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MUST HEAR: MALICE MIZER
by Yolande
MALICE MIZER, with Mana and Kozi leading on the guitars, Yu~ki on the bass and Kami on drums before he passed away and three different vocals altogether � Tetsu, Gackt and Klaha � is, to me, the most beautiful band I have seen. Not because of their visual kei costumes [indeed, I'm wowed by the gorgeous outfit and stage], but because of the delicate use of instruments and great arrangements and production. To me, MALICE MIZER did not write songs. They make music and created beauty. MALICE MIZER was, and in fact, IS one of a kind. The fact that they were placed in category 'Jrock/Jpop' still amuses me one way or another. Most of the time, they have a different melody line for guitars and vocals, and wrote the music in a way so that everything flows together. When listening carefully, one will only realize how good they are individually, for everything makes a perfect picture, and none overshadowing each other. That is, MOST of the time.
They started out as an indie band, like almost all other bands did. Tetsu ain't really a good vocalist, in my opinion, or at least, not as good as Gackt or Klaha. They had a raw sound, and their music was certainly not as polished. Nevertheless, I would like to point out two very good songs.
Title : Baroque
Album : memoire
Track : VII [7]
Music : Mana
Lyrics : Tetsu
The start of Baroque was different from the rest, and captures your attention, with the guitars, clear and rhythmic. When I first listened to this song, Tetsu's voice sure did make me wince. The guitars and the instruments are not the ones capturing your attention now. Its Tetsu's voice. Not because its loud, but because the parts of instruments are written to bring focus to his voice. I love this song starting from the third minute. Although Tetsu raised his voice to sound, I guess, strangled, to me, but I love it. And after that, their signature guitars come in. Soon, they were playing an extract from 'Fur Elise', which sounded so good, so different, yet, you knew its 'Fur Elise'. The song carries on, just as the start, and ends the seven minute song with the guitars and the clock striking about eight times.
Title : Seraph
Album : memoire
Track : VI [6]
Music : Kozi
Lyrics : Tetsu
One of MALICE MIZER's more lighthearted song. I fell in love with this once I listened to it. Tetsu actually sounded good here. Much better than Gackt ever did singing this song. The instruments are light, so light that Tetsu's voice was another instrument of its own, singing its melody. Yet, without the instruments, that song will sound so empty. The drumming was light throughout the whole song. You hear it, but you don't notice it, unless you purposely do, that is. The song fades off slowly with the synthesizer and guitars playing the chords and melody over and over again, and the cymbals crashing softly in the background.
Camui Gackt took over about a year after Tetsu left the band. MALICE MIZER became much flashier, with a beautiful, aristocrat image and more daring music. Voyage sans Retour, their second album, has a heavy french influence, and I love it a lot, though I have to admit its not as polished as Merveilles.
Title : Shi no butou ~a romance of the "Cendrillon" ~
Album : Voyage Sans Retour
Track : IX [9]
Music : Mana
Lyrics : MALICE MIZER
The song starts off with church organ, something rarely used in these eras. Soon, the guitars take over, carrying on with a catchy melody, and MALICE MIZER signature twin guitars are fabulous. In fact, the reason why I love this song is the twin guitars, just like why I like Bel Air. When Gackt's voice joined in, I half expected Klaha's to when I heard this song for the first time. Shi no Butou sounded more gothic than the sounds in those eras, but not as polished and more melodious that songs from Bara no Seidou. One of the reasons was probably because Gackt's voice was not suitable for it. The twin guitars were creating a superb sound, and the bass and drums gave the sound a strong beat in the background. Around the fourth to fifth minute, a waltz like melody took place in the background, just like the title, as Gackt ends the song is a slight ritard, with the spread chord for the guitar ending the song nicely.
Title : Regret
Single : ma ch駻ie
Track : II [2]
Music : Gackt. C
Gackt's piano piece. It sounded, as the title stated, regretful. This piece started off very lightly, as though recalling slowly. Soon, his left hand joined in, and slowly, the speed increased, and the volume got louder. The louder and faster it went, the more depressing it was. After it hit the climax, it went back to the state as it just began, soft and sad. As it ends, you here the waves crashing against the shore. To me, it sounded as though the waves are washing away the painful memories. Although Gackt's piano was not as good as professional performer's, it sure was beautiful in this song. One of Gackt's earlier composition, it was not as good as Gackt's solo works or Le Ciel. In fact, Gackt's and Kami's solo in Merveilles was better, but I love 'Regret' more as it had more feelings put into it while played and composed, so much more sensitive. This also happened to be one of the few songs I may start tearing when listening to it in a depressed mood. Certainly one of MALICE MIZER's more beautiful pieces around that time.
MALICE MIZER went major, signed by Nippon Columbia co. Ltd, and produced Merveilles. Gackt's vocal improved, sounding more experienced and confident than before. The songs are polished, with many of them as hits. Their music was harder, louder, and there was a more daring use of instruments. Yet, Gackt's voice starts to overshadow the music so much, it was not a part the beautiful picture anymore. It was vocal and music. Which was why I guess Merveilles is probably the era on the bottom of my list.
Title : Syunikiss
Album : Merveilles
Track : II [2]
Music : Yu~ki
Lyrics : Gackt
Yu~ki's first and only composition that was produced. It starts off dramatically with urgent strings, and then everything else joins in, and in my opinion, it sound as though the world is going to end. There was a short pause, with soft female vocals in the background. The arrangement and instrumentals in the song is fabulous. When I listened to this song, I find that Gackt's voice was not, as his voice in most other songs are, outstanding and attention-seeking. For once, his voice is part of the whole piece, part of the picture. There is a long pause around the 2-3 minute, with birds chirping, and the slightest sounds. The volume increases, and the instruments join in once again, as strong as the start. As it ends, everything got louder, stronger, and more forceful. When I realized that Syunikiss was written by Yu~ki, I was wowed, and wondered why he didn't write more. I would say that Syunikiss is definitely one of their best songs during, well, Gackt era.
Title : Au Revoir
Album : Merveilles
Track : VII [7]
Music : Mana
Lyrics : Gackt
Wind chimes [or at least, that's what I hear] starts the song off, followed by Kami's drumming, and a guitar. Though loud, its light and gentle. The violin starts the melody, and stops when Gackt starts to sing. The drums reduce greatly, and only the slightest melody and rhythm could be heard. Gackt's voice carried the melody beautifully. The melody for the chorus is surprisingly catchy for such a song. If you listen carefully, you will realize that, once again [so typically, of MALICE MIZER], every instrument is playing a melody of its own, but non showy, only matching so well. The violin solo is bittersweet, very fitting. I love this song when it ends. Piano, violin, guitars, bass, drums, and vocal. They seem to be one thing altogether, playing from a faraway distance.
Title : Gekka no Yasoukyoku
Album : Merveilles
Track : XI [11]
Music : Kozi
Lyrics : Gackt
Definitely one of my favourite songs up till now. Catchy and cute, right from the start, you can almost hear the puppets, dolls and storytellers. This song is totally adorable, with the synthesizer carrying the melody. Gackt sang the song with the right touch, and the double bass and the light drumming in the background is certainly cute. During the second minute, effects are used on Gackt's voice, making it old and recorded badly, which was exactly right for the feel of the song. A dramatic melody line, adorable instruments and percussion, and the right touch for vocal, I highly recommend this song.
[Extra note: Get the PV and live too. Its so fitting and adorable.]
Gackt left to go solo, and Kami passed away. This is probably the lowest period in MALICE MIZER. Mourning era, I like to call it, for the best songs at this time were in Shinwa. Sakai no Chi to Bara, which was later placed into Bara no Seidou, and Unmei no Deai, my favourite out of Kami's two songs.
Title : Unmei no Deai
Video : Shinwa
Track : II [2]
Music : Kami
Kami's composition. When I listen to this song, no matter after how many times, my heart will ache at the beauty and sorrowfulness of it. After that, I will go around saying, 'I was listening to the wails of strings'. Which is so fitting. The violin was so sorrowful that it sounded as it was crying. Drums were hardly present, and the harpsichord, guitars and bass are the ones that are giving the rhythm. I can hardly describe the song, for all I can think of is 'its so sad, and so beautiful.' Does that make you want to listen to the song? If not, how about 'Kami wrote this before he passed away, and I have to say, I have never imagine that he could write such a beautifully sad song. No offence.'
After Klaha joined, or rather, just as Klaha joined, MALICE MIZER took a turn into gothic. Klaha as vocal was certainly not as good as Gackt was, but so much more fitting for MALICE MIZER, for its part of the music, not another thing on its own. I used to think, like most others do, that Klaha was a replacement for Gackt. But I am wrong. Klaha may seem similar to Gackt at first, but after a while, you will realize that Klaha was so much better for MALICE MIZER with a darker, deeper and more opera-tic voice for their gothic music and image. With Klaha, MALICE MIZER certainly produced the best songs in its existence.
Title : Seinaru Koku (toki) Eien No Inori
Album : Bara no Seidou
Track : II [2]
Music : Mana
Lyrics : Mana
Shiroi Heya once referred this song as MALICE MIZER's, Mana's masterpiece, which was what got me to download the song before I bought the album. And I must so admit, this song is indeed good. Gothic is the word for it, and nothing more fitting. Eight minutes long, with different melodies for the guitars, a chorus in the background, and two leading vocals � Maki Okada's high soprano voice and Klaha's deep rich voice � and an extract from a certain sonata (?) [Ok, I'm not too sure whether it's a sonata, but at this particular moment, I can't lay my finger on which composer, but at least I can be sure, it comes from a violinist composer from the Baroque era.], this song is polished, if anything, and I will worship Mana for his use of instruments, arrangement and production if I haven't worshipped him already.
Title : Mayonaka Ni Kawashita Yakusoku
Album : Bara no Seidou
Track : V [5]
Music : Mana
Lyrics : Mana
Another of Mana's best. Starting with a choir in the background, the song is slow, soft and gentle. When I listened to the instruments when Klaha's deep voice joined in, my reaction was 'wow, baroque.' Klaha's vocal, once again, suits MALICE MIZER more than Gackt's did. The choir in the background enchant the whole feel, and the drums are so soft that they give nothing more than the slightest rhythm. I adore the bass and guitars towards the end, which were so important, but so unnoticeable. The feeling the song gave as it ends was exactly the same as it starts, soft, gentle, and warm. I once read from Seraph, a MALICE MIZER review site, and so agree with it: Its like rose petals falling gently. Soft, dreamy, and beautiful.
Title : Hakai no Hate
Album : Bara no Seidou
Track : VIII [8]
Music : Mana
Lyrics : Mana
As often used in this era, this song starts off with a choir. Then the instruments join in, hard. Hakai no Hate is one of MALICE MIZER's faster and harder songs in their gothic era. For this song, Klaha is, well, non-existent. The whole part in front is in english, and how fitting the lyric is for the song. 'The voice of temptaion whispers at your ear / The sound of fear upsets your heart�' There is almost no melody for the instruments, as the vocals are the ones that carry a tune. The instruments are hard, fast, loud and heavy throughout the whole song, and the vocals remain slow. The high sopranos are backed by the low basses, and contrast very well with the instruments. Saying that I'm attracted to the end result is more appropriate than saying I'm attracted to the song. The lyrics, the vocals, the heavy rhythm; if anything is missing, or changed inappropriately, the result of the song is gone. It will never be a song I love so much.
Title : Saikai no Chi to Bara
Album : Bara no Seidou
Track : X [10]
Composed & Arranged by MALICE MIZER
Started off dramatically, this instrumental piece conveys angst strongly. Its written for Kami and placed into Shinwa. This song clearly shows MALICE MIZER's turn towards gothic. Dark, angsty, dramatic. It starts off slowly, and the increase in speed very gradually, with strings as melody most of the time. You hear the chimes of the bell in the background, like a thunderstorm. Imagine a gothic building, with thunder and the bell, and you got it. A female's voice whispers in the background later, adding to the dark, sad, and angry atmosphere. Towards the end, the tempo slows down once again, and the sound of harpsichord fades off slowly, repeating the same thing over and over again. To me, or maybe it has something to do with the fact that it's a song for the deceased, its MALICE MIZER's best and most beautiful song, with the deepest emotions and feelings put into it. There is nothing better one could have given Kami, who had loved MALICE MIZER so much.
- Yolande -
- Comment -
It's 09:50 p.m., and Kaoru's still playing air guitar.
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