Rie Tomimatsu is one of the very few people about whom nothing bad can be said. It's so excellent professional that it remains only to silently admire. But in last couple of years something has gone wrong.
My Rating: 76/100
The peak of skill I consider album Noah's Ark (2015) - it was magnificent, but was difficult to understand. It's not difficult to guess how ordinary listeners reacted to this. Result was very much reflected in single Don't Hide Your Face - it was very simple. I don't know if the result has so severely offended our sensei, or inspiration has dried up, but at about the same time band Prototype, later renamed RiViNi, begins to exist. And on May 9 their first album is released.
Some ambiguous feelings from the album. When I started listening to this album, I started to think that it would be boring and monotonous. Really. Lyrics are mainly associated with emotions, and cover art and two MV are strongly focused on the visual component. I did not quite expect this from high-class specialists. And first two tracks are very similar. And when you hear that second track is similar to first - then you will start to think that the entire album will be monotonous. Not all listeners can have patience. But you need to listen further - and album will be more interesting. Composer's work is pretty good. On one side, overall constructions is quite simple - it's more like pop music with metal elements. On other side, there are quite interesting methods of solving artistic tasks. Yeah, professionalism is not only the famous brands, but also ability to make any composition well.
Vocal parts are monotonous. Of course, in 5th track there is an attempt to portray something, but this is not enough. And in the rest - nothing interesting. Yes, it's noticeable that voice was almost not processed - vocalist is not afraid to show skill. But in general, about vocalist can not say that she is good.
Instrumental parts can not be called difficult. But they also can not be called boring. Guitarist - everything is predictable here. Of course, strange looks the standard E guitar tuning (although in some compositions 7 strings are used). Nevertheless, here you can hear virtuosic melodic parts (especially in the 6th track). Also very pleased with guitar solo with a lot of whammy bar in the style of Tom Morello (4 tracks). Bassist is also not perfect, but I can say, he is also good. This is not an ordinary grinding one note on C1. Especially liked bass parts in 3, 5 (partially) and 6 track. But there is still the impression that basist was chosen in appearance. Little was invented for drummer. Yes, at the end of 5th track more bass drum are added. You can also note 6 tracks for a typical heavy metal drumming. But in the rest - it's monotonous. Also there are a lot of interesting parts for the synthesizer. For example, the "acid" synthesizer in the style of Korg Wavestation (1 track) or piano (2, 4 track), as well as several atmospheric inserts.
Was it worth it to reduce the attention of solo project? I think that it was not worth it. If you set a goal to achieve popularity, then this will necessarily affect the intellectual value. Someone has less, some have more, but it will still happen - most people do not have ability to think. But still it's worth noting that the members showed a high level of skill. A lot has been done here very well. A simple general constructions, a bad vocalist, a weak variety of drums, and bass lines are not ideal - if in the next release these points are corrected, then this will be a masterpiece. In the meantime, I can say just "good".
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