Featured Review #4: レヴ / ice by ユナイト

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Artist: ユナイト (UNiTE.) Single: レヴ (Rev) / ice Score: Armed with a new drummer, UNiTE. returns with a brand-new single!

Earlier this year, UNiTE. lost longtime drummer Yukimi to chronic back problems. Having been a member since the days of キャンゼル (Canzel), the ex-band of three UNiTE. members, he will be missed. With new drummer Sana (ex-EVE's Yoshi), UNiTE.’s 6th single レヴ / ice marks a new beginning. So how does Sana compare to Yukimi? Well, it's a bit early to say, but one thing's for certain: he's more into showmanship. If you watch the Rev PV, you'll see he plays his instrument about 35% of the time and spends the remainder of the time flailing his drumsticks around! But in all seriousness, his drumming has more of a robust sound and he already uses more double bass than Yukimi ever did. I'm looking forward to seeing how his future compositions compare to Yukimi's!

The single opens up with Rev, composed by guitarist Mio. Dark, ominous synth lines lead into an explosion of chuggy riffs one wouldn’t expect from a group of sparkling VK boys. Prepare to headbang! There’s an interesting rhythm that produces a sense of momentum-- almost a “rev"ving effect. While the initial part of the verse features some clunky Engrish lyrics, it is followed by much smoother, groovier pre-chorus, punctuated by light-as-air synths that squeak their way to the surface of the dense soundscape. This has to be my favorite section of the song. While the chorus is indeed catchy, it's not poppy to the point of disrupting the song-- something you can't say about many of the band's contemporaries. After the second verse, the song slows down for a dose of atmospheric synths and twangy guitar notes, before going into a guitar solo variation of the intro riffs and finishing out with one more blissful chorus. The keyboard outro might be a bit out of place, but it does help to tie the song to UNiTE.’s more typical style. Not to mention, Mio's synth arrangements are always a pleasure. Barring the Engrish, there’s strong vocals throughout the track by Yui. I can see Rev becoming one of the band’s premier “heavy” songs, so for this track, I suggest cranking the volume up to 11 and letting it blast!

Right away, fans can identify ice as the work of none other than guitarist LiN. Solidifying his reputation as the band’s quirkiest composer, this track stands out, vocally and musically. Of note from Yui, there’s a striking “itadakimasu” intro, a funky falsetto section (it’s not written in the lyrics, but is that English?), and a fast spoken word section reminiscent of oldschool VK. The song is very bass-driven and adds to the urgent, dancey beat. There’s also a slight spooky-tinge that recalls LiN’s classic B-side Love_Duck_Core_Nothing. “Squealing” pre-chorus guitar notes and a creepy “scratchy” fret board effect during that spoken word section are among the commendable moments of tight guitar work; this song outperforms Rev on a technical level. If you're not feeling the song, at least give the video a quick watch. It’s a contender for one of the best VK PVs this year! Just in time for Halloween!

The final track, 君は知らない (Kimi wa shiranai), is written by Shiina Mio. Keen fans (and eagle-eyed readers) will know that this is a “different” composer than for Rev. In fact, Shiina Mio is in general responsible for softer, poppier tracks, while the Mio “persona” takes over for the heavier, darker tracks. What’s most remarkable about this song is the prominence of acoustic guitar, which hasn’t shown up enough in the band’s repertoire. As soon as the first verse begins, one of the band’s signature traits appears in full force: ADD technical riffing. No other pop-rock band I know features such prevalent guitar work, but Shiina Mio and LiN will not stand for simple power chords. Instead, they trade off notes, go up and down scales, and show off with other riffing shenanigans. It's what makes UNiTE. stand out to me, but some listeners might be turned off by such unrelenting riffs. Yui delivers an emotional and sweet vocal performance, fit for this type of ballad. While the most conventional of the three tracks, Kimi wa shiranai is a welcome acoustic variation of the band's core sound.

With the double A-side Rev / ice, UNiTE. gained a new drummer and churned out three new songs. So what is the result? Is it “rev”olutionary? I wouldn’t go that far, but it is one of their best singles to date. As a maxi-single, there isn’t much concern about cohesion, so the band uses the three tracks to exhibit three wildly different styles – and they do quite well in all three! I’ve been looping the single for the past few weeks and each song offers something to keep me coming back. While I would say ice is my personal favorite (I'm a LiN fanboy, what can I say?), last.fm tells me that I've listened to Rev the most! Because of the variety and quality of the songs here, the single serves as an excellent starting point for new listeners. So if you’ve been sleeping on UNiTE., now’s the perfect time to give them a chance!

What did you think about the single?