Gackt Setsugekka ( The End Of Silence Review)

Gackt is without a doubt one of the most popular celebrities in Japan.  He is a famed actor and a great singer in Japan and has developed a cult following all over the world.  I personally, have come to be a fan of most of his music.  He has a lot of good rock songs as well as some good ballads.  One my favorite songs from him is the rock ballad, (Setsugekka- The End of Silence).  

The first thing I really like about this song is the build up intro.  The intro starts off real soft and subtle with the piano and then when the drums come in, it really sets up the rest of the song well.  Sometimes, these kind of intro's can drag out and make the listener board, but this is intro has just the right amount of time to it.  Gackt does an amazing job singing on this song.  He is really good at projecting the songs mood through singing and in this song he demonstrates that very well.  Another thing I like about this song is the chorus in it.  It is heavy, yet very powerful, and really captures the sorrowful mood of the song.  The violin in this song is a great and is a unique twist musically.  In music today, it is usually the guitar that is the lead instrument in rock and metal.  While that is certainly not a bad thing at all, it is still cool hear a different instrument become the lead every once in a while.  This violin solo that shows up after the second chorus is great, it sounds great and matches the music perfectly.  This is one of my favorite songs that uses violin in it.  

Lyrically, this is a great sorrowful song. It is about losing someone you love deeply and missing that person.  The way the message is conveyed is done very well and feels very personal.  Gackt typically does a great job with writing his lyrics and this song is no exception.  The Phrases really work well with the melody and that really helps to make the message stand out.   Some people don't know how important phrases are, but without good phrases, the songs message can get lost and as a result your audience can get confused on what your message is.  For this song though, there is no such thing,  the phrases are good and you completely understand what message Gackt is trying to get across. 

This is without a doubt one of, if not, my favorite Gackt songs.  The music is fantastic, a nice combination of heavy and melodic melodies that really work well together.  The violin gives a unique take that isn't common in metal, but is well executed.  The lyrics are well composed and people can easily relate to them if they have lost a loved one.  I give (Setsugekka) a 5 out of 5.  

Top 5 Japanese Metal / Visual Kei Ballads

Japanese Visual Kei has been know for its over the top looks and great rock diversity.  Some bands are in you face heavy metal, while others are more pop rock/metal driven.  One thing I have come to like about these bands that a lot of them have written very good ballads.  Musically, they sound very powerful and deliver some of the best melodies I have heard in a ballad.  Lyrically, they are very effective, if they are singing in Japanese, they are constructed well and sound great.  Even some of these actually do good English singing when they decide to go in that direction.  Here are the top 5 Japanese Metal/Visual Kei Ballads.

5.  Guren by The Gazette

Guren has sorrowful feel to it with lyrics that are about missing someone who passed away.  Ruki does a great job delivering a vocal melody that conveys the songs message well and sounds amazing.  The rest of the band delivers great music that shows the great musicianship this band has while at the same time sounding simple enough for a casual listener to enjoy.  Uruha's guitar solo is a nice melodic solo that really adds on to the sorrow feel of the song.  

4.  Chimera by Vistlip

Vistlip is known for delivering great ballads and many consider Chimera as one of their best. While Guren was more of a sorrowful song, this song is more of a romantic ballad.  Lyrically, it is about being with someone when they are hurting and the structure communicates it very well  The simple piano works very well to give the romantic feel this song goes for.  Tomo has a voice works very well with softer music and this song demonstrates that perfectly.  Yuh does some cool guitar tricks through out the song that really demonstrate his guitar skills without it becoming a distraction and in my opinion enhances the song musically.

3.  Libra by Nocturnal Bloodlust

 

Libra is a song that fuses hard core metal and the soft melodic feel of a ballad. The song starts off with Daichi playing that soft melodic guitar opening that leads to a heavy hard intro.  This is one of the few times I have heard Daichi do any lead sections in a song and he honestly is pretty good.  He is not as tricky as Cazqui, but he can clearly solo and I wish he would do it more.  Hiro does great melodic vocal work in the verse and chorus of this song before busting out his growling vocals in the bridge.  The music follows suit and goes into a more heavy mode when the bridge comes.  Even though it might seem sudden, it doesn't feel or sound out of place and works with the rest of the song.  Part of the reason is that lyrically, this song is about with someone in the toughest situations.  With a message like that, the heavy sections can really enhance that message and bring it out more. 

2.  P.S. I Love You by Gackt

 

P.S. I Love You is very powerful song, lyrically.  Basically, the entire song is someone reading a goodbye letter from a spouse that past away.  This makes the song more personal and you really feel the sorrow it represents.  Gackt is a good singer and conveys that message really well.  Even if you can't understand the language, the tone and the melody really makes you feel sad  and know that this is a sorrowful song.  The music is pretty good as well.  The piano sounds good and the rest of the band does a great job capturing the tone.  The guitar solo is a little short, but still well done.  Overall, a very powerful song.

1.  Linaria by Nocturnal Bloodlust

This song is another great example of how Nocturnal Bloddlust is good at writing ballads.  However, unlike how Libra was more of a combination of hard core and melodic metal, this song stays more on the softer melodic side.  There is some hard core vocals at the end, but it isn't there most of the song and it almost sounds like it is supposed to be in the background.  This song is one of Hiro's best performances vocally in my opinion.  He sounds smooth and brings out his melodic side very well in this song.  He also does a good job with this song lyrically.  This song has more of a sorrowful feel about missing the one you love.  Basically, the entire song is about longing to be with that person again.  Musically, Daichi did a fantastic job composing this song.  The soft melodic music sounds really good, the piano and softer guitar captures the mood perfectly.  Cazqui also does a great job in his guitar solo.  He puts away the tricky and speedy solo's for a soft melodic solo that sounds good.  This is one of the big things I like about Cazqui as a guitar player, he is very diverse.  He can be real heavy and fast while at the same time soft and melodic and that is really cool to see.  

Coldrain, Gone Review

Coldrain has become a popular band in Japan and has developed a cult following through out the rest of the world.  With a combination of metalcore and melodic metal, these guys have developed a unique sound with hints of inspiration from the band Sevendust.  I first heard of this band, when I discovered their song, We're Not Alone, used in the opening of the anime, Rainbow Nisha Rokubou No Shihinin.  The band was pretty popular in Japan already, but when they came out their song Gone, the song blew up, becoming one of the bands biggest hits and catapulting them to big time fame in Japan and increasing their fame world wide.  

With Gone, they take more of a melodic approach to the song, both vocally and musically.  The intro and verses in this song are used as an intro that leads into a heavy, powerful intro.  I really like this set up, it really conveys the sad and angry mode this song is going for.  Masato does a great job singing on this song. His melodic voice is very effective in communicating the songs message and his voice fits the music very well.  He does a slight screaming section in the pre chorus that then leads into a powerful, hard hitting chorus that sounds awesome.  The guitar work in this song is good as well.  It isn't super technical, but it doesn't need to be.  Ryo Yokochi does a lot of melodic playing in the intro and verse that adds a bit of mysterious feel that I really like.  I do think the could have done a little bit more with his guitar solo, but it isn't bad and works with the feel of the song.  

This song is clearly a break up song when it comes to the lyrics.  It is about someone who is in a bad relationship and they want to end it.  It is about that person feeling ignored, abandoned, and unable to make the person they are in the relationship happy no matter how hard they try.  The lyrics are written very well, they are to the point and easy to understand.  The way they are written is in the form of someone talking to the other person and telling them it is over.  This is very effective because it makes the song more personal and makes the listener feel like they are the ones communicating the message.  When it comes to the lyrics, the band did a fantastic job.

I can understand why this song really boosted Coldrain's fame.  It is a good, powerful song that sounds great and has a clear message that people can relate to.  The lyrics are great and the music is awesome.  The guitar solo could be improved slightly, but it is very minor.  I give Gone a 4 out of 5. 

Michele Luppi's Heaven Strive, A Rock Ballad Masterpiece

Michele Luppi is known as a great singer in Europe.  He has been part of many popular European metal and rock bands such as Vision Divine, Killing Touch, and currently Whitesnake.  I first learned of this singer when my Dad introduced me to Vision Divine.  I was really impressed by the vocals and ever since then have looked deeper into Michele Luppi's catalog.  I came to admire not just his vocals, but the music he made as well.  Along with being  a talented vocalist, the guy is also a great song writer and music producer.  One album that showcases his skills well is his album, Strive.    

Now, as the title hints, this is not an in your face rock and metal album.  It is basically a power ballad rock album.  Sometimes this can be a bad thing, but Michele Luppi actually executes this album well musically and lyrically.  The music really blends well in all the songs and while some songs fit the soft love song style, others are more soft rock oriented with a hint of the 80's.  The lyrics may be generic, but they are constructed well and the messages in the songs are good.  Overall, this album has. good energy and are very uplifting.

One of my favorite songs on this album is the opening song, Trust.  In my opinion this song is one of Michele Luppi's best vocally, He sounds good through out the song and he busts out some high vocal points that he is able to hold for a long time and that is really hard to do.  Musically, while it is not the heaviest song I have heard, the music is still very good.  The keyboard and guitar solos in this song are awesome.  They are both very good melodic solos, with some cool speed sections thrown in.  Lyrically, this is a song about sticking with your significant other, no matter what.  It is a song about embracing the special moments and not taking them per granted.  While this is a message we have heard many times, this songs presents that message well and constructs they lyrics in a way that people can relate to it, and that is very important when you try to communicate a message through song.  Check out the song by clicking the link below.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgE7zaEu3qc&list=PL0RwPc_dYNdVXCJudAgEFfb7x917trEQs

Another Song I love off this album is Stars.  This song has a good, upbeat feel to it, musically.  The keyboards used in the intro give a small 80's feel that really works with the upbeat feel.  The guitar in the verse is more heavy metal like than any other song on the album, but it doesn't feel out of place and works well with the rest of the music.  The guitar solo in this song is pretty similar to "Trust".  It is a good melodic solo with some speed thrown in at the end.  Lyrically, this song is probably the most personal of all the other songs on the album.  Basically, Michele Luppi is saying that he doesn't want to be a mega star and lose track with where he came from.  He wants still relate to common people.  The lyrics are constructed very well and they really bring out the message that Michele Luppi is trying to communicate.  Check out the song by clicking the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx4w7FmoHeE&index=5&list=PL0RwPc_dYNdVXCJudAgEFfb7x917trEQs

Even though this is not the heaviest album on the planet for metal heads, I still recommend it even if you are a metal head.  For Soft Rock people, you need to buy this album.  If you aren't a big rocker in any form or fashion,  this album will work for you as well.  It is a good balance of Rock, Upbeat fun, and good love ballad music that works for everybody.  You can check this album out on Spotify and if you like it, then you can buy it on ITunes, Ebay, and Amazon.  Strive by Michele Luppi's Heaven, check it out.  

Winger Seventeen Review

When it comes to the 80's metal scene, it was a scene where it was all about looking good and appealing to the ladies while at the same time pushing your musical skills to become better at your instrument with every record you made.  One band that fit that description perfectly is Winger.  Kip Winger is recognized as one of most attractive men in the 80's.  He even appeared on the cover of Play Girl Magazine.  At the same time, they were very great at their instruments and demonstrated that on every album they made.  Starting with one of their first singles, Seventeen.  

One thing I love about this band how great they are musically.  Kip Winger is a good singer and carries this song very well.  I don't think he is a legendary singer, but he does a good job and really adds to the great sound the song has.  Another great thing that this band has going for it is it's lead guitarist, Reb Beach.  This guy is a very good guitarist and this song showcases that very well.  His guitar solo is very impressive, technical and tricky.  While he had his fair share of guitar recognition in the 80's, he has sort of fallen of the map today and it is sad because the guy really is an amazing guitar player and deserves to be recognized for it.

Lyrically, this song doesn't stand out too much.  It is basically a song about wanting to get a girl, but she is too young because she is only seventeen.  Wanting a girl was a very common theme back in the 80's metal scene and these guys were no exception to that.  However, the lyrics are well written and well constructed.  They flow well and never sound off and they do deserve credit for that.  However, message wise, it isn't any different from the rest of the 80's metal bands.

While they lyrics are nothing special in this song, the music is fantastic.  the guitar riffs are great, Kip Winger sounds good, and the music flows well.  It is easy to see why these guys were so big in the 80's.  Yes they did look appealing to the girls, but they also had a lot of great musical talent.  The song is written well and the the guitar work of Reb Beach is amazing.  I give this song a 4 out of 5. 

Walt Disney and Music

Walt Disney is a legend in America and the world.  He is considered the man who took animation to the mainstream and rightfully so.  With his iconic movies like Sleeping Beauty, The Jungle Book, and Snow White, the first ever full length animated movie.  Walt Disney was ground breaking in animation and was the one who proved that you could do more then just 5 minute shorts and could do great stories with it.  One of Walt Disney's biggest boosts to his fame is how he used music in his movies.

Part of the reason that music was so important to Walt Disney was because that was the only audio he had to work with at first.  See, back in the 20's films were just starting to come out of the silent movie era thanks to The Jazz Singer in 1927, "which was the first movie to have synchronized sound". Before that, the only way to keep your audience engaged was with music.  Granted it typically wasn't much, many times it was just a piano being played in the theater while the movie was on, but because there was some form of audio to go with it, the audience kept their attention on it. Animation was no exception, music was the audio driving force to keep the audience is attention.

When The Jazz Singer came out, Walt decided to use this new technique of synchronized sound to create his Steam Boat Willie.  Now, while this short had more sound effects then in the past, music was still what kept the audience engaged because it had a flow that kept the show moving forward.  Without music, the short would have been more dull and less interesting.  For Walt though, he never really saw this as a problem, in fact he saw more opportunity in it and it became a staple in his shorts and movies.

In 1937 Walt Disney made Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.  This movie is credited for being the first full length animated movie.  Along with that, this movie was also the first in something else.  It was also the first movie to make its soundtrack commercially to the public.  The soundtrack contained 8 songs on the soundtrack and for the first time, people could purchase it.  The downside for Walt though was that since he did not have his own music company at the time, the rights for the songs went to Bourne CO.  Disney wouldn't have their own music label until 1949.

Even though Walt Disney didn't owned his own music, it didn't stop him from making it a major part of his movies.  He would continue his musical formula in his follow up movie, Pinocchio in 1940.  Just like Snow White, Walt worked to make catchy music stuck out just as much as the animation.  The film would end up winning an academy award for best score, and the song, When You Wish Upon a Star, would become a Disney Anthem.  Even today, this song is still a Disney staple that is recognized all over the world.  

After Pinocchio, Walt decided to take a new approach and instead of making music revolve around his movie, he made his movie revolve around music.  This would lead to the creation of one of my favorite Disney movies, Fantasia.  Fantasia is a series of shorts where Walt took classic big orchestra songs and made animation to go with the songs in the movie.  This movie would have some classic scenes such as "A Night On Bald Mountain", a dark song about demons partying in the night.  It was then followed by the beautiful, peaceful "Ave Maria", a peaceful song that Disney used to illustrate darkness being defeated and a new sun rising from it.  The most popular song though is " The Sorcerer's Apprentice.  This scene was considered to have the best combination of all the other scenes.  The song was good, the animation matched the song perfectly and the concept with Mickey Mouse wanting to learn magic would be what got people to say that Disney is magical. 

 

Sadly, shortly after Fantasia, World War 2 broke out and this created many problems for Walt Disney.  in order to gain support for the war, the government turned to entertainment to make propaganda to make people hate the Nazi's and Japan.  Walt Disney was not exempt from this.  However, unlike how some people say that Walt was a willing participant in making this propaganda, that really isn't true.  What really happened was that the government came and took control of his studio. The animators were to make nothing but shorts depicting the war. To add on to Walt's problems, he wasn't allowed to release any full length movies.  The only movies he could release were Packaged Films.  These were basically collections of old and some new shorts.  One of these packaged films actually contains one of my favorite shorts, Father Noah's Ark. A short musical story about Noah and the Ark.  

One of the packaged films that contained new shorts was Saludos Amigos.  This movie was a series of shorts inspired by Latin American countries, including Argentina and Brazil.  Along with the locations, Walt also used a lot of their music as inspiration for this film.  The most famous scene in this movie is Aquarela do Brasil.  This short has a short but very catchy song used to illustrate the parrot, Jose Carioca, teaching Donald Duck about South America.  Surprisingly, this movie would go on to wing 3 academy awards.

Once the war ended, Walt was able to get to doing what he loved doing most,  great animated musicals.   The movie, Cinderella would his first post war animated movie.  This was the first movie that was published musically under Walt Disney Records.  By this time, Walt Disney finally secured his own record label that gave him full rights and full control over his music.  This soundtrack would produce some classic Disney songs such as "A Dream is a Wish Your Heat Makes", and the popular, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo.  Clearly, the Walt Disney Everybody loved was back. 

After Cinderalla, Walt continued to make great musical movies until his death in 1966.  The last movie that he oversaw was "The Jungle Book".  The Jungle Book is a movie with many classic songs including, "I Want to Be Like You", and Trust in Me. However, the biggest song off this soundtrack is "Bare Necessities".  This song has become a Disney staple you hear all over Disney radio and referenced in Disney Parks.  Walt Disney did a great job on his last project and this soundtrack shows that.

As you can see, Walt Disney wasn't just a man who was innovative in terms of animation, he also knew how to make music work for his movies very well.  He had a lot of appreciation for music and ended up creating a classic formula.  This is formula that is still being used in Disney movies today such as Tangled and Enchanted.  While there are other great animated musicals outside of Disney, Walt Disney developed this formula and if any of these other movies makers are being honest, they were inspired by Disney.  RIP Walt Disney, you truly were a man of many talents.  

   

Nocturnal Bloodlust Break This Fake Review

I have said before that I am not the biggest fan of death metal or metal core music.  By nature I am more of a melodic metal kind of guy.  However, if there is one death metal band that has won me over, it is Nocturnal Bloodlust.  This band has amazed me time and time again and they do it yet again with their new single, Break This Fake.

Write off the back the bands lead guitarist, Cazqui, busts out that heavy yet groovy guitar intro.  A few measures later, the whole band joins in and plays a great intro that has the lower tuned, heavy sounding instruments but with very groovy music.  While everybody does a great job in the intro, and I love the guitar work in the intro, I have to give props to  the bands drummer, Natsu.  This guy is a very good drummer and showcases it very well in this song.  Just in the beginning he busts out great unique drum work and continues it through out the rest of the song.  When the verse comes in, the band continues playing the intro riff while the band's vocalist, Hiro, starts out with the traditional death metal style vocals.  I am not a big fan of that vocal style, but the music is very good and keeps me engaged in the song.  However, when the chorus comes in, then Hiro busts out the melodic side of his vocals.  He does a great job vocally and really delivers a powerful sound chorus vocally.  Another thing that makes this band unique is their song composition.  Typically, most songs are written in the form of intro, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, solo, then either ending chorus's or another verse then the final chorus.  However, this band structures this song differently.  The way this song is constructed is Intro, verse, chorus, bridge, verse, bridge, solo, chorus, ending.  This unique song structure really works well for this band and they make if sound good.  After the final bridge, Cazqui plays a short little melodic solo before the band heads into the final chorus.  After the chorus, Cazqui displays his amazing guitar skills by playing a fast finger tapping solo that leads into a great melodic solo.  What's great about Cazqui is how diverse he is as a guitar player.  He can be fast like Yngwie Malmsteen, at the same time very melodic like David Gilmour.  The man, is really underrated and deserves more recognition for his guitar skills.  Then before the songs ending, the bassist, Masa, does a cool short bass section before the songs ending that is very cool.  The one member I haven't mentioned yet is the rhythm guitarist, Daichi.  While he isn't the lead guitar player, the guy is still a very good guitar player and deserves more recognition then he gets.  He is very good and the few times he gets to solo he plays his heart out.  Don't overlook Daichi, he contributes just as much as the rest of the band.  Musically, this song continues to display this bands talent and creative mastery.

Lyrically, this is a rebellious song about people not being real and being in it for themselves.  The band is saying that they won't become that and they don't respect anyone who is.  I like how real the band is when they right lyrics and this song is no exception.  They are saying what they feel and despite a few phrases seeming to be not constructed properly, the lyrics are amazing and the band is clearly being real with the world in this song.  

This is a great song that is a must buy.  If you are a guitar guy, this song has a lot to offer and to take away from.  If you are a metal head this is a song you need.  While I am not a big fan of the growling vocals and think some of the lyrics could be written a little better, this song is still awesome.  I give Break This Fake a 4.5 out of 5.  

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Thumbelina Let Me Be Your Wings Review

For many people, Thumbelina is considered the start of a downward spiral of the famed Don Bluth.  This movie is said to have had a 28 million dollar budget and has only made a little over 11 million dollars, less than half the budget.  On top of that, the soundtrack is considered to be awful.  In fact, the song, Marry The Mole, ended up winning a Razzie for worst song.  It is the first animated movie to get a Razzie for its soundtrack, that is saying something.  However, there is one song of this movie's soundtrack that people seem to have taken a liking to.  That song is Let Me Be Your Wings.

First of all, the orchestra music in this song is composed well.  While it is simple, it works well with the mood of the song.  The way that the orchestra plays along with the vocals is a nice touch.  Musically, this would make a good instrumental song, without the vocals.  However, they vocals should not be left out or ignored.  The singers sound very confident and deliver a great melody vocally.  If the movie focused more on these 2 characters and not everything else so much, I think the reception of this movie might have been better.  They sound good and deliver a very good, melodic performance. 

Lyrically, this song is in a grey area.  While there some catchy phrases such as, "fly with me and I will be your wings", there are also phrases such as ,"for another world of wondrous things", that don't really stick.  This song has plenty of phrases like this that really take you out of it and don't keep you in it.  The vocals do a good job of trying to make the lyrics sound good, but it doesn't always work.  With some refining, the lyrics would be great.  They do help to advance the story and they are not terrible, but they are not constructed well and it hurts the song as a whole. 

Overall, I would say Let Me Be You Wings is a good song, but not a great song.  While the music is good and the vocals are great, the way the lyrics are set up hurts the song.  This song is the best song on this movies soundtrack, but considering how most of the songs are in this movie, that isn't saying much.  However, while this is not a must have song, I did enjoy listening to it and thanks to the music and vocals I can listen to if from time to time.  I give Let Me Be Your Wings a 3 out of 5.   

  

Girls Generation Holiday Review

Girls Generation has come to there 10 year mark and to celebrate this achievement, which is saying something in the Kpop world, they released a new album called Holiday Night.  One of their first singles on this new album is Holiday.  The song has not even been released a full day and it has already reached over 3 million views on YouTube and the views are going up very quickly.  Considering all this, lets take a look at Girls Generation's new song, Holiday.

Musically, this is one of my favorite Girls Generation songs.  The music has a cool soul and funk feel to it, reminding me a little bit of the 70's.  It's fast paced and it sounds fun, and the funk sound in the song really helps to make it stand out.  Vocally, all the girls sound good, as usual.  Girls Generation is very fortunate to have some very good singers.  Taeyeon and Seohyun are some stand outs for me.  They are great singers that have great range and melody.  They showcase these attributes very well in this song.  Hyoyeon's rap section is pretty catchy and I think it was a smart move to give her that roll in this song.  Out of all the singers in Girls Generation, her style and voice works best for rapping and this song proves that.  The main stand out for me though is Tiffany.  Her voice and range works very well with the music in this song.  I actually think that for Tiffany's next solo album, she should actually take this musical approach to it because it works so well with her voice.

Lyrically, this is just like any other Kpop song.  Basically, the song is about having fun and being in a happy relationship.  The way they are constructed is pretty good, but they aren't personal to the members and it is something we have heard constantly out of Kpop.  If the lyrics were more about how happy the girls are to be together for 10 years, that would be personal and real.  That would resonate and would be message people embrace just as well, if not better.  Basically, they took the safe route lyrically and didn't venture outside the safe zone. 

Overall, this is a great single and a good way for Girls Generation to start off their 10 year celebration.  While the lyrics are not special, the music is some of the best of the Girls Generation Discography.   Vocally, the girls sound fantastic and are clearly still very talented after 10 years.  With good music and great vocals, I give Holiday a 4.5 out of 5.