Alice Nine Gemini Review

[Maiku 4]

1. I. - 4/5

2. Rumwolf - 5/5

3. Stargazer: - 3/5

4. 4U - 4/5

5. Shinkirou - 3.5/5

6. King&Queen - 5/5

7. Entr'acte - 4/5

8. Senkou - 3.5/5

9. Fuu Rin - 5/5

10. Gemini-0-Eternal - 4/5

11. Gemini-1-The Void - 5/5

12. Gemini-2-The Luv - 5/5

13. Birth in the Death - 5/5

14. Overture - 5/5

Over all: 4/5

Great album. :'D As good as I expected it to be from them. :'D It's gonna be on repeat for weeks. 8D

[ShanethVarosa 1209]

Too lazy to write a TBT, but I was overall highly impressed and am so glad they worked it out for this. The ending tracks were AMAZING. Totally fierce deluxe.

[golffy_aoi 15]

Sorry, I have to rate this album just 5/10

[doaseternity6 93]

Fuckin' A man.

The whole thing is excellence but from Entr'acte down it's as Shane said absolute fierceness (fuurin particularly surprised me, I knew Gemini and birth in the death would be but that song is also just amazing.). So proud of my boys right now. My only knit-pick is that they faded out 4U, the live version was longer and then went into the "be as one" refrain thingy from subaru and it was all around pretty epic so I was hoping for full studio but had I been unaware of it I can see why and how it fits into the album proper as it is now. Seriously on cloud nine right now tho.

[Licio123 181]

I never really enjoyed them, except for White Prayer and Akatasuki, but I gotta say, this album is awesome. The Gemini songs and Fuurin are some of the best I heard in recent time.

[michi510 9]

totally agree with posters in the thread. 4/5 is pretty much the right score for this album from me. Fuurin down is purely orgasmic to my ears. Rumwolf and King&Queen were also pretty good. I started to give up hope for some heavy songs but damnn im pretty impressed with this release.

[madygrain 515]

I am not a big fan of A9, I've heard some songs and I dug some albums, but nevew blew me away though I fund their music enjoyable.

But this album is waaay different.

I. The instrumentals set an epic mood that it's great to start any album. Good melody and the pacing create a great mood of anticipation in the listener wich is boosted during all the song due to it's in crescendo nature util things get a bit more soft for the ending, wich flowss great. 7/10.

RUMWOLF Heavrier sounds and interesting riffs set a good scenario for a really kick ass chorus. Great bass segments and great guitar solo. 8.5/10

Stargazer: I liked this single. The song has a soft texture and feels warm and gentle and has a decent melody. The guitars are enjoyable, but the druming is absolutely boring and sets and unexciting rithym to the song that has to do the rest with the melody wich not outsanding. Not a bad song, but gets eclipsed by the previous track with ease. 6.7/10

4U An even softer song. At this point I started to think that the album was starting to go downhill. 4U is not a bad song, bot notable either. Performance partially saves the song of being an not moving and unoriginal ballad rock ballad that feels uninspired. Skipeable. 5.5/10

蜃気楼 te album comes back to "stargazer mode". Both songs create too simmilar ambiences but this song it's more festive than warm and that benefits the album, because other emotionalesque song after 4U would be overdoing it. The song itself, despite not being stellar or special it's a good start for the album recovery of two bad placed tracks. 6.9/10

KING&QUEEN Harder song, with akward vocals segments in the melody, but a well balanced powerful chorus that is greatly apreciated (specially after the album's last tracks) and get the album to greatness again. The closing rap verses where a exciting and smart way of ending the song. 7,5/10

Entr'acte Mysterious instrumental interlude with etheral sound. No real value for me, but manages to give 閃光 a bit more of momentum.

閃光 it was great on the single and it's still great here. Inteligent use of guitars keep the song away of being monotonous and the melody is very good. 8/10

風凛 It pretends to be a bland ballad for the first seconds but it turns out like a powerfull and moving slow song with a retro/classic vive to it. It sounds really conservative to me but works really well and the percussion really moves the song forward. I liked it specially just before the guitar solo gets in (wich is also really good). The instrumental ending sound a bit like pono jazz but essentially, great song. 8.5/10

GEMINI-0-eternal fuck yeah. Emotional but strong and interesting. This song just feels right for them Props for the acoustic part near the end, with that great expresive voice and the background synths 9/10

GEMINI-I-the void this second movement acts a heavier core of the piece and it's made of win. If noly all A9 songs where like this! Guitars remind me of some SOAD songs. All instruments work marverls and the voice suits everything perfectly and performs almost flawlessly. 9.5/10

GEMINI-II-the luv despite it's metallic entrance, the last act of the GEMINI piece is the most calm and emotive part, and works ecually well. It references 0-eternal with more acustic (wich I also liked) and end a fantastic trilogy with it. Great job. 9/10

birth in the death electric beats, distorsions and minimalism. A not surprising choice for start the album's clousure. The final boost with the keybord and the rock sounds is really appealing. 7.5/10

Overture fun electronic heavy rythm filler track. I love them. The also added this mysterious etheral thing the have pulled off through the album wich is cool as well as the guitar work. 6.8/10

This album has surprised me greatly. It's a blast, even with some weak songs. 8.5/10 no doubt.

[Jigsaw9 6783]

I'm gonna wait for the original CD to arrive. I just wanted to say that I'm so glad to read all these positive reviews. ^^

[MY BFF HEIDI 7]

Never liked Alice Nine before, but this album is awesome.

[nekkichi 6043]

Looks like they hired nightmare to outsorce Gemini 0-I-II tracks, that's super awesome and Yomi did a great job on vocals.

[madygrain 515]

Looks like they hired nightmare to outsorce Gemini 0-I-II tracks, that's super awesome and Yomi did a great job on vocals.

They both have deep voices and they way they sing it's not 100% different but Shou does not sound like Yomi in this album (or any other).

I think Yomi sounds way better but I am a Nightmare fanboy anyway, so never mind.

[LIDL 692]

This album is good. Well, i wanna say that is good,

but actually this album is really good.

I am liking their direction for this album.

Surely give a kick on the teeth to the skeptics by giving proof that going major unnecessarily means getting lame.

Love everything, the basslines, guitar works, drums, vocals, sounds. Everything.

Highlight for the vocal,

i like it how Shou actually sing than screams or growls on some hard fast paced song.

I hope some bands could inspired by this moves.

Because not every hard song fit with growls and/or screams,

especially if the vocalist don't know how to and die trying, just to fit in.

And how guitar pickings on 風凛 reminds me with stuffs that Kitaro would make.

The sounds are really thick but doesn't feel tiresome.

Some songs sounds so bitter sweet, but still rocking socks, i love it!

there's moment you tapping your feet while listening to this album,

and some other moment where you moves your head and hum along.

Leaves a good impressions after listening to it.

verdict:

good old school VK sounds (by this i mean non screaming modern rock tunes) by new school band. Sweet~!

A breath of fresh air for the ever so stagnant VK scenes.

It's (pop) rocking but still manly.

Definitely a must have for your music catalog reference.

[anieresus 270]

I disliked everything ever made by alice nine except rainbows.

But somehow I decided to give this album a try, and I must say, it's pretty good. I'm too lazy to do a song by song review, but my favorites were KING&QUEEN and the GEMINI songs especially GEMINI-I-the void.

I'll give it a 3.5/5 overall 'cause this is the first album I enjoy from them (:

[The Libertine 2]

wow, never thought A9 would make an album I like so much. Good job!! *takes back most of my mean comments about them*

[Maiku 4]

I still can't get over how great it is. @_@

[Senedjem 510]

@ A @

[Asakusa 95]

I loved the inspiration they got from MUSE for the GEMINI trilogy! It's so AWESOME!

Great Album! the best they've pulled out!! the GEMINI trio it's pure EPICNESS!!!

[Tony 1]

Didn't expect so many good reviews! Have to check this out now.

[Maiku 4]

Enjoy~! :'D

[Guest]

I. - A very nice opening, but, even though it being very catch, I kind of don't like the chorus. 8/10

RUMWOLF - I like the chorus a lot- nice tempo. Also the guitar solo is great. 9/10

Stargazer: - Still getting the 90ties vibe. 8½/10

4U - Amazing opening (I'm a sucker for those) and ending, but the middle is not that bright. 8/10

蜃気楼 - 10/10

KING&QUEEN - The rhythm! Really great! 9/10

Entr'acte - 10/10

閃光 - Liked it and like it 9/10

風凛 - At some points shou and the song reminded me of 梶芽衣??lol 7/10

GEMINI-0-eternal - I love the song (except the po(o)ppy chorus). 9½/10

GEMINI-1-the void - Hmm, dunno. I like the chorus. 7/10

GEMINI-2-the luv - I hate the word luv. But a 10+++++/10 for the beautiful ending!

birth in the death - wow! 100000000000000000000000000000000000000/10

Overture - I kinda didn't like the techno beat. This coda would be much better without it. 6/10

Overall, this album was GREAT! Absolutely great! I would have loved hearing more songs like 閃光 B-Sides, but nevertheless this album deserves 9/10. If you haven't tried it out yet, I suggest you do!

[Tony 1]

Why did they ruin the end of the album with overture? birth in the death is like.. one of their finest moments ever.. and the flow from that is completly destroyed!!!!!

early thoughts - this is the best stuff they've come up with for years. I gave up on them after the last album.. but this is a return to form I wasn't expecting! The 2nd half of the album is much stronger than the 1st. The 1st half is sorta what they have been doing for a while now - but its tight, and the production is flawless. After the interlude in the middle, that's when the album comes alive for me. Those GEMINI songs are fantastic. Yes, a lot of Muse influence (I hear Stockholm Syndrome?) but they managed to make it into their own.

The Muse inspiration is what has made them come out from behind the medicore, major-label VK band they had become to something a whole lot more.

Back with a full review in a few days when I absorb it more.

[doaseternity6 93]

^ It's funny you said that Tony, Saga posted his thoughts on all of the songs some days before the release and I was reading them today and If I understood correctly when he was talking about entr'acte (the interlude) he said pretty much that same thing, in keeping with "Gemini" it serves as a kind of mirror/riff between the 2 halves, the first half of the album is "the Alice nine you know" and the second half is "the Alice nine you didn't see coming". That really sums it up when it comes to the flow imo as well.

[dannemannen 69]

Totally blown away, wow. 9/10

[sai 868]

Not going to do a big review, but I found it to be a bit boring. 7/10, but only because of Senkou, Stargazer and RUMWOLF. Those were the only songs I enjoyed on this album. The Gemini songs were just too repititive and that interlude was just incredibly unnecessary. I don't like the Muse inspiration. I like Muse, but Alice Nine should stop trying to copy their style and turning it into their style. I hope their future stuff will include more stuff from their earlier releases.

[SailorNyan 0]

I'm not going to write a big review but;

I really thought I was going to hate this album. ._.

They definitely proved me wrong.

Overall, 9/10