Featured Review #8: Story by DuelJewel

[doombox 4421]

Artist: DuelJewel Album: Story Score: Heroes in shiny visual kei costumes have come to save you.

Story marks Hayato's triumphant return from hiatus earlier this year due to throat problems. It also hallmarks DuelJewel as one of the few visual kei bands that have stayed together for over 15 years and still release music. Their sound has grown and matured whilst remaining true to its core of soft flowery ballads cleaved with hard rock shred.

"Days" is reminiscent of a nostalgic visual kei fairy tale with a beat that makes you want to clap along. Hayato's voice soars, as clear and inviting as ever, as it weaves in and out of falsetto. The guitar work allows the song to swell with each chorus until it explodes into a solo plucked from the heavens. "It's just love" builds off of the previous song and settles into a sing-a-long song structure. The bass is much more prominent and brings necessary weight to the song. It settles into wide open soundscapes that rise and fall with small clips of distorted guitars. The simple melody is catchy, as if it were specifically written to be a single. "Sad/Mad" and "Sunset Riot" raise a tower of intensity through the first arc of Story as full-on headbangers. "Maze" doesn't lose any momentum yet smooths things out with contemporary visual kei riffage and a gloomy atmosphere. In spite of this, the song finds a way to lift you up by the end and stills your heart just in time for "Chronos" to raise your pulse again with its anime theme levels of grandeur. This feeling is magnified by the abundance of synth and effects. "アビスライフ(Abyss Life)" and "SLIP FROM MY HANDS" drive the album towards its frantic apex.

 

After that adventure, "奇跡の花(kiseki no hana)" offers a much needed melodic break and showcases operatic influences with angelic choir segments and leads us to "君の世界で(kimi no sekai de)", a full on ballad. Robust and overflowing with dark beauty; it's precisely how a classic visual kei ballad should feel. The way DuelJewel pulls you in shows you why they have remained relevant for all these years. "愛愁メランコリア ～Story Ver.～(Aishuu Meloncholia ~Story Ver.~)" is a second take on a fan favorite from '06 that never secured its place on any of DuelJewel's albums. I view this song as a "thank you for sticking with us" message for their fans. The Story Ver. has much better production that strengthens some of the buried instruments in the original recording. It is a perfect way to wrap up this album and bookend the wonderful nostalgia found in the first song. There isn't much else I could ask of the band to improve upon with this album. My only small gripe is that they could have broadened their horizons with more new influences. With that said, it doesn't negate that Story is a great album and addition to anyone's record collection.

 

[CAT5 9075]

I've never actually tried this band, but I'm curious to check it out now given your review/rating.

[kurenaishineek 646]

This is one of the best VK and Hard Rock albums this year and will probably be on my personal top 10 on the first place in both categories , especially cause this year just lacks a good hard rock album at least as long as B'z will not surprise us with something while getting out from their slumber .

[nekkichi 6043]

I've never actually tried this band, but I'm curious to check it out now given your review/rating.

they write a lot of filler these days, but still smh manage to release a single brilliant song per release.

same with this album, slip from my hands is perfect.

[saishuu 3220]

It still saddens me how DJ had such a great peak with Visions and azure back in 2005/2006 and then just forgot how to write memorable and creative songs. This new album is actually alright, probably their best original output since those two releases (2009's [REVIVE] is obviously the best, but it's a re-recordings album). Days, Sunset Riot and SLIP FROM MY HANDS are good songs though.

 

As boring as it may sound in 2014, Lapidary is still their best.