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On disc: D'espairs Ray



- Mirror - Felix Thelen - 9 stars
- Spiral Staircase #15 Final (DVD) - Claudia Ehrhardt -
- Spiral Staircase #15 Final (DVD) - Felix Thelen -


www.despairsray.jp







Spiral Staircase #15 Final

Spiral Staircase #15 Final
(Gan-Shin Records - 2008)


If the release of a DVD makes sense with only 2 albums under the belt is questionable, especially as it's not the first DVD of D'espairs Ray, but D'espairs Ray are one of the leading bands in Japan and their extraordinary stage design is a good reason to record. Beside that the band couldn't bring this stage design on tour everywhere. And so it's a nice treat for their fans around the world to see them playing at Shibuya.
When you start playing the DVD of D'espairs Ray you first see some off stage footage... The band waiting in the dark before entering the stage - all that in b/w. You can hear the audience scream. Then they enter the stage of Shibuya hall in Tokyo and you get the first real impression of the outstanding stage design with it's spiral light rig which covers the stage from back to front. The guys kick off with Damned. The focus of that tour was their current release Mirror, offers some others, too. The quartet rocked the house with their melange of metal, Nu metal, alternative and industrial rock. They are part of the Visual Kei scene and so their stage outfit and make-up is almost as important for the show as the music. Before they start Sixty oo Nine the band waited til the audience got almost silent, just to crash in again. The stage was flooded in different colors and at shoots from the distance the light show could fully shine. At the close ups of the band members the ankle is sometimes a bit awkward... Nice are the shoots done from within the audience which give you the impression to be among them.
The quality of the recording is top, but it's mainly the concert and for my surprise the encores are filed under 'special content'! The encores are split up in 3 chapters and feature 5 songs. Usually the encores are part of the regular concert part and not special content. This is a bit strange... Beside that there are about 6 minutes of off stage footage which shows the set up of the stage with the spiral light rig as well as the band arriving at the venue in an SUV, a piece of the sound check, fans waiting in front of the hall and other stuff like that. But no interviews or video clips, etc. For die-hard fans this is a must-have, but everybody else should ask oneself "Do I really need this concert DVD?" If you want to revive your live experience then this is a good way. But I hope that next time they have more to offer then a simple concert shooting!


Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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Spiral Staircase #15 Final

Spiral Staircase #15 Final
(Gan-Shin Records - 2008)


After Gan-Shin released their latest Album Mirror in 2007, they now get you the new DVD!! It's called Spiral Staircase #15 and its an amazing composition of their new and old songs.
The intro is from their latest album, its called Damned a real good song, mixture of gothic and soft Japanese rock. Its a killer!! Real party songs are the next two tracks - Angeldust and Mirror (my favourites). Gothic, metal and electronic - that's real killer tunes!!
From their 3rd song on - it's Mirror - it seems to me that Hizumi's voice is a bit weak... That he has problems to go on, but he keeps going - even with he hasn't as much power as usual.
The track list is just great, coz it incl. In Vain, Reddish and Screen.
All in all its one of my favourite DVDs of D'espairs Ray, you can compare it with Murder Freaks DVD!!


Felix Thelen
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)
 

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Mirror

Mirror
(Gan-Shin Records - 2007)


Again another masterpiece release from Gan-Shin. With their second album the J-gothic band D'espairs Ray topped their previous work and with their latest work Mirror can easily keep up with Coll Set.
The opening track Damned is a killer tune - gothic / alternative style. Next in line is a slower one - Trickster for which they also added the video clip to the European version. My personal favorite is Mirror! The title track is melodic and heavy at a time and due to Hizumi's distorted vocals, Karyu's forcing guitar riffs, Tsu´kasa's drumming and Zero's bass it becomes a real Despa song! And again they used a lot electronic sounds - like on Squall which was also added as a video clip (European version) and which was released as a single in Japan in spring. At Sixty-Nine they mix gothic and electro with metal and screams. A cool song!
Resume: Perfectionist Hizumi gave everything on this one!
Check out: Mirror, Sixty-Nine, Kogoeru Yoru Ni Saita Hana and Desert (bonus track European edition)


9 stars

Felix Thelen
(translation: Claudia Ehrhardt)
 

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