ShanethVarosa

Again, I have to say I agree with you. And couldn't have said it better myself. I've been waiting for the day they spark in me the awe that was the first time I heard Atria or just about anything on Gokusaishiki. I think all of the people in the band are so talented and they make great music but after putting out so much of it, most of the album falls to mediocrity that fails to stand out from the rest of their work. I just mean to say that what I liked on Genjitsu and V isn't much different than what I liked on Make A New World, so when you think of it, between these 3 albums of about 12 songs each I think I can vividly remember that I actually really liked ONE song on each: Kamikaze - Genjitsu Zetsubou Bye Bye - V Sanbiko - Make A New World Then again, like you said, that isn't to say the whole albums are bad. It's just that they aren't very memorable. Additionally, where most NoGoD fans wet themselves over songs like I-Kaiko, etc. I cannot see myself getting into them any time soon. What I've done differently this time around than past NoGoD album releases is that I've put the ones I've liked more on a "Current Obsessions" type playlist so I can listen to them more in the context of other songs I love and then maybe it will grow on me quicker because I want to love this band again from the bottom of my heart. To just make a few comments about some of the songs to keep this in the vein of a review rather than a comment on the band's progression: World Ender had a lot of potential to be great, but then fell short of Follow and became eclipsed. Banzai had these killer choruses, but messy and disjointed verses. I-Kaiko, being the instrumental song on the album, left me totally dissatisfied. It didn't separate itself from other songs in this series (if you will) and sounded mediocre by comparison. EZ L1F3 and Hate This World were interesting tracks that I would probably consider my second and third favorite songs. Pendulum and Juunin Juushoku were decent songs, but didn't stand out. They stood out more than World Ender only in so far as their composition wasn't messy it was sort of complete. Finally, I'll say that Sanbiko was my favorite song on the album (which I'm sure my phone will learn and then play to fucking death and I'll get sick of it quickly) due to it's interesting composition and Danchou's splendid voice. Otherwise, overall, I would have to say that it's a generous 4/5 star album but realistically it's probably more a 3/5.

Brb sobbing with joy. I've loved every single they've released so far and the new one sounds excellent so as long as this isn't an amalgamation of all those singles with one new song I will obsess over this album. I cannot wait for this for fucking real.

Jesus h fuck that's a lot of songs for an album

Hoping this album actually makes me care about this band, I was hoping I would have another full length from Schwarz Stein first.

That sounds so fucking good I love this band so much

Wow three whole new songs... That's actually great to hear but I just hope they do something new next year like an actual album.

What she should have been arrested for is putting out an album of one new song.

Their new look is really cool, but I'm not sure how I feel about the new song until I hear it in full and in HQ. Sounds only okay to me right now.

I have to say, I don't disagree. As anyone who knows me already knows, Versailles was everything to me. I hadn't connected with a band so well since Evanescence debuted and then even at that their cheesier songs have almost become guilty pleasures while I'm still very proud of my love for Versailles. It still kind of amazes me that Versailles split into these two separate projects and you're right to say the ghost of Versailles is still there. When I listen to most of Kamijo's solo music I can really feel that he was the heart and soul of the band even though I find Yuki, Teru, and Hizaki to be some of the most amazing musicians on the planet. So when we had lead singles "Blessing of the Future" and "Louis -Enketsu no La Vie en Rose-" out at about the same time you saw where the real influence of Versailles was. BOTF was such a tired excuse for a song and it's b-sides were no better. They were all these really basic power metal songs and then they released an album of almost entirely forgettable music (save for Nostalgie and maybe like three other songs) where Kamijo just keeps progressing and getting better and better and now his solo debut album has previews that sound totally amazing beginning to end. I think you can tell Jupiter is struggling without Kamijo too because they basically rush released this single and it was their first since Last Moment six months ago. Now I will say this about Jupiter: they ARE progressing, in my humble opinion. Last Moment and Arcadia are actually good, memorable a-sides. Furthermore, they actually managed to put out b-sides I will personally listen to again and again: Innovation and Darkness. Those songs really go hard and express different sides to Hizaki and Teru on guitar, but this is the one time where Zin will ever outshine Kamijo: he screams and growls way better than Kamijo would ever hope to, adding to the overall feel that Jupiter CAN go way heavier and be successful. I hate comparing these artists because I really want to enjoy Jupiter in a realm separately than that of Versailles and Kamijo, but like you said: 4 members of Versailles are still together and staring you in the face while they release music that just doesn't stand up to Versailles's back catalog. This single, though, gives me hope that Jupiter's second album will actually be a step in the right direction.

I got Sono! Love him so, okay!

I like that cover!

That was wild

Great review Tetora, I mentioned this briefly on my Tumblr and I would have to say I pretty much agree with your review. It definitely is a concept album, a type of album I think they perfected with Gloria and honestly they didn't touch Gloria with this one. Just for perspective: Gloria is one of my all time favorite albums and definitely my favorite MO album. That being said I love MO and they are probably my second favorite band of all time in general so it really is hard for them to disappoint me. In any case, I would have to put this album on a lower end of the scale than their other albums... There were a lot of songs that I skip frequently. Some I want to grow on me but mostly I think songs like Tengoku no Tobira and Tengoku no Aru Basho are my favorite types of songs. Really big, theatrical songs where Sono really belts and Anzi focuses more on melody than on rhythm. Additionally, Kagayaki wa Senkou no You ni was a reply great big standout. Then there was Jolly Roger ni Hai wo and 3Jikan which were pretty different from your typical MO song, but they really did an excellent job at branching out and trying some newer (or at least atypical) styles. Otherwise, I don't think much stuck out to me. I really really do not like Tonari ni Suwaru Taiyou and Kumo no Ito. I can't even make it all the way through them. Which has actually never happened with an MO song before. However, overall, I appreciate what they did with this album so I would give it a 4/5.

I liked Yue ni Matenrou the first time I heard it so I'm not surprised I like the preview too, lol. But Conquest is actually SO good. I would agree that it's better than almost anything on The End of the World which I found to be underwhelming but not bad.

Hmm I actually think these sound rather decent, more immediately memorable to me than almost anything on V. I look forward to hearing the whole thing. My hopes are still high.

I love these previews, every single one sounds magnificent. For sure going to be one of my favorite albums of the year.

Koichi looks FANTASTIC, but I love all of their looks. I'm so excited!!

How am I just hearing about this now and realizing there was a topic for it all along? Anyway, I'm extremely excited for two new Schwarz Stein songs and I'm hoping to God they play them at Anime USA.

Fucking excited over this one, I really have high hopes. Great singles for this album. Cannot wait!!

Ooooooh I really like this look!!

This does sound really good in parts, but Zin's voice sounds so strained at times doesn't it?

That was a really good song, I'm glad it turned out so well.

That was um... I didn't care for that at all.

Oh my god Go Ahead is so fucking good I can't even... All these tracks are excellent. I cannot wait to have the full versions and play them ad nauseum.

I'm torn. It's catchy and kind of fun, I like his vocal performance in the song, but I think the overall composition is tired from him. Like he does the same guitar riff and the same beat for all his songs anymore but changes the lyrics and melody of the voice. It definitely has room to grow on me though, it could end up being a guilty pleasure.