Kalafina - Consolation

                                                                   Fate/Zero OP 2 (Track no. 11)
                                         Puella Magi Madoka Magica: The Eternal Story OP (Track no. 12)

Tracklist:


1. al fine
2. Consolation
3. moonfesta
4. Door
5. Mirai
6. Hanataba
7. Signal
8. Obbligato
9. Kichigo no Shigemi ni
10. manten
11. to the beginning
12. Hikari Furu
13. Yume no Daichi


1. al fine

This song opens the album with a very eerie and scary feeling. Even though it is only a prelude and there is barely any singing to go along with the violins, it does replicate what most of the album will sound like.
Rating: 10

2. Consolation

Picking up the grim atmosphere, the track is rocky and powerful, something along the line of a darker "Magia", having an identical arrangement. With it's excellent guitar usage, this can't really be classified as a ballad, but the vocals are certainly on that level, save the creepy chanting at the very end of the song. Something like this is exactly what is expected from Kalafina, and they deliver it flawlessly.
Rating: 10

3. moonfesta

More medieval-sounding melodies come next, and they are packaged in a very interesting arrangement reminiscent of a Renaissance festival. The instrumentation is simple, containing only flutes and an acoustic guitar, which creates a cheery and bright character of the song. Although it's a sudden change from the previous songs, it's quite unique and original.
Rating: 9

4. Door

Maybe this song was actually set to begin after the prelude, because it does sound like it directly continues from it. However, there is more of a melancholic, sad feeling to this instead of a darker one, accompanied by a piano and some strings. It can easily be used as some kind of lullaby, because the vocals are touching and more solo-oriented instead of the group composition.
Rating: 9.5

5. Mirai

Somewhat alike moonfesta, this song is upbeat and encouraging, with the violin successfully conveying the optimistic sound of it. My first time ever hearing gothic-like chants used in a happy arrangement would be now, but it was done tastefully, and I was interested in listening to it.
Rating: 8

6. Hanataba

Kalafina's composer, Yuki Kaijura is very inventive with the composing of their songs, because this one opens with an accordion, which is very unusual for a pop-oriented song like this. It can get very powerful throughout the song, and I've never heard something akin to that sound so good.
Rating: 9

7. Signal

We are returned to the serious tone the first part of the album had, with a difference that this song is much scarier than Consolation. The members of Kalafina are rarely ever put under filters, because of their fantastic singing capability, but here it greatly adds to the effectiveness and the march-like tempo. Possibly, this can get my favourite song in this album.
Rating: 10

8. Obbligato

I definitely wouldn't recommend you to listen to the first minute of this song if you are all alone at night. The chanting gets insanely bizarre, but before it can get any further, it turns into possibly the most mainstream-sounding rock song Kalafina has ever made, except the end, where it returns to its roots. This song is a great mix of different genres though, so it stands out a lot in the album.
Rating: 10

9. Kichigo no Shigemi ni

As a rest from the heart-attack inducing songs, we get another slower song with a piano, and this time, the chello, which sound great and very deep, suiting the vocals.
A bit calmer and safer this time around, this is another good ballad in the album.
Rating: 9

10. manten

I almost thought this is going to be a creepy song, again, but the violins and the guitars kick in quickly, making it more of a usual anime arrangement. The focus of this track is somewhat in showcasing the group's voices, which it does quite good. It can remind of some older songs from them in some parts, which is a big plus.
Rating: 8

11. to the beginning

Like the previous song, this one also features the usual anime arrangement, but here it's understandable, since it was used for Fate/Zero. It is very touching, but dynamic at the same time, which makes it one of the better anime songs Kalafina has done.
Rating: 8.5


12. Hikari Furu

The simple arrangement contrasts the powerful voices they have, which makes them stand out even more than they already do. With the calm and relaxing incentive this song has, the guitars sometimes feel out of place, but it's still a good song, fitting to an anime Madoka Magica is.
Rating: 8

13. Yume no Daichi

This album closes with a mix of moonfesta and Mirai, since it's faster and uplifting, but the medieval instruments join here as well. For me, the song represents the waking up from the nightmare, which is the darker songs, so it makes a good closure and theme, amplified by the finale that reminds of classical music.
Rating: 10

This being my first album from Kalafina I've listened, I have to say that I'm pretty impressed by the infinite capability and creativity they have. My overall rating for this album is: 10 - RECOMMENDED

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