relentless

Though cool for fans of their older material, I fear the emphasis on drawing from old sounds just for the sake of a fanbase -- aka "fan service". Yeah, it's cool that they're going to draw on influences from NIL and Stacked Rubbish; but it feels like a set back in terms of their development. The GazettE can keep plunging forward with a unique idea, sound, concept, whatever; but when they feel the need to revert back to a sound 7+ years old, it worries me. Great for fans of their old material; but is it really that good of an idea in the first place? After all it's not their "old sound" that set them apart from other VK bands -- it was their willingness to adapt and evolve faster than any other VK band. They do what they want, and that's what makes them so interesting.

Are those overall sales, or opening week sales?

Melody and complex structure (extended phrases, advanced form, etc.) usually whets my appetite.

I wonder if they'll continue with their "current sound" or change it up entirely. Should be interesting!

Thinking that they would deliberately seek to sabotage their own profits for the sake of messing with consumers is far-fetched. Yeah, we're mad that they've shown incompetence; but that's really it. They tried to implement a system to reduce used game sales (reasonably so), and it came off as totally dick-ish. Personally, it's the games that have always motivated me and everything else is just filler. Both the PSBore and Xbone are offering nothing that my gaming PC currently doesn't do, so my purchasing decision is going to ultimately revolve around what gives me MORE, and what gives me QUALITY. As far as I'm concerned, serious gamers play on the PC.

If you wanted to do a Dir en grey cover band, I would suggest trying to stay within a certain period of the band's discography just because they've changed their tuning and guitars (now 7 and 8 strings) so much that to be able to play all the tracks you want, you may have to have multiple guitars on standby if you're going to do any shows. If I were to ever do something like this, I would choose their Macabre / Gauze material to play. Not because it's my favorite (it's not); but because I would have the most fun playing tracks like Deity, 304 Goushitsu, Akura no Oka, and so many others.

Current: Fender Jazzmaster. The tone on this is incredible.

The Beatles. They released ONE EVERY YEAR and look how those turned out.

The Facebook link is down now. Does anyone have another link? I'm anxious to hear this song!

When people say "generic", it's a less informed way of saying 'derivative'. Derivative art is something that draws heavily (and exclusively) on an already set style without doing anything to make it genuine / different. Consider Elvis Presley: great performer but he offered NOTHING new to the rock / blues genre in terms of technique, style, or innovation. We can all croon about how dreamy Elvis was, or how beautiful his voice was; but that's really it. Compare him to the Beatles who re-defined a genre. the GazettE are not Elvis Presley. What I mean by that is it's not like they've stuck to the same formula over and over again. Sure their guitar work can be incredibly dry and typical without the saving grace of Uruha's solos (Drop B, 1st and 2nd Frets. There's your GazettE song. Let's call it 'ANGRY SONG'); but they've at least taken the VK 'scene' and evolved in it with their own sound. 80's pop hooks, pop-punk, metal, and electronica all come together to make the GazettE's 'sound', which I will say is pretty unique vs. Elvis. the GazettE aren't derivative, they just rub people the wrong way. Personally I'm always shifting between thinking they're cool and thinking they're the lamest thing in the world; but that makes me even more excited for this new album: I want to see which GazettE shows up. The cool one, or the lame one.

I had a similar thought. Less Human Abstract and more current Dir en grey with RES flair. About halfway through the album I thought to myself "This sounds like RES's later releases", I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks so! Oddly enough I developed an interest (JUST interested) when Seven came out because it had a rough and crazy sound to it, I didn't necessarily like it, it was just something to consider. Then their self-titled came out and suddenly "Dir en grey-lite" became a thing for another band; but this time it's a bit more clear cut. The vocals reek of Kyo's influence I'm almost repulsed by it. Take that and introduce guitar work that bounces through the same measures (no extended phrases, all confined to a rock structure) and you have an album that though cool in scope, sounds like shit. This isn't just 4 guys wanting to be like Dir en grey, that would give them too much credit -- instead it's 4 guys who are trying so hard to be brutal but end up making something that's derivitave. This has all been done before (which isn't necessarily a PROBLEM, we can all enjoy derivitave things), though at the very least it'll be fun to see where they go next with their musical direction.

I understand the classic "well it's my opinion" refutation, but that only pertains to taste -- not actual theory. When you say there is a lack of melody, you're not only stating an opinion but making a claim within music theory. It is definable fact that there exists an abundance of melody in this album, but it's up to us whether we like it or not. I'm not challenging your opinions because that's silly -- I'm challenging arguable claims that can in fact be proven, but are excused for "musical taste". I loved your review, but it was just the wording that I was bringing up. Sorry for going off topic, ill stop now.

It's clear Zess doesn't understand what "melody" is; that or we didn't listen to the same album. Dir en grey's heightened attention to melody is one of the driving forces of the album. Every track contains melodic passages that string the more overwhelmingly heavy parts together. There is also the change in song structure for the band, where they have pulled away from the typical "Rock" format and have embraced a more unique style of progressive. Dir en grey, the band, is far better than they have ever been. The main problem I have is there are two remakes in particular that don't measure up to their original counterparts (kasumi and Bottom of the Death Valley). It's not that they're BAD (they're not), it's that the remakes don't measure up to the originals. The rest of the tracks are very solid, which leads to a great release and one worth looking into if only for the unique sound the band has crafted through typical elements. It's the contrast of lighter pop elements with crushing metal as well as the incredible mind for song writing which makes this release stand out.

A band butchering their own song?

I look forward to full citation of your above statement.

Hating on Dir en grey because they're popular is so 2008. Rinkaku is cool, and surprisingly I wasn't too bogged down with all of the clean vocals. It flows very nicely 8.5/10 The kiri to mayu remake is far more similar to its counter part than some will lead on. There are some incredible guitar parts in this and makes it easily far better than the original 9/10

Despite the notoriety practically worldwide, their fanbase still needs to grow and the best way to get exposure are festivals. I'm anxious to hear about the performance and if there will be a live stream like at Wacken

their music tends to sound better on CD than live, so I totally expect the band to fuck this up.

Visual kei isn't deep in the first place...it's pretty plain. Sadie is FAR from deep.

Whether it's Dir en grey or the GazettE, Sadie never surprises in practically ripping off influences. This album is another reason why they'll forever be regarded as Dir en grey-lite. 2/10 (for one cool part in the first track)

uh...what?

there's a "setlist war"? where?

I'm glad you're the authority on the matter

Just because you have no knowledge of this doesn't make it less true. Find it yourself.

they played kiri to mayu sometime around 2011 or 2010. It's a lot different...heavier and more ambient.