ClariS - Colorful

Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica The Movie III : Rebellion OP

Tracklist:

1. Colorful

2. Surely

3. Pieces

4. Colourful - Instrumental -

1. Colorful

After a quick and playful music box intro, bells start off and unravel into a routine anison arrangement, complete with violins and acoustic guitars, with the bass quietly heard in the background, making the track a bit different from their usual electro-pop style. Fortunately, their vocals here are, instead attempting cuteness, more mature and deep sounding, like proper grown-up singers, but still provide energy to the catchy chorus. Although the song is a pleasant listen, and has a nostalgic tone to it, it's nothing special or quite original, and, in character, unfit for a series such as Madoka Magica (though, the problem with an unfit opening was present ever since the first anime episode).

Rating: 7

2. Surely

Clara's and Alice's vocals begin in unison, in a calm, broad arrangement, and becomes a song very similar to Colorful, except the focus is more on the acoustic instrumentals and the mid-tempo rather than full anison. With the song being relatively generic J-pop, the fact that it was a chore listening to it because it can be quite boring at times, and that there are very little differing elements to describe in the actual review, it doesn't earn any higher status than a scapegoat B-side.

Rating: 5

3. Pieces

Yet again, another completely unimaginative affair, barely differing from the previous two songs except for a slight change in the melody lines.

Rating: 1

I'm not having a fit of writer's block, but I am thinking of employing Konno's method for all such generic releases, since track-by-track reviews are almost always fruitless. As with livetune, ClariS will not get reviewed here anymore, despite the fact they get pretty big tie-ins.
My overall rating is: 4
Will I return for an another listen: No.

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Minori Chihara - Kyoukai no Kanata

Kyoukai no Kanata OP

Kyoukai no Kanata IN

Tracklist:

1. Kyoukai no Kanata

2. NO LINE

3. Kyoukai no Kanata (Instrumental)

4. NO LINE (Instrumental)

1. Kyoukai no Kanata

Minori's calm, serene voice opens to an acoustic piano background, soon gaining a strong drum tempo and unraveling into a cheerful, laid-back arrangement. Including a violin in the chorus as well, which is actually the most active element of the instrumentation, it becomes usual anison with an added guitar solo near the end of the track. Unfortunately, except for the intro and outro, Minori's vocals are constantly under filters and with background, surprisingly varying in colour between soaring and powerful to cute and nasal, as they are not really the main representative point of the whole track. After quite an uncreative middle eight section with a very simple bridge, the final chorus is accomplished only by repeating the intro melody once again, with a prolonged ending annoyingly present, like in her previous single.

Rating: 7

2. NO LINE

A powerful pace suddenly appears, struggling to subdue the guitars and Minori under techno filters, until it explodes into the main melody. With barely anything else present, forceful, sometimes distorted guitars and drums are dominant, although the verse is calmer in terms of raw power, while the chorus is intensive, catchy and quite Faylan-like. Sadly, the second verse and chorus, with its many inappropriate  and uninspired variations feel unfit, and even the vocals seem worse and untrained after hearing the short version so many times. Opening the middle eight are alternating, distorted chords with Minori's vocals filtered up to obscurity, although, the only high point of it is another great guitar solo, until the song finishes off with yet another completely uncalled for elongation.

Rating: 6

A few mistakes here and there are allowed, but Minori's team lately seems to be continually (and intentionally?) making them, with either the songs getting too strained or too dull, constant excessive snippets in the songs at their end, and, overall making bad composure decisions and ruining a good song, as we can see in NO LINE. 

My overall rating is: 6 ½

Will I return for an another listen: Maybe.

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ZAQ - Extra Revolution

Yuusha ni Narenakatta Ore wa Shibushibu Shuushoku wo Ketsui Shimashita OP

Tracklist:

1. Extra Revolution

2. Namida Note

3. Candy Rain

4. Extra Revolution (Off Vocal)

1. Extra Revolution

Chaotically disharmonic synths open the song, untangling in a really light, cheerful electronic-pop track. Even for a pop song, the instrumentation is surprisingly simple, with only a thin piano following one or two lines of synths, but perfect for the cute and upbeat melody. ZAQ's voice is, accordingly, much higher in pitch, and successfully avoids nasal channeling, present with many singers who badly attempt to sing like this. Although the arrangement somewhat widens afterwards, it still retains the same character for the remarkably catchy chorus, and the heavier middle eight section, with a trance buildup to another burst of liveliness.
Rating: 9

2. Namida Note

A single ambiental synth and drop sounds start off, with a piano joining in coupled with ZAQ's distant voice, and soon turbulently circulating into a mid-tempo track. Compared to Extra Revolution, the vocals are much deeper and more dense and expressive, also doubling as a support at the final chorus in a jazzy manner, which makes them even more enjoyable than usual. Only one listen will give the impression of your usual pop arrangement, although, when cleared up, the instrumentation is much more exotic, with quiet synths in the background following an acoustic guitar, all while the violin joins in the middle eight section to the slow, marching tempo. Namida Note is, with its laid-back tone quite relaxing, and is another great track.
Rating: 9

3. Candy Rain

Finishing up the single, an acoustic guitar once again starts, but this time in almost a dubstep manner, and as if it were a background to a rap song, until it unravels into another ambiental, deep and relaxing arrangement, but with ZAQ singing an unusual mix of silent and very cute. The combination of the two sounds quite J-pop and like something Perfume might release, but, unfortunately, it's not as inventive in its cuteness, although interesting rhytmic figures and chromatic progressions are stretched out through the whole track. With the melody lines being somewhat generic as well, I'm not a big fan of the third track overall.
Rating: 6

This time around, we get another great release from the singer who actually writes and composes her own tracks; a very rare thing in pop music, and succeeds in it. With several singles already out beforehand, I'm hoping for an album soon as well.
My overall rating is: 8
Will I return for an another listen: Yes.

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GRANRODEO - The Other self

Kuroko no Basuke 2 OP

Tracklist:

1. The Other self

2. DAWN GATE "Unfinished"

3. The Other self [OFF VOCAL]

4. DAWN GATE "Unfinished" [OFF VOCAL]

1. The Other self

An abrupt twisting over the guitar tones quickly bursts into a cheerful rocky arrangement, unfortunately consisting of exclusively guitars, with not as much variety as Henai no Rondo has, but still well fitting for an anime like Kuroko no Basuke. As the guitars follow through the fast tempo, Kishow's vocals do it as well, being exceptional as usual, but still somewhat nasal occasionally, especially in the English-infused chorus lyrics and shouts. Most of the track is just something simply pleasant I wouldn't normally return to, but the remarkably fast, long and skillful guitar solo in the middle eight section saves the song, and builds up to the final chorus, ending with a prolonged uplifting melody piece.

Rating: 8

2. DAWN GATE "Unfinished"

The next track starts subdued, with only a single guitar in play until it gains a trance-like rhythm and a retro, melancholic guitar chord progression with a western melody, being very reminiscent of older rock music. Fortunately, Kishow's vocals are here much clearer and also somewhat deeper, even including some vibrato and varying between soft and deep colours, but, aside that, the only other thing particularly noticeable is a mixed up structure as far as verses and choruses go. Maybe it's just a matter of taste or the fact that it's not ani-rock in the rock subgenres, but this song still doesn't leave a particular impression on me.

Rating: 6

Fanservice anime like Free! and Kuroko no Basuke (no matter how much I do or don't like them as a genre) usually don't have artistically-oriented music, and that reflects in how The Other self is composed when compared to Henai no Rondo, and even DARK SHAME. Overall, it's not a bad release but I'm definitely looking forward to better.

My overall rating is: 7.

Will I return for an another listen: Probably not.

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Faylan - BLUE BLAZE / BELIEVE

BlazBlue: Alter Memory OP

Ragnarok World Championship 2013 theme

Tracklist:

1. BLUE BLAZE 

2. BELIEVE        

1. BLUE BLAZE

A sharp  industrial sequence opens, unraveling in an energetically catchy techno-rock arrangement. Along with the extremely catchy melody, Faylan's voice is coupled, sounding much more powerful than usual, and, for a change, rising to bigger heights without sounding overly nasal. Contrasting to the plain instrumentation from "wonder fang", we are presented with a chaotic mix of dubstep and rock, but still even measuring up to metal at certain moments, with several calm places through the song crossed with disharmonic synthage. Right before the final chorus, in a relatively dormant passage, a severely intense dubstep breakdown comes in completel unexpected, with Faylan counting down before several guitar chords break the melody and resolve the track, ending with the same catchy techno-induced theme from the beginning. Maybe it's just the impression from listening to it only for a few days, but BLUE BLAZE could as well be my new favourite Faylan song. 

Rating: 10

2. BELIEVE

Continuing from the silence that the previous track left is with, violins build up in a pleasant fantasy-anison arrangement, adding subdued guitars, flowing bells as decoration and even a choir singing in English (I'm pretty sure it's not just Faylan with filters). Although BELIEVE is much more cheerful and uplifting, with a very rich instrumentation it becomes quite strong in a moment, very similar to WHITE Justice. As Faylan's vocals are backed by the choir, it sounds even more heroic and triumphant, perfectly fitting an epic fantasy game Ragnarok Online is.
Rating: 9

It's such a refreshment to see a BlazBlue tie-in finally be the A-side, and it shows by the effort that was put into it. Faylan has been releasing great music lately, and BLUE BLAZE / BELIEVE is no exception.
My overall rating is: 10 - RECOMMENDED
Will I return for an another listen: Definitely.

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T.M. Revolution x Nana Mizuki - Kakumei Dualism

Valrave the Liberator 2 OP 

Tracklist:

~ Type A ~

1. Kakumei Dualism

2. Kakumei Dualism (Tv Size)

~ Type C ~

2. Kakumei Dualism (Nana Mizuki Only)

3. Kakumei Dualism (T.M. Revolution Only)

1. Kakumei Dualism

Subdued guitar chords open the song, along with Nana's vocal lead, followed by T.M., who involves way too much excessive vibrato, making him sound ridiculous and amateur, until the song unravels in a strong, ani-rock arrangement. With dominating guitars and violins present in the background, this may be more of both of their domains, as opposed to the techno-inspired Preserved Roses, which incorporated less elements of anison and more of J-pop. Although, as brimming with energy as it is at every corner, the melody sounds too forced and an artificial gain of energy and strength, unlike the sudden breakdown in the middle eight section continuing into harmonies I'd prefer for the whole track instead of the already present ones. Kakumei Dualism, again, sounds more commercial and less artistic, and, even though it will eventually grow on me, it will become boring fast as well.
Rating: 8

2. Kakumei Dualism (Nana Mizuki Only) & 3. Kakumei Dualism (T.M. Revolution Only)

Unfortunately, as with the previous collaboration, the parts where one sings is left out in the other version, as I'd love to hear Nana exclusively sing the whole song, since T.M. performed poorly. On the other hand, his part sounds almost comedic and like a parody to a good vibrato and vocal control.
Rating: Unrated

It's a shame that music from two such renowned artists will be bought mostly because it's popular and mainstream, not because it actually has much artistic value like they separately do.
My overall rating is: 8
Will I return for an another listen: Maybe.

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Aya Hirano - Promise

Kita Kitsune Monogatari Ashita e IN

Tracklist:

1. Promise

2. Takaramono

3. Up To Date

4. Promise -Instrumental-

5. Takaramono -Instrumental-

1. Promise

A silent piano opens the first track, lonely in its chord progressions until it's joined by the standard instrumentation of the acoustic guitar and violins. Although its framework is somewhat generic ambiental melodies and a simple melodic structure, Aya has succeeded in taming her deep and wild voice into a slower tempo, as it is linked with background vocals, especially in the chorus. Nothing notably eventful happens until, unexpectedly, the middle eight section starts with a too dramatic transition for a soft ballad like this one, but afterwards breaks down into a vocal-only cadence which gains tempo and concludes the song.

Rating: 6 ½

2. Takaramono

Commencing the next song is a quirky, lullaby-like synth and an acoustic guitar, which, contrary to the expectations of another ballad, pick up and gain a mid-tempo dance rhythm. This intro is unusually stretched out, as it slowly builds up to the place where Aya's vocals finally join in with the melody, as if this was an instrumental version halfway, and quite suddenly enter the chorus after only a few lines, without a tie to the previous melody. Accordingly, her voice is being filtered and backed-up all the time to give a dreamy feel to the track, even though it already had a laid-back character. Promise and Takaramono are very similar, but Takaramono takes the win for that slight dash of originality not present in the A-side.

Rating: 7

3. Up To Date

Wrapping up the single with a third song, a fast, impending intro sets off and turns into a cheerful, rocky guitar chord swap. After two more J-pop oriented songs, it's welcome to hear her main style again with this kind of an uplifting rock track, which carries the anison atmosphere with it. Even though the background vocals are over-layered so much they sound almost like a male voice, Aya lets her full strength loose, as she climbs to bigger heights and hits multiple vibrato in the duration of the song. It's not one of her best yet, but Up To Date does carry a pleasant sound of her past.

Rating: 7

Ever since her label shift, Aya hasn't gotten a single anime tie-in, which reflects in how her songs are mostly turning out lately; recycled and cliche (Hoshikuzu Garandou is excluded from this, fortunately), with an occasional return to her old style.

My overall rating is: 7.

Will I return for an another listen: No.

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Kawano Marina - Sono Koe wo Oboeteru

Monogatari Series 2 ED

Tracklist:

1. Sono Koe wo Oboeteru

2. Kieru daydream - Acoustic Version

3. Sono Koe wo Oboeteru - Instrumental

1. Sono Koe wo Oboeteru

Without any previous intro, Marina's voice, deeper than usual and a playful piano open the first track, showing a more energetic tempo than your average ending theme has. Even though the arrangement is common anison, the catchy chorus crossed with occasional distorted guitars to add the kick and background vocals make the song much more balanced just so it doesn't seem cliched and boring, as the ideal measure of cheerfulness rarely comes by in a J-pop. I rarely like these types of tracks, but I would definitely return for another listen.
Rating: 8

2. Kieru daydream - Acoustic Version

A drum hit marks the start, as thin acoustic guitars open the melody an octave higher than it was in the original, providing much more of a laid-back character. Fortunately, Marina is going for more vocal originality here, with added jazz off-singing, but the static and lacking chord progression, missing some of the harmonies from the original make it much less fulfilling, even though the conversion was performed nicely. The acoustic version is pleasant, but too basic to transcompose the whole Kieru daydream.

Rating: 6

Marina is yet to show any specific image of her own, but her oncoming singles have all pushed through nicely. The only noticeable flaw in Sono Koe wo Oboeteru as a whole is that it's too short, as we get the A-side and a remix, without a new B-side track. My overall rating is: 7

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Kalafina - Alleluia

Kara no Kyoukai: Mirai Fukuin IN

Tracklist:

1. Alleluia

2. dolce

Live recordings not to be reviewed:

3. fairytale ~2012. Christmas LIVE ver.~

4. Kimi ga Hikari ni Kaete Iku  ~2012. Christmas LIVE ver.~

1. Alleluia

The new single from Kalafina starts off in a serene sound, with slow violins joining in and wielding their usual chord progressions. As the instrumentation grows stronger, Keiko's powerful vocals in contrast with a higher-pitched arrangement lead on, until subdued guitars unravel into a chorus with a single touching "Alleluia" sung by all three vocals. Though Hikaru and Wakana serve mostly as the backing to Keiko's voice and in the interludes, their impact is still present in the track, which employs optimistic and uplifting anison-ballad instrumentals rather than the expected sadder, neoclassical tone. I was hoping for an emotional roller coaster after Consolation heightened my expectations, but another ballad in their opus does just fine as well.

Rating: 8

2. dolce

An eerie, mysterious sound opens, with only several thin synths and occasional bells to support it, before uplifting choral sequences ensue in a harmony completely separate from the instrumental background. Although having a familiar feel, like a mix of Madoka Magica soundtrack elements (specifically, Credens Justitiam, even having the similar track length) and Hikari Furu, the chorus becomes quite more dramatic and serious than the cheerful verses, providing more excitement in a melodic sense than Alleluia. Complexity may be Yuki Kajiura's middle name, but sometimes the most simple things are the best attention-keepers.

Rating: 10

By now we're all used to Kalafina being impeccable all the time, so, summed up, the only minor flaw that exists is that perhaps Alleluia could of been a little more inventive. My overall rating is: 9.

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TKDz2b feat. The 49ers - Never Say Never

Danganronpa The Animation OP

Tracklist:

1. DANGANRONPA

2. Never Say Never

3. Never Say Never ~Instrumental

1. DANGANRONPA

A prelude to the actual opening theme opens quietly, as deep synths unwind, until resounding bass turns the track into a mix of Nagi Yanagi-like surrealism crossed with haunting female voices and usual gritty trance. Several melodic sections intertwine as the three-minute listen goes on, and the game music character reminds of some darker and more realistic JRPGs, most so of The World Ends With You, only with added guitars. The song is ended with a single hanging tone, making room for the next track with anticipation.

Rating: 8

2. Never Say Never

Continuing on from the trancy atmosphere, Never Say Never speeds up and continues into exclusively English rapping with catchy lyrics, and, most importantly, very symbolic and related to the anime. Contrasting the verses, which there aren't much of anyway because of the song's barely bigger length than DANGANRONPA, the chorus is sung instead with strong female vocals backed with subdued guitars, which appear otherwise just as chanting without words spread throughout the song, and chip away as the track ends. I'm not usually a fan of English-only anime songs, but, I have to admit that this one is definitely noteworthy, if even only for the proper pronunciation and avoidance of EngRish.

Rating: 9

Danganronpa has captivated me both as an anime and as a game, and now it's the turn of the OST in line. My overall rating is: 8 ½

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cinema staff - great escape

Shingeki no Kyojin ED2

Tracklist:

1. great escape

2. cinema staff [Bokutachi no Hihou] tour Final (will not be reviewed as it's a live recording of 8 tracks)

1. great escape

A forceful drum entrance sets the way for an extremely fast and strong guitar solo, all until the verse sets down in a laid-back fashion mixed with occasional bits of rock guitars. The vocalist has a colour somewhere between your average pop singer and a full-blown rock vocalist, suiting the catchy but not overly hard hitting chorus (or most parts of the song, for that matter). Unfortunately, though the arrangement is promising, the track remains relatively unmemorable, and doesn't convey the emotions shown in the anime one bit as Utsukushiki Zankoku no Sekai does, and the fact that it's much shorter doesn't help at all, as only certain elements of the track are listen-worthy.

Rating: 5

It's a real shame that great escape would be the only imposter among the masterfully done opening and ending themes. My overall rating is: 5

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fripSide - eternal reality

To Aru Kagaku no Railgun S OP2

Tracklist:

- Regular Edition -

1. eternal reality

2. Scorching Heart

3. eternal reality -TV size-

4. Scorching Heart -Instrumental-

- Limited Edition -

1. eternal reality

2. Coupling Tune A

3. eternal reality -TV size-

4. eternal reality -Instrumental-

1. eternal reality

Wow, another single in such a (relatively) short notice? I was barely finished rotating sister's noise when eternal reality opens with a usual fripSide instrumental, except the atmosphere is slightly happier and more anison when compared to the first opening. SAT, unfortunately, has an unchanged formula here, and, if I had to choose a previous Railgun song to compare it to, another average fripSide A-side would be LEVEL-5 Judgelight; the arrangement has no innovations whatsoever, while Yoshino is thin and faltering when singing, and the partial absence of filters doesn't help. 

Rating: 6

2. Scorching Heart (Regular)

A darker ambient ensues, utilizing more of fripSide's rockier style than the usual techno, with the guitars being quite subdued to fit the dance sequences, but still noticeable. Sadly, at least in the verses, the arrangement is the only thing that distinguishes the song from their overused cadences, before the chorus comes in using a standard pop chord progression, which, at least in this case, is a new thing. Yoshino is filtered the whole time, with even a slight vocoding layer to emphasize the robotic feel of it, but the vocals haven't exactly been the highlight of fripSide's song anyways, so the change is barely discernible. Following the second chorus is an almost non-existing middle eight section, which is only bridged by a small vocal-only part and Yoshino's whisper before wrapping up the track.

Rating: 7

2. Coupling Tune A (Limited)

In spite of the somewhat generic soundtrack name, Coupling Tune A is very much a full song. Opening with Yoshino singing to a synthy background, it made me wonder if it's the same singer in question, as she opens very deeply, suiting the dark atmosphere. Unlike the previous two tracks, this song turns more towards trance than anison, which is that missing originality and spirit, and is easily detected by the constant bass hitting in the background and the unusual lack of guitar and piano until right before the chorus. Fortunately, Yoshino acts as a real trance vocalist for once, as her vocals are quite subdued, especially in bridges, and used more as a background and an addition to the instrumentals. Of course, you can't have a fripSide song without a guitar solo in the middle eight section, but it doesn't break the overall flow of the track, or steal the spotlight to cheerless synthage which shows the serious, dramatic side To Aru Kagaku no Railgun can sometimes have.

Rating: 9

Unlike sister's noise, the very opening to the show was somewhat disappointing this time around, but Coupling Tune A makes up the listening time for all that was lacking in the previous two songs as, by far, the best song in the single. My overall rating is: 8.

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ZAQ - Gekijouron

High School DXD OP2

Tracklist:

1. Gekijouron

2. Dokuyoruron

3. Shout to the top

1. Gekijouron

The first track opens heavily, with drums being in the spotlight and a silent piano in the background, before switching roles and unraveling in her signature electronic-pop style.  Even though Gekijouron has certain elements from Alteration, the impression as a whole gives off more melancholy and a certain sad tone, especially with ZAQ showing off her deeper registre and great control of it, including even occasional vibrato. The catchy, dramatic chorus is the highlight, employing rock guitars and making up for impact, along with the incredibly chaotic, fast and eargasmic piano solo from the middle eight section, speeding it up just by imagining her play on the piano, coupled with synths moving at the exact same speed. After the slow build up, hearing ZAQ's voice soar in the final chorus decides this as my new favourite from her.

Rating: 9

2. Dokuyoruron

After hearing the fast and exciting A-side, Dokuyoruron comes in as the calmer ballad in the single, and, fortunately, ZAQ's composing skills prevent it from being another generic one. Her voice is, contrasting the first track, this time higher and actually filtered, but the widening instrumentation makes up for the lack of vocal depth, with violins paired with heavy drums and even the choir present sporadically. While the strings are quite subdued in the background, often just playing a single tone, the always-present electronic part bursts in the chorus, completely covering the already hidden bass and other, high-pitched synths present almost all of the time. Wrapping up, everything stops as the vocals climb up for an octave and finish the track.

Rating: 7

3. Shout to the top

Immediately greeting us with something a bit stronger, ZAQ's much more nasal and cuter colour comes to notice, as well as vocoding, signifying that a usual pop song is ahead, utilizing nothing but synths and even cadences that can recognizably be from A-pop (that's probably what I'll call American pop from now on). Still, it manages to be interesting and catchy, and very much reminding of KOTOKO's BUCANEER. Here, with the presence of so much voice change from the natural tone, a strange difference arises as well, between the "very very high pitch" singing used in the background, presumably also by ZAQ, and the "very high pitch" one used in normal singing. This isn't perhaps varied as the other two tracks are, but it does have the element of fun while listening to it.

Rating: 8

I could as well list one of the reasons for having ZAQ as one of my favourite singers the fact that her idol was Minorin, but her self-composing ability is a rare one in today's anison, and is probably a valuable resource in Lantis, the bane of most good musicians. My overall rating is: 8.

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Yuuka Nanri - Mother land

Valrave the Liberator IN

Tracklist:

1. Mother land

1. Mother land

Opening with a very calm, serene ambiental sound, as if the track was a relaxing meditation piece, Yuuka's voice joins in to form a few oriental-styled cadences with her collected voice as louder drums and violins overlap after a time for more of a classic anison arrangement. Even though she is working on an another anime, the whole track, and especially the touching chorus feels very much like something Chiaki Ishikawa would compose, bringing a melancholic overtone although the chorus consisted of intersecting tones Yuuka is singing in a choral way displays major chord progressions. As the middle eight section returns to the same melody and silence found at the beginning, bells and a waltzing tempo appear, making a dramatic transition to the final chorus.

Rating: 8

Mother land was perhaps designed to be only a follow-up to her main single previously released, but it has plenty of independent listening worth, even more so than BLOODY HOLIC. My overall rating is: 8.

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Yuuka Nanri - BLOODY HOLIC

Blood Lad ED

Tracklist:

1. BLOODY HOLIC

2. snow wind

3. BLOODY HOLIC ~Without Vocal

4. snow wind ~Without Vocal

1. BLOODY HOLIC

Yuuka's thin voice coupled with a relaxing ambient opens the song, before several strong guitar chords interrupt and unravel into strong techno-rock with slightly gothic chord progressions. As the synthage dies down, the verse returns to a slower tempo, but we finally get to hear the vocals becoming a bit stronger and living up to the standard Yuki Kajiura set for her all the way back in FictionJunction, although the arrangement strays off that path, combining many elements from different styles, and coupling the piano with guitars and synths. Unfortunately, her voice becomes filtered once the song builds up to the chorus, but they are the needed strength since the instrumental is surprisingly absent with techno-rock, being much more subdued, and fitting into the middle eight section, which is crossed with very distorted but silent electric guitars and the piano. As the firstly unnoticeable whispers grow into a real Gregorian choir, the song slips into the serene environment from the beginning, followed by a short drum solo which returns us to the final chorus. BLOODY HOLIC is nothing especially epic, nor it strives to do so, but it's very pleasant overall. 

Rating: 7

2. snow wind

In contrast with the name "snow wind" with which we'd usually expect a seasonal ballad of sorts, after the unimposing introduction a rock-ish instrumentation is present but with it being subdued and overflown with ambiental synths, the atmosphere becomes quite melancholic, laid-back and shows the 80s retro charm all while the tempo-giving drums act as a layer present during the whole track. The B-side is actually better suited to Yuuka's vocals, as they aren't really suited to more outgoing, heavier style, and the nice, relaxing note of it ties everything together nicely.

Rating: 8

BLOODY HOLIC as a single may not stand out a lot, but it's a still a good addition and a worthy listen in Yuuka's discography. Perhaps snow wind got a higher mark purely for reminding me of the classics with its arrangement, which is rare nowadays. My overall rating is: 7 ½

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Annabel - Alternative

Rozen Maiden: Zuruckspulen ED

Tracklist:

1. Alternative

2. Ao ni Tokeru

3. Alternative (Instrumental)

4. Ao ni Tokeru (Instrumental)

1. Alternative

A quiet, impending single frequency opens the first track before dissolving into a slow, serene but a bit creepy instrumentation with the constant company of unusual pulsing synths in the background. All while Annabel is singing with her whisper-like voice, not increasing her volume even when the arrangement is threatening to overwhelm her, the atmosphere gains a more powerful violin background similar to ALI PROJECT, although still retaining the dark spirit of the Rozen Maiden anime. Even though the melody is entrancing, clear classical music influences can be heard, especially in the middle eight, pairing high violins and the deep double bass, as the song ends with a silent harp, leaving a dreamy aftertaste. Alternative is an excellent impression, especially as this is my first time listening to a song of hers.
Rating: 9

2. Ao ni Tokeru

Changing things up from the haunting ambient we've been able to hear, Ao ni Tokeru appears with a silent flute and a quirky xylophone, as it slowly achieves a much faster tempo and becomes a catchy mix of anison and J-pop in the chorus. That being said, aside the arrangement, the melody sounds too frantic, random and disharmonic the whole time, losing on the laid-back and relaxing aspect of it in the beginning, while, surprisingly, being quite boring. The B-side doesn't come near the quality Alternative had.
Rating: 5

Annabel's style, at least how I see it in this single, is very similar to Nagi Yanagi, which is perhaps brought up by the fact that they were a musical duo once. Despite the somewhat failed Ao ni Tokeru, I am looking forward to reviewing her further works. My overall rating is: 7.

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Eri Kitamura - Birth

Kamisama no Inai Nichijoubi OP

Tracklist:

1. Birth

2. Lifetime Trader

3. Birth (Off Vocal Ver.)

4. Lifetime Trader (Off Vocal Ver.)

1. Birth

A haunting, deep intro sets the ground for church bells and chanting in English, very similar to Kalafina, before suddenly stopping and unraveling into a heavy rock section. Although the verse starts off with just a piano and Eri's unusually silent voice, the arrangement kicks in with almost metal-like distorted guitars and dreamy chanting, which is spread across the whole track, creating little interludes. Characteristically for her A-side songs, we get a catchy ani-rock chorus again, except the violin is a little less noticeable and involved this time, without strong grinding of it like in re;story, which transitions to the middle eight section completely devoted to the choir and building up with an effective, strong guitar solo. I'm quite glad she's following through with her initial stance and keeps releasing somewhat heavier, more rock-oriented music than most of her colleagues. 

Rating: 9

2. Lifetime Trader

Lifetime Trader takes in the ambient from Birth's introduction, except it's much more subtle and surreal, mixed with bells and creating something that sounds like an old Final Fantasy soundtrack piece, which is ruined interrupted by Eri's whispering and turns into an upbeat rock track. Perhaps for the first time, she is intentionally trying to make her colour similar to LiSA's, but it only makes her sound a bit silly and amateurish, especially when coupled with unnecessary male shouts as to give weight to her vocals which are already giving out. Not only is her voice a copy, but the whole melody and chord progression as well, being an obvious Frankenstein-like compound of the songs Veronica and LOVE&HATE from her debut album. A very strong, headbang-worthy middle eight sequence makes me feel even more sorry for the excellent instrumentation which could have been used in many different ways to make this track better.

Rating: 6

It may seem that her title tracks are still infallible, but the composing effort is showing signs of tiredness from following the same formula over and over again, as we get to see in Lifetime Trader. Playing the occasional card of LiSA-like rock is not bad, but the impression takes a toll if it's badly done. My overall rating is: 7 ½.

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LiSA - träumerei

Genei wo Kakeru Taiyo OP

Tracklist:

1. träumerei

2. I doubt it

3. Yuuyake Nostalgia

4. träumerei (TV Size)

1. träumerei

Deep, haunting bells open the first track, with an introduction very similar to CHOIR JAIL, until the guitars and the upbeat rhythm completely take over in an ani-rock composition. Despite the arrangement consisting of only electric guitars and heavy drums, the catchy melody makes up for the variation, even after numerous listens. Unfortunately, we don't get to see much of LiSA's voice in its stunning clarity because it's filtered most of the time, aside the powerful, touching chorus where it does give the effect needed. Again in the middle eight section, the silent choir and the mysterious atmosphere appear again, slowly building up to a fast drum sequence, and unraveling into the final chorus, which is this time around accompanied by occasional background lines LiSA has sung as well. If I dare say with all those SAO fans out there, this is even better than "crossing field".

Rating: 10

2. I doubt it

Following on, restless with the waves of energy, "I doubt it" opens with a relaxing and melancholic intro, but quickly overturning the expectation of a ballad with  a few western-ish guitar chords followed by the serious and catchy verse. The second track shows off LiSA's other side, as it is much more explosive and aggressive, and more rock-oriented than anison when compared to träumerei. Likewise, her unmatched vocal colour for rock and an edgier image is utilized, along with a higher tone and great, although subtle vibrato skills. As to suit the whole track, the middle eight section is marked by an euphoric, extremely energetic guitar solo which climaxes as LiSA's soothing tone sings along to a laid-back environment before everything gets interrupted by strong chords and a chorus which is raised by an octave to achieve more momentum. It's rare to see a B-side being on the same level of quality as the title track.
Rating: 10

3. Yuuyake Nostalgia

Wrapping up the single is LiSA's singing to restful guitars in the background, being significantly slower than the previous tracks, but, don't be fooled, as the instrumentation gradually gains tempo and more of her cheerful, uplifting pop-rock taste in the chorus, Although this tries to please the part of the fanbase which finds pleasure in her cuter songs, it's not as memorable as ROCK-mode or WiLD CANDY, and the fact that it is barely 3 minutes long doesn't contribute at all. Ending with a kind of an unfinished feeling, it seems one track had to be a scapegoat. Well, at least it's not a ballad, alike to those LiSA has done in her previous single to fill up disk space, and it does serve its purpose.
Rating: 8

This is usually the place where I find myself commenting on the future of the artist in question, but all I can say is that LiSA never fails to impress me, and, if she continues like this, will be a worthy heir even to Nana-chan-kami-sama. My overall rating is: 9

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Faylan - wonder fang

Hakkenden - Tohou Hakken Ibun 2 OP

BlazBlue: Chronophantasma OP 

Tracklist:

1. wonder fang

2. Blue Sanction

3. wonder fang (Off Vocal)

4. Blue Sanction (Off Vocal)

1. wonder fang

A sudden, violent, and somewhat westernized series of chords open the first track, appearing not as dark as Faylan's usual music, and actually a bit more uplifting. As usual, her vocals are dry and struggling, having an excellent colour for aggressive rock music, and sometimes achieve great distancing effects with the creative usage of voice filters. Unfortunately, even though the arrangement is filled with only hard electric guitars and strong percussions, aside from occasional synthage in the middle eight section, the melody itself isn't anything special or memorable, and the song is actually under the standard 4 minutes, showing that the composing level wasn't exactly high this time. God FATE, the first Hakkenden opening was much better, and I'd like to see more of that, not only mild effort.
Rating: 7

2. Blue Sanction

It appears that the BlazBlue tie-ins Faylan has are always better, at least in my eyes, from the main song in the single. The powerful mix of synths and filtered guitars which opens proves that, followed by a much harder, darker arrangement which can even parry a song from the GazettE, crossing into metal. Here, her voice is a bit more muffled by the strong instrumentation, but clears up in the verse which employs only drums and a piano until the distorted guitars interrupt. More complex melodies require stronger vocal utilization, especially in the catchy ani-rock element in the chorus. A powerful guitar solo marks the transition to the final chorus along with a buildup, crossing over Faylan's melancholic singing paired with a piano until it again unravels into a techno-rock salve, followed by an unusual outro melody. The variety and a boosted arrangement make Blue Sanction a much better track than the A-side, once again.
Rating: 9

If it weren't for the anime relation, the two songs could be switched, Blue Sanction would be the main one, and nobody would even notice. I'm not worried about Faylan's future works, though, since wonder fang was just a minor setback in the chain of excellent work. My overall rating is: 8

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StylipS - Prism Sympathy

Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya ED

Tracklist:

1. Prism Sympathy

2. Tsunagu Kizuna . Tsutsumu Kodoku

3. Brand-new Style!! ~Mahou Mitai na Show time~

4. Prism Sympathy (Inst.)

5. Tsunagu Kizuna . Tsutsumu Kodoku (Inst.)

6. Brand-new Style!! ~Mahou Mitai na Show time~ (Step Two/Inst.)

1. Prism Sympathy

Silent, synthy rotations open the first track, bursting into an upbeat, technopop idol track followed by a series of cheerful voices. As expected, besides the various electronic elements, rarely any other instrument is used in the arrangement, except perhaps the barely noticeable electric guitar. Although, no matter the instruments or the genre, everybody seems to use a dubstep breakdown somewhere in the song, even StylipS, though it's well-hidden behind the filtered unison of the vocals which barely do any soloing. Usually nothing more is expected of them, as the melody is somewhat simple and easy to perform. Hyper-kawaii isn't usually my style (well, besides Yukarin) but it's not that boring, and I can get around to listening to it more eventually.

Rating: 7

2. Tsunagu Kizuna . Tsutsumu Kodoku

More like usual anison, the piano and the violin make an introduction with a strange, off-key single note hidden in the melody. The track gains some tempo with an acoustic guitars, and several solos from different members, until the touching and catchy chorus unravels, being especially effective since it's sung in unison and dreamlike bells. I haven't really expected to hear such a song from StylipS (whom I have never heard a song from before), but it seems the classic anison element is present as well. Every verse ends with a piano chord, before everything climaxes into the effective middle eight breakdown with a rocky guitar involved. How can it be possible that this isn't a tie-in?

Rating: 8

3. Brand-new Style!! ~Mahou Mitai na Show time~

Finalizing the single, a more energetic start opens, being much more idol-like and... cheerleaderly (?) with all the bright, happy, diabetes-inducing unison of voices. Like a mix of the previous two tracks, Brand-new Style uses both light electric guitars but also recurring anison elements like the violin. With, once again, almost no solo vocal usage, every member overly aims for the perfect kawaii voice, but only ends up with too much nasal usage and a sugary, unmemorable colour. For some strange reason, which very well may be the chord progression in the chorus, this song reminds me of Minorin (but, lately, everything does).

Rating: 7

If it were any other idol-pop group, I'd probably frown at the very idea of reviewing a single of theirs, but StylipS fortunately managed a good debut here at Japanese Melodia. Of course, I am hoping for more material alike to the second track, which was my favourite. My overall rating is: 7