Gou On PROGRESSIVE
Artist: HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR
Album: Gou On PROGRESSIVE
Musicians: Maakii (vocals), Yuusuke (vocals), MEG (guitar), Kazuto (guitar), mACKAz (bass), SASSY (drums)
Composer/Lyricist:
Release Date: 5 Apr 2006
| Gou On PROGRESSIVE – HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR Tracklisting:Â Â 01. Ichirin no Hana *Bold titles – recommended listening. |
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OVERVIEW
HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR (shortened to H&MC from here on) is a relatively new band that formed in 2003. However, they have already become quite popular, with their songs gracing various anime as opening themes. Gou On PROGRESSIVE is their second album, and it is a very solid rock album. They were originally formed as a Metallica cover band, and this is apparent in the guitarists’ skill both at rattling off rapid notes for solos and at jamming in accompaniment with heavy chords. Their sound features harsh male vocals, provided by Yuusuke, and contrastingly beautiful female vocals, sung smoothly by Maakii… which isn’t really a new musical tactic. But H&MC includes a number of different elements in their music that clearly distinguish them from other groups that combine male-female vocals, such as techno and even some Arabian-influenced sounds in various songs. H&MC is one of the most promising new rock bands I’ve heard in recent memory; they are obviously willing to take their music in directions that are different from a number of other similar bands, and their music benefits from it. In fact, the only negative point I found in Gou On PROGRESSIVE is that some of the energy of the first half of the album is lost in the second half. But overall, these are the kinds of songs you’ll want to put on almost constant repeat.
THE GOOD
Ichirin no Hana
This song opens the album on a high note with an intricate guitar intro. Maakii’s voice sounds beautiful as she swoops in to take the song away. Throughout the song, she and Yuusuke trade off vocal lines, with Maakii handling the catchy chorus and Yuusuke the harsh vocals of the melody. Heavy guitars and bass support them, and the awesome guitar solo in the middle of the song rapidly dashes through a ton of notes in a few short seconds. “Ichirin no Hana” gets the blood pumping and makes you eager for more.
Haitoku no Jounetsu
“Haitoku no Jounetsu” starts out on an awesome note. The beat and the guitars instantly energize you and compel you to move in time with them. This song makes the best use of Yuusuke’s vocals, and Maakii’s voice shines. With a strong accompaniment from the guitars, the melody is musically interesting even before the middle section, through which they weave an almost Arabian sound seamlessly into the song. This is groove rock at its best, with a H&MC twist, and it is definitely my favorite song on this album.
Hoshizora ni Furu Yuki
Yuusuke gets more airtime here than in the other songs; he provides the usual harsh vocal effects in some sections, but he also gets the opportunity to actually sing, and it’s a pleasant experience. His voice is not downright amazing, but it is soft and almost gentle, which suits this laidback rock song and compliments Maakii’s contribution. She provides some of the most beautiful vocals on this album for the chorus; the chorus itself is bittersweet and simple, but touching. This is a very solid rock song.
THE BAD
STYLE ~ get glory in this hand
The very beginning of this song sounds exactly like the opening for Gackt‘s “Lu:na,” which is strange and unfortunate since every other song on this album sounds so unique. Being a huge fan of “Lu:na,” it was difficult for me to make the mental shift to a completely different song by a completely different group. This song, overall, is not that bad, since it features an awesome guitar solo and strong vocals by Maakii and Yuusuke. However, depending on your familiarity with “Lu:na,” the beginning might be too damaging for “STYLE” to recover from.
The Rating: 9
Reviewed by: dheu
