UVERworld – REVERSI December 27, 2012

Track Listing

1. REVERSI
2. Theory to no Ketsumetsu no Kenkyuu+81
3. ace of ace (LIVE at Yokohama Arena 2012.07.08)
4. CORE PRIDE (LIVE at ZEPP TOKYO 2011.07.27)

1. REVERSI

As you may have already known, REVERSI is a recut song from their recent release, “THE ONE” and it was released because it’s tied to the Ao no Exorcist series.  Like I’ve said on that review, this song was great and hearing UVERworld mix synths up with their already powerful rock sound is always a great pleasure to listen to.  Definitely a solid track from the band and I’m happy they chose this to act as a recut.

2. Theory to no Ketsumetsu no Kenkyuu+81

Hm?  I’m instantly reminding my self when I saw the title of this to be similar to “Choutaisaku+81″ which was the B-side from “NO.1″.  As I highly expected, it’s a lot like that song because it’s a mesh of various UVERworld songs which might impress a few, but to people that wanted a new song they aren’t getting here.  Though in the middle there’s a conversation going on (anime-related?).  It’s really strange and some songs are spruced in here and there, but Istill wonder what the point of it all was.

3. ace of ace (LIVE at Yokohama Arena 2012.07.08)

The rest of the singles are live cuts of their past songs, the first is ace of ace from their album, “LIFE 6 SENSE”.  It’s still a strange song when I listen to it, but the energy the band and TAKUYA give off is extreme and it’s really awesome to see them pull of like this.  Definitely surprising to hear and they pulled it off in a big way!, Plus the crowd there was definitely helping out as well lol!

4. CORE PRIDE (LIVE at ZEPP TOKYO 2011.07.27)

The other is their other Ao no Exorcist track, CORE PRIDE and this was the one with the major use of saxophones, but I thought they handled this song better, but the audience weren’t as heard like in “ace of ace”.  Straightforward performance, but still good nonetheless!

 

 

Even though this single was really unnecessary, REVERSI was a pretty solid choice to have been re-used for a single.  Finally closing “THE ONE” up, this single was good for the most part.  Main track is awesome, the live versions are pretty good and while Theory+81 is random and nonsensical, it did fit the single.  Overall, a pretty strong single.

UVERworld – THE ONE December 1, 2012

Track Listing

1. THE ONE (SE)
2. 7th Trigger
3. Don’t Think. Feel
4. LIMITLESS
5. 23 Word
6. KINJITO (LIVE intro ver.)
7. THE OVER
8. Koko Kara
9. REVERSI
10. Barbell ~Koutei no Atarashii Fuku album ver.~
11. BABY BORN & GO
12. AWAYOKUBA-Kiru (LIVE intro ver.)
13. NOWHERE boy

1. THE ONE (SE)

The album opens up with a short intro and boy was it a bit random.  It starts with this woman ad-libbing before howling out ~UVERWWOOOOOOORLD~ and then a short synth passage with beats jump in and it just ends.  Like I said, random intro for sure!

2. 7th Trigger

At least the intro slides into 7th Trigger quite smoothly ^_^.  As the band’s 2nd A-side for the album, I still pretty much love the hell out of 7th Trigger!  It was back to form, none of the weird experimentation that UVERworld was doing with the saxophones.  Just TAKUYA and the rest of the band!  It was cool and just rockin’ on all accounts.  Though I still think the whistling is a bit out of place, but still this song was great!

3. Don’t Think. Feel

Going into our first new track, Don’t Think. Feel kind of feels like it’s wanting to be another “7th Trigger” because it has the same kind of idea going on in the arrangement but this is a bit random with the synthesizers.  It’s like this song is trying to be the “GOLD” of the album and I respect that choice since they seem to impress me with those kind of songs.  It’s not bad, but the electronic stuff could’ve been toned down a little bit.

4. LIMITLESS

Well, it seems the saxophones made a return with LIMITLESS which while I like hearing them, they seemed a bit out of place with how much electronics and acoustic guitar lines…it was a free-for-all for the band here which is meaning…it was a little bit messy.  I tried to enjoy this like I did with the previous track, but this was more annoying overall of a song.

5. 23 Word

It just seems to continue to be weird when 23 Word starts up.  At first with the intro, I was expecting another “LIMITLESS” but the arrangement shifts to a more mid-tempo affair.  I have to say that I like hearing TAKUYA doing some rapping against shakuhachis XD.  Also the saxes appear but they aren’t as bold as they were in the previous track either.  This is actually a pretty cool track to chill out to…it’s very laidback and turned out very nicely for the band!

6. KINJITO (LIVE intro ver.)

Moving onto the secondary A-side from the first single released, KINJITO got edited for the album, but it’s a minor switch (well it’s a lot different, but the song is really only a couple seconds longer than the original).  The thing that impressed me the most is that the intro is a lot cooler and less quiet with the extra synths added in.  The added synths give the track a bit more life and it seems I really liked the changes (despite loving the track anyways from before the album) this jumped above and beyond for me.  Great song!!!

7. THE OVER

I’m just surprised that something as bombastic like “KINJITO” is before something like THE OVER because they are polar opposites in styles.  As the final A-side before the album’s release, THE OVER might be serious, but it’s a nice track from them because it’s handled a lot better than older ballads of theirs.  Not much else I can say, but this is nice.

8. Koko Kara

LOL TAKUYA’s intro monologue is kind of hilarious XD.  This track at first sounds so experimentive because of the blowing and the kind of beat-boxing that was going on.  Beyond that, the song doesn’t really do much for me and the melody doesn’t stick onto to me very well.  Though when the strings solo section happens, it turns the song into a quirky little thing.  It’s different, I can admit to that, but it still doesn’t save the song entirely.

9. REVERSI

As the song that’s going to be re-released (the album’s re-cut single), REVERSI had a lot to impress me on since it’s tied to Ao no Exorcist (and I LOVE the music from series).  Hearing TAKUYA under filters was quite cool and then hearing a more synth-heavy background mixing it up with UVERworld’s sound is really epic.  This song just has a lot of elements in it and stood out on the album!  Even though I’m roughly reviewing it again in a couple of weeks, this song was a great choice to be re-cut!!!

10. Barbell ~Koutei no Atarashii Fuku album ver.~

I knew that when I reviewed “7th Trigger” this B-side would make the cut because of the title of the song from the single kind of preceded that it would somehow get a new version on THE ONE.  I loved the single version a whole lot and was curious to what would be brought on the album.  For the most part, Barbell doesn’t seem to have gone through any changes at all!  There probably is but they’re quite miniscule.  Still a pretty badass song and I’m ecstatic to see it on the album!

11. BABY BORN & GO

I don’t know why but BABY BORN & GO never really impressed me much (probably because I initially thought this and “KINJITO” belonged on “LIFE 6 SENSE” more than on the current album).  As time went by, I enjoyed the latter track a lot more and BABY BORN & GO kind of fell behind and stopped being impressive.  This song though does have the most saxophone lines which probably bothered me the most.  It’s good that UVERworld wants to go back to the Sangaku Road days…but this is not cutting it.

12. AWAYOKUBA-Kiru (LIVE intro ver.)

As the other B-side from “7th Trigger” appears, I was elated to see the entire single because it was such an amazing single from them!  Then I look at the changes made and the original which clocked in at 4:35 is now 7:39 on the album.  Given that the song is going by the live version, the biggest change is the intro which has a LONG strings passage before the song comes into fruition.  To be honest the 3:04 seconds of strings was totally unecessary and UVERworld could’ve easily made this a seperate track (like an interlude) because AWAYOKUBA-Kiru itself didn’t really change much on the album IF ANY AT ALL.  The song itself is pretty damn good with a piano-heavy instrumentation tagged with the band giving this elegant, but powerful feel.  If it wasn’t for that god long intro, this would’ve ranked a lot higher on the album for me, stick to the original B-side.

13. NOWHERE Boy

Finally, the album closes out with NOWHERE Boy, the final new track from the album.  After dealing with the long track beforehand, I was curious to what they were going to finish up with and NOWHERE Boy sounds just as laidback and chill like “23 Word” which is nice and all, but not what I was expecting UVERworld to close the album with.  Still it’s nice and not really blaaah.

Tracks Recommended

• 7th Trigger
• KINJITO (LIVE intro ver.)
• Barbell ~Koutei no Atarashii Fuku album ver.~
• REVERSI
• 23 Word

Song of Avoidance

• BABY BORN & GO

I’m not sure what to think, but this is definitely not THE ONE for UVERworld.  In a way, it felt like it was the total opposite to “LIFE 6 SENSE” where most of the album was experimenting with different things and styles.  THE ONE had a lot of winners which does make this better than said album but I think if they had handled some of the songs better (and got rid of the horrid long intro for AWAYOKUBA-Kiru), this album would’ve been a great one…but as it stands it’s good overall.

UVERworld – THE OVER August 29, 2012

Track Listing

1. THE OVER
2. THE SONG
3. Massive

1. THE OVER

It’s been a while since UVER has done a ballad track and it returns in form with THE OVER.  I like how it builds into the chorus which is pure rock and TAKUYA singing in his normal style.  Personally, this song is probably my favorite ballad/rock song I’ve heard since I started to review them so it’s pretty good on that level.

2. THE SONG

We have a song titled”THE OVER” and now we have THE SONG which is kind of in the same area of arrangement is kind of a little blah for me but the chorus is less powerful and IMO, it’s kind of worse because TAKUYA’s singing is rather bland and kind of lacks note movement so it’s a bit tedious.  It’s alright, but I just don’t find it to be amongst their good B-sides.

3. Massive

A bongo drum intro for a song called Massive?  Yeah, I don’t get it either, but this song is kind of unique.  Unfortunately, the more deeper I go the more obvious it becomes fact that Massive is just merely a instrumental track for the band.  I guess it’s nice that they have something like this but I kind of wanted more than what we ended up with.

 

 

I’ve kind of been losing interest with UVERworld in recent times but they brought back with “7th Trigger”.  With THE OVER they kind of continued since I did end up liking the lead song the most.  THE SONG has quite a few problems going on and it’s just too meh.  Also, I would’ve preferred if Massive was a full vocal track because the instrumental sounds really nice and it could’ve worked with TAKUYA to be honest.  Definitely a downgrade from their last single.

UVERworld – 7th Trigger March 27, 2012

Track Listing

1. 7th Trigger
2. Barbell ~Koutei no Atarashii Fuku Ver.~
3. AWAYOKUBA-Kiru

1. 7th Trigger

I was definitely happy to see that UVERworld was going back to something heavy and synthy at the same time with 7th Trigger which is pretty badass…even with the random whistling going on hahaha.  I mean we haven’t had a pure rock song like this since the “LIFE 6 SENSE” album (not long ago…but in A-sides…there hasn’t been one since “NO.1″.  I’ve missed this side to UVERworld to be honest and seeing the energy with the band and fierce rush from TAKUYA really sets the tone.  I’m really enjoying this song a lot right now!

2. Barbell ~Koutei no Atarashii Fuku Ver.~

Yes, its an original song which means there’ll probably be a different version later down the road.  Barbell has a more controlled atmosphere when compared to “7th Trigger” but at the same time has the hardest hitting sound on the single.  It’s pretty angry and aggressive and just left me surprised they brought this power back.  I like the other vocals beside TAKUYA…gives a different view throughout too.  Powerful and just downright impressive!

3. AWAYOKUBA-Kiru

Well, with the word Kill in its title, I was expecting something even darker and harder than “Barbell” but AWAYOKUBA-Kiru is different in a good way.  It almost has this anime opening feel with the piano and strings being implemented along with the band’s powerful sound.  It has been a while since I’ve heard a song like this from them…but it’s so good!

 

 

It just seems UVERworld knows how to pull back the fans with something amazing like 7th Trigger.  Unlike the past couple of singles where saxophone was in some of their songs, they went back to basics and just rocked out with three great songs.  I loved Barbell the most of the three but damn is 7th Trigger and AWAYOKUBA-Kiru were just as good.  Definitely their best single in a long time ^_^ *RECOMMENDED*

UVERworld – BABY BORN & GO/KINJITO December 13, 2011

Track Listing

1. BABY BORN & GO
2. KINJITO
3. UVER Battle Royal ~5/L6S mix~

1. BABY BORN & GO

Recent days have seen UVERworld trying some new ideas and sounds and they come at a head with BABY BORN & GO which the most prominent feature is the amount of saxophone here.  I know it’s been used quite a bit in the “LIFE 6 SENSE” era, but this is pretty much making the sax important along with TAKUYA and the rest of the band.  I actually liked the song a lot and it’s so different yet the same from them, I think it makes a good formula for a good song! 

2. KINJITO

I was a little surprised that KINJITO in comparison to BABY BORN & GO is a bit brighter and spazzy when compared to their A-sides they’ve released so far.  It’s a little jazzy and a little rockin’ all thrown into a blender and we got this.  It also sounds like there’s a guest singer in the song (the female vocalist).  Though she isn’t there very much and TAKUYA takes over.  It’s pretty good and to me a little better than “BABY BORN & GO” to be honest.

3. UVER Battle Royal ~5/L6S mix~

So just like on “CORE PRIDE”, we get another one of these mixes which include various songs from UVERs collection.  Though they mixed the music up to where that you can only figure the songs just through the lyrics.  I hear “NO.1″ for sure which was the first one I caught.  Some of the song is a little messy, but the last one also was just a little bit as well. 

 

 

UVERworld begins their new era with a pretty strong double A-side in BABY BORN & GO/KINJITO.  The first really shows off the saxophone and mixes it with UVER’s J-rock style and it gave a lot of color to the song that “CORE PRIDE” wished it showed more of.  KINJITO is also kind of unique to the group throwing saxes and a female voice in the works was interesting.  I think the only song that brought the single down a little bit was the UVER Battle Royal because while it features muliple songs from UVER’s catalog, it was a tad messy in the arrangement.  Otherwise, great single from the band here!

UVERworld – LIFE 6 SENSE June 2, 2011

Track Listing

1. CORE PRIDE
2. Itsuka Kanarazu Shinu Koto wo Wasureru na
3. Isseki wo Toujiru Tokyo midnight sun
4. ace of ace
5. NO.1 (album ver.)
6. Qualia
7. Secret
8. Shousha Okubyoumono
9. Muttsu no Kaze (album ver.)
10. Ichiokubun no Ichi no Shousetsu
11. MONDO PIECE
12. Hakachuumu

1. CORE PRIDE

Beginning the album with the 4th and last A-side released in the era, CORE PRIDE hasn’t had enough time to sink into me, but I do know that out of the other 3, this is pretty much what everyone would typically say normal UVER rock.  Besides the addition of saxophone to make it sound like their old sound in Sangoku Road, CORE PRIDE is not a bad rock song and everything feels right.  I think there’s a battle of best A-side of the era between this and “NO.1″ but they flip-flop between which is better.

2. Itsuka Kanarazu Shinu Koto wa Wasureru na

After the awesomeness of “CORE PRIDE” it’s nice to have an edgy song from the band with this pretty long title of a song.  It’s even more like what UVER has been sounding like recently by making it rockin’ and quick-paced.  Add in TAKUYA’s unique vocals and they make the song fun and cool to listen to.  Fun track from the band and they’ve pretty much let themselves have fun as well.

3. Isseki wo Toujiru Tokyo midnight sun

What surprised me was our next song that began with some organ, saxes, and a lady ad-libbing at the start.  At least it didn’t last long, but this song is definitely one of those laidback enjoy life kind of songs.  TAKUYA isn’t really singing like he did in the last two tracks opting for a kind of rapping style for the song.  It’s different I’ll admit, but I think I like UVER when they are more epic with their songs TBH.

4. ace of ace

Ugh, I really hate the way TAKUYA opens up the next song by himself like that.  I know he has such energetic vocals but it’s pretty bad when he tries to REALLY stand out.  It’s pretty much all over the place with random lyrics and spelling in a 3:20 time limit.  I mean it’s not that bad, but it’s pretty much a weird song on the album and doesn’t exactly make a lot of sense to me. 

5. NO.1 (album ver.)

I loved the single version of NO.1 a lot there’s no doubt about that.  It was like the era’s “GOLD” for me.  Unfortunately, the new version of NO.1 changed quite a bit and it saddened me because I liked the synths of the song but was taken over the band instead.  It also sounds like TAKUYA did resing the song since there’s different places where notes felt more stronger and some different notes going on in the lyrics.  As for the song itself….it’s interesting and I still don’t get the whole ~love psychic~ addiction in the lyrics…but whatever.  I still prefer the single version though.

6. Qualia

Starting the era off, Qualia was always a strange one with me.  Then again any UVER ballad has been always tough for me.  I mean it has a bit more oomph than “MONDO PIECE” and “Kanashimi wa Kitto” which is a good sign.  Add in the GUNDAM tie-in and this also comes off as a little more epic than other UVER songs.  TAKUYA’s singing does come off as a little too wild, but he did a good job putting emotion to a song like this and I kind of like it, but not at the same fields as the upbeat songs.

7. Secret

After the dramatic “Qualia”, Secret does slightly lighten up on the dramatics and gives us a more fun atmosphere even though it’s more of a mid-tempo kind of song.  It’s kind of funky and catchy to be honest but sometimes drag in the verses.  It’s alright, but nothing jaw-dropping.

8. Shousha Okubyoumono

YAY!  I’m happy that we’re getting back into some edgy songs from the band starting with Shousha Okubyoumono.  The fact that synths play a bigger role again makes me smile and I found myself liking this song quite a bit because of the energy thrown into the song.  TAKUYA did a pretty awesome job keeping up with everything.  I will say that the chipmunk interlude made me laugh HARD.  Totally random, but still epic song!

9. Muttsu no Kaze (album ver.)

Unlike the new version of “NO.1″ where the differences were clear right from the start, Muttsu no Kaze (only B-side to make the cut) isn’t totally changed.  Some of the instrumentation felt like it was taken out and some of it stands out more this time.  It doesn’t feel like too much was changed.  I still love the song with it’s combination of synths and hard rock and the fact that TAKUYA was put into filters made this song even better.  Gotta say I was surprised that I would like a B-side so much.

10. Ichiokubun no Ichi no Shousetsu

Oh hey, something along the lines of their anime songs!!!  I must say Ichiokubun no Ichi no Shousetsu definitely reminds me of their BLEACH stuff and it must be from the upbeat sound and rockin’ atmosphere plus TAKUYA’s slightly smoother execution of the song.  To me, this song would’ve sounded more at home on “AwakEVE” and not on this album.

11. MONDO PIECE

Definitely acting as the least favorite of the era, 3rd A-side MONDO PIECE is a little like a mid-tempo track but could have the energy for something faster.  I don’t know why, but it feels like it’s lacking interest from TAKUYA and the strange chords really do bother me for some reason.  The thing that bothered me the most however was the fact that it was 5 and a half minutes long of a song and that didn’t suit me very well and just made me feel bored for this song after a while.

12. Hakachuumu

Finishing the album up is the acoustic track Hakachuumu.  It isn’t as emotional of a ballad like “Kanashimi wa Kitto”, but more upbeat??? I guess?  I love the fact that TAKUYA sings the song with a nice calming tone until the chorus where he just blares his vocals.  Now this is a ballad!!!  Good enough as a closing to LIFE 6 SENSE

Tracks Recommended

• CORE PRIDE
• Shousha Okubyoumono
• Muttsu no Kaze (album ver.)
• Hakachuumu
• Ichiokubun no Ichi no Shousetsu

Song of Avoidance

• MONDO PIECE

To me, I think LIFE 6 SENSE is one of their more straightforward albums since it seems to have focused on their rockin’ side more than their experiemental side like “LAST” did.  That being said, I prefer “LAST” since the songs on that album left a lot more of a prominent mark on me than the songs on here, but there’s good songs here no doubt.  Just not at the level of their last few albums.

UVERworld – CORE PRIDE May 8, 2011

Track Listing

1. CORE PRIDE
2. Kyouchi Mantra
3. UVER Battle Royal ~Ketahazure mix~
4. CORE PRIDE (Anime Version)

1. CORE PRIDE

Hey, UVERworld plus saxophones in their songs again?  Are we going back to Sangoku Road?  Besides that little surprise, I’m pretty much happy they returned to something simple to them like a rock song that isn’t as random as “GOLD” and “NO.1″ or slow like “Qualia” and “MONDO PIECE”.  This is basic UVER at its best and I really enjoyed the song a bit.  TAKUYA really sounds pretty damn epic here and I love the song from the saxes to the piano to the rest of the band exploding.  Best A-side for me this era.

2. Kyouchi Mantra

As the B-side of the single Kyouchi Mantra was surprising with a nice amount of synths and a pretty fund melody and arrangement from the band.  The thing that get me is that this is pretty much an instrumental with only a few lyrics found towards the end of the song….3 minutes just for this…talk bout salt to the wounds…I was expecting a little more (then again this was released pretty soon after “MONDO PIECE”) so it’s not surprising there’s no true lyrical value here.

3. UVER Battle Royal ~Ketahazure mix~

Closing the single out is this kind of mish-mash of two or three songs (at least from what I can tell) in the song.  I recognize only one of the songs which is “GOLD”, but the other songs pass over my head which sucks because I thought this was pretty cool of a song giving it a dance beat but not letting up on the guitar riffs from the band.  If someone helps me figure the other song or songs, I will love you XD….06/02 – Well it seems that Nitro from “Timeless” and “Corona” from “AwakEVE” were used as well.  Interesting mix since none of the songs would be normal choices but it works for some reason.

As UVERworld finishes the “Life 6 SENSE” era, I found CORE PRIDE to be the bands best A-side beating out “NO.1″ for sure.  While due to the short spread between this and “MONDO PIECE”, I can tell they weren’t really doing a lot on this single adding an instrumental piece and a mash-up.  Not exactly their best single, but not too bad either.

UVERworld – MONDO PIECE April 5, 2011

Track Listing

1. MONDO PIECE
2. Panic World
3. Chomimouryou March

1. MONDO PIECE

Eh, I can take UVERworld’s songs that come in a much slower package and at least this isn’t an acoustic failure like “Kanashimi wa Kitto”.  While it doesn’t seem to fit the ballad side to them, it’s a much softer affair after “NO.1″ let’s be honest.  Though I’m still not feeling much for it since I’m noticing TAKUYA’s weird way of singing this song to be very off pitch for a good portion of it and the chords just feel so….weird.  If you want a slower song, “Qualia” might be your better bet in the era.

2. Panic World

I was actually getting myself ready for the first B-side since it’s got a pretty strong arrangement and it fits with TAKUYA’s vocals a whole lot more than it did in “MONDO PIECE”.  It might feel like a mash-up of “NO.1″ and “GO-ON” (the latter more…listen to the chorus XD).  Either way, it’s got energy and hearing piano in the arrangement gave the song some interesting levels of melody.  I still don’t understand the middle interlude…so weird…

3. Chomimouryou March

I can’t believe the 2nd B-side adds even more energy to the band.  However, this sounds a bit more brighter in arrangement since the chords kind of give it that happy feel (like anime-ish).  TAKUYA’s vocals also jumped up on the scale so he’s doin his higher-pitched yell.  It’s actually not all that bad and it’s fun to listen to since it’s wild and uncontrolled….hmmmm.

As of A-sides, MONDO PIECE is my least favorite so far since it’s kind of a mess with both the arrangements and trying to make a melodic piece with TAKUYA’s vocals…it’s a hard listen for me at least.  Panic World and Chomimouryou March however made up for the lackluster A-side with a much powerful sound and a faster tempo…they’re fun rock songs from the band and they’ve been getting better with them for sure.  I hope “CORE PRIDE” fixes up with the A-side failed with.

UVERworld – NO.1 November 23, 2010

Track Listing

1. NO.1
2. Muttsu no Kaze
3. Choutaisaku+81

1. NO.1

After the kind of disappointing start to the era with “Qualia”, NO.1 brought me back to the fandom for the band with this song which sound so different than I’m used to.  The beginning does remind how “GO-ON” started out with slow synths and such while the main song moves as wild as “GOLD” which is starting to connect me.  I do love how this song sound though with the strings sections and the heavy band sound and the chorus…it’s another wild ride and TAKUYA does a great job keeping his vocals in check.

2. Muttsu no Kaze

As the first B-side, Muttsu no Kaze, does continue this interesting electronc + rock idea, but focuses more on the rock since it’s straightforward in the arrangement.  Likewise to “NO.1″, Muttsu no Kaze reminds me of “GO-ON” in the most odd ways, but I liked it just as much as the A-side.  Then again hearing TAKUYA under vocoder or some kind of vocal manipulation instrument gave it another level.

3. Choutaisaku+81

I really don’t understand why they began Choutaisaku+81 with static and playing some of UVER’s older songs which really was an interesting idea at the least (even though I didn’t know what was what).  Compared to the previous two songs though, Choutaisaku+81 is the weirdest song from the single since it’s mainly in a dance style and with TAKUYA’s vocals are like cut n’ paste and repeated…it was definitely an eye opener at the least.  After that phase of the song it stops and a girl talks and then moves to this stadium where this guy is yelling…I really don’t understand the moanin goin on when this different synth arrangement begins…by the end…I was left in confusion and wonder what were they smoking!

I was very happy to see that for the most part, NO.1 is so much better than “Qualia” (minus the pre-released songs that were on it), NO.1 is such an epic song and for me it’s considered the “GO-ON” of the era since it’s just that kickass of a song.  Same can be said for Muttsu no Kaze since it was just as hard-hitting and cool to listen to.  Choutaisaku+81 is pretty much what you don’t expect to hear from the band and kind of is just absurdly random…catchy…but weird.

UVERworld – Qualia September 14, 2010

Track Listing

1. Qualia
2. Wakasa Yue Entelecheia (CD only)
3. Ultimate (CD only)
4. Sparta (Limited bonus track CD only)
5. Hakanaku mo Towa no Kanashi (Gundam Edition only)
6. CHANGE (Gundam Edition only)
7. Qualia ~for Movie~ (Gundam Edition only)

1. Qualia

Well, I guess we’re going back to a more ballad-y side to UVERworld.  Their last one, “Kanashimi wa Kitto” wasn’t that big for me because I’m so used to their rock songs and anime themes that it was a surprise.  Qualia at least isn’t boring and has a strong side to it as well since it’s tied to GUNDAM and all.  GUNDAM ballads are hit and miss for me, but I think UVERworld handled it very well and TAKUYA’s vocals are great, if not a little shaky in the chorus.  Still better than “Kanashimi wa Kitto” though.

2. Yue no Entelecheia

There’s just something about that title that’s so odd and cool.  Yue no Entelecheia begins with some acoustic guitar and some synths before entering into the main song which is as odd as its title.  I felt a bit disconnected when TAKUYA was singing/speaking in the verses and chorus.  It’s a bit like how messy “GOLD” was when I first listened to it, but Yue no Entelecheia is just messy all over…then again UVERworld always have these kind of oddball songs in each era so it’s no surprise.

3. Ultimate

Ok, so I’m wondering why that Ultimate (being the first song known before the previous two tracks) wasn’t an A-side because this definitely beats out the other two new songs.  Even then, it’s funny that this isn’t tied to the GUNDAM series because it fits oddly better than “Qualia”.  Once again, I feel like TAKUYA’s vocals are a bit shaky in the chorus and all, but the rest of it is quite good.  Definitely one of the better B-sides they’ve had.

4. Sparta

The rest of the single has old songs.  I’m not sure why Sparta is featured on the single because it’s a bonus track that follows after “Ultimate”.  Coming from their last album, “LAST”, Sparta is one of the more harder tracks from the album and I can’t remember if I enjoyed it a lot because of its loud style and TAKUYA’s speak/sing style.  Well…from the album review I guess I disliked it a lot, but now I wonder why I didn’t enjoy it.  It’s still not the best, but I’ve grown to enjoy it a bit more.

5. Hakanaku mo Towa no Kanashi

The other two tracks are also old, but they are found on the GUNDAM edition of this single because…well they’re tied to the series as well as “Qualia”.  The oldest of the two comes from “AwakEVE” and was their 12th single.  It’s also their best selling single so this song had to be on the single of course.  I can see why this was huge since the song sounds amazing with the guitar chords and TAKUYA’s strong vocals.  It’s my favorite of the GUNDAM themes from UVERworld so that should tell you something.

6. CHANGE

Wow, my third time reviewing this song.  Originally coming off of “GOLD” as a B-side and an album track from “LAST”, CHANGE isn’t as grand as the last song, but it keeps the energy going and sometimes I like some parts of the song more than “Hakanaku mo Towa no Kanashi” which is a surprise, but other times this goes under so I keep switching between the two themes.  Love em!

 

 

Beginning a new era, Qualia is a bit of a surprise because of it’s ballad-like qualities but it’s not bad for a GUNDAM theme.  However, I think Ultimate should’ve been the A-side here just because it wasn’t slow or weird like Yue no Entelecheia.  The additional songs also gave a nice touch (even though I still have no idea why Sparta was included).  Pretty good single and the GUNDAM edition was just what it needed ^_^