Alice Nine Album Review 「９」

This review was conducted through listening to the album over 40 hours on professional headphones 
Audio Technica Sovereign ATH-W1000

Cherry wood enclosures and gold-plated hardware

Please note that this review is a personal record of the opinions of a semi-professional Musician who has been professionally trained. It does not represent, on any account, any other persons' opinion. Please note that this review did not take 40hrs to complete but rather I didn't have time to write it up until I've listened to it for over 40hrs (*^.~*)

Beautifully produced, just as Gemini was. Perhaps less complex and experimental than Gemini, and explicitly rock. Controlled, displaying mastered technical musicianship. Confident and showy but not flashy or wild like Gemini. Not as compositionally ambitious – perhaps ambitious is the wrong word, less complex. It’s not as explicitly ambitious, but the layers of musical material are equally as demanding and well expressed. An album exuding confidence, competence and mastered musicianship – another landmark album in their discography.

Heavenly Tale

Perpetual bass riff movement makes this song instantly resonate with the listener. Earthy sounds, complimented by the percussion’s quasi-tribal feel intro. Descending angels to tell us about what happens above? Hope. A follow on from I in Gemini in my view, which was more surreal and unearthly and atmospheric and ‘high above’. Instead of us taking us away to a distant land to tell us the tales of far away fantasies, it seems like messengers descending down to tell us themselves. Shou’s strong voice conveys a sense of determination, confidence and a brightness that captures the listener. A fantastic statement to pull us into this album and make us listen to what it has to tell us.

The Arc

A stunning quasi-symphonic metal/rock feel, almost reminiscent of Versailles and even parts of the melody are like that of Kamijo’s works. The dark atmosphere is full of drama with beautifully placed brighter moments that really opens up the atmosphere before dipping back into the mysterious, sinister moods. Guitar interlude (near the end) tends towards harmony progressions often heard in symphonic rock writing. There’s some beautiful parallel harmonic duo guitar playing and small solo interjections. But of course, Alice Nine puts their mark on it and it definitely screams Alice Nine. Half way through, the broken chord arpeggio accompaniment played by Hiroto is reminiscent of Gemini Eternal almost like a reminder, a cheeky link. A dramatic strong follow up as the second track that almost makes me wonder how much more these guys can keep amazing us with such tightly knitted masterworks that gives us no room to stray away and can’t help to be captured by it.

Gallows

Evident from the intro it is straight to the point, direct and confident. It has some of the grandeur from Le Grand Bleu and Karma (and possibly Senkou). Although it doesn’t give the same adrenaline rush as them, it exudes the same fire and spirit, but in a very mastered controlled way. It’s as if they’re saying, we’re driving 200mph but you’re safe with us ;) we’re elites. The drum is well arranged without overlapping with the busy rhythmic guitars, everything is well balanced and to the point: never too much, nor not enough. Hiroto’s flashy solos are succinct and controlled. A track full of determination exuding from each parts; these guys are saying: “tch, no sweat”.

HanaKasumi

Very similar to Mugen Electric Eden, especially with the SFX together with the heartbeat like bass drum making your heart beat with it and get drawn into the haunting melodies. This is very similar to a favourite of mine Mugen Electric Eden which has a similar atmosphere but darker, but structure-wise and generally, it’s as if they’re revisiting this type of beautiful melancholic style. This song is sad but hopeful, a mix of songs like Waterfall and Mugen Electric Eden. A very touching and deep haunting composition; flicking through darker harmonies before shining bright upon us with major chords and harmonic progressions, opening us up to a grander feel of believing and hope. Shou’s vocals work well; almost conveying a feel of tortured feelings and a painful past that, he is putting behind him.

It’s similar to Saga’s works with the quasi-improvisatory intros like in Mugen Electric Eden or with an intro like Heavenly Tale, Beautiful Name and I. But Hiroto’s quasi improvisatory openings are much more straight forward than Saga’s I feel. Saga seems to like to keep us guessing, perhaps he’s more complex thinking person and it reveals in his music. The use of strings, the emphasis on the drums and guitar improvisations really brings the different aspects of this song together as one. As if our fragmented thoughts and emotions are brought together.

Both Hiroto and Saga are more explorative, experimental, sentimental and deep in their compositions than the rest of the group it feels, so it was not surprising, seeing this was a work of either of them. I’ve not been a huge fan or all of Hiroto’s works but he does have some masterpieces that really resonate with me.

Blue Flame

A unique guitar intro riff that could not be mistaken for any other song makes this Single really stand out. Hiroto’s use of fragmented counter melodies and interjects really ring above the layers in the verse before joining the heavier sounds for the chorus. The short rhythmic strums together with the drums subconsciously causes your heartbeat increasing and your adrenaline rushing from the start towards the awesome melodic bass solo and confident guitar solos and right to the finish.

Hello World

Very typical of Saga to start with a quasi-improvisatory opening or something you don’t expect at all, something perhaps not from the band to grab your attention; Saga does well with intros that instantly grab your attention no matter how strange or reluctant you are about it, evident throughout Gemini and in track 1 etc.

You can clearly hear the influences or types of music Saga listens to with this short deliberate strums in the guitar together with a articulate bass intro forming a heavily funk beat. Jazz funk bass (Gekkou Yoku bass solo, Tokyo Galaxy Drum and Bass solo). The crispness of the rhythm guitar and the weaving melodic bass is deceptively difficult.

It’s as if the recitative of Saga’s poems, or perhaps more accurately it should be described as a soliloquy (One’s thoughts said out loud) depicts someone walking down the street, and you can hear his thoughts as he faces the world, the reality. Through headphones you can hear his voice pan from left to right as each verse is said. It’s very cleverly done. Of course I couldn’t take my ears off his voice but I was torn between that and the very cheeky, confident funk playing behind it. It exuded confidence as if Saga was strutting down the pavement/sidewalk and yet it was deep in thought. Shou’s interjecting melodies did well to give a quirky structure to the song and nicely juxtaposed Saga’s warmer softer and deeper voice. It ends mysteriously and abruptly with Saga’s FX’d voice and a slightly darker hamony… before we reach the next track.

Niji no Yuki

This ballad is an instant mood brightener (following on the end of the previous song), with a delicate intro that brings colours of purples, blues and lilacs to my mind. A song with very transparent writing and a well balanced arrangement. Calming yet invigorating atmospheres expressed beautifully with both the vocals and the instruments; a ballad that isn’t too static nor too dramatic, it just flows and takes you along with it. The solos aren’t busy or over complicated nor long, the guitars weave in and out of the layers perfectly to give off the rock ballad feel without destroying the delicate, fragile mood underpinning this song that ends beautifully with the piano.

Linear

A matured reminder of Shunkashuuto, same youthfulness and same feel to the song but it’s as if they’ve come away from highschool and are perhaps college students, they know what they’re good at but they still like to show us a good time. After all, the boy’s haven’t grown up all that much haha! It gives off a sense that the band is still youthful, cheeky, ambitious and daring. A song full of innocence and pure hearts but with an increasing amount of maturity, determination and experience to give this confident and controlled number, showing us what they’re good at and what they want to do.

They’re older but they haven’t forgotten their roots. A song that would strongly remind the listener of their older songs and styles, with some evidence of old school rock influences that Hiroto may have been exposed to.

A track full of innocence yet rebellious drive!

Apocalypse [It's not the end]

Tora’s masterpiece; amazingly connected fragmented sections and layers. The music takes you through non-stop changing landscapes and sections, making your adrenaline levels increase, as you don’t have the time to breathe when you anticipate the next change in arrangement. Great team work in the band, you can hear the passion and the fire as a team, musicianship as one. The feel is so strong between them and together with the harmonising guitar work it reminds me of works like Cross Game; despite being a seemingly different with different purposes/moods (Cross Game perhaps has a slightly stronger driving force throughout and Apocalypse brings a sense of hopefulness), both works are very tightly knitted and the relationship/connections between the instruments in such layers aren’t all that dissimilar. A more complex structured piece, with fragmented sections making this a difficult piece to link together, but of course the boys make it sound so easy and the flow is good. Tora presents a very passionate piece with much grandeur and nobility. But this album generally doesn’t have the same prestige as Gemini.

Heart of Gold

A direct, no nonsense opening to a song that is vibrant and energetic. The arrangement and layers in this song is equally enthusiastic and active with busy weaving counter melodies and quick rhythmic moments. A very cleverly constructed piece that doesn’t lose it’s energy even in moments of simplicity, and the contrasting weaving counter melodies provide busy intricate textures that are never clashing or overdone.

Subete e

This song to me, gives off an immensely strong sense of brotherhood, friendship, comradeship. The piano in the intro is used beautifully to bring reminiscence to the atmosphere, together with the military-like snare drum playing keeps the song from dragging and moves it along to a brighter, hopeful mood. The melodic guitars play wonderful melodies here and there throughout this uniting song (albeit it cheesy at moments?). The heavier section conveys the determination of the band to stay together as a team, as if they are saying that despite their individuality, unique pasts, and personalities, they belong together as one. Some great short guitar and bass moments that mischievously remind us of the ‘rock’ in this quirky piece and of the individual instruments that are coming together. The song and thus, the album, ends with a passionate melodic solo from Tora that concludes their statement of this album: we are a team, these are the things we can achieve together.