christmhas 25 Days of ChristMHas! The Staff Album Picks of 2016.

[Ito 2438]

Day 25: 鵺-chimera- by ギルガメッシュ (girugamesh)

 

Release Date: 2016-01-20

Label: Danger Crue Records

Genre: Visual Kei/Metal

 

 

Impressions from @doombox:

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It still hasn't really sunk in that this is the last girugamesh album. Chimera felt like the were finally returning to their dark side and kicking ass. From the ominous tone of the SE track to the emotional (and aptly titled) finale "END," Chimera is a non-stop kick to the gut here to remind everyone why they fell in love with the band in the first place. I'm going to keep pretending that lackluster Big Bear remix bonus track tacked onto the end of this release doesn't exist. Some of their original numetal influence has been traded for modern metalcore and djent nuances, but their electronic backbone from the last few years is still just present enough to keep this release from feeling too disconnected from their previous ones. 

 

The entire mini album blazes along at a break-neck pace mainly, but "wither mind" serves as the explosive zenith with its ferocious guitarwork and instrumental breaks built for the most intense of mosh pits. I'm just going to remain salty it can't become a live staple, because it deserves to. Chimera is everything you love about girugamesh, past and present, in one condensed, super-charged mini package. I don't care how long it's been since you last listened to these guys, Chimera deserves your undivided attention.

 

Highlights: slip out, chimera, withermind, Horizon, END

 

 

Impressions from @togz:

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ギルガメッシュ (girugamesh) announced they'd disband this year and it wasn't surprise that caught everyone off guard. We all had hoped it'd simply be later. Now, they've gone through some hiccups in their musical stability during their career, but 鵺-chimera- was a strong way to go out if I do say so myself. This release is the result of everything they had worked towards and it certainly reached high up there with their more well-received albums. This album really brought back some of the harsh, raw, and creative juice they once had in their earlier days. The promotional video for "鵺-chimera-" had a new aura about it that was darker but more artistic than the band rocking out in a room. While the video and music were refreshing, the signals were there that it was close to an end. I'm gonna miss these guys. 

 

Highlights:  The entire thing. Just listen to the whole thing.

 

 

Impressions from @ShanethVarosa:

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I'm almost too emotional about this. After going through a very long dry spell of not enjoying them whatsoever, Girugamesh start to get their act together with releases like Gravitation and 鵺-Chimera-, only to disband this year. Talk about #WasteHisTime2k16. "鵺-Chimera-" in particular is really, truly a powerhouse of a song. Energy from beginning to end with an absolutely ridiculous breakdown. Even the other tracks on the EP keep the energy going. I do hope Satoshi continues on with music, his voice is like butter!

 

Highlights: Chimera, Slip Out, End.

 

 

 

Impressions from @emmny:

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I'll be entirely honest, I'm not the biggest Girugamesh fan. Seeing one of the other albums I've written for filling this spot (come through DEZERT!) would have been a much better outcome for me, but I'm going to let y'all know how this little mini got up to number one. Girugamesh were one of the most beloved bands within the foreign fandom, even becoming the topic of an actual meme back in '09. They were always committed to their western fans, as evidenced by multiple gigs in America around the time of J-rock's peak and European tours, even after the well had run dry for the scene, continuing to draw sizable audiences. They were one of the few bands in recent memory who struck gold on their first attempt as a group, as none of the members were in bands before Girugamesh, so fans were able to watch the band grow up and watch their sound change as trends came in and out of the J-rock scene. Overall, they were committed to their anthemic alternative metal style, and that is the style that shows the best on Chimera. It's kind of a welcome back for the band, as Chimera is one of the few releases that most fans were able to agree that they enjoyed. Even as Girugamesh played with electronic styles and pop-leaning tunes, they ended their career on a release that echoed their old breakthrough sound from 13's Reborn while combining it with everything they had learned since. The end result is a fresh metalcore/alt-metal hybrid, every bit as heavy as it is hook-laden. Long story short: Girugamesh deserved this number one spot more than anyone else.

 

Highlights: "END", "SLIP OUT", "鵺-chimera-"

 

 

Impressions from @Ito:

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If you had asked me in 2006 if I would be sad about Girugamesh disbanding in a decade, I would have laughed at the idea of them making it that long. If you have asked in 2011, I would have responded with they should end it now and get it over with. Yet here we are, it's 2016, and the band is sitting at the summit of our end of the year countdown. This is perhaps the best sendoff we can manage for this 13 year visual kei stalwart, and one that they earned. Girugamesh, you will be dearly missed.

 

Highlights: the whole album

 

 

Sample song:

 

 

Buy the album:

CD Japan | iTunes | Spotify | Amazon