alice nine. - CROSS GAME

author: anna

Released on December 10th, alice nine.'s latest single comes just weeks before the Peace and Smile Carnival. It's rumored that the band has something special planned for their performance at Budokan, and hopefully one of the songs off CROSS GAME will make it onto their set list!

The title track comes off as a typical alice nine. A-side: fast and driving with a nice melody. The harmonizing guitars do make it stand out a bit, as it's a style not usually used by alice nine., and Tora and Hiroto pull it off admirably. However, Shou's vocals cancel out the excellent guitar lines; he overwhelms the music with his voice. In effect, CROSS GAME feels like it has been done before, and better. Used as the ending theme for anime show "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's," the song received a lot of exposure, and unfortunately this song isn't the best example of what alice nine. can do.

atmosphere starts with a lot more promise. Soft cymbals and echoing guitar chords set up a light and airy mood, and Shou manages to rein in his voice to match the song's vibe. The first third of the song leaves you with a dreamy, drifting-in-the-sky feeling, which makes it all the more intense when the song breaks down into a hard guitar solo. The wild guitar playing returns at the end as though to bring you back to earth. Though a little jarring, the mix of lyrical melody and unrestrained rock makes for an interesting track.

The third track, Mugen -electric eden-, is only available on the regular edition, and it is what makes the regular edition worth buying. The hollow sounding drums and chiming guitar create a haunting, poignant atmosphere. Shou carries most of the melody and does it perfectly; his voice is soft, full of longing and adds depth to the entire song. The biggest surprise on Mugen, however, is the instrumental break: instead of guitars or drums, it's the kokyū that takes center stage. Its sleek, dark sound, sharper than that of a violin, brings the song to the next level. Perhaps alice nine. has been taking lessons from Kagrra, on how to incorporate traditional Japanese instruments into modern music, and if so, they have learned well. Mugen -electric eden- is absolutely captivating and gorgeous.

The first song off CROSS GAME isn't the best, but the last more than makes up for it. alice nine. continues to keep fans hooked with their music, and with their winter concerts and upcoming album, there should be a lot for fans to stay hooked on!