I feel Kein’s second album came with a really high set of expectations for fans in general. I don’t think I’ll go into a song-by-song review at this time but I open this topic to share some broad throughts and specially read what other people think (specially since it seems people liked the album more than I do).
I was always impressed by their first album. I know it was a coming-back-to-shape album comripised of self covers of their old days songs but everything was so intense, so spot with great songs . The EP follow ups PARADOXON DOLORIS and delusional inflamation I was less amazed by, specially the first one but they are still super solid CDs.
The idea of a full on brand new album was amazing and when the lead song, The Messy-Haired Grimalkin, was published It really made me have confidence in this album.
Overall it didn’t actually meet my (high but not outlandish) expectations, but I really loved many things about it. I think in terms of putting up a wall of would that has both a properly envolving presence and room to enjoy every instrument as you choose is very well done and all the tracks have good moments, but I can hardly think of a moment that made me feel like the best tracks on the first one. So, while the floor has been raised from the previews EPs, i’d say it never reaches the highs I was expecting from the band that put out that first album when they reunited.
My favorite standouts are:
-自壊の肖像: great opener, I’d say on par with their older stuff. I would also like to shout out Superbia, the intro SE that really hypes me up. That would all be for nothing if this wasn’t up to par and it really is!
-The Messy-Haired Grimalkin, a direction I would have liked to go a bit more into for more tracks and that opened up the kind of sensibility the band can portray
-雨音の記憶: I wasn’t surprised to read this was a song from the old days. It really shows in the best sense of the word
-Trues: a solid closer that maintains energy.
Not the only good tracks on the album but I think those have the highest chance to be liked by most.
What I would have liked is more punchy and intense vocal lines. I got the feelings that there’s a bit too much ‘la la la’ on songs where it doesn’t belong. I have also liked a bit more of courage to branch out like The Messy-Haired Grimalkin does. The reason the song stands out so much is because most of the other songs also come from the same kind of feeling/atmosphere that Kein was already gone into.
Listening to it I can really feel how seasoned this people are, they clearly know their craft and they went well beyond of their previous new material and really cements the kind of band Kein is now. In some ways feels like a step up from the EPs but the main direction is the same. Some people will like that they really know what to expect from them but If they are going to become true masters of darkness they really have to surpass themseles. And I know they can! They have the expertise.