TheZigzagoon

I feel that often times with any artist first starting out... they do it based on a passion they've gained... and while of course it takes time to really build and grow skills, I think there is a certain point where each artist makes a huge break through with their talent. Maybe when they really learn themselves and find a direction. 
 
I think his voice has always been unique and distinguishable.

If you think it's their best album, why would you want them to re-record it? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Simple as that if you ask me. Goes for all good music, films and TV-series, graphic novels, games and whatnot. If it's good, just leave it alone to be good and go do something else.
 
Disorder is my favourite as well, a right ahead of the glorious EPs released before it. Ain't interested in any of those being re-recorded as they won't be able to re-create the passion and magic from those recording sessions. And they're all beyond fantastic as they are.

Despite reminiscing's EXCELLENT point, I do believe Ruki's vocal quality has improved since 2005. 
Not that he had a shittyvoice in his early days, but more like he didn't know how to use it correctly and probably didn't know many usage and caring techniques. His voice felt raw and unpolished back then, inexperienced.

The real Ruki died in 2004 and the'Ruki' we've known ever since then is a paid impersonator hired by the management.

I don't know, but Ruki was so good up until Disorder. I really liked his more raw and amateurish sounding vocals from 2002-04. Love it!

I'm pretty sure them performing 5 songs tops during PSC carnival tour VS a full-length tour finale could explain things.
 
didn't he also smoke at that time? might have contributed to him running out of breath early in the MRD set.

Thank you very much for such a detailed response, I never took equipment in to consideration, but I do believe his voice generally became nicer to listen to in studio recordings as well as live, there's so much to take in to consideration as a vocalist, maybe equipment was an issue for them in their early days, they said themselves they were really poor, Ruki has even said that even after their first live at Budokan, he wasn't exactly in a great financial situation, so maybe they hadn't got money to invest in the equipment they needed.

He doesn't sound that bad during MRD to me but yeah he sounds better in the Peace & Smile Carnival Tour one. Maybe he was just sick or something? Especially that during this time they were touring and recording all the time. I guess he practiced a lot too 

I didn't read thru the post all the way and thought you were talking about how he improved until now. Fixed up my post lol.

more practice

I think the drums are programmed. I don't have hard evidence, I'm just going by how the drums sound. Maybe he did play on the album and the awful production is what's making his performance sound robotic, but at the moment my money is on programmed drums. 
 
Also, when you take into consideration that the band took on the production themselves, it kind of hints at maybe Traces Vol. 2 was put together quickly (and cheaply) to fulfill record label requirements. And if that's the case, cutting corners by not recording live drum tracks would cut down on time and cost. Plus Kai was suspiciously absent in interviews about the album. 

I mean, I'm aware that Traces Vol. 2 was basically recorded and mixed entirely by the band, but beyond that I really just didn't like how sterile and soulless the actual performances were. It was cool to listen to out of curiosity, but I haven't felt the need to listen to it instead of the original recordings at all. And I'm convinced that Kai is not playing on the album. 

I was gonna reference that album but I forgot its name XD I'd pay good money for it to be fair

@Seimeisen@TheZigzagoon Yeah, that's what I'm thinking as well. Basically their first collection album (Dainihon Itangeishateki Noumiso Gyaku Kaiten Zekkyou Ongenshuu) re-recorded would be very cool. 

I'd love to hear their older stuff re-recorded. 絲 is one of my favourites from TRACES 2, and it's a shame that it and reila are the only pre-NIL re-recording. I still enjoy TRACES 2 very much, but I still think that most (if not all) of the post-STACKED RUBBISH songs were unnecessary to include, and it would have been better to instead re-record more 2002-2004 songs.

I think songs like Wakaremichi, Haru ni chirikeri, Best Friends, Wife, Machibouke no kohen de, Shiawase na hibi etc etc need re-recording, I'd love a full indies period re-recording album
 
That 15th anniversary live NEEDS a DVD, I'm honestly envious of those who got to experience that!
 
Traces Vol.2 was alright, the downfall was that they took on a big task by not having a sound guy master the stuff for them etc, instead they did it all themselves (I think Uruha was their sound guy for the most of it, and I read that it was a challenge for him)

I think songs like Wakaremichi, Haru ni chirikeri, Best Friends, Wife, Machibouke no kohen de, Shiawase na hibi etc etc need re-recording, I'd love a full indies period re-recording album
 
That 15th anniversary live NEEDS a DVD, I'm honestly envious of those who got to experience that!
 
Traces Vol.2 was alright, the downfall was that they took on a big task by not having a sound guy master the stuff for them etc, instead they did it all themselves (I think Uruha was their sound guy for the most of it, and I read that it was a challenge for him)

Traces Vol. 2 tells me it wouldn't. 

Almost sure they are gonna annonce a new album there and I would love if they release a dvd of the 15th anniversary live cause the setlist was bomb

Re-recordings seems to be in fashion now. Would be cool if they re-recorded some early stuff. 

Yeah, they have it:
 
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/MKMA-1A
 
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/MKMA-1B
 
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/MKMA-1C
 
I was actually thinking about buying the cheap version (Type C) because I really like that first song. 

I'll confirm it. I find it such an obnoxious song, I've listened to it through the end twice I think. 

Not sure if this is actually an unpopular opinion, but I'll state it anyways.
 
I believe that on The Gazette's album 'NIL', 'Namaatatakai ame to zaratsuita jounetsu' is the best song on the album, it's so, so catchy and I find it's the song on NIL that stuck out to me most, along with Taion. However, I find that this song is very often overlooked and ignored, not just in terms of NIL, but in all of the gazette's discography, this song is forgotten about by many imo, it deserves more love!

One of the best songs in this mini, I'm glad they chose this one for one of the two MV's they did for this mini