Album Rating: 4.0

Yeah, even after 10 listens, Utafumi sounds completely out of place on the album no matter where I put it. It sounds like they were trying to sum up their entire career into some overtly compressed audio epilepsy.



After consulting with your doctor, you too should consider deleting Utafumi for a healthier you.

Album Rating: 3.5

"I'm definitely more interested in what Sukekiyo has to say in future."

Ditto. Sukekiyo have so far been incredibly consistent, so I can't wait to hear what comes next, considering how amazing Adoratio was.

Album Rating: 4.5

There’s a reason Utafumi sounds so awkward. Kyo did an interview when the single came out but I think it was only in Japanese iirc. Basically they decided they wanted a faster/heavier song as the album’s first single but they hadn’t written anything like that yet, so they reworked a song that was supposed to be a more standard rock-ish song into what is now Utafumi. Also Kyo said that that he didn’t feel like doing a ballad for the single and that there were a lot of “medium” songs on Arche, two in particular that he wished he’d used more harsh vocals on but he didn’t say which. So he ended up using that approach on Utafumi and it doesn’t quite match the instrumental. I’m curious which songs he was talking about; if I had to guess I’d say Soshaku and Magayasou.



This might sound strange but somehow Kyo is my favorite part of DEG and my least favorite part of sukekiyo. The instrumentals on Adoratio are great but some of the vocals are downright obnoxious. His clean vocals sound great for the most part but I fucking hate his annoying moaning and wheezing. That bizarre old man whisper yelling thing he does sucks so hard and ruins so many great songs. I wish he’d just do his harsh vocals like he does in DEG or not at all because it makes it hard for me to enjoy that band. Plus the way they milk their fans is gross, selling albums for like $80 and their merch is like $100 for a T-shirt or something. At their next concert their selling one song for like $20 lmao.

Album Rating: 4.0

Utafumi, more like younotgonnafoolme into liking this song, am I right? *LAUGH TRACK*

Idk whether this album has dropped my standards or what but I love the single Utafumi for how amazing Kyo is on it. Regarding Sukekiyo it's a very interesting dynamic since Kyo is no longer the star of the show, the instruments can be just as impressive as he is vocally. What Kyo parts are you referring to specifically which you find annoying? (Minus Immortalis since that album is dire) Also, I don't see why Sukekiyo are more guility of milking their fans than Dir are. Their regular edition albums are priced the same and the 8000yen ones are usual limited edition price. Only time where I can say it's definitely overpriced is Mutans and Anima to a lesser extent. Their shirts are way overpriced though since Dummy is an overpriced brand.

Album Rating: 2.0

@Calc I actually like Immortalis. The production is bad, but a lot of the songs are good. It's probably the only Kyo-related work I like more than you do, since you're far more fond of the pre-Uroboros stuff, and you're more fond of the songwriting on this.



Both DEG and Sukekiyo sell overpriced stuff. They like exploiting their excessively devoted fan base.

Album Rating: 3.5

Immortalis had its share of amazing tracks, Zephyr, Hidden One and Mama to name a few.

@Irony: The production is even worse than this and the performance is meh, poor album. I only own it for collection purposes, Persuasio and Mutans are where I go to hear those great songs brought to life.

@Sam: Respect for the Mutans rating, you watched Persuasio?

@Sam

Eliz Addict, and possibly the best song on the album, Latour also

Aftermath, Vandal and In All Weathers too.

Album Rating: 4.5

Examples of the type of sukekiyo vocals that I find annoying:

Giji Necromancer (2:19-2:25)

12 ji 20 pun (1:09-1:21)

Hidauta (4:16-4:21)

Naburi (3:00-3:07)



I like the normal (by Kyo standards) vocals in sukekiyo a lot but that whisper yelling/moaning thing just annoying me. Like it would be fine if it was just a couple songs but he uses it way too often. I have Adoratio at a 3.5 but it would be a 4.5 easily if he just did normal harsh vocals instead (I would have also like a couple faster songs like maniera from Vitium for example).



I may be in the minority but I think I actually prefer Immortalis to Adoratio. Mama and Kugui are both beautiful and emotiona (although Hakudaku on Adoratio is amazing as well). I also like that there are a few faster/more aggressive songs like vandal, the daemon's cutlerly, and Madara Ningen. And there were some great catchier songs such as zephyr and hidden one while still having the proggier tracks like scars like velvet and elisabeth addict. What is it about the production you guys don't like? It may not be as well produced as Adoratio but I don't find anything particularly wrong with it. My one complaint is that the guitar could be louder in pretty much all of their songs. I actually think Vitium might be my favorite in terms of production but I haven't gone and actively compared them.

Album Rating: 4.5

Btw did you guys hear sukekiyo's cover of Gerbera by MUCC that they released last year on the MUCC tribute album? It sounds absolutely nothing like the original lol, but it's absolute fire. Easily top five sukekiyo songs for me. And he actually uses his good harsh vocals on it. They also released a demo recording of a new song called koumo chigau mono nanoka, yousuru ni. It sounds cool although the recording quality is not great. Next month they have a new track called Kisses that they are only selling in limited quantities at concerts but I'm sure someone will leak it.

Album Rating: 4.0

MUCC should drop more acid.

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

or a decent record

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

(jk i like their first 5)

Album Rating: 4.0

Kuchiki no Tou is pretty amazing.

Album Rating: 2.5 | Sound Off

Kuchiki no Tou spices it up with dijon mustard

I remember liking that album the most

I liked Shion too I think

AAAAAAAND....they're still not available on spotify.

"I like the normal (by Kyo standards) vocals in sukekiyo a lot but that whisper yelling/moaning thing just annoying me. I have Adoratio at a 3.5 but it would be a 4.5 easily if he just did normal harsh vocals instead.

I like all of those examples, especially Hidauta. In that part specified with how the lyrics pan out it makes it even more disturbing. Going from a knackered, desperate exhausted man to a whistle within seconds in increasing intense delivery is brilliant for me and the instrumentation accompanies that perfectly. If it's not your bag then there's nothing wrong with that. Kyo's roles in the two bands are completely different so I think Kyo's front and center heavy growl approach to Dir's heavier music is more fitting whilst for Sukekiyo the manic raspy approach works better for them.

"What is it about the production you guys don't like? It may not be as well produced as Adoratio but I don't find anything particularly wrong with it."

Regarding Immortalis I like the songs themselves nearly as much as Adoratio's, however, Adoratio has a sense of reckless abandon and experimentation on that gives it a sense of glee every time I listen to it. Regarding the production...I pretty much hate every single facet of it. The clean guitar are so tinny that it irritates me whilst in other times it's so muddy it makes for a bad contrast. You can hear the bass but it's buried under the guitars and is not as beefy as it is on Adoratio. The drums are quiet and have no impact, which is a shame since the delicate cymbal work isn't standing out as it should do. Also I don't like how they added multiple vocal tracks to Kyo's highs for the album either.