L'Arc~en~Ciel - EVERLASTING

[Pretsy 1343]

Years have passed since "BUTTERFLY", and now  after another long-ish break - L'arcboys decided to release an one-song-only single titled "EVERLASTING". Of course - hearing news about L'arc releasing something might give glimpses of hope to those expecting them to go out of "safe, obviously desperate cashing" ways of doing music. BUTTERFLY was pretty much the prime example of formerly said, and I understand fanbase's huge displeasure about it. Anyways - will we hear a desired direction this time?

 

After reading some news (with members' takes on it, avec obvious Barks.jp-kind of exaggeration)  about the new song having "revolutionary" ideas floating around ,and being an "unusual Ken song" - I became highly intrigued (expected an antithesis of everything I said above). 

Did my expectations become fulfilled?  NO.

 

 

The concept behind "revolutionary" ways was quite simple here:

 

1) Tetsuya (bassist) plays (synth) guitar instead (decide by yourselves whether this is "astounding")

2) Yukihiro (drummer, main programmer) does some dominating digibloops, dull industrial drum machine beats and strings throughout the song (did already in "Ark/Ray" and "REAL" albums)

3) Overdramatic, partially nasal Hyde (since 2001 I think?)

 

All in all - there is nothing that could really satisfy the requirements of "Revolutionary" - same formula, same formula...

 

What about the song itself? As you can already see, I mainly criticized their blatant, absurd use of "revolutionary" for the sake of getting attention again in their ol' papa years. Unsurprisingly enough, the song basically went in one ear and out the other pretty fast, albeit being almost 5 min long song - I better blame it on 'lack of actual change', seeing as the song itself doesn't even have any normal pauses in the vein of any normal ABABCB-structured* song (think of their safest song like "BLESS" for instance). The song itself has no "eww, horrible" going on, but there's a lot of stuff worth "eeeh"-ing - or even yawning.

 

To sum up the whole trainwreck I'd like to call as a "one song only review" - I think some members (read: all) should definitely hiatusize their respective solo projects and get their ABABCB-songwriting "back in shape" - if you catch my drift with such interesting phrasing whatsoever. 

 

 

 

  | Not bad but rusty-ish, soporific release from S'tagnant~en~Ciel - again (I suck at puns, okay)

 

*ABABCB = "Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-Bridge-Chorus"

[keyinjpop 89]

Industrial symphonic rock in a cozy pop package.

I don't hate it but it could've been better.

[ShanethVarosa 1209]

Ya know after hearing previews and bad quality versions of this song I really didn't think I was going to care for it very much and it isn't like this song actually IS revolutionary or anything, but it's different than the tripe that Butterfly was and that's good enough for me to be happy about this single and really enjoy it and listen to it again. And possibly on repeat a few times, but it's not going to end up in my top 10 L'Arc songs by any chance. 

 

I just really miss the time when I loved this band, but it's like Butterfly just killed my love for them. Plus Vamps is, in my humble opinion, infinitely better.

[Ro plz 1290]

I'm not the biggest L'arc fan but when I do listen to em, I enjoy most of most of their stuff especially KISS. I didn't like Butterfly at all but this song seems like a step in the right direction. Very different. Very fresh. Id love to see a live recording of this. 

 

10/10

[seikun 317]

Everlasting is nice, but not as powerful as other singles released by L'arc~en~ciel. It hasn't gotten stuck in my head so far.

 

On another note, there is this sound the song uses that reminds me of Bones by Rose Noire.

[Daisuke 20]

for me was the new Yasouka. Love it 9.5/10