Review - 紅蓮 - the GazettE
NOTE: This is not a re-review, or any new content. It is simply a retyping of my first post, because I screwed up my formatting for the first version. Don't get too exited~!
Well, everyone has been reviewing this single, so I felt that I would give it a try too. (First review! Yay!) About the BULLET one, expect that one soon too, I've just been too lazy, plus this trumps that.
Tracklist:
2. 傀儡絵 (Kugutsue) [Audio]
3. 虚無の終わり 箱詰めの黙示 (Kyomunoowari Hakodzumemokushi) [Audio]
For me, the GazettE have always been a darker band. Even their ballads have been darker. I've always needed a more happy band to balance them out.
If I were to describe the band with one color, it would be purple. Their repertoire generally consists of heavy headbanging songs (DISCHARGE), melodious pieces that lie somewhere between ballad and normal rock (Bath Room), dark ballads (Chizuru), and Jazz-Rock songs (Silly God Disco)
Their latest album, STACKED RUBBISH, has been a generally brown album, with its hints of more joyful subjects, yet generally black themes.
紅蓮 completely captures the purple aspect of the GazettE. On an overall basis, the title song is what they want to show us now, and the other two songs COMPLETELY sum up the GazettE. If I wanted to show my friend this band, I would definitely give them this single.
Track by track:
紅蓮 - This song is beautiful. It really does, as everybody else says, flow. 紅蓮 is able to be an elegant ballad without becoming too layered and heavy or just sitting in one place. Think Kagrra, + the more industrial feel and touch of the GazettE, and you have 紅蓮. Ruki starts off with a gentle croon, and slowly builds the song up to a steady, yet emotional chorus, which swirls into a passionate climax, where Uruha takes over with a fitting guitar solo. The other band members paint the background for you, creating a Neo-Japanesque texture. 5/5.
傀儡絵 - Pretty much, as あさり says, this track takes all the best moments Ruki and co. have come up with these past years, and pasted them all into one song. Chizuru-like opening, Hyena guitars, NIL melody, and STACKED RUBBISH lady vocals. The piece progresses like Nausea & Shudder, albeit a bit more intense. Personally, I love the lady-vocals, they add a great refrain. The final bridge, where Ruki and ladies deliver a very melodious theme is my favorite part of the track. 4.5/5
虚無の終わり 箱詰めの黙示 - This song also takes a good flow, starting off with the Perfect 5th guitar chords. The verses are softy sung, reminding me a bit of HYDE's solo work. They harmony they strike have a very forshadowing, sarcastic tone, which is fulfilled with the big, sweeping chorus. Great instrumentation and vocal delivery. It's very entertaining, and it doesn't get old. Is it a hint of what might be coming from the GazettE? Possibly... 4.5/5
As a whole, this is a thrilling single. I'm delighted by the music direction taken, and maturity of sound from the GazettE. I give this single a:
5/5 - Outstanding
My Groups
-
J-Rock Fans Updated: Yesterday
-
Japanese Food Updated: Yesterday
-
I Heart Asian Music Updated: Yesterday
Neighborhood
Explore friends, family, friends & family, or entire neighborhood.
Comments
I haven't heard the last song of the Guren single but I completely agree with what you say about Guren and Kugutsu-e. They're two of my favourite songs (and though I've only discovered them this year, don't have any full albums but just random old and new songs) it's a definite evolution in sound for them.