摩天楼オペラ - AVALON

[Tetora 625]

 

 

WRITE-UP:

 

Matenrou Opera returns with an album that tastes like a concept album, yet leaves the over-all decision on whether it is or isn`t up to your interpretation.

 

The term Avalon refers to a place in so-called Arthurian legend, where both the Excalibur was forged, and legendary knights as well as King Arthur himself was buried. Some speculate it to be an island off the coast of Scotland and Wales.

 

The album is laden with sounds reminiscent of Medieval times, and song titles refer to heaven or paradise, which Avalon is a gateway to; that is where the concept album feel plays in, yet the songs actually tell varied tales which can not always be played in to the album`s title, and the inclusion of the previous single A-Side Orb further leads us astray.

 

Concept album or not, this album is definitely not a collection of different tracks or hits thrown together. It plays more like a film cut into different parts, telling different stories, but almost always fitting a certain feel, and that is the experience you get from this album. It has a common title, but the experience is a unique one. The `Opera` touch of the delivery along with a unique vocalist matched with a hard band delivers a one-of-a-kind experience, and I think that is really what you are getting from this album. It`s not another rock album, not another VK album, it is something of its own, and you need to sample the singles from the album to see if you will enjoy this experience. One key thing to keep in consideration is if you like the vocalist and delivery, as this is a comon point of divergence amongst opinion.

 

To me, this more of a sit-down and listen album rather than something you can throw on, although tracks like Orb, 隣に座る太陽 and クロスカウンターを狙え are the tracks I would think you are likely to throw on as stand-alone listens. The album doesn`t use hooks or catches as much as you would expect from a modern album, if you want a comparison, I would say it is more like Versailles from a different era.

 

Track Count: 12

Listens: 15-20

Production Quality: Great sound, yet my personal preference is for a wider sound stage and more clarity in individual intruments, esp. more of the guitars.Though they seem to specifically like putting emphasis on the vocals.

 

Overall Rating: Great album, defined, unique experience, listening on the I will skip some tracks, but if I want to let it play out there are no skip-inducing tracks.

 

Worth the Purchase?

For me, this is definitely worth the purchase. Although it is not an album that will get the most rotation. It is something I will keep in my library and bring out on occasion.

[Elazmus 1873]

Thanks for posting, later tonight I will be posting the review I wrote yesterday for a little song-by-song coverage

I also agree with your ratings

 

EDIT: okay I forgot that I can't paste to mh so it will take some time

[ShanethVarosa 1209]

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.