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Tracklist | |
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01 - New World 02 - Lost Heaven 03 - 叙情詩 (Jojoushi) 04 - Trust 05 - Killing Me 06 - As One 07 - My Dear 08 - Existence 09 - 自由への招待 (Jiyuu he no Shoutai) 10 - Ophelia 11 - 星空 (Hoshizora) 12 - twinkle, twinkle |
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Review | |
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For all the people that rattle off the phrase "it's not the destination, it's the journey" L'arc-en-Ciel ain't buying it. Their musical journey is over, what with the band being carried on the backs of their rabid fans to a destination where fat bank accounts and sold out stadiums meet every album unequivocally. Whether or not this has bred complacency is not even an issue after the 2004 release of the listless Smile, L'arc-en-Ciel's first full-length in four years, which sounded far more like a tired band living off its final ragged gasps of creativity rather than an exciting return to form. Still, like a faucet leaking tepid water, L'arc-en-Ciel continued with steady issuings of singles after Smile. Prospects for the next album were not looking bright; however, with the band expanding farther into power pop and hard rock territory, Awake packs an extra boost of energy that at least propels it past its predecessor. Improvements aside, something still feels missing from the equation on Awake. Yes, Hyde's familiar voice is still there, though his whine has deepened into a huskier growl, and Ken and Tetsu are as proficient as ever, but the soul of this band still sounds like it wandered off sometime around 2000's Real and never came back. While Hyde's changed (and allegedly weakening) vocals do play a small role, a shift in songwriting priorities takes the blame. What drove vintage L'arc-en-Ciel to greatness was the three-voice attack they possessed in Hyde's unmissable croon, Tetsu's fast, melodic bass and Ken's clean riffing. Balance was the key: with production giving adequate space between all three voices and no distortion riding on top of everything, the band's strengths all shone distinctly. However, the simplified song arrangements on Awake take away the chances for L'arc-en-Ciel's cylinders to fire in unison. Adding to the trouble, Ken's increasingly simplistic and fuzzy guitar work drowns out Tetsu, while Hyde's gruffier voice often commandeers the melody, clashes heavily with the instrumentation or simply rubs off as heavy-handed. Still, some bright spots remain, though even these are slightly tarnished. "New World" is completely predictable and the chorus smacks of Hyde's solo single "Hello," but its infectious energy and soaring chorus keep it afloat. "Ophelia" ushers a welcome change with a touch of jazz, horns and delicate string arrangements. "Hoshizora" builds spectacularly into the chorus but its weighty anti-war message, slow pacing and hefty vocals nearly bring the whole thing down before its five and a half minute run is up. The remainder of Awake is pleasant but uneventful (except for the ill-advised forays into metallic riffs and hard rock on "Truth" and "Existence"). But in their string of albums now encompassing 12 years, L'arc-en-Ciel has done far better than pleasant. While Awake is never as worn-out as Smile was, it is not comparable to L'arc-en-Ciel at their peak, a time that is soberingly closing in on a decade in the past. Maybe with all their success the band has lost touch with their greatness, but maybe, just maybe, they'll choose to forsake their fans' unconditional love and take off once more into destination unknown. |
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