Feeling: Alright, kinda tired, but good :3
Melody: Before I Decay – the GazettE

After like….over a month’s delay I finally got my copies of Before I Decay from CDJapan. So I bring you a review :3

The Visuals
I’m quite fond of the packaging, especially for the regular edition. When I looked at both copies I almost thought the regular was the limited xD This time around, the photo booklet was actually put with the regular edition instead of the limited edition so the regular edition was actually a little thicker than the limited edition. On top of that both the regular and limited edition has slipcases (the limited edition has the opening at the top and the regular on the right side). btw, it’s been a long long while since I’ve seen Gazette release a CD booklet with photos of them in it so that was really nice to see for this single (oh and Aoi undoubtedly has THE best shots out of all the members x3). As for the covers, I like them :3 it’s mainly the reason why I wanted both versions ahahaha (sucker for pretty things). So thumbs up for visuals/design.

Before I Decay
As mentioned before this was released, this song was being used as the cover song for the Japanese version of Fast & Furious 4 (ワイルド・スピード MAX -Wild Speed MAX-) And you know, as a song I like it. Aside from suiting the movie, it’s…how shall I say…very Gazette-like xD Well, it will definitely make for another good live song to hear and head bang too right? x3 Most of the song is in English though most of that is also sorta masked by a lot of Ruki’s screaming/growling etc. Comparing this song to the rest of Gazette’s heavier songs, it almost seems like this doesn’t feel like a Gazette song, or rather….something about it feels really different lol. It doesn’t feel as catchy as some of their other heavy songs like Leech, Filth in the Beauty, Hyena, Kugutsu e etc. (some of my favourites to name a few). In that sense I kinda don’t like it but then again, this’ll probably be something that’ll grow on me.

Mayakashi (瞞し)
“Deceiving” indeed. When I first saw this title, I thought (and probably a lot of other people did too) it read damashi but as Ruki sings in the song it’s to be read as mayakashi xD;;; Either way you look at in, in translation it still means the same: “to deceive, trickery etc.” Anyway.
Like well, most Gazette releases, there’s usually a heavy song and then there’s a more lyrical/ballad-y song to follow. And that’s what Mayakashi is. I love Gazette’s ballads and I’m a sucker for lyrical songs, so I really liked this one, right now better than Before I Decay xD;;; But that’s me. Mmm…I don’t really have too much to say about this song, it’s good. I like it, not as much as I do some of Gazette’s other ballad songs but I think it’s a nice follow up to Before I Decay.

Oh and maybe I’ve been watching too much anime lately but I feel like Mayakashi could make a cool ending theme x33 (ne ne? *bricked*)

Before I Decay PV
btw, despite this single having been released for over a month I never watched the full PV, not even from Youtube or LJ, so closest I got myself was their official 1-minute preview from their Myspace.

Well, there are no scenes from Fast & Furious in it, that I can tell you xD. Not too many “narrative inducing” shots actually. Most of the pv is band shots and member shots. And….lots of head banging and Ruki head banging and moar head banging xD There’s a  lot of scenes flashing back and forth, focusing in and out. It’s almost kinda dizzying ^^;;; I also find it kinda disappointing that because of that you can’t focus on any of the nice aspects of the video like….well, their costumes (other than Ruki’s shiny red gloves lol). But then again, there’s magazines for that so I won’t complain LOL. Anyway, it’s an alright pv, not my favourite by far. But mah, decent.

Overall
Well, for sure, as a single. This is a little short with only 2 songs as opposed to 3 and a PV. But then again, considering the timing of when this was probably in production, Before I Decay’s upcoming release was announced when DIM was released. In a sense it almost makes you think like these songs were supposed to go on DIM, but there wasn’t enough space so they thought “hey let’s put it on a single!” lol I’m j/k but ya….it felt kinda…rushed into. The single as a whole is kinda….bland, and Gazette. Dears is not bland. Maybe it’s because I watched the Japanese Fast & Furious trailer but the song-style of this single also seemed….Western-y? Maybe it’s just me. xD Well, anyway, despite not totally loving this single (it’s alright though, I like it, but I don’t looooove it teehee) I’m sure this is just another stepping stone for Gazette towards something much better in their future releases :3

Please don’t kill me now xD;;; *hides*

Tags: music

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