INSOMNIAC SONG
MUSIC REVIEWS
07.08.2013
Acid Black Cherry - Greed Greed Greed
This isn't my favorite Acid Black Cherry release. Greed Greed Greed has the heavy rock sound that I expect from Acid Black Cherry. It's not a bad song, but it doesn't stand out to me like some of the past releases have. It feels very repetitive. This single's recreation track is Kagayaki Nagara.... originally by Hideaki Tokunaga is a pop ballad. It's sweet and cute, a fluffy little bit to ease you out of the heavier track. I will say that Yasu has a way of choosing his recreation tracks. I often tend to favor them over the rest of the release. Both songs together reflect the light and dark play of the cover art. As with some other releases, I wouldn't actively seek these out. However, Kagayaki Nagara....gets a higher rating for me.
Rating: 2.5/5
Recommended tracks: Kagayaki Nagara....
17.08.2013
GOTCHAROCKA - Crisis
Count down starts out the album with a pretty standard vk track. It suits Jui's vocals fairly well without overpowering them. 遊女 has a harder sound than Count down. It could have easily been a Vidoll song. I could have done without the growling vocal parts though. C U has a generic sound that doesn't really push any boundaries. Poisonous Berry is likely one of the best songs on the release. It's the most catchy song so far. By the time I reached Byousokuai, I was feeling a little bored. Jui's vocals are very consistantly the same. There needs to be a little change in them. 99番街のジュテーム has a different sound from the previous tracks. There was something about the song that annoyed me a little. Virginity hasn't changed much from the version on the single. It's catchy enough to get an additional listen. Hydrag has those rough, growly vocals that don't really fit with Jui's normal vocal sound. This is likely my least favorite on the release. Many Merry Moments has a cute sound to it, but I'm almost certain I've heard something similar recently. Qtie has the anthem feel to it with the way the lyrics are chanted. The Lyrical Jet Sky goes back to those rough vocals that once again don't go well with Jui's vocals. Gotcha6ka falls into the unfortunate trend of putting effects on the vocals. It doesn't work out well. Lily187 reminds me a bit of Phantasmagoria. Comprised of former members of bands I used to like, I had high hopes for GOTCHAROCKA. I ended up feeling rather disappointed in some of the songs. Hopefully, their next release will have that push to make them really standout among their peers.
Rating: 2/5
Recommended tracks: Poisonous Berry; Virginity; Lily187
04.09.2013
Lycaon - Masochist Red Circus
I have to admit that I was fairly disappointed with this release compared to their previous efforts. As the title promises, the intro, マゾヒストレッドサーカス, opens with the typical circus sounds that we were also treated to in another recent visual kei release. It doesn't really add anything to the overall feel of the album. 覚醒 is filled with sound effects that don't seem to mesh well with the song. At some points, I had trouble hearing Yuuki's vocals over them. I can't listen to Psychedelic Jelly without hearing Mortal Kombat sounds. The effects that they've put on Yuuki's vocals really detract from their impact. I could have done without the dubstep as well. OVER DOSE continues the wall of noise feel that the previous tracks have instilled. The effects on Yuuki's vocals are in place again and making them hard to understand. 霊猫香とマゾヒスト has a strange effect over Yuuki's vocals in the beginning that makes him sound as if he's singing from underwater before those same vocals are played backward. The circus sounds have picked up again in this track. gossip isn't without flaws, falling into the muddled sense of too many elements working together unsuccessfully. With that said, it's the most listenable track so far. 黒のダチュラ begins as a more standard rock track. The boys are still experimenting with vocal and sound effects. The repetitive nature of the song was a little annoying. TABOO felt like an attempt at metal, but Yuuki's vocals didn't work well with it at all. There was no real melodic elements in either the instrumental work nor the vocals. JI・RE・N・MA has more of a jazzy sound, but it's paired badly with the washed out sound of Yuuki's vocals. 雨音の輪舞曲 once again incorporates the circus sounds with rain effects. The vocals aren't covered in effects for the first bit of the song, making me wonder whether they had a moment of clarity. It's the only song that really works for me while not being completely flawless. Whatever the boys were attempting to create has fallen flat. Overall, this album is a mess of noise that just doesn't work for me.
Rating: 1/5
Recommended tracks: 雨音の輪舞曲
