RIZE – LOCAL DEFENSE ORGANIZATION November 20, 2012

Track Listing

1. LOCAL DEFENSE ORGANIZATION
2. KAMI (2012.5.27 LIVE at AKASAKA BLITZ)
3. RESPECT (2012.5.27 LIVE at AKASAKA BLITZ)
4. GHOST (2012.5.27 LIVE at AKASAKA BLITZ)

1. LOCAL DEFENSE ORGANIZATION

So taking a little time off and switching labels again, RIZE pulls out LOCAL DEFENSE ORGANIZATION and I can already tell that this song was much better than most of the stuff that was on “EXPERIENCE”.  There’s so much energy and JESSE is back to rapping it up but also singing strong as well.  It’s just a heavy and cool rock song and definitely was a great way to start on a new label.

 

 

*will review the lives if they leak*.  I was wondering where RIZE went off to after their last album, but it seems they left UNI-J for Warner which was probably a smart move because while “EXPERIENCE” did do slightly well on ORICON, that album was a bit of a mess and I love they found control again.  I hope they continue to put out awesome songs in the future ^_^

RIZE – EXPERIENCE June 24, 2010

Track Listing

1. JESUS AND MARIA
2. ME
3. EXPERIENCE
4. LAUGH IT OUT
5. Get the Mic
6. GOTANDA
7. XL
8. MUPPET
9. YUZURIHA
10. MIDDLE FLOWER
11. ZERO

1. JESUS AND MARIA

Starting the album, JESUS AND MARIA sounds like it’s a pretty raw song.  I mean we’re down with loud drums and JESSE yelling a lot in this song which is different but it seems they’re following what they did on their last single.  It just seems that things seem to be darker than past albums released.  It’s not a bad album opening, but seems to not have that RIZE spark.

2. ME

Now this is the RIZE I’m used to which is a lighter rock sound and a mix with their darker side.  More importantly is that JESSE sounds melodic to the song and isn’t entirely screaming his heart out.  It isn’t exactly an amazing song because the arrangement is a little plain, but the harder moments though were pretty cool from the band.  Not too bad.

3. EXPERIENCE

Getting into the title track of the album, EXPERIENCE really goes back into that whole raw sound that the band has been sounding like here recently and while it’s mainly a JESSE and Kaneko (drummer) tune, EXPERIENCE has a lot of rapping going on here which would be alright if the song had more things going on.  At least that’s fixed once they get into the chorus…but that becomes a bit messier.  I don’t know but I’m not fully into the song.

4. LAUGH IT OUT

At least we have the 2nd single released on the album and sort of fixes things up.  A collaborative effort between RIZE with Hayato Ichihara, LAUGH IT OUT is one of the better songs off the album since it’s somewhat a fun song to listen to.  It does actually happen that Hayato does have more lines that I initially thought and I was surprised because his vocals are harder to point out between him and JESSE’s.  Besides the crazy screaming part, this song is pretty awesome.

5. Get the Mic

I kind of laughed when I saw this was the only track that wasn’t in all caps.  First time in the album is the first use of vocal filters…but that’s shortlived and then JESSE and the rest of the band is just speeding through this song and just is crazy hard.  Though JESSE yelling ~get the mic, get , get the mic!~ and more lulzy ~run fucker, run motherfucker~  I was just blown away and laughin at the sheer amount of seriousness.  I’ll give props for doing this.  One of the rather uhm, catchier songs.

6. GOTANDA

Which quickly leads into the interlude of the album more or less.  GOTANDA is just a hard and full of energy from the entire band and I was majorly impressed with Kenken (bassist) because he was just super fast on those notes.  I didn’t even understand A WORD JESSE was saying so that flew by my head.  It did its job.

7. XL

Another short song, XL is my favorite of the new songs because it mixes the impressive rapping skills from JESSE and has a rather strong chorus as well.  The repetition of the title makes it more easier to handle, but it just seems so short by the time it ends…and it could’ve ranked up there with the best of the album. 

8. MUPPET

~there’s a hole in the muppet~  What?  I’m not sure but I think the guitar riff for this song is pretty nifty and the mood reminds me of one of their older tracks “Kami”.  JESSE of course is taking rapping during the verses and the chorus is really the line in the beginning.  Before I forget, JESSE’s English is perfect and has no true accent to it which makes it more clear for me.  Not bad of a song…but “XL” still is better.

9. YUZURIHA

Usually for one of the songs on each album, there’s always a much slower and more emotional song and that’s the case with YUZURIHA.  It’s not exactly a ballad, but it’s a chilled out rock tune and more sentimental for JESSE and for me that’s where he shines the best because like “Live or Die”, it’s so stripped and cool to hear.  It’s definitely one of the better songs on the album.

10. MIDDLE FLOWER

I guess it was fitting that they’d throw a song like this after a slow song.  MIDDLE FLOWER has gritty guitars and JESSE’s more mysterious and more angsty than usual.  As the song is entirely in English it’s not bad but there’s something missing that makes it sound whole for some reason. 

11. ZERO

Ahhh, the song that began the era, ZERO actually does sound right from the band and with the crazy hooks and interesting take…I think it’s one of the better J-rock songs…JESSE’s rapping feels energetic and the band is loud and actually sounding good.  I’ll say…it’s a good song!

Tracks Recommended

• ZERO
• XL
• YUZURIHA
• LAUGH IT OUT
• Get the Mic

Song of Avoidance

• EXPERIENCE

While I haven’t gotten to listen to their last album “K.O.”, EXPERIENCE to me feels like it was just thrown together quickly and not much effort was put into the songs.  I mean I’ve heard “ALTERNA” (which was the album before “K.O.”) and I had more fun listening to that album than with this one.  It just seems they want to go for a rather harder sound and not that I don’t mind, but it’s not me.  At least the songs on this album were so much cleaner and better than those B-sides from “LAUGH IT OUT”…

RIZE – ZERO June 23, 2010

Track Listing

1. ZERO
2. heiwa [SPREAD THE BUTTER mix-]

1. ZERO

I’m surprised that RIZE would get a coca-cola tie-in with ZERO.  I mean it’s not what you expect from a J-rock group.  Though I’ll admit I like the whole ~going back to zero~ lines before JESSE starts to rap across the song.  I love the hook for the song for the most part even though it’s so hard to tell what he’s saying sometimes.  I still feel the flame from the band going so that’s always a good thing.

2. heiwa [SPREAD THE BUTTER mix-]

Wow, a remix of a song back a few albums (“ALTERNA”).  Anyways, the remix of heiwa changes a bit around which is mostly around the arrangement but cutting it up in pieces and speeding up JESSE’s rapping across the song which is pretty cool.  I do like the original and the remix doesn’t change too much around to make me not like it so it works for me.

 

 

After taking a nice break from music, RIZE came back strong for their first single from the “EXPERIENCE” era.  ZERO continues to show that they can be hardcore and have hooks…even though the coke tie-in is still pretty absurd.  The remix to heiwa is also good and one of those rare moments where a rock/rap song sounds good remixed.  I wish they didn’t crash with their next single, “LAUGH IT OUT” but what can you do?

RIZE with Hayato – LAUGH IT OUT May 25, 2010

Track Listing

1. LAUGH IT OUT
2. Ningen Goukaku
3. ZEN
4. GOLD RUSH

1. LAUGH IT OUT

Since I wasn’t unsure of what was going to happen next in this era but with LAUGH IT OUT, it seems RIZE has lighten up a little bit.  Also, this is a collaboration with Hayato Ichihara who’s an actor so why a collaboration like this since Hayato has little experience in the music field?  I don’t know but JESSE is doing pretty well and sound good but the music might be a little tame compared to their lighter songs.  While I don’t think Hayato is actually in the song just only for backup yells and all that.  Not a bad A-side though.

2. Ningen Goukaku

As for the rest of the single, we see a side of the band that I personally was surprised by and that’s a darker more metal-like sound.  I thought the grungy opening was nice, but what the hell happened to the rest of the song?  JESSE is all over the place and add the fact his voice is heavily filtered did not help any.  Kaneko’s drumming is really all over the place as well and just takes me outta the song.  Though the near the ending was just what the hell?!?  It’s a freaky song I’ll give it that.  JESSE also has a good time cussing as well hahahaha.

 3. ZEN

While that first B-side sounded like it was a live take, ZEN sounds to be a little more like a complete song but it’s sad because I can’t hear anything JESSE is saying because of the destructive chords the song pushing out.  The time of the song is also short as well which made the song go by way fast.  What happened to the cohesive RIZE?

4. GOLD RUSH

Ok, now I think that besides “LAUGH IT OUT” all the other songs are studio live versions.  All the songs has JESSE under immense filters and the arrangement takes over him way too easily and that mesh is quite unbearable in some cases.  I can’t really take much of this nonsense anymore…

 

 

Y’know I do enjoy their last single “ZERO” quite a lot more than this bag of ick.  LAUGH IT OUT is alright and I’m sure that’ll be on their album, but those B-side were near impossible to sit through and enjoy.  I know RIZE is a rock band, but when it gets this sloppy and uncontrollable it comes just noise and that’s not such a good thing for a band to have….can they redeem themselves?  I hope to god so.

RIZE – Pink Spider December 28, 2009

Track Listing

1. Pink Spider
2. GHOST
3. Why I’m Me “The Reason Why I’m Me”

1. Pink Spider

Yeah, most people would recognize this track as a cover of hide’s original track and yeah since it was his kind of suicide song, Pink Spider has gained a notorious amount of interest, hence RIZE’s try to cover it.  Anyways knowing RIZE’s past stuff, there cover is definitely them since it’s edgy punk-rock.  I really love JESSE’s voice for some reason because it’s got that flair and personality that seems to be missing.  As much as people dislike this because it’s not hide’s, RIZE’s isn’t too bad and the energy is just off the wall and epic. 

2. GHOST

The first B-side off the single, GHOST to me feels like a ska song since it’s more laidback and relaxed when compared to “Pink Spider”.  We also get to see JESSE do his rapping here as well and it’s pretty impressive and I like that the chorus is in English at least and it’s catchy as well. 

3. Why I’m Me “The Reason Why I’m Me”

The other B-side though returns to the hard rock seen in the A-side.  It’s actually a lot more harder hitting as well since it’s got more guitars and mixes in with JESSE’s rapping as well making it a formittable tune.  It’s definitely a rush to listen to and it’s great.

 

 

Pink Spider marks the return of the band since they went on a hiatus for about 4 years before returning with this single.  Pink Spider welcomes us back into RIZE’s hard-hitting sounds and I really like it.  I might not have heard the stuff before this, but I’m guessing the break did em’ good since this single rocks hard!