DIVISION.
this LJ is slowly becoming a Tessa's Review Time journal xD I promise I'm updating with some Aoiha smut soon!
So.
DIVISION.
I had my doubts . While TOXIC earned my respect through the VC tour / OMEGA, the album as a whole just wasn't my preferred style. I know there are many people who absolutely adored those songs - UNTITLED and TOMORROW NEVER DIES, especially. However, in my case, there was only one song that truly made my throat clench and heart hammer against my rib cage. So, when the news of DIVISION was released, I was highly skeptical (mostly to do with Ruki's insistence that this was a sequel to TOXIC) and avoided pre-ordering for quite some time. I was still hesitant when the preview of Ibitsu was released - it sounded like an upgraded SHIVER to me and, really, the only thing that started to pique my interest was DERANGEMENT.
WELP.
THIS ALBUM LITERALLY KICKED ME IN THE FACE AND MADE ME CHOKE ON MY DOUBTFUL WORDS.
Holy shit.
That's about as coherent as I got when listening to my copy (because those 30 sec previews on Amazon lured me in and made my wallet squeal xD). I literally just put on my headphones, tipped back my chair, and let this album do the rest of the work.
So. Here we go.
FRAGMENT [VEIN]
First off: I'm still flailing over this whole concept of separation in the album. It's just that little extra nuance that really drives this work forward and sets it apart from DIM or TOXIC, etc. I love how Ruki thinks - nothing is ever simple and to-the-point. There's always another layer, another hidden meaning, and it forces the listener to think. Wonderful.
[Depth]
WHOA THERE. Totally not what I was expecting to hear first. That "purring" effect was really interesting - and then the ascent into this very ethereal, atmospherical music was so breathtaking. Just.. totally not what I imagined the opening would be like and it really fits in so well to the overall tone of DISC 1. It's light, filled with subtleties like breathy "pants" and low, underlying beats, all culminating into a flash of sound. I think this might be one of my favorite intros the GazettE has done. I'm usually not one for intros - I tend to get bored (for shame, I know), but [Depth] immediately grabbed my attention and held it until the last note.
歪
I had been listening to the full version of this song on repeat since it was released. I had to somehow distract myself from actually downloading the album and spoiling myself xD I've become familiar with all the guitar wails, the crooning of Ruki's voice, the driving force of Reita's bass, and the beast that is Kai's drumming, but it doesn't matter how much I've replayed the shit out of it. Ibitsu still makes me stop and listen. There's something about it that grabs hold of me - perhaps it's because I had such low expectations for this song and now, faced with the reality of how intricate it really is, I can't stop listening to it, haha. When the preview first came out, I was convinced it was another SHIVER - and the PV did nothing to drive me away from that assumption. My immediate thoughts were: hackneyed chorus-verse-chorus, same old monochrome.
But now, I know better xD Ibitsu might not be the most complex or most breathtaking song, but I feel that it's arranged much cleaner than SHIVER was (or RED for that matter) and the PV ... omg the PV. We finally have different angles, different uses of negative space, different effects that don't resort to that shaky-blur camerawork. Ruki and Uruha definitely stole the show - both are really such showmen and their dramatics always make any PV seem that much more concrete. The other three are amazing as well, of course, but Reita needs to learn different poses and Aoi needs to keep his head up more xD Kai - what a beast. That drumming. That hair.
Gorgeous - PV, song, and all.
籠の蛹
Oh my.
Kai. Write more songs. Please. Please.
I believe this is my favorite song from DISC 1. It's so gorgeous. From the very first chords, the soft warbling voices of the girls (the Gazeladies 8D), the fade-out into Ruki's timbre and that lone, keening guitar.. Dear god. And then the 'meat' of the song - the driving beat and the slow crescendo into something breathless in how it presses against your lungs.. It seriously touches each one of my vices.
I remember someone saying once that some songs in TOXIC fell flat for them because Ruki's voice didn't resonate as much as it did in others - and I understand that now. I feel like there is so much emotion in this - it just leaks through every note and harmony and solo. This is the kind of "light" song that will keep me awake at night, much like songs on DIM / NIL had. And there are so many nuances - an acoustic here, a break in voice there, a wah-wah of a guitar... I wish I knew more technical terms because I feel like everything in their arsenal was utilized so perfectly here.
AND I'M SO EXCITED FOR THE RETURN OF THE GAZELADIES. I seriously flailed when I heard them xD
ヘドロ
Good ol' HEDERO.
I was a little thrown with tracking since Kago no Sanagi seemed to not have that 'in-your-face', blasting quality that Hedero has and to have that abrupt transition was a little startling, haha! But Gazetto loves to keep us on our toes, so I guess that's what they were going for xD Just when you think you grasp the tone of the disc... xD
The first whispers of electro are introduced here and I think that was a good idea, rather than having it come on suddenly in DISC 2. Ahhh this song really has a nostalgic quality to it for some reason.. I want to refrain from using the hackneyed terms of "old" and "new" GazettE, but Hedero really does remind me of something that could fit alongside their older work. It seems like such a 'live' song and omg the chorus! So friggin' catchy that I found myself singing along to Ruki's "tadatadatada" immediately xD The little 'break down' / headbanging interlude was brilliantly done. All in all, such an awesome, fun song 8D
影踏み
This one.. If I had to pick a 'least favorite' on DISC 1, it would have to be Kagefumi. It's still gorgeous, but 'Kago no Sanagi' has already filled the flailing spot in my heart in terms of lighter compositions :)
The intro was something I didn't expect of the GazettE for some reason. It just seemed so different from their usual, 'ballad-like' songs. It was refreshing, a rush of something different, but still holding onto the roots that we know them for. And oh, the little break when suddenly all the noise just suddenly stops and it's just Ruki - absolutely beautiful. Oh my god. For a band that doesn't want to be known for Cassis, they seriously compose such beautiful light melodies that still have a soft bite to them - melodies that will be in your chest well after the song fades out. The solo - not sure if this is Uruha or Aoi, I'll never be able to tell by ear like some people xD - is wondeful as well. A soft lolling in the metaphorical waves that this song produces. I don't know why I imagine an ocean, but it's an image that immediately came to mind - the notes and harmonies like a gentle tide that cradles the listener as they wade through.. And those notes (I don't even know what to call them really - they're almost like breathy moans haha) around 4:10.. Just. Holy shit.
余韻
This was probably the song I was most looking forward to - my obvious Aoi-bias is definitely showing, haha. But more than that, the preview had faint traces of DIM and the slow loll of the instruments and Ruki's baritone.. just sliding, falling, and then suddenly the hard beats take over and it's just.. I don't even have words for it. I had learned about the true nature of this song before listening to its full version - how it was dedicated towards the March 2011 tsunami. And I think that totally changed my listening experience. There was an acute ache in each note, and the cries of the solo were so poignant that I can admit that I had to sit back in my chair and try not to tear up. I'm usually not one who cries at songs (besides birth in the death, but that's another story), but I think Yoin is just so utterly amazing. Ruki's vibrato, the orchestra, the sudden 'wave' of sound that hits your chest at the end..
Holy.
[Diplosomia]
Another ethereal piece. It's so calming, bringing the listener to such a peaceful place just before the chaos of DISC 2 rattles one's spine. And then it gets a little harder, a little more urgent, a little more like what's in store on the next set of songs. Diplosomia really connects the two discs very well - the correlation is unmistakable. Soft into hard.
Awesome, awesome, awesome.
FRAGMENT [ARTERY]
aka: the disc in which Tessa loses her shit \8D/
[XI]
I really can't get over how accurate this intro is in terms of introducing the songs on this disc. Hard, fast, electro, with a touch of chaos. I think the GazettE have really honed their style of 'dubstep' and it sounds so much cleaner, so much more 'them', than in the intro to TOXIC. And I don't think that's my bias speaking - it's not so all-over-the-place, let's-try-everything. It has a focused direction as the intro winds around the listener's headphones (by the by: Headphones - invest. It seriously makes all the difference, even if they're cheap iPod ones). I enjoy how it isn't too long - extended intros/outros get tiresome for me and I find myself skipping over them in haste, but XI does a great job of getting the point across in a timely, amazing matter :D
DERANGEMENT
OHOHO. This. Song.
I think everyone was losing their shit over this song. And when the extended preview came out, I remember seeing a good amount of interest start to wane, but I found myself even more infected by this new style of sound. I had been hesitant before, but the chorus was just so damn catchy that I gave in - I had started to replay the shit out of the radio-cut and spam the Engrish lyrics (well, what we all thought to be the Engrish lyrics because with Ruki you can never be sure without the official ones xD) on my twitter, haha.
I was seriously struck by how much cleaner the CD version was, which I guess isn't surprising since radio does garble a lot of nuances, but omg. There were things in the very beginning that I hadn't known about at all - and mother of god, just so amazing. The use of electro is pretty heavy in this song and there are many numerous forms of vocoding - but I enjoyed it immensely. Unlike a lot of mainstream crap on the radio, I think it was done very tastefully. It was for artistic intent and it wasn't overused. It drove certain aspects of the song harder than if it had been just Ruki's raw vocals. And omg his raw vocals are seriously astounding in this too - especially those growls. Mother of god. Poor Koron, having to randomly listen to that throughout the birth of this song xD But anyways, the instrumentals are spectacular - Kai is really fucking owning these goddamn drums. He manages to make every song sound so distinctly unique and I really don't think he gets enough credit for that. I have a feeling this is going to be a beast live. *A*
AND UM. CAN WE JUST FUCKING DISCUSS THAT PV? What the shit was that xDDD
I'm so squeamish when it comes to shit going on with eyes, so I REALLY DIDN'T APPRECIATE THOSE PARTS IN THE MIRROR, but I''m so fucking ecstatic that GazettE is dabbling in more "controversial" PVs again (rather than them all playing in an enclosed space, yada yada). But yeah. I just.. don't even know what I watched, hahah! And I had my volume turned up pretty loud so that static in the beginning and end scared the shit out of me OTL Not gonna lie, I was pretty much covering my mouth and whispering "what the fuck" throughout most of it xD
...I love it.
REQUIRED MALFUNCTION
OH. MY. GOD.
Hands down, favorite song on this disc (actually, it's a tie with DRIPPING INSANITY, but we'll get to that in a minute).
From the very first second, I was absolutely, utterly, completely smitten. I can't even tell you how wide I smiled - and all I could think of was "they're back". Not that they had gone anywhere, but it's a certain sound that I feel like we hadn't heard in awhile. The GazettE's notorious switching of tone and style within one song is something I feel hasn't been truly done in quite a while and to hear like.. 5 different styles in a span of 4 minutes was AMAZING. It was so fun to listen to, trying to catch all the subtleties and little add-ins in the guitars and bass.. And christ that chorus is addicting. AND THAT LITTLE "DA DA DADA". OH MY GOD I CAN'T EVEN TAKE IT. I feel like it had everything. A hard beat, a good use of electro, an anthem-like chorus.. fuck xD
And that's really all I have to say because the rest of it is just incoherent gibberish (asdfhjkjhgfdsa).
DRIPPING INSANITY
The excitement level for this song was right up there with Yoin.
And motherfuck, it fucking delivered.
There is something so powerful about this song - how it's hard right from the beginning, but has such a soul-gripping chorus. Many have compared this to UNTITLED, but I think DRIPPING INSANITY makes up for what the former lacked, at least in my opinion. UNTITLED was beautiful, but there was no bite to it - the crescendo was lacking for the big, chorus moment. DRIPPING INSANITY, on the other hand, has a chorus that strikes you right in the gut - it grabs something in you and doesn't let go and pulls. And dear lord those screams - so mesmerizingly haunting. I think I saw someone on tumblr comment that "these screams finally sound like something Ruki believes in". And I agree with that so, so much. Ruki's screams always jar something within me, but something about this song rattles me more than most. The fact that this is a continuation of sorts to Bath Room (my favorite song by them) probably has everything to do with it.
All the love for this song. All of it.
ATTITUDE
The 'least favorite on DISC 2' award goes to this song, but it's still pretty kickass 8D
Another holy-shit-this-is-going-to-AMAZING-live song \8D/ I'm always impressed by how much hardness (lawls) the GazettE can instill into their songs. That rhythm section are such animals in this regard - AND KAI THOSE DRUMS. WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU BEAST. I think my favorite part is Ruki's "Give me noise" - it's such a cool little lyric in the usual maelstrom of Engrish that usually occurs in these sorts of songs xD
That little break down refrain killed me though - I couldn't help it, I laughed a bit, haha. I was like, "Oh, Ruki. What is this." But in an endearing way lol. But yes, I love how this song showcases those background vocals from the rest of the band and I think that's going to provide such an amazing atmosphere for the GOD tour (the most appropriate acronym of all time, yes).
GABRIEL ON THE GALLOWS
Yes, hello, this is exactly the kind of tone I thought a song with this sort of title would have. And thank god because it seriously delivered. One thing I have to say is that they've done a great job of using electro in a way that lets the instrumentals still shine - rather than a focal point, it's an underlying current that propels the song forward.
I think this is an awesome final song to an album - it has powerhouse vocals and a wonderful chorus. It's not a "DIM SCENE", but unlike with TOXIC, I tried my hardest to not compare this to DIM. DIVISION is truly an album of its own and I might have to disagree with Ruki in how it's a TOXIC Part II because.. although I can pick apart some traces of influence, DIVISION has its own unique sound that I don't think TOXIC captured at all. This is GazettE in their element - they've experimented, improved, and refined themselves. And that is what's so amazing about this band - that they aren't afraid to do something out of the ordinary for themselves and once they do so, they strive to improve upon their sound - always.
Having songs tgat last an average of 4 minutes truly made all the difference. It gave the band time to include all the intricacies that makes their sound so distinct. This is a band that can impact you in 2 minutes, but can leave you absolutely breathless-what-the-fuck-was-that-omg-again-please in four.
For the sake of this not turning into an epic novel (it's at novella status right now, I know xD), all I can say is: holy shit. This band will always blindside me. Always. Please, do yourself a favor, and listen to this album. No matter what your musical preference is, DIVISION has something for you. <33
So.
DIVISION.
I had my doubts . While TOXIC earned my respect through the VC tour / OMEGA, the album as a whole just wasn't my preferred style. I know there are many people who absolutely adored those songs - UNTITLED and TOMORROW NEVER DIES, especially. However, in my case, there was only one song that truly made my throat clench and heart hammer against my rib cage. So, when the news of DIVISION was released, I was highly skeptical (mostly to do with Ruki's insistence that this was a sequel to TOXIC) and avoided pre-ordering for quite some time. I was still hesitant when the preview of Ibitsu was released - it sounded like an upgraded SHIVER to me and, really, the only thing that started to pique my interest was DERANGEMENT.
WELP.
THIS ALBUM LITERALLY KICKED ME IN THE FACE AND MADE ME CHOKE ON MY DOUBTFUL WORDS.
Holy shit.
That's about as coherent as I got when listening to my copy (because those 30 sec previews on Amazon lured me in and made my wallet squeal xD). I literally just put on my headphones, tipped back my chair, and let this album do the rest of the work.
So. Here we go.
FRAGMENT [VEIN]
First off: I'm still flailing over this whole concept of separation in the album. It's just that little extra nuance that really drives this work forward and sets it apart from DIM or TOXIC, etc. I love how Ruki thinks - nothing is ever simple and to-the-point. There's always another layer, another hidden meaning, and it forces the listener to think. Wonderful.
[Depth]
WHOA THERE. Totally not what I was expecting to hear first. That "purring" effect was really interesting - and then the ascent into this very ethereal, atmospherical music was so breathtaking. Just.. totally not what I imagined the opening would be like and it really fits in so well to the overall tone of DISC 1. It's light, filled with subtleties like breathy "pants" and low, underlying beats, all culminating into a flash of sound. I think this might be one of my favorite intros the GazettE has done. I'm usually not one for intros - I tend to get bored (for shame, I know), but [Depth] immediately grabbed my attention and held it until the last note.
歪
I had been listening to the full version of this song on repeat since it was released. I had to somehow distract myself from actually downloading the album and spoiling myself xD I've become familiar with all the guitar wails, the crooning of Ruki's voice, the driving force of Reita's bass, and the beast that is Kai's drumming, but it doesn't matter how much I've replayed the shit out of it. Ibitsu still makes me stop and listen. There's something about it that grabs hold of me - perhaps it's because I had such low expectations for this song and now, faced with the reality of how intricate it really is, I can't stop listening to it, haha. When the preview first came out, I was convinced it was another SHIVER - and the PV did nothing to drive me away from that assumption. My immediate thoughts were: hackneyed chorus-verse-chorus, same old monochrome.
But now, I know better xD Ibitsu might not be the most complex or most breathtaking song, but I feel that it's arranged much cleaner than SHIVER was (or RED for that matter) and the PV ... omg the PV. We finally have different angles, different uses of negative space, different effects that don't resort to that shaky-blur camerawork. Ruki and Uruha definitely stole the show - both are really such showmen and their dramatics always make any PV seem that much more concrete. The other three are amazing as well, of course, but Reita needs to learn different poses and Aoi needs to keep his head up more xD Kai - what a beast. That drumming. That hair.
Gorgeous - PV, song, and all.
籠の蛹
Oh my.
Kai. Write more songs. Please. Please.
I believe this is my favorite song from DISC 1. It's so gorgeous. From the very first chords, the soft warbling voices of the girls (the Gazeladies 8D), the fade-out into Ruki's timbre and that lone, keening guitar.. Dear god. And then the 'meat' of the song - the driving beat and the slow crescendo into something breathless in how it presses against your lungs.. It seriously touches each one of my vices.
I remember someone saying once that some songs in TOXIC fell flat for them because Ruki's voice didn't resonate as much as it did in others - and I understand that now. I feel like there is so much emotion in this - it just leaks through every note and harmony and solo. This is the kind of "light" song that will keep me awake at night, much like songs on DIM / NIL had. And there are so many nuances - an acoustic here, a break in voice there, a wah-wah of a guitar... I wish I knew more technical terms because I feel like everything in their arsenal was utilized so perfectly here.
AND I'M SO EXCITED FOR THE RETURN OF THE GAZELADIES. I seriously flailed when I heard them xD
ヘドロ
Good ol' HEDERO.
I was a little thrown with tracking since Kago no Sanagi seemed to not have that 'in-your-face', blasting quality that Hedero has and to have that abrupt transition was a little startling, haha! But Gazetto loves to keep us on our toes, so I guess that's what they were going for xD Just when you think you grasp the tone of the disc... xD
The first whispers of electro are introduced here and I think that was a good idea, rather than having it come on suddenly in DISC 2. Ahhh this song really has a nostalgic quality to it for some reason.. I want to refrain from using the hackneyed terms of "old" and "new" GazettE, but Hedero really does remind me of something that could fit alongside their older work. It seems like such a 'live' song and omg the chorus! So friggin' catchy that I found myself singing along to Ruki's "tadatadatada" immediately xD The little 'break down' / headbanging interlude was brilliantly done. All in all, such an awesome, fun song 8D
影踏み
This one.. If I had to pick a 'least favorite' on DISC 1, it would have to be Kagefumi. It's still gorgeous, but 'Kago no Sanagi' has already filled the flailing spot in my heart in terms of lighter compositions :)
The intro was something I didn't expect of the GazettE for some reason. It just seemed so different from their usual, 'ballad-like' songs. It was refreshing, a rush of something different, but still holding onto the roots that we know them for. And oh, the little break when suddenly all the noise just suddenly stops and it's just Ruki - absolutely beautiful. Oh my god. For a band that doesn't want to be known for Cassis, they seriously compose such beautiful light melodies that still have a soft bite to them - melodies that will be in your chest well after the song fades out. The solo - not sure if this is Uruha or Aoi, I'll never be able to tell by ear like some people xD - is wondeful as well. A soft lolling in the metaphorical waves that this song produces. I don't know why I imagine an ocean, but it's an image that immediately came to mind - the notes and harmonies like a gentle tide that cradles the listener as they wade through.. And those notes (I don't even know what to call them really - they're almost like breathy moans haha) around 4:10.. Just. Holy shit.
余韻
This was probably the song I was most looking forward to - my obvious Aoi-bias is definitely showing, haha. But more than that, the preview had faint traces of DIM and the slow loll of the instruments and Ruki's baritone.. just sliding, falling, and then suddenly the hard beats take over and it's just.. I don't even have words for it. I had learned about the true nature of this song before listening to its full version - how it was dedicated towards the March 2011 tsunami. And I think that totally changed my listening experience. There was an acute ache in each note, and the cries of the solo were so poignant that I can admit that I had to sit back in my chair and try not to tear up. I'm usually not one who cries at songs (besides birth in the death, but that's another story), but I think Yoin is just so utterly amazing. Ruki's vibrato, the orchestra, the sudden 'wave' of sound that hits your chest at the end..
Holy.
[Diplosomia]
Another ethereal piece. It's so calming, bringing the listener to such a peaceful place just before the chaos of DISC 2 rattles one's spine. And then it gets a little harder, a little more urgent, a little more like what's in store on the next set of songs. Diplosomia really connects the two discs very well - the correlation is unmistakable. Soft into hard.
Awesome, awesome, awesome.
FRAGMENT [ARTERY]
aka: the disc in which Tessa loses her shit \8D/
[XI]
I really can't get over how accurate this intro is in terms of introducing the songs on this disc. Hard, fast, electro, with a touch of chaos. I think the GazettE have really honed their style of 'dubstep' and it sounds so much cleaner, so much more 'them', than in the intro to TOXIC. And I don't think that's my bias speaking - it's not so all-over-the-place, let's-try-everything. It has a focused direction as the intro winds around the listener's headphones (by the by: Headphones - invest. It seriously makes all the difference, even if they're cheap iPod ones). I enjoy how it isn't too long - extended intros/outros get tiresome for me and I find myself skipping over them in haste, but XI does a great job of getting the point across in a timely, amazing matter :D
DERANGEMENT
OHOHO. This. Song.
I think everyone was losing their shit over this song. And when the extended preview came out, I remember seeing a good amount of interest start to wane, but I found myself even more infected by this new style of sound. I had been hesitant before, but the chorus was just so damn catchy that I gave in - I had started to replay the shit out of the radio-cut and spam the Engrish lyrics (well, what we all thought to be the Engrish lyrics because with Ruki you can never be sure without the official ones xD) on my twitter, haha.
I was seriously struck by how much cleaner the CD version was, which I guess isn't surprising since radio does garble a lot of nuances, but omg. There were things in the very beginning that I hadn't known about at all - and mother of god, just so amazing. The use of electro is pretty heavy in this song and there are many numerous forms of vocoding - but I enjoyed it immensely. Unlike a lot of mainstream crap on the radio, I think it was done very tastefully. It was for artistic intent and it wasn't overused. It drove certain aspects of the song harder than if it had been just Ruki's raw vocals. And omg his raw vocals are seriously astounding in this too - especially those growls. Mother of god. Poor Koron, having to randomly listen to that throughout the birth of this song xD But anyways, the instrumentals are spectacular - Kai is really fucking owning these goddamn drums. He manages to make every song sound so distinctly unique and I really don't think he gets enough credit for that. I have a feeling this is going to be a beast live. *A*
AND UM. CAN WE JUST FUCKING DISCUSS THAT PV? What the shit was that xDDD
I'm so squeamish when it comes to shit going on with eyes, so I REALLY DIDN'T APPRECIATE THOSE PARTS IN THE MIRROR, but I''m so fucking ecstatic that GazettE is dabbling in more "controversial" PVs again (rather than them all playing in an enclosed space, yada yada). But yeah. I just.. don't even know what I watched, hahah! And I had my volume turned up pretty loud so that static in the beginning and end scared the shit out of me OTL Not gonna lie, I was pretty much covering my mouth and whispering "what the fuck" throughout most of it xD
...I love it.
REQUIRED MALFUNCTION
OH. MY. GOD.
Hands down, favorite song on this disc (actually, it's a tie with DRIPPING INSANITY, but we'll get to that in a minute).
From the very first second, I was absolutely, utterly, completely smitten. I can't even tell you how wide I smiled - and all I could think of was "they're back". Not that they had gone anywhere, but it's a certain sound that I feel like we hadn't heard in awhile. The GazettE's notorious switching of tone and style within one song is something I feel hasn't been truly done in quite a while and to hear like.. 5 different styles in a span of 4 minutes was AMAZING. It was so fun to listen to, trying to catch all the subtleties and little add-ins in the guitars and bass.. And christ that chorus is addicting. AND THAT LITTLE "DA DA DADA". OH MY GOD I CAN'T EVEN TAKE IT. I feel like it had everything. A hard beat, a good use of electro, an anthem-like chorus.. fuck xD
And that's really all I have to say because the rest of it is just incoherent gibberish (asdfhjkjhgfdsa).
DRIPPING INSANITY
The excitement level for this song was right up there with Yoin.
And motherfuck, it fucking delivered.
There is something so powerful about this song - how it's hard right from the beginning, but has such a soul-gripping chorus. Many have compared this to UNTITLED, but I think DRIPPING INSANITY makes up for what the former lacked, at least in my opinion. UNTITLED was beautiful, but there was no bite to it - the crescendo was lacking for the big, chorus moment. DRIPPING INSANITY, on the other hand, has a chorus that strikes you right in the gut - it grabs something in you and doesn't let go and pulls. And dear lord those screams - so mesmerizingly haunting. I think I saw someone on tumblr comment that "these screams finally sound like something Ruki believes in". And I agree with that so, so much. Ruki's screams always jar something within me, but something about this song rattles me more than most. The fact that this is a continuation of sorts to Bath Room (my favorite song by them) probably has everything to do with it.
All the love for this song. All of it.
ATTITUDE
The 'least favorite on DISC 2' award goes to this song, but it's still pretty kickass 8D
Another holy-shit-this-is-going-to-AMAZING-live song \8D/ I'm always impressed by how much hardness (lawls) the GazettE can instill into their songs. That rhythm section are such animals in this regard - AND KAI THOSE DRUMS. WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU BEAST. I think my favorite part is Ruki's "Give me noise" - it's such a cool little lyric in the usual maelstrom of Engrish that usually occurs in these sorts of songs xD
That little break down refrain killed me though - I couldn't help it, I laughed a bit, haha. I was like, "Oh, Ruki. What is this." But in an endearing way lol. But yes, I love how this song showcases those background vocals from the rest of the band and I think that's going to provide such an amazing atmosphere for the GOD tour (the most appropriate acronym of all time, yes).
GABRIEL ON THE GALLOWS
Yes, hello, this is exactly the kind of tone I thought a song with this sort of title would have. And thank god because it seriously delivered. One thing I have to say is that they've done a great job of using electro in a way that lets the instrumentals still shine - rather than a focal point, it's an underlying current that propels the song forward.
I think this is an awesome final song to an album - it has powerhouse vocals and a wonderful chorus. It's not a "DIM SCENE", but unlike with TOXIC, I tried my hardest to not compare this to DIM. DIVISION is truly an album of its own and I might have to disagree with Ruki in how it's a TOXIC Part II because.. although I can pick apart some traces of influence, DIVISION has its own unique sound that I don't think TOXIC captured at all. This is GazettE in their element - they've experimented, improved, and refined themselves. And that is what's so amazing about this band - that they aren't afraid to do something out of the ordinary for themselves and once they do so, they strive to improve upon their sound - always.
Having songs tgat last an average of 4 minutes truly made all the difference. It gave the band time to include all the intricacies that makes their sound so distinct. This is a band that can impact you in 2 minutes, but can leave you absolutely breathless-what-the-fuck-was-that-omg-again-please in four.
For the sake of this not turning into an epic novel (it's at novella status right now, I know xD), all I can say is: holy shit. This band will always blindside me. Always. Please, do yourself a favor, and listen to this album. No matter what your musical preference is, DIVISION has something for you. <33