97 posts tagged “single”
Release date: 7.10.2009.
Price: ￥
1,785
NO: KICM-91290
Track list
1. BEFORE I DECAY [PV]
2. 瞞し (Mayakashi)
So... After a bit less than 3 months the GazettE present us with another single, which was shortly announced after the release of their 4th album DIM. DIM was a utter masterpiece and you don't simply go and release anything else after such a piece of an album right away, unless it was something that didn't fit into the album concept anyways but had enough potential to be released. I think this might be the case with Before I Decay, although the band itself expressed a simple wish to create a "simple, speed song" after DIM. And that is basically what BEFORE I DECAY is.
BEFORE I DECAY is a uptempo,
furious, speed song with a lot of notes flying around and Ruki blasting
his vocal folds out with raw growls. The beginning with the verses
feels like a faster version of Zetsu's riff coupled with the distorted,
noisy and ALMOST IDENTICAL riffs from CIRCLE OF SWINDLER. A few subtle
metal licks add a bit to the variety but not as much as they did in
LEECH. The chorus is the only thing in this song that feels a bit
unpolished and done in a bigger haste than the rest, you could
basically sing the MOTH UNDER SKIN chorus over it and it would fit. And
when it comes to singles the GazettE haven't done a single original
(excluding maybe Guren) chorus since Filth in the Beauty. Basically if
you were to judge a song by it's first half it would seem rather
generic as hell. The second half brings some pleasant surprises though,
from the rhythm change in the pre chorus to the growly breakdown and
the refreshing, calm and flickering moment after it followed by some
amazing guitar tapping and alternate verse which sounds really intense,
tight and cathartic before moving to the good, old chorus. It's
incredible how this little part of the song adds so much potential and
character to it! It's like when I first listened to SHADOW VI II I, I
was fascinated by this one acoustic part to it and I could basically
just listen to the song because of that part, (even though with time I
grew to like the song overall) so I have a reminiscent same feel with
BEFORE I DECAY.
So this song is cool enough to have it's own single
and distinction, but it's on the other hand too generic to compete with
some of the masterpieces off DIM (though I'd really change it for
Headache man....). And this song is being used in the Japanese edition of the movie FAST AND FURIOUS, but not like I care about that.
Mayakashi leaves me with pretty split feelings about it. I really don't like the high main wah wah melody
that repeats and sounds more like something I'd come across in a forgettable Alice nine. B-side or at some other "Light" indies band.
The verses and pre-chorus are AND IF I FUCKING WILL HAVE TO WRITE THIS ALL OVER FOR THE THIRD TIME I WILL SHOOT SOMEONE, FUCK YOU VOX AND FIREFOX really smooth and sound a bit like the song Kare Uta coupled with the transiting riffs of Gentle Lie, giving off a certain happy-reminiscent feel. The chorus sounds pretty undeveloped, like it would go into the right direction if it was given time and thought, which is not the case with this single. The main problem with this song is the same one that Shiroki Yuuutsu had on DIM: it's a song the is good as a standalone, but placed next to a harder song it simply doesn't click. Eventually this song will grow on me, given the right time and context. But the certain pre-FILTH IN THE BEAUTY feel this song has will certainly make a lot of reminiscent listeners happy.
So overall BEFORE I DECAY brings a standard Gazetto sound with it enhanced with a few touches but not so polished and thoughtful as it was with DIM. But as the guys have stated before, it's a song that doesn't want to compete with it (or otherwise it would end up on the album). For me this release came way too sudden and my impressions for DIM haven't settled completely in order for me to get hyped about a new release. Before I Decay did exceed my expectations based on the preview, though the B-side came different from what I had imagined it to be based on the song title. The songs themselves are, in the end, really more than decent and I am sure that I'll give this release a lot of spins. So if you like the band this release is almost impossible to come by. And this band has already done so much this year so that this single is just the cherry-on-top.
Release date: 9.9.2009.
Price: ￥1,260 (normal edition)
NO: UICV-5004
Track list:
1. FINAL CALL [PV]
2. Going on!
3. Ark in the storm
CONGRATULATIONS D'ESPAIRSRAY ON YOUR 10TH ANNIVERSARY!!!
So more-less to mark this auspicious event I shall write a review for their new "Anniversary" single entitled FINAL CALL. Because what is the best way of marking a decade of activity other than releasing a nice single (okay, though for a decade an album would be more fitting, especially in Visual kei where rare bands manage to hold together for a decade, but that would be picky wouldn't it?).
FINAL CALL is a typical D'espairsRay energy-infused, industrial-glazed , uptempo rock piece leaning more to a hard rock sound other than the industrial/gothic metal sound they've always pulled off. The song takes the bits of the best this band has to offer: layered, running and awesome guitar riffs which will make you instantly take your guitar and play along (or at least in my case), a soaring chorus with a gothic-glaze to it, pumping basslines and powerful drums, even a warm and expressive guitar solo. FINAL CALL takes the certain warmth and melody that was featured in some tracks of their latest album REDEEMER and fuses them with the raw energy and rapture this band is known for. Though FINAL CALL isn't exactly another REDEEMER, nor does it have it's explosive energy and fiercness it's nevertheless a very decent and interesting song that won't leave the fans dissappointed.
I can imagine Going on! to melt faces, cause acute myalgia as well as dislocate joints from the excessive jumping and banging on the lives, but as a standalone track Going on! feels a bit undefined. There is this energy and groove that is really appealing and cool, but the song is somehow thinned by the not so good hip-hopish part and backrgound yelling which seems quite pointless. On top the song doesn't really bring anything new (but on the other hand, the whole single overall doesn't do that) and it's a bit ruined by some redundant parts. Though I do fell it eventually growing onto me, though it doesn't have this secret charisma or greatness that B-sides like Scissors, Desert or even Cocoon had.
Ark in the storm sounds a bit ambitious with this "uprising" feel and emotionally colored mood similar to the song KALEIDOSCOPE and MASQUERADE but it simply has got this void in it, sounds like something is missing or like there isn't enough thrust to it to really lift it sky high. The song isn't bad, the riffs and "solo" are awesome, Hizumi's singing is decent, the drumming really keeps the song going but it just feels there.
The overall please with this single really depends on your expectations from this band. The single isn't as energetic as REDEEMER was, but it's less "light and happy" than KAMIKAZE or HORIZON, though those singles have way more powerful B-sides. I am personally pleased with guitars since I like Karyu's style so in that aspect it did match my expectations. But the basic weakness of this single is that it's very uncovincing and almost without any charisma that simply overflows many of this band's songs. If you're able to get over that then you'll get a decent single which is more like a bottle of champaigne opened up for the auspicious occasion rather than a full-blooded serious release.
But overall fans of the band and everything this band has to offer musically won't have too much of complains and will surely play this release over and over to mark a decade long activity of this great Visual kei band. I raise my guitar in your honour.
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.
Release date: 1.4.2009.
Track list
1. DETOX [PV]
2. Public Speaker
3. Nerve[less]
After they have intoxicated us last month with the fierce single VENOM, now it's time to go through an equally rough detox process with DETOX.
DETOX is one of the melodic -OZ- anthems with interchanging vicious verses and an uplifting, sky soaring chorus, something like Ringing, but even more intense. But DETOX really hits on the right spots: The growls are powerful, the melody is like it has wings and the moshing breakdown is their most wild up to date. DETOX is just another excellent song added in the discography of this definitely interesting and talented band. Fly Forever...
Public Speaker is something I'd define as a kind of street metal: raw, straightforward, riot inducing, loudness beauty with a certain, jumpy beat almost made for skip-roping onto it (think of Rich Excrement by the GazettE). Aside those rhythmic verses the chorus delivers a bright, capturing melody which is an effective contrast to the raw verses. The more I listen to the chorus the depper is the impression of this song. Really good!
Nerve[less] plays it on another approach combining metalcore-esque riffs with a fast, groovy rhythm which invites to banging but dancing at the same time. I sense a full body action at the lives! Nerve[less] blends perfectly with the rest of the single delivering fiercness, melody as well as a certain heavy-music-detox everybody needs sometimes.
Though at the first listen DETOX seemed like the less interesting version of VENOM, just like Spiral was to Blot, another few listenes showed me more and more just how good this single is and how in fact it's even better than it's more violent counterpart single VENOM. -OZ- fans as well as fans of the rougher, mosh-inviting, head-banging rock should check this great single out.
Release date: 25.3.2009.
Track list
| 1. DISTRESS AND COMA [PV] |
| 2. HEADACHE MAN |
| 3. WITHOUT A TRACE |
The GazettE present their first single this year and the last single before the release of their fourth album DIM. Last year the band presented us with two very excellent singles Guren and LEECH, both special in their own way,
Whether DISTRESS AND COMA can keep up with both of them, you will find out here.
DISTRESS AND COMA sounds like a hybrid of the excellent crooked, gloomy song Bathroom thanks to it's dead note filled riffs and creeping, dark atmosphere combined with the elegance, flow and steadiness of Guren. The song has got a very explosive (though female backvocal featuring) intro that drives into excellent riffs with metal licks all over them. The chorus is intense as always and features some really Yomi-esque singing by Ruki ( Especially on the Odoru odoru part of the chorus, that slight vibrato) but then after you've heard it like for the third time you realize that maybe it's a bit too much choruses for a song. In it's core DISTRESS AND COMA is a no-doubt certain sucess by the GazettE but it's such a steady, one line of the song that it gives off a feel that these guys had a good idea for a song but didn't know how to work it out to the end (just like Dir en grey's Glass Skin).
On the other hand HEADACHE MAN is insane. And that is a mild attribute for it.
I smell a lot of ambivalence here!
It starts of with some really screeching guitar sounds and then bursts into thick, dark, heavy riffs combined with a crazy beat, rabid scratching, growling, yeeling... and then you realize: HOLY SHIT! IT'S SLIPKNOT.. WAIT GAZEKNOT! so obivous to anyone who has ever heard Slipknot. After the initial outburst they stick on such a mighty, excellent chorus as if it was taken straight from NIL and then it's like they have thought Wait... we have done this before... Let's do something different while the majority of the listeners most certainly thought Fuck. The song takes a totally new direction and turns into a very frantic Gazetto (not the GazettE) version of Dir en grey's Machiavellism with a collective ground shaking chorus and a lot of twistedness that GazettE used to have back in their old, pre-NIL days. And there is a person that can screech like Kyo and his name is Ruki (the smaller they are the higher they screech)
I already sense one of the most bonebraking pieces on their live performances. AND I'M EAGER TO SEE IT!
So whether you love or damn HEADACHE MAN you must admit that it's a totally different tune by this guys, even though it's not very original overall.
The last song of the single is the ballad WITHOUT A TRACE that is going to be used as an ending theme for some movie I don't care about which automatically calls out the association on the cold and distant ballad Chidzuru, but WITHOUT A TRACE is different than that. The song is filled with sharp yet warm acoustic guitars with such a style that I don't believe the GazettE have ever used before, it has got a very westernized feel. But then the song burst out on the chorus, the instruments joins in and everything reaches it's peak on this strong, expressive, quite Guren like chorus. I love the feel that is enveloped in the chorus, a slight melancholic string but filled with a crtain warmth and strength, a kind of a ballad that rather makes you lift your head up and smile again rather than putting you more down. Though the song doesn't have a certain tension or a strong emotional seal, it still delivers a strong feel and impression on the listener, which is a undeniable sign of it's strength.
Rare are the bands that manage to deliver songs with such energy, strength, honesty and freshness making it sound like nothing you have heard before yet preserving it's core, as well as to redeem themselves for any downers they have done. DISTRESS AND COMA is another absurdly excellent single by the GazettE, which is compared to the previous singles more of a sure-shot, but a sure-shot that doesn't fail in delivering something new and unheard from this band in the end. The very narrow song structure that seems as if it's going in a straight line does leave an impression that this single is going in a bit westernized way, aimed more at a Western listener.
DISTRESS AND COMA is definitive, unconditional MUST for all GazettE fans as well as a strong reccomendation for every fan on intense, rocking Visual kei bands. We can definitely be curious about what DIM will bring this summer.
Date released: 4.3.2009.
Track list
1. VENOM
2. Perfect Ruler
3. NEVER 【F】
-OZ- is on a consecutive single run with this month's single VENOM and next month's DETOX (haha neat titles). Both singles come in 2 different versions with bonus CDs containing comments and live recordings.
As usually -OZ- deliver one meat-mincing, grinding riffs, metal infused song goodness. VENOM is pure poison with crushing riffs ready to drive over you like a truck over a roadkill. Whereabout some parts of the songs including the chorus don't really have logic and have strange progressions, the rest of the song from verses, breakdowns to bridges is one simple -OZ-fest that fans are sure to love, though not as ingenious or worked out as some of their other songs, still VENOM is one hell of a piece everybody will like to mosh/headbang to.
Perfect Ruler has got a lot of heavy groove in it with it's downtuned distorted low riffs and mesmerizing verses. Even though these guys are more metalcore than heavy groove, I must admit that they sure master any metal gerne given. The breakdown is simply brotal and once again invites to some heavy bonebreaking mosh party.
NEVER 【F】 came as a surprise, it's one of their intense melodic ballads such as ringing, Colors and some others. The certain oriental touch gives such a strong Kagrra, reminiscence (especially to Utakata or Shizuku), that you could almost say that NEVER 【F】is neo Kagrra, but with more distortion. Either way I simply love -OZ-'s ballads because they're really intense and show how metal-style can be a very expressive style for intense, raw and honest feelings.
If you have the chance to hear the B-version of the single, it has got also the live version of one of their best songs Butterfly and it's so vividly performed that I'd walk barefoot to Japan just to see it live and surprisingly Natsuki sings A LOT better live than on the records.
Overall VENOM is one hot, metal-flaired rock single that will make any fan of brachial, rock aggression happy. Though it may not be as good or memorable as Bulk it's certainly better than their last Spiral or Live-distributed Raze. If you're an -OZ- fan or a fan of the harder Visual kei bands you shouldn't have second thoughts about this one.
Date released: 25.2.2009.
Track list
1.S.a.g.A
2.F99
ALSDEAD or formerly known as DICE&JOKER, but after switching on to a new bassist Reito, the band decided to change the name to ALSDEAD and officially started their activities a few months ago. S.a.g.A is their second single.
It's enough to hear the pumping, rabid guitar lines of S.a.g.A to feel the metal flair that dresses the songs of this band. And Maki's high and intense vocals give a stronger heavy metal, trash feel to it (in a way, his tight voice gives me the impression these guys are into X). Good in a intense way, but somehow rather spoiled with the unsuitable upbeat chorus. Oh well, at least the metal touches and driving energy make it decent.
F99 is, on the other hand, much better executed than S.a.g.A. The borad subtle guitar sounds combined with glimmering industrial sounds give a certain apocalyptic cyber-world scent, while the melancholic mood combined with layers of anger and anguish gives a strong feeling seal to it. This song is really special and the unique combination of intense melancholic rock with a futuristic cyber feel proves to be very successful. Very nice.
So whatever you prefer to call this band, it can't be denied that this band has got a certain something that makes it strike out of the sea of mediocre-at-best Visual indies band. Though asking for a little adaption to the sound and tight vocals of Maki, with each listening you'll be sure to be drawn more and more to them and hopefully this band will evolve their skills more and more.
Thank you Amuro for introducing me to ALSDEAD. As to everybody, don't expect too much of reviews and posts until August but I will try to post from time to time. Just merely rarely because of my college duties.
Track list
1. Rebel:Sicks, Shadow:Six
2. リヴィングデッド (Living Dead)
Jagannath is the last in Deluhi's highly ambitious three-month-in-a-row consecutive single release.
Unfortunately, this single kinda found itself on released on a wrong (Deluhi saturated) time, so you can look at it as the weakest single around.
Rebel:Sicks, Shadow:Six kicks in with some awesome, downtuned, fleshy riffs that sound "Aww this is awesome!" but when Juri jumps in the song with his playful rapping (read: blasphemy and plaque to every metal song) and "Let's jump around ^_^" chorus the awesomeness of the initial riffs simply gets drowned. What a waste of song and the typical DELUHI elements don't help (plus the dramatization at the end of every song is starting to irritate A LOT).
Living Dead has got this really interesting alieaneted intro in the beginning and then starts dragging with the dramatic melody and riffs similar to Yomi no yuzuri ha. Dig the alienation, don't dig the constant epic-dramatic approach every recent DELUHI song is flaired with. Oh and then there are the death growls that I loved on their first singles, but that are now so overused they're starting to annoy. Living Dead has got a good idea, but the execution is as shallow and souless that it sounds boring, unexciting and no where near chatarsic as some of their other songs. And that's a thing not even Leda's solo can save.
What this initally very, very potential bands biggest and by release, more obvious flaw is their oscillation on a brilliance-blandness thread and overuse of their, initially excellent, song elements. They're good at striking epic measures but their music seems more and more like a finely, brilliant, golden treasure box which is hollow on the inside.
The very turbulent 2008 is coming to it's end and I think it's a good time to see which releases and bands marked the 2008. So sit back and hopefully enjoy my little summary of what I think is the best-of-the-best this year (with other stuff that for some certain reason marked the year) has delivered.
BEST SINGLE
1. the GazettE - LEECH
2. D'espairsRay - Kamikaze
3. -OZ- - Bulk
Best underground indie debut single of the year: Lucy - Discord
This year has delivered a mass of excellent singles from various bands (some bands releasing several excellent singles) that it was a really hard decision to decide which single had the balls, the oomph, the wow and awesomeness painted all over. I think LEECH was the single that really stood out this year because each track was pure dynamite, totally in-your-face, simply bombing you with energy! A Visual kei rock firestorm!
Among other great singles was D'espairsRay's bipolar Kamikaze with the best B-side that has ever emerged from this band: Scissors. Also -OZ- showed their fangs with the intense, aggressive and overall awesome metal-compound single Bulk. In the special category I have Lucy, a small and relatively new band with a big and broodingly dark single Discord (which can be also considered as the darkest single of the year).
1. Rentrer en Soi - MEGIDDO
2. Dio ~Distraught Overlord~ - Heaven's Call
3. Deluhi - Surveillance
Most ear/eye piercing mini-album: SuG - I SCREAM PARTY/punkitsch
Rentrer en Soi closed their final chapter and became legends with the epic last mini-album MEGIDDO which makes both fans and non-fans get the chills before this great and brilliant masterpiece. Among the runner-ups was Dio with their first and amazing Heaven's Call that delivered a full-pack of metal spiced hard Visual kei songs in the outstanding Dio manner. Also the newcomer's DELUHI first release Surveillance was just an announcement of this band's intention to take over the Visual kei world with their version of strong power-metal fusions and technical perfection.
Oh and there is a band that caused a lot of brain/ear hemorrhages with both it's releases and mini-albums and that is
SuG. If the color/kitsch overused album artwork wasn't enough of a warning to you, you'd be left off in a sugar coated mass of sticky, E-colored candy-punk mass. Do not listen unless you have an insulin syringe with you.
BEST ALBUM
1. Dir en grey - Uroboros
2. Kagrra, - Core
3. MUCC - Shion
Best album not reviewed : Sugar - Sweetest
What? You thought that the best album part wouldn't go without the legendary Dir en grey and their highly anticipated Uroboros, did you? When Dir en grey releases and album, you can be almost more that certain that is predestined to be the album that will mark the year and that will stand as a new level and measure in Visual kei. Though slightly dehumanized and a skillful showing-off nerve play, Uroboros is definitely an album which sets new borders, both in Visual kei as in the music world overall.
Following Uroboros we have the excellent album Core by the neo japanesque kings Kagrra having both their traditional oriental flavored songs as well as some new rock experiments that were successful. Also the most versatile album of the year Shion by MUCC came out as a pleasant surprise with a showcase of such a variety of songs, different in genres but united in a board, recognizable MUCC-style.
Ironically the only five star album this year wasn't reviewed and that was Sugar's SWEETEST: a balanced out, unique, jazzy influenced rock piece with songs that take the breath aways both in style, refinement, expression, paired up with the incredible talent of each member, especially the astonishing voice of the singer LOKI and the guitar-hero skills of the guitarist SIZNA. If it was reviewed, Dir en grey would have been pushed in a one-on-one fight party to the top with Sugar.
BEST PV
1. the GazettE - LEECH
2. Dir en grey - Glass skin
3. alice nine. - Rainbows
Most sexy (fangirl-unfriendly) PV: SCREW - Gather roses
What makes an excellent PV? Well a lot of things. When your jaw literally detached from your skull, the complementary fusion of both the visual and auditory aspect, a unique concept, an artistic approach, a certain aesthetic and of course the omg, wow! aspect. And I think the PV for the song LEECH has it all and leaves everybody simply breathless with one of the most interesting, aesthetic and symbolic PV's around. Also their PV Guren was pretty damn great, but we have to leave the places for other bands right?
Glass Skin by Dir en grey wass a soothing, transient and floating monochrome PV that just seems to take you into a different world, where time stands still. A very pretty and interesting PV. The PV with the fun-factor was definitely Rainbows by alice nine. with all of it's flashiness and energy, fitting for such a loud and energetic song.
And one of the most entertaining and hot PV's around was Gather Roses by SCREW which have almost literally screwed the chicks in the PV. I have never seen so many sex-allusion and subtle sex scenes in any Visual kei PV as in this one. Sex, boob-grabbing, masturbation, lap-dancing as well as cxxk-suxxxing, all is presenting a very subtle and TV friendly way, but enough to drive rabid fangirls wild. SCREW you are my personal heroes because of this.
BEST NEW BAND
1. DELUHI
2. Lucy
3. Vistlip
Label with the most failing new bands: UNDERCODE
You've got to admit that no one has expected such a great band to emerge this year and to have so many excellent releases it's almost not natural. Well DELUHI have proven us wrong, thanks to their unique power-metal flaired songs and uprising lyrics. Though present with only one yet very valuable release, Lucy also gave us hopes for the dark Visual kei with their single Discord. Vistlip had the excellent debut release and a few weaker others but it was still a band that is better than the other new rest.
Oh and a label who hasn't really contributed to the Visual kei scene was UNDERCODE with their heavy mediocre-to-bad oldschool Visual kei bands that all sound the same. But like Kisaki cares, as long as he is making money.
BEST BAND
1. the GazettE
2. D'espairsRay
3. Sugar
Greatest sound change: 12012
Man, deciding on which band deserves to get the prestige title best band was really, really heavy and I had to think very good about it to make a good decision. After some thinking I have decided that the GazettE deserves the Best band title. Why? Because not only have they released (only) two excellent singles (and as such repented for the last years Stacked Rubbish), but the band also had a full scale of various live performances that peaked in performances such as the two-day final in Yoyogi, the midsummer Gazerock Festival and the secret live in Shinjuku that was halted after two songs because the police had to stop (due to 7000 people coming, instead of laughably 250).
Among the other bands that marked this year were also the veterans from D'espairsRay that released three excellent singles and toured a lot, as well as announced a new album for the 2009. It's great to see them active, though not so dark as they used to be. And not to forget a band I discovered this year and that turned into one of my favorites: Sugar! You just have to have wrong ears if you can't get into their elegant and refined jazzy-rock tunes that sound incredibly sophisticated and good.
The band that has experienced the most greatest sound change this year (unfortunately on the worse) was 12012 that went from dark hard-rock to carefree sugary pop-rock, becoming more and more ligther with every single. Such a sad waste of talent and reputation unfortunately.
1. the GazettE -虚無の終わり、箱詰めの黙示 (Kyomu no owari, hakodzume no mokushi)
2. Deluhi - Vivid place
3. D'espairsRay - Scissors
Auditory Nirvana: Dir en grey - 蜷局 (Toguro)
And what has certainly made this year special was the amount of excellent songs from which some took the breath away, while others provided nirvana and chatarsis. Therefore, it was very hard to decide which songs were exceptional. The best song of the year , for me, was the GazettE's Kyomu no owari, hakodzume no mokushi, an apocalyptic piece with a mesmerizing mood, soaring, intense chorus and a aloof, yet present feel, accepting the end of the world with no regrets.
While Kyomu was quite pessimistic, the wast and positive song Vivid Place by Deluhi was an undeniable proof of their brilliance and ability to make songs that literally shine! While I was pretty displeased with the positive-less-dark style D'espairsRay has had on the song KAMIKAZE I was literally blown away by the sharpness and tension of Scissors. If anything else Tsukasa should write more D'espairsRay songs!
And reaching a mantric nirvana through music was never so near and so vivid as in Toguro by Dir en grey, a vunerable and calm song on their overall slightly dehumanized album. A wonderful, mesmerizing song with floating riffs and a lot of chanting.
And that would be it for my Best of 2008. I hope you liked it. You might have agreed on some spots with me, on some not, oh well everybody has got their own taste and favorites. So now I'm wondering what are your best of the best in this year! Which songs, releases and artists marked this year for you?
I hope the next year will be either as good as this one or preferably better!
Date released: 3.12.2008.
Track list
1. スパイダーネスト (Spider nest)
2. 闇のち雨 (Yami nochi ame)
3. 雫 (rain drip another version)
Spider nest is another single by the Nagoya kei kings the studs (wow, they're sure in a single frenzy).
The title track hits straight with the very characteristic semi-driving riffs, lot's of jumpy bass lines and sinister feel. Generic as hell, but still on the usual studs quality making this a track you'd play when you need a non-disturbing, present yet not, moody background music you can easily tune off to.
Yami nochi ame is, on the other hand, straightforward awesome! From the very first second of Daisuke's intro up to the the rest of the song, the song envelopes with excellent riffs being showered right at you as rain, hints of melancholy jumping all over and very strong chorus. And I love the grungy feeling and the thick layers of each instrument. This song reminds me why I love Nagoya kei and how it combines the fullness of sound with a mood that's always strong and complex.
The single closes with Shizuku or another version of rain drop. I wouldn't really call it a new version because the song still preserves some of the elements of rain drop practically unchanged or slightly improved, but it's still different enough not to be considered as a re-recording. So actually another version is more than a fitting name. And Shizuku surprises with it's unique and not generic-studs wet, droppy, almost horror-like sinister intro. I love it when bands who have a pretty closed sound do something new and unpredictable. The only thing that remains almost the same as in the old song is the chorus, but even all the similar parts are spiced up with some really good chords and notes.
Maybe among all of the recent singles Spider nest is the best primary because you get three songs that have a different (but still preserving) approach and that don't blend into one mass. Still not quite there when it comes to delivering something fully new, but on a very good way. Keep it up guys!
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J-Rock Fans Updated: Oct 29, 2009
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