VERSAILLES - ROSE

[Zeus 7997]

After a few lackluster singles and an average album by Versailles' standards, ROSE shows Versailles to be back in force.

Now, I must give props to fitear1590; he nailed it with his assessment of the ROSE trailer:

Versailles seems to have a knack for choosing the most tame/ generic parts for their previews (part of the chorus), so as usual, I can't even judge this really.

ROSE is your typical Versailles A-side, except better. I haven't heard them rock like this since ASCENDEAD MASTER or even Aristocrat's Symphony. You can really hear the improvement in Kamijo: he gets adventurous with his lower vocals without pulling an After Cloudia. Teru and Hizaki also sound inspired: they actually dare to do a double solo a la Aristocrat's Symphony and throughout the rest of the song they riff their asses off! This is a much better A-side than Rhapsody of the Darkness because when they're going through the chorus they do more than just chug along aimlessly until they hit the chorus. A little bit of old mixed with a little bit of new. I am impressed.

Middle eastern influence in MY Versailles? You bet. I don't know where Versailles got their influence from for this song, but 妖-ayakashi- is easily the best B-side since 月下香-gekkakou-. Given time, it might even trump it! Heavier, darker, more guitar pyrotechnics with a rhythm section that shifts more than an upset stomach. You can really hear Masashi holding down the bass section, adding some flair without overplaying it. Along with Yuki, who finally learned about tasteful use of the double bass technique, it feels like they're playing together as a band.

Now onto the two old tracks. The dopey English courtesy of Kamijo is what irked me about Love will be born again on Holy Grail. Slightly altered volume levels and a new set of lyrics in his native language makes it palatable. It's nothing that you haven't heard before (literally) but those that were in the same boat that I was in will find this version much better. Easily the weakest track on the single, so this is saying something great.

The new version of THE RED CARPET DAY shits all over the original. It is superior in every way. The production is slick, Teru and Hizaki hug the lower strings just a bit more to give the song a heavier feel, the bass kicks reek of awesome, the dopey "haihaihaihai" shouts sound more ominous and fierce, Kamijo doesn't oversing and some tasteful harsh vocals amp up the awesome and most importantly the boisterious background synth sound of "Lyrical Sympathy" has been tamed and reined in. If this is an indication of anything, I wouldn't mind them going back and re-recording that entire EP. It's just that good.

Easily one of the top contenders for "single of the year". ROSE gets an 8.8/10 from me.

[ShanethVarosa 1209]

So many things in Zess's review I want to second:

Masashi's incredible skills at bass being shown in ayakashi being one, but the thing I find myself most agreeing with is totally rerecording Lyrical Sympathy. The idea is actually fantastic to me! I think it would definitely benefit from a rerecording.

I loved the new version of Love Will Be Born Again. The original also had different composition in a way, there was no electric guitars in the orioginal I think just acoustic and piano. This made the new version slightly more powerful. Also bringing in Kamijo's strength language was a good decision. I appreciate the effort in the original, but the new one is actually better.

The new The Red Carpet Day is also fucking masterful. The first half or so of the song is a legitimately good rock song in that the guitars aren't as in your face and the synths aren't either. Kamijo has also learned to annunciate words more instead of just slurring along. After the first chorus though, the guitars are out in full force and there's even some harpsichord!

Then of course the new songs. I love the middle eastern/Indian influences in ayakashi. I love that style of music to begin with, so to hear Versailles playing with it is really cool. Masashi's skills are put to the test and he passes with flying colors. I also have to agree with Zess that this is the best B-side since Gekkakou. I liked the B-sides from Holy Grail, but this is the only one I can see myself playing over and over again since Gakkakou.

The preview for the new song, like fitear said, did nothing for the song at all. I heard it and actually went "Oh well, guess I'm not getting a good song here either..." They're just masters at picking unfortunate parts of songs to preview. I don't even find Kamijo's Engrish to be horrid either.

My only overall complaint is this is yet another single without a PV.

I give it a 5/5 because let's be real, I can't give Versailles any less. They turn me into puddy.

[Peace Heavy mk II 7200]

Still haven't finished listening yet, but I'm glad they're back to putting heart into their music . Maybe they just went through a "We miss Jasmine QQ" phase for their last album and were pressured to put something out? Who knows, but I am glad they got the therapy they needed.

[dannemannen 69]

Rose: They tried to make it epic and kamijo is doing his best but the result simply just doesn't sound that good, nor very melodic 6/10.

Ayakashi: Sounds good at first but the chorus is just too weak 6/10.

I'm so disappointed =( The new songs are just boring.

Somehow it feels that versailles has lost it touch recently. The last single was also weak...

[TheBistroButcher666 228]

Overall the single isn't bad but I really dislike the remake of Red Carpet Day. It's a perfect example of Kamijo's voice becoming incredibly bland and losing the power it use to have in prior releases. Kamijo is proving to really be the weakest member of the band. Everything else regarding the remake is fine but Kamijo really drags it down, the hell is he doing. How do you go from good to suck?

[Rosà 37]

I partly wrote about this single in the news towpi (sorry for this mess)

They just srewed it up. The only song, which is good is japanese version of Love will be born again. The rest is just shit. So booring. I'm disappointed.

The only thing I can add is, that Versailles music becomes more and more nothing! Wth, where is the Versailles from Noble, Lyrical Sympathy... Maybe it's due to Jasmine's death. He was great inspiration for Kamijo, as he said some times. I can give it only 2/5 and I have no hopes more for next album. Recording year after year and doing songs for several months only MUST be a shit.

[ShanethVarosa 1209]

I think to say that Kamijo is the weakest member of the band is a little... Ignorant. And I don't mean that in a negative way I swear! I'm just saying. His voice may not be what it used to be (I don't honestly hear it in this release though, I think it recaptured a lot of it's former glory), but let's not forget he basically writes every single lyric for the band. He's a brilliant lyricist. On top of that, he composes a lot of their songs as well.

In each song something is going to be weaker than others, really. Like... Kamijo might seem weaker in the new Red Carpet Day because Hizaki and Teru and Yuki stick out a LOT and he might seem weak in Ayakashi because Masashi blows everyone out of the water. I think everything meshes perfectly in Rose, actually.

[Masamune 72]

After not liking much of their latest releases i wan't expecting much from this one but man was i surprised,

i enjoyed all three new tracks, especially Ayakashi, didnt quite lkike the new take on The Red Carpet Day though.

For me, 9/10.

[Corronum 13]

I also think the remake of Red Carpet Day was....weak, as was said about the original. Kamijo's vocals just don't sound as inspired or as sinister. In the original, the vibe I got was "Ha ha! I'm a wicked bloodsucker, God is useless" and in the remake I got more of a "I live off of blood, so what?" That initial first set of lyrics [verse? forgive my lack of terminology knowledge] punched me in the face in the original, but the remake it's just sort of...there.

Ayakashi and Rose were amazing, so that, so far makes up for the disappointment that was Holy Grail. Still like Rhapsody, though.