Running Wild - Shadowmaker [2012]

One should not underestimate the love I harbor for most of Running Wild's extensive catalog. The traditional metal powerhouse's absolute golden period stretching from Port Royal to Black Hand Inn competes with metal's best works in any arena, demolishing all revivalist wannabe bands with little effort and besting even competent modern attempts at creating their swashbuckling sound. It is with a certain degree of sadness, then, that my first write-up for this legendary group of pirates must come in the form of reviewing a release as shoddy and halfhearted as Shadowmaker. After a seven year absence, little has changed since previous contemporary Running Wild albums; the flame that inspired masterworks like Death or Glory is once again nowhere to be found, and the listener is left wondering what Rock'n'Rolf came back for at all.


To be honest, Shadowmaker isn't quite the irredeemable disaster it could have been, but if it weren't for occasionally entertaining and catchy tracks like "Riding on the Tide," this record might have fallen into the same chasm that Morbid Angel and Queensryche's latest 'efforts' now fester in.Where are the awesome riffs? Where is the gritty tone and atmosphere? Most importantly, where did the inspiration go? One thing remains certain: it's not here. The numbingly clean production and upbeat songwriting only serve to make the overbearing sense of "jolliness" here more prevalent. The painfully awkward brotherhood anthem "Me and the Boys" is the most overt display of this. This song is easily the nadir of the album, and frankly, it's simply embarrassing to listen to. Seriously, who thought this whole comeback thing was a good idea again?


The mediocrity doesn't stop there, though. Another tepid trend in Shadowmaker's musical direction is the constant lack of speed. Sure, I don't need every track to be booking 240 beats a minute, but this album is almost depressingly slow. Songs like "Black Shadow" crawl so free from haste that I nearly fall asleep before they reach their midway points. Speed up. I'm pretty sure Running Wild was in a contest with itself to see how boring they could get when they wrote this drivel. They won. "Dracula" would like to trick you with its 7-minute length that it follows the bloodline of the band's brilliant epics, but let's just say this isn't another "Battle of Waterloo." The song does nothing to justify its length or existence, plodding along linearly, and the most I can say for it is that it finally delivers the end of a misguided, sterile album. 


I know I've been hard on Running Wild here, but they deserve it. This squad has shown the capability to deliver material of quality far superior to that found on this disc. About as much thought was put into this music as the amount of effort given to create its sub-par cover art. For every decent track like "Piece of the Action," there are three more bargain bin "Locomotive"s waiting right around the corner. Shadowmaker gets worse as it goes on, and each listen becomes increasingly tedious and difficult to bear. It only raises one all too appropriate question: what was the point of coming back if this is the final product? Having heard the album more times than I would have liked, Shadowmaker has convinced me that it is little more than the work of an aging Rolf seeking another check. After all, there is little inspiration to be found here to my ears aside from the quest for more green. Perhaps it's time to hang it up and go home.


   Overall: 4/10 (Poor)

Unisonic - Unisonic [2012]

The Ignition EP released two months before Unisonic's debut blew me away, evoking melodic perfection while maintaining a decidedly non-heavy sound. The product was sweet and succinct, almost sounding like 80s Helloween boiled down to its most simplistic roots, and it was nearly as enjoyable. I'm satisfied to say that while the personally breathtaking EP might have raised my expectations to a point never reached here, Unisonic mostly delivers with dazzling finesse. This is carefree, hard rock music in its purest form, no shame or embarrassment about it. Sometimes it lingers close to the edge of airhead pop rock, but never does it plummet to the depths of abyssal songwriting stupidity.


My review of Ignition basically summed up the musical direction here, but I'll reiterate and expound upon Unisonic's style with further development. The most important thing to tell yourself before listening to this album is that this isn't Helloween. Yes, it reunites Kai Hansen and Michael Kiske, but Unisonic isn't exactly another Keeper of the Seven Keys. Only trace remains can be found from the glory days of the legendary German power kings, and their connections persist mainly in abstract elements like the sheer energy and jubilant nature of the performances. For the most part, this record is made up of light and generally radio-friendly material, forging its roots firmly in rock rather than engraving itself fully as a power metal entity.


That isn't to say, however, that the songs often suffer for it. The majority of the tunes featured here succeed thanks to capable songwriting and a penchant for having fun; hell, a lot of fun. There are numbers that will be stuck in your head for days (even if we already heard them two months ago). "Never Change Me" features a chorus that would sound appropriate in a Katy Perry song, but I just can't care when it's this catchy. "Never Too Late" and "I've Tried" are a similar pair of stadium stompers, the latter of which bouncing around like a track in a Persona game's soundtrack (which is a very good thing). "Renegade" summons some of power metal glory missing in the rest of the proceedings.

The true showstoppers disappointingly remain those that we already heard on the EP, making that release a little misleading and this one slightly disappointing as a result. Perfect opener "Unisonic," the instant classic "My Sanctuary," and the brilliant "Souls Alive" all dominate the meat of the album, offering more power and memorable hooks than the rest of the songs. This separation in quality is more noticeable as the record goes on, as the second half is a bit lacking in impact compared to the first. Closing ballad "No One Ever Sees Me" isn't the most despicable ballad I've heard this year, but it doesn't leave much of an impression, either. The only track I find myself actively skipping with each playthrough is "Star Rider," which is just about as close as this band comes to recording totally banal, commercial tripe.

Although Unisonic doesn't quite live up to the promise of its debut EP here, and this isn't the ideal comeback one would hope for from the talent involved, I still couldn't help but be entertained for the time allotted. Most of the songs are on and there's fun to be had, so what could be the harm, right? Michael Kiske, while not in prime dog-killing form, delivers the goods like a man of fewer years. As does Kai Hansen on guitar, even if you won't hear any fret-burning solos within the confines of this recording. Due to these reasons, Unisonic is kind of about settling, but luckily for us, it's worth settling for. Just don't expect the unattainable and you'll be good to go.

   Overall: 7.5/10 (Good - living on the edge)

Unisonic - Ignition [2012 EP]

My attachment to golden era Helloween was perhaps one of the single most important developments in my youth as a growing metalhead. From the intro of "Ride the Sky" to the closing notes of "Keeper of the Seven Keys", rarely has a band given me so much joyous mileage as Helloween, and I think it's all right to say that no small amount of sentimental value has come along for the ride. I may not have lived through the tragedy myself, but you could probably predict my horror at the nightmarish descent into the musical abyss Kiske and company decided to take after such a flawless run of albums with travesties like Pink Bubbles Go Ape (sorry, I'll always hate it) and Chameleon. Michael Kiske had a lot of explaining to do, and it appears now that he's trying to make amends--and with Kai Hansen, no less. You can imagine my girlish squeal of joy at the though of such a reunion.

However, from the sound of their debut EP Ignition, Unisonic isn't about to unleash the followup to Keeper of the Seven Keys Pt. 2; and you know what? I'm perfectly okay with that. I came to terms with that the minute I pressed play and heard "Unisonic" for the first time. Suddenly, auditory power erupted, along with the highly hard rock influenced riff, and last but not least, Kiske let it loose over that groovin' verse. And so the chills began to descend my spine. This is what the metal world has been missing for the past two decades. It's an entirely simple track, arguably absentminded even, yet its absorbing power cannot be mistaken. Fuck, it destroys. Even as it treads dangerously close to Pink Cream 69 levels of glam-influenced cheese, "Unisonic" comes off as closer to early era Riot goodness: fun, not afraid to let loose and be casual, but completely serious about what it's doing at the same time. Perfect and infinitely enjoyable rock/metal music.

Carrying along in a similar manner, "My Sanctuary" changes things up a little bit. Slower and slightly more atmospheric than the opening barn-burner, the song mesmerizes with an emotive and unforgettable chorus while never truly approaching ballad status. Kiske is in great form, not really hitting his old high notes but finding a comfortable and ultimately satisfying middle ground. It's really just euphoric hearing his voice attached to a full-time metal (or rock, whatever) project again, giving the already spotless songwriting another touch of reinforcement. Really, this material is all about the great songwriting, reminding me of TNT's late 80s material. Straightforward, but stunningly elegant and catchy to boot. "Souls Alive" carries on in the same manner as its predecessor, and I don't think I'm crazy to believe I hear some Kamelot influence in that balladic section near the end.

The EP is capped off with a filler live version of "I Want Out," an obvious attempt to attach Unisonic to the Helloween name and show that Kiske can still come out and do what he was born to do. His performance here isn't quite perfect, but I'm still rather impressed. To be honest, I am trying to restrain my excitement and joy for this new outfit, but Ignition is making the task hard. I looked and looked, but I can't find one damn flaw (musically) here. The only problem with this release is that it'll be completely useless once the full-length is bestowed upon us, since all these tracks (save for the already useless live song) will be featured on that self-titled album. Therefore, its purchase is impractical and unnecessary (literally the only reason for my somewhat modest score). However, it has made me aware of an album I probably wouldn't have had the slightest expectations for previously. Thanks for ruining the surprise.

If you're expecting Keepers era Helloween, you're going to be sadly disappointed. However, if you're seeking a fun and exuberant time, it almost never gets better than this. We could have an Immortal Soul caliber comeback pretty soon, but I'm going to do myself a favor and try not to think about it too much. Oh, who am I kidding, I'll be counting the days.

   Overall: 7/10 (Cool - must...stifle...excitement...)

Lacuna Coil - Dark Adrenaline [2012]

You know, people really do amaze me. They amaze me in a variety of ways, in fact, especially in their acceptance of the absolute bare minimum. I've got a little story to tell; gather 'round the campfire children.

_________________

At the musical methadone clinic, sometime in January, 2012:

Mindless Consumer: "Total crap? Same thing as the product I bought last year? Zero effort or originality involved?! Hell yeah, sign me up!"

Head Record Company Executive: "All right, sir dumbass, just initial here and we'll give you your repackaged poison. No catch! Oh, but you will be giving up your hard-earned money, feeding a brain-sucking, industry-killing leech, and authorizing full utilization of your soul in the unseemly ways we see fit. Do we have a deal?"

Mindless Consumer: "Why wouldn't we? I might be legally deaf, but I would never be one to use discretion and actually give a shit about what I listen to. The stricter the structure of the song, the better. The poppier the chorus, the better. The more phoned in the song... well, you get the point. Just give me my fix, ma'an."

Head Record Company Executive: "Here you go, fresh from the lab: twelve carefully crafted pills of hollow, green-tinted, nonmetal glucose. Granted, they're all the same flavor, and once you've experienced one of them, you've had them all, but we'll generously give you twelve just to make you feel special. Once you're hooked and you're on your sugar rush, be sure to purchase your Lacunacoilium (TM) t-shirts, posters, dolls--ahem, action figures--and laptop/phone skins at the Century Media website. Act now and you'll get exactly what you would if wait for a couple weeks!"

Mindless Consumer: "But Satan, I'm a hardcore deviant sadist; what if twelve aren't enough to fulfill my degenerate fantasies?"

Head Record Company Executive: "Not to worry, dear playtoy! Buy the album at iTunes ('cause, I mean, why support one soulless corporation when you can support two?) and you'll get six bonus tracks and even a video. Losing all character and self-esteem has never come at such a low price! Or, if you're really hankerin' for a spankerin', try the box set edition on for size. It'll serve as a convenient carrying case for your over-produced, overly congruous capsules. Each one comes with a coupon for a free lobotomy, though I can see that you're already, um, well accounted for. Give it to a friend and make sure he uses it before sampling the product. Remember: everybody's doing it, so it must be okay."

Mindless Consumer: "That satisfies me... but wait, why does it explicitly say 'metal' here in the table of contents? 'Dark'? Ick. Scary words dissuade my mindless consumption."

Head Record Company Executive: "We at CM absolutely assure you that the metal factor at work here is only a facade, as is the entire dark image of the Lacunacoilium (TM) property. We have a teen audience, too; we think it's only fair that we give them their drug in a form that's easier for them to swallow. You know, one where they think they're a part of something real, something that'll make them feel cool. There's no need to feel liable to any surprises whatsoever. What you got last time is what you'll get this time, guaranteed: powerless female vocal syrup (because we're using her as a hip gimmick), an illusion of chemical heaviness in the nonexistent riffing section, tracks of nearly identical length, and a spiffy production so crystal clear, you'll swear it'll pop into the room with you. Uniformity has never been this accessibly pervasive!"

Mindless Consumer: "Okay, okay, I think everything's in order. Give me every bottle you got."

...And they all lived happily ever after until the new Kornium (TM) came out.

__________________

If my not-so-subtle rant just alluded you, then you're about to have a new favorite album. I never thought I'd sink low enough to write one of these juvenile 'false conversation' pieces, but Dark Adrenaline took my tolerance to a new level. I'm sorry, but when people (bless their imbecilic hearts) call uninspired dreck like this "incredible," "amazing," and most offensive of all, "heavy," it tends to get to me. It's shit soda pop. People will no doubt take issue with this write-up, and I even doubt it'll be accepted. Where's the musical description, some will say; what an arrogant, pompous ass, others will exclaim. To these comments I'll have only one response: 

I'll write a real review once Lacuna Coil actually puts out a new album.

C'est la vie.

   Overall: 1/10 (Coaster)

Alcest - Les Voyages de L'âme [2012]

One of the more controversial acts in the metal underground, Alcest has spun its fine thread of atmospheric wonder to an astounding degree of success and quality already in the band's short existence--paving the way for dozens of other 'blackgaze' projects in the process. Neige produced three bright-eyed, heterogeneous elixirs of black metal, shoegaze, and post-rock from 2005 to 2010, even the least successful of which (probably Le Secret) I would consider no less than outstanding. And the most successful? A beautiful masterpiece from start to finish (or, namely, Souvinirs D'un Autre Monde). For a while I could have sworn I'd never grow tired of the sound created in these works. However, Les Voyages de L'âme has sadly proven that a sound, no matter how great, can only take you so far. Yes, I'd say Neige finally dropped the ball.

Okay, so Alcest's latest isn't a total failure, or even 'bad' for that matter, but for an album titled something as introspective as The Voyage of the Soul, the music beneath its slick cover is surprisingly devoid of spirit or personality. Keeping with the tradition of utilizing fewer metallic elements with each subsequent release, Voyages is the cleanest, most streamlined Alcest album yet, with a production cleaner than a brand new whistle...Too clean, in fact, destroying the natural vibe of the personal dreamland Neige undoubtedly tried to evoke. There's just this overall sense of artifice that fails to hide itself in the midst of its surroundings; imagine catching someone who is attempting to pickpocket you while he or she is in the middle of the act and confronting the awkwardness to follow. That's the feeling I had listening to this. It's as if the emotions were openly robbed and halfheartedly replaced with a tedious stream lacking the harrowing the lows or the optimistic highs I've come to expect from Alcest.

Even though it stands as the longest release to date from this project at fifty minutes, Les Voyages de L'âme feels the least thought out and the most rushed of them all. Songs are either too structured (like the transparent "Nous Sommes l'Emeraude") or appear to have no point at all, voyaging everywhere while truly going nowhere. Just see the interminable "Là où Naissent Les Couleurs Nouvelles," a song that feels as long as its title; throughout its nine minute journey it fails to achieve any sense of euphoric melody or plant itself in the memory for more than the time it takes to listen to it. "Summer's Glory" is a little more successful, but it still hangs too much on its 90s alternative rock influences, coming off as a Smashing Pumpkins track with Alcestian elements rather than the other way around. To my ears, only the title track even gets close to the same league as something off Souvinirs or its followup, briefly creating the essence of beauty I expected upon entry. The rest are comprised of a half-baked mess of ideas.

One might see my relatively fair score and wonder why I've lingered so much on the negative here, and I must admit that I might have been a tad harsh in this review. After all, this is a serviceable slab of post-metal that can entertain every once in a while if used under the right circumstances. However, based purely off my high expectations and the evidence that Neige can do much better readily available to us, Les Voyages de L'âme simply isn't the caliber of release I was hoping for. I hate to be that guy, but a band's music should progress. I know, I know, change is a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" action, but even a vial of nectar can go flat if opened and poured out time and time again. In the end, Voyages isn't the most crushing musical disappointment I've ever experienced, and I do hope that it was just a simple misstep, but it does provide an inauspicious start to a year that promises the apocalypse at it's end. Perhaps this is only the beginning.

   Overall: 6/10 (Fair)

Mastodon - The Hunter [2011]

There were few albums released in 2009 that I loved more than Crack the Skye, which I found to be an absolute masterpiece of psychedelic, progressive stoner metal. For a while afterward, the next Mastodon release went almost all the way to the top of my waiting list, as I held my breath in heated anticipation for another masterpiece. However, I got distracted along the way, and when the album was finally announced (along with its short song times and more 'accessible' style), I felt a surprising air of indifference and a fear of extreme disappointment. I missed the release and the excitement as a result, an act that, as it turns out, The Hunter definitely didn't deserve. Mastodon have met (if not surpassed) my expectations yet again.

None of Mastodon's albums sound all that similar to one another, and The Hunter keeps that tradition alive for another affair. The amount of different styles mixed in this wide array of concise tracks is highly impressive, a method personally reminiscent of Voivod's Angel Rat (and yes, that's a very good thing!). Some songs roll mainstream with effective modern rock ("Curl of the Burl," "Blasteroid," and "Dry Bone Valley"), some are noisy stoner metal tunes ("Stargasm" and "Thickening"), some go full blown prog rock ("The Hunter" and "The Sparrow"), and some are simply bizarre exercises in miscellanea ("Creature Lives"). It's this kind of diversity that keeps The Hunter sounding fresh even after many listens. None of it is particularly heavy to an extreme degree, but fans who can tolerate a touch of commercialism in their metal should warm up to it fairly quickly.

The Hunter runs fairly long with thirteen tracks at a total of 53 minutes, but nearly every moment is worthy enough to be in this tasty brew. There's something special about the sound created when Dailor's energetic drumming, the contrasting vocals (once again provided by all members and switching between Ozzy-like droning and a more melodic sweetness), and the cascading rhythms and leads come together. The most fruitful exhibitions of this euphoric concoction are in the pristine "Bedazzled Fingernails" (ugh), which displays surprisingly complex melodies in its first rate chorus. If there was one track here that didn't capture my attention like the others, it was "Dry Bone Valley," a faster track that sort of loses itself in the middle of the album. Not bad, but nothing spectacular. I could say the same about the frenzied "Stargasm."

In short, The Hunter is just another great album by Mastodon. It's an album unlikely to change anyone's opinion of the band, and it does fall short of the excellent masterwork that preceded it, but Mastodon's latest does provide a fun foray into less daring territory; it should represent a safe purchase for fans of the group.

   Overall: 8.25/10 (Great - ...everything's fine)

Evergrey - Glorious Collision [2011]

For playing music in such a forgivingly positive genre, Evergrey seems to take on a strange number of naysayers, a legion of nemeses who hate the band's work with every fabric of their beings; and although I may not be a radical in this anti-Evergrey movement, I will say that the majority of Evergrey's output is weak and unnecessary power metal. The only difference now is that they aren't even power metal anymore. Glorious Collision is a mess of an album that resembles modern rock more than it resembles anything the band has done before. With the inferior quality that has been perpetuated by this band for years, one must surely think that a little change might be just what the doctor ordered. However, with the interminable session of mediocrity that this album spews forth, it might be best to pull the plug here and now.

When I say "modern rock," I don't mean that it follows the current flow of worthless, upbeat, radio-friendly bands like Nickelback. No, this has more in common with the slower, understated genre, i.e. the one that won't make you regurgitate your guts on the floor while listening to it. Evergrey certainly doesn't impress anywhere on this disc, but I guess it could have been worse. These are simplistic, rather slow pieces built with whiny guitar and a heavy reliance on choruses. Unfortunately, the choruses often falter, and some are just bad (see: "Wrong," "Restoring the Loss"). Tom Englund is the most controversial part of the band and an interesting vocalist in his own right. He's not bad, but he lacks range and power, sounding more like an American Idol winner than a real metal vocalist. "You" is definite proof of this, a worthless commercial number lacking any point but to make a quick buck. Considering who they are and what they play, why did they think this would work?

If you're desperate to find highlights, I suppose opener "Leave It Behind Us" is a pretty decent arena anthem, and the semi-balladic "The Phantom Letters" creates a pretty good atmosphere. This may seem like a sparse writeup, but that directly reflects Evergrey's latest effort: there simply isn't much here to warrant its gratuitous length. Who would want this many tracks from a band with so little imagination? Despite the change of style, Glorious Collision is directly on par with its predecessors. You'd think the band would either get better or worse with this release. Go figure. To conclude, this isn't the most worthless, phoned-in album I've heard this year, but even if you like this watered down style of music, you could do much better. Only for the most loyal fans of Evergrey and hard rock.

   Overall: 5.25/10 (Mediocre)

Queensrÿche - Dedicated to Chaos [2011]

Okay, so we all know the 'Ryche stopped playing music at least fifteen years ago. They suck so bad now that even the most die hard fans come prepared for a shitacular flow of raw sewage each decrepit day these braindead "musicians" decide to disease society further with a new release. But quite frankly, this is just getting ridiculous now. Dedicated to Chaos takes modern rock to a new level of worthlessness, a new nadir of utmost stupidity and apathy. Queensryche's got everything you need right here: groove boogie tracks, psychodelic tunes, quiet understated songs, and pop cockrock anthems. If that sounds appealing to you, then oh boy, do you have a hefty bounty of S&M pleasure comin' your way! What could be worse than a new Queensryche album? A really freaking long Queensryche album. Sixteen tracks and 70 minutes await you here. Who needs waterboarding? The US will be unstoppable with this in our grasp!

I'm not sure how to describe this since I'm used to reviewing music. Warning: Contents may be fatal. Imagine a mix of worthless Green Day impersonations, a rap-rock feel, U2/Coldplay elements, spacey hippie rock (the most common substance), and lyrics that encompass highly substantial issues like using a fucking cell phone. I'm serious. Look no further than "Hot Spot Junkie" for thought-provoking prose like "I'm addicted to the wifi way, I'm addicted to the wifi way" and "Retail Therapy," a song filled through and through with inspirational lines including, but not limited to, this entire verse:

"Tryin' to find a bargain on a new cell phone
Gotta talk to somethin'
Can't stand the feelin' of bein' alone too long
Without feelin' like I'm gonna come unglued
I text and I text my every thought
But I'm gettin' nothing back
I've got sixty-two apps to keep me happy"

At least those aps can replace all the fans he undoubtedly lost with this piece of crap. Wait a minute, "gotta talk to somethin'?" So wait, he has no one to communicate with so he has to talk to the phone instead? Pfft. Whatever. Back to what's important. The album is essentally comprised of three acts. It starts off as pop rock, suddenly shifts to a calm setting, and then reprises its modern pop rock origins. Needless to say, all three are equally deprived of value. Geoff Tate has the last speck of talent remaining in this band, but he's wasting his time here. His vocals come effortlessly, and they obviously hold some charm and likability, but that doesn't really matter since everything else barely resembles the Queensryche we all used to know and love. He doesn't try very hard either, but they could still put something of value around his distinctive sound. Now we just get stuff like "Wot We Do," which is, get ready for this one, a rap song. Don't believe me? Okay, just listen to it. You'll see.

When it comes to being the worst of 2011, Illud Divinum Insanus might have been a complete failure, but at least it was an interesting one. Dedicated to Chaos doesn't even manage to do that. Queensryche should now hold the distinction for somehow making a sixteen song album in which not a single track is good. Or decent. Or even passably mediocre. This has all the creative quality of a thirteen-year old's garage mallcore band, except that it sounds like mainstream garbage. Heres what really pisses on my hushpuppies: If Queensryche just admitted their complete departure from the realm of metal, we could go our separate ways and I would never have to mention or think about them ever again; but no, they're in some strange denial that this is still metallically relevant. Geoff and the boys somehow compare Dedicated to Chaos to Rage for Order and Empire. It's twenty years too late, guys, just let it go. I'll end this review with a passionate plea: please, for the love of god, please stop playing music, Queensryche. Let us enjoy what you used to do without tarnishing it further.

   Overall: 1/10 (Abysmal - just die already)

X Japan - Dahlia [1996]

I love this music. This is perhaps one if the greatest non-metal albums I've ever heard. Naturally, a statement like that takes a lot of backing up for two primary reasons. The first objection: "X Japan? Not metal? That speed demon of shredding insanity isn't metal?!" The second objection: "One of the best? Really? What could make something that's essentially the sell-out of a band the best?" Well, those are some valid points that will take some time and space to tackle. This might be a long one, folks. It certainly isn't for everyone, but I'm positive that most people could enjoy it if they'd give it a chance. So hang in there, and you may very well find out what makes Dahlia such a special album.

The style of music played here is highly debatable; I'm pretty sure no one answer is right. I'd liken it to Blue Blood, an album in which X Japan switched genres per song. Dahlia plays out in a similar way, but with an entirely different ensemble of sounds; Blue Blood featured elements of speed/power metal, progressive metal, glam, and even symphonic. Of all those types, I'd say that only the symphonic elments have been retained to an extent worth mentioning. There's orchestra and piano all over this disc, but I'll save the specific details for later. To complement this most prominent aspect, we also get J-pop, industrial rock, atmospheric rock, and some minute traces of the metal once played before. If that doesn't sound like a metalhead's nightmare, then I don't know what does. Upon learning this, people usually dart away in fear, but don't jump to any conclusions.

There can be no proper estimation for how well this mix works. The most prevalent factor holding back other X Japan albums is their lack of a constant flow; on all of Dahlia's predecessors, the band always makes some mistake, no matter how small, that detracts from the listener's enjoyment. For me, at least, this just doesn't happen here. Each and every song is perfect, and they're all in the perfect place. There's no hitch, there's no catch. The band knows when to be emotional, when to get serious, and when to go upbeat. This makes it easier to trust the band to take you to the places you need to go. Let X Japan be your tour guide, and they'll show you sights you never thought you'd see, the beauty of the second world hidden within music. They own acres of property in this realm, and that's all because of this album.

I do need to emphasize that the distinct X sound is still very present; it's just that it's wrapped around a sleeker, more accessable shell than before. Take for example the opening title track. The song is veiled in slight heaviness at first, but once it really gets going, it reveals itself to be a masterful J-pop song filled with airy verses and an upbeat chorus made for store shelves. Things get trickier on track two, "Scars." The song remains commercially capable, but there's a glimmer of electronic and industrial elements as well. All in all, it's the least notable of the tracks, but still good enough not to be a distraction. "Rusty Nail" is more of a straight out J-pop song even though it does retain some rock tendencies. It was a big commercial success, and for good reason; this song is fun and ludicrously catchy. "White Poem I" follows, one of the most interesting and grabbing three minute pieces I've ever heard. It's a highly atmospheric slow song brought to the next level by Toshi's most beautiful singing yet, and repetition serves only to enhance the mood.

The last of the even slightly heavy songs are represented by "Wriggle" and "Drain." The former is just an intro for the latter, and both make one track. This song absolutely rules. It is the most uncharacteristic tune X Japan pulls off on the album, mixing heavy industrial with groovin' rhythms, but they still pull it off. About half the album, or even more, is filled with grandly orchestrated ballads. These are the best displays of the band's talent and emotive chops. Aside from "Crucify My Love," each one runs at least seven minutes and upwards to ten. And they don't get boring. Ever. The first is my personal favorite X Japan song, the unbelievablly moving "Longing." The greatest ballad ever. It's hard to describe what makes these types of X songs so good; all I know is that I can feel this music and that's all that matters. "Tears" and "Forever Love" follow and take your breath away in the same fashion.

The production enhances it with its crystal clear tone. This could have come out this year and it would sound up to date. I can understand the level of openmindedness you'd have to possess to like this CD if you're neither an X Japan fan or a listener of Japanese music. In fact, I probably wouldn't recommend Dahlia to someone who doesn't fall into either of those camps, but I don't have the heart not to; it's just so good that it deserves to be heard. No other X Japan album (or even J-pop, J-metal, whatever) comes close to this level of consistency or listenability. It's one of those releases that shouldn't be as good as it is, yet I have no doubt in my mind that it's superlative. If you're an X Japan fan still holding out because you don't think it's heavy enough, snatch this up immediately, because you're missing one of the better albums of the last 20 years... and so is everyone else.

   Overall: 9.5/10 (Incredible - Thank you and good night)