REVIEW ON 1ST FULL ALBUM
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[gozen]
(PSTA-0030)
Release Date : 2002/12/11
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When Kagrra first announced the coming of their new "conceptual album" I seriously believed that they were heading towards a sound remake of something more modern and less traditional in their neo japanesque sense. It was a long wait until the album finally arrived in mid December. Was I shocked? Naturally! Not because they had morphed into a band that I could no longer endure but because there was no extreme change in their sound as how I had anticipated. Kagrra has in fact moved up one notch higher into becoming an almost flawless musical band with [gozen] which is by far their best release to date. 10 new tracks and let's not forget that "new concept".
What they meant by a new concept was their introduction to a new way of conveying their music to listeners. The have chosen to express their musical compositions via a story of a mythical Devil Princess called Suzuka Gozen (hence the CD title) through this album. Each song tells one part of her sorrowful tale until it comes to a sad but happy end in Track 10, The Season of Death. The lyric booklet compliments the story furthermore with intricate illustrations portraying Goddess Suzuka's journey for freedom and release. With comprehension of Isshi's lyrics one will be able to get further into the story and feel for the character as was intended by the band. However, here is where Kagrra's talents come into play. Even without any knowledge of Japanese, anyone is able to follow the Goddess Suzuka through her journey and feel her sadness and pain simply because the music alone is capable of reflecting the emotions and tension that run throughout the story. Kagrra has accomplished so much in this first full album of theirs and I can only wait patiently for more releases as it only gets better with Kagrra.
Track #01 - ayashi no hikari (sinister light)
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It starts up with a very slow and soothing melody and slowly builds up with harder sounds without disrupting the gentle ambience of the song. The acoustic guitar sounds established into the overall composition adds grace to the song which very much complements Isshi's vocals.
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Track #02 - fusetsu (rumours)
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The intro may delude you into thinking that this will be a fast song to the end but it isn't. It slows down and the drum and bass sounds take over the direction of the vocals from this point as the guitar sounds become softer and less prominent. The tempo rides again as the song enters its catchy chorus which I personally picked as my favorite on this album.
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Track #03 - ihokyo (foreign land)
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The opening guitar riff isn't exactly the most original one has come across but it blends in beautifully with the plainer vocal lines. The song reminds me of a scene from a traditional Japanese play that involves a battle between two devils.
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Track #04 - kisen (war of the devils)
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Impressive bass work from Nao on this track giving the song an intriguing intro to keep one listening. As the key rises in the middle of the song the vocal becomes the main attention grabber as the song takes a new melody shifting from its almost repetitive start.
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Track #05 - hizo (hidden agenda)
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I especially like the musical arrangement done on this track. The usage of a synthesizer to replicate the sounds of a traditional flute was carefully done to avoid a final outcome of something that sounds too electronic. Isshi's vocals were also added into the instrumental part of the song to soften the hard sounds of the guitars and drums. This song is all in all very creatively done.
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Track #06 - genoku (endless illusions)
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This song is definitely one that most fans would surely like as it has most of the elements from Kagrra's previous works. In other words a beautiful example of Neo Japanesque sounds implemented nicely with modern music. This song retains the Japanesque feeling all throughout the song. The only thing I found imperfect about the song was the bass sounds that appeared too loud at certain points in the song when an overall quiet feel was intended.
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Track #07 - mukuro no toride (fort of the dead)
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Definitely the fastest and hardest song on this album and still it has its softer side. I like this song a lot for its classic melody. It has a very traditional sound and almost angry at that.
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Track #08 - hirenkidan (recital of a tragic love)
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The song with the slowest tempo on this album. I guess it was more of the lyrics that brought my attention to this song. It took me awhile to really appreciate it but it has now become one of my favorites. Although rather repetitive, it has a hypnotic pull to it to make you regard and value the song after a few listens. In one way I view this song as one of the most difficult to grasp making it even more exquisite.
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Track #09 - mikoto (command)
Track #10 - shuen no kisetsu (season of death)
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A beautiful finale song to a beautiful presentation.
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In conclusion, this album contains a lot songs which are on the softer side and may not appeal to those who were expecting something hard and energetic like some of their past works.
THE STORY OF SUZUKA GOZEN
--- coming soon ---
Review by,
webmaster
02/12/21
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