01. SE -W+D-
-A fairly typical opening SE track, features mostly electronic sounds with harsh vocal chants, this strikes me as a live-friendly intro. On it's own there isn't much to say about it but It seems fitting to picture them setting up on stage while -W+D- plays. Despite having never seen Delacroix live, I doubt this is just me. (6/10)
02. Misery & Apery
-One of Delacroix's previously released, popular songs. A strong opener with more or less equal parts heavy and melodic, it has been re-recorded for the album. It comes off sounding fresh even to someone who regularly listened to the original regularly. The production has been updated to match the intensity of the rest of the album. I find myself listening to this as much as the new songs on the album (7.5/10)
03. Gauss+
-The first new song on RE:DO. Heavier than the last with a repetitive, old school riff accompanying it throughout. It's at this point that I realize while Mitsuki's chorus melodies have always been strong, his lines during the verses are really getting some extra attention. The guy just writes his vocals differently to most VK vocalists I've heard, one of the things that attracts me to Delacroix in the first place. To me this is one of the best on RE:DO (9/10)
04. Nidome no Jisei
-This is perhaps the song I predict I will be most at-odds with people about. It's heavy, but with a danceable rhythm. The main riffs are appealing, but the chorus is what really stands out. There is something very off-kilter about it, like it is intentionally just barely off-key, this somehow makes it one of the most memorable songs of the year for me. It comes off sounding playful and vaguely sinister. I could easily see it not connecting with people for the same reasons, but if you ask me? (8/10)
05. Hai Shoku no Ame ni Omou
-Another of Delacroix previous songs, perhaps there most popular. Something of a claim to "fame". Some added harsh vocals and intensity help to ease this sizable ballad into it's new home on the more aggressive RE:DO. This is a song with nothing to complain about to begin with, I would say it hasn't been improved but also hasn't been painfully meddled with. Big, emotional, and proudly saluting the band's roots. (8/10)
06. Curse Crimson
-Delacroix pumps the gas with another heavy track. Unfortunately, this one seems to lose it's footing quit early on. While the first minute features some of the heaviest progression of their career, what follows is one of their weakest, flakiest choruses ever. Conveying no real feeling or inspiration to me, I will still occasionally check this song out for novelty value, but I have probably played the song beginning to end less than 5 times. (6/10)
07. Pathological NeoHysteria
-An older heavy song from the Mell-Moth mini album. The title is chanted repeatedly throughout the intro and main riff, shares a strange little old school charm in this way. Verses consist mainly of harsh vocals. Biggest drawback is the almost lack-of a chorus altogether. Some enjoyable clean vocals follow but mostly I peg this as a crowd-uniting live song. Not bad from either perspective, and quite well re-done. (7.5/10)
08. Vermillion
-We come to another remake of a b-side from last year (Misery & Apery single), in conjunction with the previous song, the album progression becomes messy and stagnant. A bit of a sinkhole of patchy heaviness and frantic riffs for a combined almost 9 minutes. Personally I was surprised that this made it on the album, I wasn't particularly excited for it as a single song anyway. There are some more strangely sinister vocals farther in, but it's somewhat difficult waiting nearly 2 minutes for something fleeting. (5.5/10)
09. RE:DO
-We are finally back into some new material. As well as back to something softer. A delicate and slow track which is a direct contrast to the former. This didn't capture me on a complete play, I think my music brain may have been partially numbed from tracks 6-8. On it's own, it's quite somber and almost gives a feeling of knowing that it serves as the title track for this bands' first and last album. Maybe something of a goodbye. This appeals more to existing fans of Delacroix. (7/10)
10. Vascular
-Bias time. This is my favorite song on the album and I have known this since the previews were first posted. The opening riffs are underwhelming. The verse trades off between examples of Mitsuki's best harsh AND clean vocals (similar to that of Gauss+) but then chorus hits and I am the rest of the way in love. Mitsuki's falsetto voice is gorgeous, this I already knew. What I didn't realize is how well he has mastered it and how well he controls it. It's easily one of the most beautiful things I've heard all year, the song is a bit repetitive which means there is no shortage of this. (10/10)
11. Fate of the Primary
-Very well-rounded closing track. Heavy riffs like we have heard in most of the songs, but the song itself is much more positive and upbeat. I am sure they wanted a reassuring sound to leave us with before disbanding. This could serve well as an opening or ending. The ending part of the song is extremely emotional before going out on a familiar riff. It's not their best song, and I believe it could have been a bit longer, but it's very satisfying at the end of an awesome album. thank you Delacroix. (8.5/10)
Final Rating: 4.1/5 stars (how do I do this
