this single).

I was really happy to see Danshou to Kuroneko (Manwhore and the black cat) on this single because it's my favorite Sugar song right after Blossom. And the antlion version really brings the greatness of the original in a new form. The intro opens with a slow, emotional and gentle saxophone and piano company and then goes with a tango-like melody and beat giving the song an extra rock-rebel-flair to it. LOKI's voice simply floats over the whole song, exploding together in a great chorus (sounding even more vibrant than the original thanks to the extra punch from the saxophone). The guitar solo after always blows me away with it's ingenious, minimalistic, pizzicatto like play interchanging with the saxophone and later with Loki's whispering, you just have to love it.

antlion is a excellent single, can't deny that, though it's a kind of a single music elitists would listen, even your folks would listen and not complain about it (if you have music elitist parents like I do =) ). The mature, serious and overall well composed songs really sting out of the most of the Visual kei releases, showing that Visual kei knows no borders nor dogmas, allowing almost all sound ranges as long as it can be classified as some kind of rock. That is one of the reasons I love Visual kei, it can never get boring and each band is unique.

As for Sugar, their music will suit even the most elitist tastes, though don't expect some heavy and crazy riffage, explosive choruses and agression in antlion. The almost puristic jazz-rock style may seem boring to the listener oriented more on the wild side of Visual kei. Nevertheless if you like jazz, good compositions, variety in sounds and a more unplugged and Nagoya kei approach, you might not resist the charms and style this band has. A warm recommendation. 

DIABOLOS

Date released: 4.6.2008

Track list:
1. I/M
2. ESCARGOT
3. THE 「C」BLOOD MANIFEST
4. celtic

As I've said this month is a month that requires some deeper scratching under the surface to find some releases. And as it's with Visual kei, going under surface means finding obscure indies. One of them who had a release this month is the awkwardly named band since1889 (whatever that year means to them).

DIABOLOS is a fierce release of this obviously fierce band. Just listening to industrial-screech monster intro like I/M will remind you of the also industrial-fused intro End of Finale by UnsraW. It's some kind of a ritual for every Visual-hardcore band to have this some kind of techno-like intro.

The band bombs with growling/death-grunts (I like them especially on the first few moments of ESCAGORT), heavy distorted guitars and double bass attacks on all of the DIABOLOS while the singer Kouta changes his voice from bestial to singing on the somewhat mellow choruses. It's interesing how his growls are loud and firm, while his singing voice is really gentle, quite and mellow, thus not giving enough charge to the choruses.

THE 「C」BLOOD MANIFEST has got some less growl parts, but rather a sinister feel and a melodious chorus. The song directly attached to it is the best on the album: celtic. celtic may not sound as the name suggests, but it has got this buzzing, shivering guitar-riff that creats a mysterious feel before launching a full-frontal attack of metal madness that will make every metal fans heart beat faster. Even the choruses have more crunch to them than on the other songs with Kouta's voice sounding ethreal, streching and shrinking building up a light mood to this heavy song. I like the silence-loudness attacks right after the first chorus.

DIABOLOS is just a kind of a single everybody should have in their music collection, not because it's outstanding or something, but because everybody gets the impulse for vicious growling and bashing once in a while. since1889 deliver a balanced fury package not sounding to extreme like Dir en grey, but yet with more breathing-space than UnsraW (and with a better vocalist up to the top, though I like Yuki's growls). Fans of the both bands will surely like the metalcore influenced since1889. Not outstanding, but not bad either.

[-tHiNk-]

Date released: 11.06.2008.

Track list
1. [ ]
2. [-tHiNk-]

[-tHiNk-] is the second demo-single by the young Visual kei band born. This single made me think about whether to consider it as a sign of a existing potential of this band or as just another average Visual kei release.

[-tHiNk-] has got this screaming, buzzing guitars running through the whole song, giving off a slight industrial feel like D'espairsRay's song PIG. The thick bass and dynamic drumming, with a lot of bass attacks speed up the song giving a extra punch and energy into it. It's not so often to hear such a power attack from a indie or demo band, so this energy is kinda plus for born. The chorus have got this singing in higher register, almost falsetto like that I really don't understand why so many singers torture themselves with such a high pitch, but luckly it's interchanged with the singer's Ryouga's normal voice higth and a young sounding timbre. What I like about the chorus is the distorted smashing of one guitar, while the other playes a simple, pulsing melody in clean, set into the background. It's like Karyu's playing in D'espairsRay, though less ingenious. Technical aspects aside, the song does have this underground feel to it, with early D'espairsRay and 2000-2003. Dir en grey flashbacks, making this song even more appealing.

born has got good influences and they do know how to use this influences in their songs, but they still have to work on their originality. Overall, without me making some philosphy about it, I kinda liked the single, not exactly something I'd listen to all the time, but once in a while it might be intereseting. If you're a fan of bands with a industrial and dark touch like D'espairsRay you'd probably like this single yet knowing that there are better songs.

Keep working hard guys, it'll pay out one day.

独

Date released: 14.5.2008.

Track list
1. 独 (Doku)
2. 13 Python

So the chariots (of Kisaki) return once more to hail our stereo players with their third (and last consecutive) monthly attack: the single Doku. So I guess only UNDER CODE is capable of releasing three singles in a monthly frequency and even the birds on the branches know what a money-ripping, tax-avoiding UNDER CODE president Kisaki is.
And since Kisaki loves to have his touch in everything related to his label, you'd hardly find an UNDER CODE release that hasn't got the producer part addressed to Kisaki.

Back to chariots, Kisaki's probably most beloved band on UNDER CODE since it consist's of a few former Phantasmagoria members (in which the allmighty Kisaki was the bassist). As I've said Doku is their third single this last three months and unfortunately it didn't bring anything new nor different from the charitos. Their last month's single Ga was kinda cool with those kote-kei untypical upbeat rock songs, but Doku is heavy old-school: metallesque guitar riffs, head-bashing riffs, obligatory strings in the backrground, dark and gloomy sound covered with a decent, though not something special vocal performance by Riku. 13 Python is a bit more lively, with good metal influenced riffs and Siva-like bridges but then again it leaves the impression like you've heard it already somewhere before, just like Doku.

So yeah nothing new here. This single is pretty much fan-reserved. It does show that the chariots have good preforming skills and a powerful production, but asides that it is the same as everything we have heard from chariots before. Shame, I was hoping to hear something surprising just like last month's single.

Off-topic actually: UNDER CODE is gaining two new bands Lamina and E'm~grief~. Judging by their pretty orthodox looks they are probably going to be just another old-school band from UNDER CODE with Kisaki's production. So look forward to a similar review to this one in July (when both bands will debut and start their series of monthly releases). wheeee.....................................................

Discord

Date released: 7.5.2008.

Track list
1. ～歪～ (Ibitsu) [Listen]
2. Discord [Listen]
3. HADES (Secret track) [Listen]

Discord is the debut single of the dark Visual kei band Lucy, who has been around for a year (interesting that the single was released on the day of their first anniversary). Besides the pretty dark look the band has proved to have a pretty dark sound.

Ibitsu roars with heavy distorted guitars and distanced shivering riffs in the background at the beginning. I couldn't help to notice that the singer Sakaki has got a very resembling voice to Distraught Overlord's singer Mikaru: velvety, deep, warm and then again pretty rough. His screaming parts really sound harsh, giving you the chills. But not only his voice is mesmerizing, the overall sound of the song is pretty dark (though the refrain has got some positive feel to it) enhanced with screeching guitars, trembling bass and very subtle drumming. Imagine pre- [Coll:set] D'espairsRay darkness but without the pumping energy and speed and you'll get Ibitsu.

Discord begins slowly, silently before turning into a distorted, loud, screaming beast of a song. I've really heard quite a lot of dark Visual kei bands, but these guys are really, really dark... Jumping from melodious, obscure parts to almost atonal frontal crashes of heavy distorted guitars and screaming. Discord yet surprises with a good refrain where Sakaki's voice really shows it's warm timbre.

Though only two songs are listed on the track list, Lucy has put an additional semi-instrumental song as a secret track (I found out that the song is called HADES). The song begins with the kind of slow and echoing drumming you'd probably hear in some 80's rock ballad, but the mere echoing presence of the drums in combination with both scratching and swaying riffs gives up a very unusual, dark atmosphere. Judging by the quality of the song, it must have been live taken. And again Lucy interchange their almost atonal noisy parts with quite ingenious melodic parts.

I must say I actually like Lucy's style though the dark atmosphere, harsh screaming and somewhat shabby compositions, but I can't deny their potential and ability to create a really strong atmosphere. In a way I have founded in Lucy something that was missing in the latest D'espairsRay single: the darkness that gradually gets under your skin.
Even though Lucy won't blow you away, their songs will pull you into their realm, somehow making you actually want to listen to them.

+DéspairsRay+ (when they were still called like that), Distraught Overlord and -OZ- fans should really consider checking Lucy out.

Thanks to precious_metals for giving the recommendation.

BIRTH

Date released: 7.5.2008.

Track list
1. BIRTH [PV]
2. 夢想花 (Musou hana) [Listen]
3. Solid heart [Listen]
3. Rebellion (Type B) [Listen]
4. BIRTH (Voiceless)

BIRTH is the major debut single of the metal influenced Visual kei band D. Congratulations guy on your major debut. The title song BIRTH kicks in with gripping violin melody, roaring riffs and pulsing, heavy metal drumming. Asagi's singing isn't over-the-top as usual and it delivers a majestic hymn-like refrain beating down any metal influenced Visual kei band down to the ground (You won't see such elegance in Versailles Kamijo's singing). Musou hana is actually Dearest you, but with nu-metal bridges sprinkled with horrible English lyrics.

Solid heart has got groove!!! The weight is set on the warm bass and bass drum pulsation, with minimalistic riffs partially just calling, and partially roaring. Asagi releases his wast vocals on the strong and wiping refrain making Solid heart the only song on the single truly offering some excitement. The Type B 3rd song Rebellion is simply confusing crashing metal seriousness with the playfulness of like Lolita23q. It is catchy, but not something you'd listen while having a need for wildness. As the sugar on top bonus you get the Asagi-less version of BIRTH, ideal for those who can't stand his heavenly high notes or for whom he is the role-model for singing.

BIRTH is decent, well produced but not as near as exciting as the album Neo Culture was. Unless you're a fan of course.

Midnight Shangri-la/空っぽな唄~final cut~

Date released: 3.5.2008.

Track list
1. Midnight Shangrila
2. 空っぽな唄~final cut~ (Karappo na uta～final cut～)

I actually thought this was a regular single, but found out later it's a single that was sold at Yokohama Bunka Taiikukan live or something (though that won't stop real Merry fans on getting their hands on it). Still I'll take the honor (or not) to review this "special" single.

Remember the Merry cover of LUNA SEA's song PRECIOUS... that was released on the LUNA SEA tribute album. You know the song that was basically audioraping-turn-fun. Midnight Shangri-la takes a floor up. Midnight Shangri-la is the probably most hysterical song I've ever heard, turning into three and a half minutes of violent noise enough to damage your hearing. Hey, take all the screaming Kyo from Dir en grey has done in their songs and pack it into one song (on the screaming parts Gara even beats Kyo when it comes to sky high pitched screams) with a hint of paranoid hysteria and concentrated insanity and viola! You get a "song" (mildly speaking). In some strange and unusual way, I actually like Merry when they are sounding like having a seizure. And the yeah,yeah,yeah,yeeeaah,yeah! is quite catchy.

Karappo na uta was the closing song on their album nu chemical rethoric and the ~final cut~ version can be described as better. Gara's vocals sound very clear and expressing (though after Midnight Shangri-la practically everything sounds good). The song has got a very clean, almost sterile production, twittering high-pitched riffs and a very good and sharp refrain that will make you sing a long (with a additional vocal provided probably by one of the guitarists whose name I don't know nor care about). Average Merry but decent.

So either if you love ear-violence or the original Karappo na uta or both, give a shot at this single. Merry again managed to deliver their highly recognizable yet slightly mediocre sound.

MERRY GO WORLD

Date released: 16.4.2008.

Track list
1. MERRY GO WORLD [PV] [Listen]
2. LOVERS [Listen]
3. I BELIEVE…. [B-edition] [Listen]
4. 未来図 (Mirai zu) [C-edition] [Listen]

I honestly thought that the title MERRY GO WORLD was some kind of 12012 ironical joke. Unfortunately, it's not. MERRY GO WORLD is probably the harshest song 12012 ever made, being so brutally merry that it's enough to cause every indie 12012 fan a heart-attack. Horrid and traumatizing with Miyawaki sounding as screamy and loud as if somebody is whipping him brutally on the back.

But to prevent an angry mob of fans and massive wave of heart-attacks 12012 has packed 3 really good songs. LOVERS is a passionate ballad with sparkling pizzicato riffs and a intense and strong chorus that doesn't sound worn out for the first time since butterfly. I BELIEVE.... breaks open with metallesque, electric riffs and goes to the dense and intense chorus similar to the one in the excellent song THE MOON, but more 12012 indie like. And if that doesn't seem enough we have Mirai zu that goes even further in the 12012 past and delivers distant, oriental flavored riffs and a upbeat chorus, that unites the melancholy of the indie phase with the confidence of the major 12012.

If you remove the 12012 suicide MERRY GO WORLD you actually get 3 very good songs reminiscing 12012 2-3 years ago and being a sure-shot to retrieve the old fans that abandoned the band after it went sounding more commercial, more public acceptive. All 3 songs don't exactly bring forth the former sound (lacking the genuine and strong atmosphere indie 12012 songs had) but come really close to it. If you stopped listening to 12012 when they released Cyclone I suggest you give the band another chance with MERRY GO WORLD (minus title song). Never say never. I wonder how 12012 will develop next?