Music Review: THE GAZETTE “DIVISION”

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Music Review: THE GAZETTE “DIVISION”

September 30, 2012 Diverse Japan Leave a comment Go to comments

UK release date: 1st October 2012

Formed in 2002, the GazettE, whose song “Headache Man” was used for the ending theme of Hotel Chelsea a film written and produced by Hiro Masuda starring Nao Nagasawa and Tony Laurent, are one of the most popular visual kei bands in Japan right now. But not only are they appreciated on their own turf, their pulsating music and flamboyant image has attracted fans from all over the world. Their longevity doesn’t appear to be waning anytime soon. So to celebrate their 10^th anniversary the band has recorded a new album entitled DIVISION which will be released in the UK by JPU Records on 1^st October.

With each new album, the GazettE always manages to combine various musical styles, such as Heavy Metal, Glam Rock, and Electro-synth to form a distinctive style all of their own, and their latest offering is no exception. Synthesized sounds, thrashing guitars, solid bass-lines and ferocious drumming all merge together with front-man RUKI’s David Sylvian-esque vocals to make an energised mixed wall of sound. [For those of you who don’t know, David Sylvian was the lead singer with the flamboyant early eighties New Wave, pop band Japan who scored their biggest hit in 1982 with “Ghosts”.]

DIVISION consists of 12 tracks and opens and closes with an instrumental whilst a vocal mixture of subtlety and screaming lays in-between. Standout recordings include “DERANGEMENT”, “DRIPPING INSANITY”, “YONIN”, “KAGEFUMI”, and “KAGO NO SANAGI”.

It certainly isn’t an album to kick back and relax to and it’s not an album for those of a nervous disposition. It is however, a musical assortment that will surely get the blood pumping through your veins and it’ll have you thrashing your body back and forth in no time at all – it’ll resonate through your whole being only to turn and punch you in the head and kick you up the arse.

Established fans of the GazettE won’t be disappointed with this release, but a warning to those discovering this electro-metal band for the first time: Hold on tight and be prepared for a hard thunderous ride!