The GazettE - STACKED RUBBISH

STACKED RUBBISH is the newest album from PSCompany band The GazettE. Their first since last year's NIL, STACKED RUBBISH was released in two versions like its predecessor and features three previously released singles as well as nine new tracks. The following is a review of the limited edition that also comes with a DVD containing two music videos

The peculiarly named opening track is ART DRAWN BY VOMIT. Starting off with what sounds like someone playing with the dial on a car radio, it settles into the actual song roughly thirty seconds in, featuring both male and female vocals. The words are in English, but mostly nonsensical and difficult to understand. At nearly two minutes, it's quite a bit of oddness to tolerate before the second track, AGONY, finally kicks in. Making its spirit clear from the very start, AGONY is an interesting mix between rap and punk rock. The lyrics are entirely in English and while Ruki's pronunciation has improved over earlier attempts, he still has a way to go before he can make himself perfectly clear. While some lines are rather oddly worded, the base meaning is understandable enough. It's also interesting to hear a Japanese band use English in this fashion, as the entire song is a meeting of different genres as the guitar and record scratching dance alongside each other.

The previously released HYENA is next, followed by BURIAL APPLICANT. The little drum rolls by Kai are a touch distracting in the beginning but thankfully do not carry on throughout the tune, which changes its mood suddenly near the half mark from slow and vaguely psychedelic, driven gently along by Reita's subtle bass work, to full-on insanity. The tune resumes its previous face just in time to lead the listener into the fifth track, Ganges ni akai bara. Ganges ni akai bara is one of the stand-out tracks on STACKED RUBBISH if just for its sheer unexpected nature. Between the bouncy, rather jazzy bass line and the guitar melody, it's a rock song with an almost swing feeling to it, urging the listener up on their feet to dance as opposed to leap about in a mosh pit. The bit of vocal work at the roughly two minute and thirty second mark is quite catchy, making this perhaps the only track on the entire album that may bring a grin to the listener's face as they dance, or at least tap a foot, along.

Opening with some lovely acoustic guitar work, courtesy of Uruha and Aoi, CALM ENVY is certainly one of the most relaxing songs on the album. Featuring some female back-ground vocals in English along with Ruki's low crooning, the song manages to be slightly sweet and calm, though never boring as the guitar lines dance with one another aside a brief solo break. SWALLOWTAIL ON THE DEATH VALLEY picks the pace back up and shows off its rock-and-roll soul while the following track, MOB 136 BARS, has a harder edge to it.

GENTLE LIE is an unexpected twist as it leaves behind MOB 136 BARS's shouts and growls in favor of an almost dance-floor sound. With a pleasantly pronounced bass line and some solid vocals, it reminds one a bit of the earlier CALM ENVY. While both are fine tunes, wedging a rough, scream-filled track like MOB 136 BARS inbetween them is rather jarring. The previously released FILTH IN THE BEAUTY follows before the album gives us its twelfth track, CIRCLE OF SWINDLER. Like AGONY, CIRCLE OF SWINDLER is sung entirely in English although Ruki's pronunciation is not quite as clear. Ironically, the lyrics themselves make a smidgen more sense and take a clear aim at the music business and the hit charts. Musically, CIRCLE OF SWINDLER is fairly strong aside some moments in the verse when the vocals, guitars, and beat all seem to briefly head off into different directions, though these components all come back together in time for the catchy chorus.

One of the longest tracks on the album, Chizuru, is next. Slow but not sweet, it's a haunting tune with plenty of emotion packed into every note and chord. Despite its length of nearly six minutes, the song manages to never drag, mostly thanks to the work of Aoi and Uruha. Ruki's vocals are well-suited to a track like this, up until the moment he reaches for a high note; this brief second is rather jarring for the listener as the sudden change in pitch really isn't suited for a tune such as this. STACKED RUBBISH closes out then with PEOPLE ERROR, a melancholy, instrumental tune which is played solely on the piano.

The DVD with this edition of STACKED RUBBISH comes with two music videos, one for BURIAL APPLICANT and one for Chizuru. As to be expected from The GazettE, the production values are excellent and both videos should serve as a nice bonus for previous fans of the band. The latter video also includes footage from the Japanese film, 'The Apartment'.

Overall, STACKED RUBBISH is a difficult album to pin down. Generally speaking, each track is quite strong and enjoyable. However, it almost sounds like the band attempted to make two different mini-albums before giving up and squishing both together, creating a schizophrenic offering that seems to have trouble deciding which direction it wants to go. The GazettE has proven before that they're capable of juggling genres to create something new and unique, but STACKED RUBBISH is just a little too unfocused to be considered one of their better works. All the same, fans who enjoyed HYENA and the other singles, should definitely still pick this album up and it's not a bad introduction for a newer fan who wants just a taste of what The GazettE is capable of.