SERAPH descends from the heavens once again.
After the successful debut of SERAPH in 2019 at DIR EN GREY drummer Shinya’s birthday live, the band descended from the heavens once again for two consecutive dates on February 23rd and 24th, with the latter being Shinya's birthday.
The show was set at the same venue as their debut live last year, and the theater enhanced the classical experience that SERAPH provide their audience with. Every song was accompanied by an atmospheric video projected on a screen behind Shinya and vocalist and pianist Moa, and each video transported the audience into the heart and soul of each song, even showing the lyrics throughout to further immerse the audience in the story.
From mysterious forests through French chateaus and into a winter wonderland, the angelic members of SERAPH transported the audience into a journey through the world as they see it from their celestial point of view, offering a complete sensory experience. Moa’s almost invisible piano
blended in with the back screen, as it was covered with white fabrics so that the projection enveloped it as well. This year's live switched the position of the piano and drums, with Shinya to the right of the stage and Moa to the
left.
Alongside the songs they performed during last year's debut concert, SERAPH treated their fans to four new, never-before-heard songs, as well as a special piano and drum duo act afterwards that was perfectly placed in the middle of the set list and served as a nice
intermission.
The four new songs followed the duo's usual naming convention of one-word titles in foreign languages:
Majesté, or "majesty" in French, showed the opulence and grandeur of French royals with an epic string melody that accelerated the overall rhythm of the song. When highlighted, the piano gave peace to the song and the drums added depth. It was music fit for a king or queen.
Reisn, meaning "dignity" in Icelandic, had a constant drum beat that added an ominous feeling to the song and highlighted the holy mission of the members, asking the audience "what does it mean to be human?". During Lluvias, or "rain" in Spanish, Shinya's drumbeats
evoked images of raindrops falling and the overall melody had a calm rainy day feeling to it. It was the total opposite of the feeling that Lovshka, meaning "trap" in Russian, gave the listener: a sense of loss and despair.
The final MC made the audience laugh, as Shinya showcased some of the goods for sale this year. True to his drummer role, he tested the available products one by one by using them as drumsticks.
Of course, the pen was the most drumstick-like of them all, but that didn't stop Shinya from trying others such as the pouch (hardly any sound was made due to its softness), the pamphlet, which included a brand new photoshoot made by both members
in a winter wonderland and which sold out on both dates, and the cotton case, which Shinya said could hold many other items besides cotton due to its size. Each attempt drew laughter from the audience, and it was definitely a very interactive way to promote one's
merchandise!
When the product testing was done, the string quartet surprised the audience by playing a beautiful rendition of Happy Birthday, and a white vanilla cake was brought onstage for Shinya. Fans joyfully clapped and congratulated Shinya on the
special date while he blew his candles out and tried a bit of cake.
The last song was Kreis and, like its name ("circle" in German) suggests, the track brought the show full circle since the first part of the set list included songs from last year's showcase, and the second part featured new ones. The concert
part of the live was over then, but there was more to come.
After a break, Shinya partook in a special talk session with the fans, who were full of questions for their idol, and then some fun decoding games were played.
It's a pity SERAPH has only performed live thrice so far. Their music tells a compelling story and the visuals are delightful to watch. Although the duo's style is quite different from Shinya's usual sound as a member of DIR EN GREY, longtime fans will
certainly feel the essence of his drums' mesmerizing energy in both projects.
Hopefully SERAPH will get the chance to show fans around the globe their unique, angelic world soon.
Set List
Opening. Destino Overture
01. Destino
02. Abyss
03. Sauveur
04. Uisce
05. Génesi
06. Piano & Drums duo
07. Majesté
08. Reisn
09. Lluvias
10. Lovshka
11. Kreis
Ending. Génesi (Instrumental)
