2 posts tagged “review”
Subsequently, this album is for whips, chains, blood, and eating babies.
So the album and I have many things in common.
Once again, written AS I listen, though I know every song by heart anyway.
1. AUDIENCE KILLER LOOP When I first got this CD, and this song started, I turned my volume all the way up on my headphones as I couldn't hear anything but a very, very light noise...and then this huge "ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH!" comes through my headphones so loud I think I saw a car stop (this was two days before my birthday party, and I was outside on my swingset to "get in the mood" while listening) and nearly sending my headphones vibrating off my head, and when I heard that and the rest of the song, I knew, instantly, and went "FUCK YEAH!" instead of "HOLY FUCK?!"
This song is love. No, really. There's a lot of emotion in it, that you can hear, even though you know it's one of those songs Kyo wrote about something he probably doens't have personal experience (translations tell me it's rather anti-war in a way, if I gather anything from it.)
2. The III D Empire When the previous song lead into this one, I knew I'd made the right decision choosing this over Kaori Iida's debut photobook or a Malice Mizer album I already knew every song off of.
This song I like slightly less than Audience Killer, until the end when it slows down a bit (LSOB), and such. I like those little random lapses that lead right back into more growling.
3. INCREASE BLUE I also love this track (oh, hell, I love them all.) this guitar on this song is very...filling. It gives you, musically, that feeling you get after the third Thanksgiving party you had to go because your other side of the family have decided they need their own party too.
This song is rather odd, but nonetheless, I like it. I like it slightly less than Audience Killer aswell, but I love some of the effects on the vocals. At this point, I was swinging in my swing to the rhythm of the drums while headbanging as the dogs gave me strange looks and several cars slowed slightly as they passed by. I'll also remind you, this was at 4-7 PM on a friday, so it was slightly dark outside, and it had rained a lot all day, but this made me even HAPPIER, because it fit the album so well, so far.
4. Shokubeni It feels weird referring to this song with a name, because for ages I only knew it as "Song Number Four" because I couldn't read hiragana, katakana, or kanji. Nothing. I LOVE this track. You have a great melody, heartfelt vocals, all mixed in with that screaming that just needs to be done to express those emotions you have no words to explain.
As soon as the "Uhuh! Uhuh! Uhuh!" noises came, I laughed because I was reminded of OBSCURE instantly, and Kyo's little noises amuse me greatly. I guess this song is technically very "metal"? I don't technically know, I don't listen to metal, and I don't put Deg in that category.
5. Sajou no Uta This song is another favorite, and a big turn from the previous. This song is a "experience" to listen to. Because of this, I can't find words to describe listening to it. All I know is it gives me a "butterflies" feeling in my stomach, and while reading the lyrics actually doesn't give me much emotion, listening to the song give sme more than is probably healthy. Perhaps I am more meant for my guitar or my voice than my writing. Writing is so literal, but with music, emotions cross the boarders that languages can't.
6. RED [em] At this point the sun and weather were telling me, "Go inside, bitch!" I of course, was far too busy, still headbanging while slowing cars, in which I am sure people were saying "Why is that girl with pink hair having a spasm?", and earning looks from even the birds, to go in, and instead got slightly rained on. Did I ever mention the guitar solo in this song makes me feel like happy fluffy bunnies inside? Then again, I am terrified of bunnies...so lets say it makes me feel like happy, fluffy puppies and rainbows.
This was the second song I went looking for online when I lost the album (pissed me off so badly...for all I know, it's still at my grandmas pool somewhere, but I don't have it anymore and don't have the money to buy a replacement. Atleast I bought it at all, right?) so I think that shows where it is on my list of "Songs that make me want to orgasm on the spot".
7.Asunaki Koufuku, Koenaki Asu I hate titles containing more than two words that aren't in English that I have to copy and paste because I'm a horrible, lazy bastard. Another song I love. Then again I love every song, I keep forgetting that...there is so much fangirling in this thing. Anyway, so I was still on the swing, and then swinging so high I banged my head on the back of the swing and flew out of it (because I'm SO SMART!) and such but still listening because my discman will be one of the last things left on earth when it ends: My discman, Keith Richards, and The Lochness Monster.
8. MARMALADE CHAINSAW This song and I will have psychotic, musical babies. And then our babies will have babies name Kodou, which will be my favorite grandchildren, favored even over my grandchild Raison D'etre.
(Ignore, I'm sleepy and have been up for 24 hours, have a cold, and...apparently just ran out of soda.)
I was already wondering what Kyo was saying in this damn thing, and apparently it's "suck me".
HOT.
I guess.
Shit, anything Kyo does is hot. Even when he looks like a burnt marshmellow. ANother song that has been let down by it's lives (that I've seen, anyway.)
9. Kasumi And for this song I turn around sideways in my swingset and watch the cars go by (Very dizzying, so you know.) I forgot how much I like this one. I mean, I didn't think it was a weak song, but I think I forgot about it, sadly.
Another "experience" song. I think I'm adding it to my "songs not to ever cover" list because I could never do it anything close to justice.
10. R TO THE CORE I want to have more babies with this song. Yes. This album makes Angela a pimp (I love how people are writing my name with an X now because of the American Wota board. XD Makes it less boring.) Okay, I am RESTARTING the song to listen again because it makes me happy, and reminds me that it pisses me off beyond beliefe that fans would abandon a band because WHAT THE FUCK WHY ISN'T TOSHIYA A WOMAN ANYMORE I DEMAND AN EXPLANATION.
Yeah. My dirty mouth is showing more apparent lately, isn't it? It's the lack of sleep.
11. DRAIN AWAY One of the best songs on the album, and I think I prefer this video than the others for VULGAR, though it's much more fun to introduce people to Diru with OBSCURE. I don't have much to say on it, I suppose it renders me speechless, and that takes a lot. :P
12 NEW AGE CULTURE Around now the sun was set, and the dogs had been put in, so I was alone, and the traffic was gone, save the occasional car, so I had slowed down aswell. I don't even think I was swinging anymore (before you think I have a killer memory, remember I branded this into my head because it was A. only this summer and B. my first ever jrock album so I was -savoring- the damn thing. I also like this song, but I find it slightly less remarkable as the other so it is now I decide to get a drink. I think the vocals get a bit old on this one, after awhile, though I like when all the growling overlaps.
13. OBSCURE This video makes so many peoples heads explode, but I love it. Though it doesn't once make me raise my eyebrow, or anything. I'm still trying to record this one, but I'm sure you understand how awkward it is to scream "BLOODY BABY SACRIFICE" in the middle of a crowded living room, right?
I like this song. We will have babies and then eat them when my pimping habit starts costing too much money and we can't afford food.
14. Child Prey I list this as the weakest song on the album, but I've decided I'm wrong. Why? Because the only reason I found it weak was because it was one of my first Deg songs, and at the time a favorite, which means I played it until I hated it, or, hated it as much as I could (which isn't much.) but after not having heard it in months, I'm enjoying it. But maybe that's just because I'm replaying Kaoru licking his lips in my head over. And over. And over. And over...again. Because Kaoru is a sexy, sexy man, while Shinya is a sexy, sexy wo-man. There's a difference.
15. Amber Also goes on the favorite songs list. Though, I think I rather make love to the lyrics than the song, though I love the song, but my inner writer is again screaming to come out and claw my eyes out if my musical side doens't stop dominating my brain.
Overall, it's a great song to sum up a great album that makes me squeal. At this point I'm rather sad because, almost like when I finish a great book, I feel as if something greta has been summed up too soon (Because 15 tracks is SOOOOO short.)
Overall rating...20/10.
Yes.
Now, I think it's almost time to pass out on the couch and end the fangirling, lest I stay up all night AGAIN.
A lot of people have been pissy about Deg's image change for a long time now. But ym favorite, and first, album by them was the one that solidified that change: Vulgar. There is not a single boring song on the entire album. I remember when I first got it, being confused because I couldn't read Japanese and thus didn't know half the song names. But I knew them by what order they came in, yet I never skipped over any of them. I still don't. I can not listen to that album without listening it the whole way through.
I have had Withering to Death for age's now, but I've never even bothered listening to it because of the bad reviews, and also because there were only certain tracks I could remember, so I always skipped to them.
Now, you are here to witness and read the first full listening of WTD. I am going to write my reveiws as I listen, so don't be surprised if I jump around a lot.
So, let's go.
1. Merciless Cult I'm only close, close friends with one Deg fan, and she loves this song to her very core and listens to it constantly. I must say it's...different. I don't especially like it yet. It doesn't sound like Dir en grey to me. It doesn't fit with any of my previous experience except for the fact that Kyo sounds about the same, though a little lower.
The slower bits of the song, scream Deg, though, and that's satisfying. I am slightly amused by the fact that, as usual, Kyo becomes rather incomprehensible as the screaming goes on and starts to sound like he's saying "Gobble gobble! Gobble gobble! TURKEY!"
2. C This is the kind of song I expect from Dir en grey, in a way. I enjoy it, already, more than Merciless Cult. :P I'm also pretty sure this is one the fans like, isn't it? I tend to avoid Deg fandom because they scare me. But I have had the luck to run into some normal, sane fans aswell, so that's satisfying. Kyo sounds rather like he usually does, exactly. This song has something I love in rock music which is what I call "the light side of black". You go from aggressive, screaming vocals or gobbling and gurgling, to singing and a nice melody. I think my favorite use of this by Deg would be in FILTH, which is probably one of my favorite Deg songs.
3. -saku- Ah, I notice that opening scream from anywhere. Oh, and the use of "Fuck off, fuck off, fuck off and wipe." What the FUCK is that about anyway? I've yet to look up a translation of this song anywhere. This song also contains "the light side of black" (which is also the name of an old, abondoned Jrock fansite.) I really wish Kyo didn't do as much scremaing. It's horrible for his voice, and it's noticeable in concerts these days. He really needs to give it a rest for awhile, or he's going to be mute for the next 30+ years of his life. I like this song more with the video. It's not especially pleasant or enjoyable to listen to, which most of Deg's songs ARE, whether they be full of screaming or not.
4. Kodoku -long title here- What, you thought I'd type all that out? No. More screaming. Is there a single song on here witohut it so far? I know Deg took a turn towards being more metal not to long ago, but, come on. Too much screaming makes the screaming lose all it's effect. Regardless, I REALLY like this song. I don't think I've listened ot it before, either. Must of been one of the one's that got skipped over. This song is actually very enjoyable to listen to, unlike Saku.
5. Itoshisa wa fuhai ni tsuki So far I have no impression. Though I'm loving the vocals on this song so much right now...Kyo's voice is SO sexy at a slower pace. I don't know why. Even on the saddest, or most disturbing of songs, he still manages to make his voice sound...amazing. Gentle and calming when it shouldn't be at all.
His speaking voice tends to be the same, from what I've heard.
6. Jesus Christ R'n'R I love this song. Sadly, the live performances I've seen of it have been less than stellar. And this is because, Kyo only ever seems to nail the screaming lines. He has really put his voice through hell, a hell that's not repairable.
7. GARBAGE A pretty unremarkable track for me. I can't think of anything to comment on. Just more broken English and growling, with some effects and such. I'm bored...almost make sme want to listen to Rainbow 7. Risa's attempts at being ghetto keep me entertained for far longer...
8. Machiavellism I like this track way better than the previous. Kaoru, Kaoru it's a cashew//Hurry up, hurry up, wrist cut show. I really pity Kaoru. Haha. I just don't know how Kyo screwed that one up so...oddly. His engrish always keeps me on my toe's, I suppose. Anyway, god I love the guitar on this track. It's just really...satisfying.
That's the best word I can come up with. This is turning less into a review and more into a...I don't know. But not a review. A big pile of observations? Isn't that what ALL my entries are, though? I mean, BUKKAKE SHEILD counts as an observation, right?
9. dead tree My friend Arielle liked this song. It's the only Deg song she could sit through. Her brothers love Deg, apparently. She recognized the name when I mentioned it. And now we commense with the gobbling... "AGHRHJERG GOBBLE TO THE GOBBLE!"
No, Kyo is really starting to remind me of a turkey. I should put his head on one or something. I figure if it can win Airelle over, though it must be good. This song is also very satisfying. I don't like it as much as the previous, though.
10. THE FINAL This song won over my friend Nicole. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. It's really...scary, actually. She's the last friend I would have expected to like a Deg song, right after Moel, who i spent three hours trying to convince to listen to one song. I've seen a lot of people say this was the only acceptable track on the album or such. I don't really agree with that...at all. One of the things I like about this song, however, is that listening to it is an experience. I'm not sure how else to explain it, but it is. Deg has a lot of songs like that...FILTH, Drain Away, Yurameki...I'm not sure how many people would AGREE on those. But to me they are. I can't bring myself to overplay them no matter how much I like them because it feels like a waste. I'm almost AFRAID I'd get desensitized to that "experience" and it would just turn into any other song.
11. Beautiful Dirt Nothing to say on this track. At all.
12. Spilled Milk I believe this one has only been listened to once. It's growing on me AS I listen to it, though, which is odd, because if I don't like something at first, I tend to stay that way.
Not much else to say on it, however. An okay track, I suppose.
13. Higeki wa me futa wo oroshita yasashiki There are too many damn long titles on this thing. I like this song aswell...but like the above it doesn't leave a lasting impression on me. Not yet, anyway. I think I just set my standards up REALLY high after Vulgar. I'm sorry but that album is just GREAT. I can't find a single flaw with it. I love every song, i think the most lackluster track on that is Child Prey, and I even love that. :P
14. Kodou I LOVE THIS SONG AHKJSKADKAHDK YES. I love the music, the singing, and the lyrics. I've recorded it, and plan to again sometime when my mic stops sucking. or when I'm less lazy. or when I'm not busy trying to be the BEST LEADAR EVAAAR. Fucking Scarlet Kusari/ D: So much work trying to get people to audition for something besides jpop!
Annnyway, that doens't matter right now. This song makes me happy. Very happy. Well, actually, no. It made me cry the first time I listen to it because of the lyrics. D: But in a good way. This is the face it makes me make D:! And it stays that way. But IN A GOOD WAY!
Overall, what do I give it, out of ten? I'd say a 7.5/10. Too many songs let me down, but there were some really good songs that gave it the .5
I wouldn't recommend it to someone who I was trying to leave a really good impression on. They have way better albums for that. But if you're already a fan, I don't tihnk it's going to make your ears bleed.
