Usually when I do a music pick, I like to offer what I think is great music, but this month it seems that I'm being more of a critic instead. *laughs* I do get nit picky over my favorite artists, but to a certain extent I think these albums still appeal to me. I'm not trying to downplay anyone here, just offering my honest opinion.
Endless Forms of Beautiful
by Nightwish
Another astounding piece of work by Nightwish. Floor Jansen as their new vocalist was a very good choice. She has operatic quality like Tarja that a lot of fans like and also her own style of singing. Endless Forms Most Beautiful draws huge influences from Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. A lot of subject matter and the music composition relates to evolving, the process of life, and survival of the fittest. The tracks are all very well written and I've enjoyed each of them thoroughly. Weak Fantasy is my favorite track because it is great to headbang to while Edema Ruh is an upbeat ballad set to some pretty poetic lyrics. My criticism with the album is that it's not too different from Imaginaerum. Endless Forms Most Beautiful is like a continuation of Imaginaerum with different subject matter. However after hearing Endless Forms Most Beautiful, I enjoy it more than Imaginaerum because it feels even more complex.
Yasou Emaki
by Wagakki Band
Sadly this album doesn't live up to Wagakki Band's debut album. I was pretty disappointed to be honest because I feel like it doesn't have the same energy as the first album. What I liked in VOCALO Zanmai was that the band created interesting reinterpretations of pop rock songs. Their second album explores original work, but I feel that it is still lacking. It is not to say that I don't like this album. Their opening track, ikusa, is fiery and powerful to jam to. Hanabi speaks to me the true essence of Wagakki Band combining traditional and modern instruments. The other songs sound like to me a rock song that they decided to use traditional instruments to play in place of guitars.
Madrigal de Maria
by Sadie
Sadie's music always has me on the fence. Sometimes their stuff gets me excites. Sometimes it leaves me hanging. I like their dark undertones in their music, but sometimes I find their music similar to other songs. While a lot of people accuse Mao of being a Kyo clone, I sadly have to agree that some of the tracks can be easily picked as being too heavily influenced from Dir en grey. One of the examples I'm going to use is Uso ni mamireta shinzitsuno soko. To me, I feel like it's too similar to Dir en grey's Ware, Yami Tote. They actually don't sound the same, but the structure is very similar. Both songs start off with acoustic guitars and the vocals start off soft. By the end of the songs, the vocals are progressively intense. Even other songs on their album remind me of Dir en grey's work. Like for some reason, I am picking up bits and pieces of Vinushka in Demon's Cradle. They are not copies, but rather small riffs and hints of Dir en grey that come across as imitation rather than inspiration. What I do like about the album is being experimental with time signatures and varying between acoustic and electric. I actually enjoyed Madara and Yasashiku Koroshite a lot. Because Mao has a rather limited vocal range in comparison to Kyo, I am hoping that Sadie creates music more suitable to Mao's voices.
Vitium
by sukekiyo
Classified as a mini album very different from sukekiyo's previous work, members have suggested that listeners choose their own way to enjoy this mini album. I do agree that it is very different from Immortalis. Taking a glance at the song titles, they don't seem to have anything to do with each other which suggests that it isn't joined together by a single theme. So I viewed it more as a compilation of new songs. It's still highly experimental rock though. Maybe it was the instruments they used that still retained that sukekiyo flavor. I think I enjoyed Vitium more than I enjoyed Immortalis after listening to it. I think it opened my eyes to see how sukekiyo can evolve even further.
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