REVIEW: MATENROU OPERA - JUSTICE

MATENROU OPERA's first major album "JUSTICE" was highly anticipated as it released in March of this year. They made a new look for their first album and with this year also being MATENROU OPERA's 5th Anniversary, let's see what they have done to impress their fans this time...




Tracklist
1) Justice
2) 濡らした唇でキスをして (NURASHITA KUCHIBIRU DE KISS WO SHITE; A Kiss On Wet Lips)
3) 落とし穴の底はこんな世界 (OTOSHIANA NO SOKO HA KONNA SEKAI; The Bottom Of The Pit Is This World)
4) Helios
5) IMPERIAL RIOT
6) Mermaid
7) 21mg
8) AGE
9) Just Be Myself
10)  アポトーシス (APOPTOSIS)
11) ニューシネマパラダイス (NEW CINEMA PARADISE)
12) 絆 -full chorus- (KIZUNA; TIES)

13) Designer Baby (bonus track)

The album holds a few previously released tracks like "落とし穴の底はこんな世界" and "Helios"--so I've decided not to so thoroughly review those as their fans have obviously heard the songs already. Their ballad "絆" was released on Type A of "Helios", but has been recreated for this album. "Justice" was released as a PV about a month ago, but, even so, it was never actually a single. (Which you can watch HERE)

The album's jacket is very beautiful. As you can see, the artwork holds the likeness of a paradox [which is one reason I love MATENROU OPERA so much]. It's as if their analogy is for you to feel as if you're in the "eye" of a hurricane of sound. Hearing the album, that's almost exactly how I feel. Certain songs like "Helios", "絆 -full chorus- " and "AGE" hold light, uplifting emotions. Other tracks like  "濡らした唇でキスをして", "IMPERIAL RIOT", "NEW CINEMA PARADISE and "落とし穴の底はこんな世界" have an obvious lean to the mysterious, darker side of MO. It seems to hold a complete outlook of their world.

Please note that in the songs, the "chorus" could just be the keyboard playing, but I still called it the "backing chorus" because... well, that's what it sounds like! (Also, that this review is really long... I tend to be thorough... )

The first track of the album, "Justice", starts a bit fluttery and continues with a constant beat (with just Ayame and Yuu playing) until the feel of the song becomes a bit heavier and You and Anzi enter with the backing chorus. Anzi plays his guitar, giving us a small taste of what his solo would be like later on in the song. Sono begins to sing the first verse of the melody and the chorus ceases to sing. They return again at 0:54 for a short period of time with their chant. (They continuously enter each time he isn't singing and Anzi plays his part in the forefront). The beat changes with the melody to something softer as if swaying in the air--but not as light as you'd think it to be--then drops suddenly with a powerful "Oh yeah!" from Sono for about 10 seconds. (I almost automatically start headbanging.) The parts is very powerful and fluid. It returns to the prior softer melody, swinging between that and the heavier beat. It quickly lightens (with occasional heavy strumming from You and Anzi), with Ayame playing along side the chorus, and returns to the first main melody Sono had started with. Slowly, the song seems to spiral (carrying the same melody) and Sono fades away as it carries into the harmony. Anzi's guitar solo follows quickly after Yuu plays, as if finishing what he had started. Ayame takes over for him at 3:09 and they later play together. The song slows, yet again, with the chorus playing. Sono enter with the same melody he had exited with as Yuu builds the speed the beat. The song heads toward it's exit as Sono does some high vibratos and circles back to the beginning beat at stops completely.

Their second track "濡らした唇でキスをして (NURASHITA KUCHIBIRU DE KISS WO SHITE), in my opinion, is sassy (laughs). It has a jazzy feel to it with a rolling melody and beat when it starts. Sono's low voice makes the song feel very mysterious and the piano plays various keys gently in the background as the song progresses. Almost as if you're steadily rolling up and down some hills. At 1:06, the beat only slightly quickens and Sono continues raising his voice as he sings. As the backing vocals sigh, he sings gently. He sounds as if he's almost begging for something. The main chorus follows quickly, as if demanding your attention. The song is majestic and slightly upbeat. The tempo Yuu plays with You is simple, but is is well known that simplicity can lead to beauty. It circles around in main chorus and returns back to it's slower beat and low pitch vocals at 1:33. After about 20 seconds, we return to the pleading voice of Sono as he builds back to his main demands for another round. He then cries out, welcoming Anzi's guitar solo at 2:20. It follows the same sassy feel with a bit of a whine--even as he begins to quickly tap the chords and the bass and keyboard play the harmony behind him carefully. Then we are returned to the vocals of the song--almost as if Sono is giving up on what he asks for, but not completely in the different melody. There's a space after his verse where the bass, and only the bass, plays it's part. As it says above, the translation of the title is "A Kiss On Wet Lips", which also helps explain why the song is a bit sexy and pleading. The final chorus is played, slowly lead in with the ever reptitive "Amai" from Sono and we return to his more demanding, authoritative voice after a short silence between the two (which makes it seem more powerful than before). The song is short, simple, but definitely a piece you can easily get stuck in you head.

Breaking the silence in the space between, the third track "落とし穴の底はこんな世界" enters. The powerful strokes of the members and the backing chorus brings out parts of the stronger emotions in the album. Sono's voice, much like in "濡らした唇でキスをして" is demanding in most parts of the song, begging and very soft. Anzi's guitar solo pleads with Sono, having the same demands. The song spirals deeper into a darker feel, slowly reaching the end with a dropped beat (like in Justice) and returns with the beginning harmony. It exits with Sono's soft singing. The song itself is only about 3-4minutes long, but it feels a lot longer because of how much emotion is in it (even though the song was written simply to write a song).

The softly playing piano (from Ayame) in "Helios" floats in, gently bringing us from the "darker" side of JUSTICE to the "lighter" one. Violins play soon after--being a large portion of the song's recognition (as this is one of the only songs featuring them). It's heavy and encouraging, but still very fairly gentle in the atmosphere. The basic harmony plays with the violins and Sono enters with his melody, his voice floating as if the music is surrounding you in the shadows, but he is the "light" calling for you. He fades in and out, the song slowly building to the main chorus and he calls out to you. It's beat is uplifting and consistant, leaving as he finishes with Ayame playing his part over and over and Anzi playing. The backing chorus enters suddenly and Anzi floats in for his solo, picking up the beat and breaking it down. Sono continues slowly, and the melody, the song, continues to slow. The song is brought to the main chorus immediately after and ends with lengthened vibratos and then the basic harmony and bring you light.

"IMPERIAL RIOT" is something more like... well... a riot (and a bit oshare to me in the first 5 seconds of the song, but that might be because of the vocal distortions). It starts with the lyrics, "What is our freedom for?" and Sono continues singing until he shouts--thus leading us to the harmony of the song. In all honesty, the guitar at this point sounds almost as if you're in a video game or, at least, a parallel universe. He sings quickly in a pretty monotone voice for the first verse and almost teasing you. It reminds me of "Hitori no Yoru" by Porno Graffitti (second opening to Great Teacher Onizuka, but just the first few lines of his singing...) He builds to the main chorus, singing "What is our freedom for? Let me be the way I want. Let me shine to daze the world." He protests to society for judgement in the song. It's powerful and aggressive, just as most of their other songs, but has that certain feel for you to respect. At about 1:00, Sono goes back to the monotone voice and the beat slows at 1:06 and then again at about 1:15. The beat to the main chorus is brought back to us as he shouts, only with different lyrics, and he continues in the demanding voice of a protester. In each of the main choruses, there's a call and return portion to the song, almost in agreement to what he says. At 1:40 the beat changes as he sings "Shout it Out! Shout it Out! Start a riot, fxxk it up!". Ayame plays the careful harmony of the keyboard, moving up and down, in and out of the song at 2:00--introducing Anzi's solo as  he enters at Sono's outburst at 2:20.  Anzi plays slowly, gradually building and soon the main lead of the song is quickly turned back to Sono's authoritative voice at about 2:38-2:40. We circle around each previous beat of the song, returning to "Shout it out" being repeated twice and ending abruptly at the lyrics, "Start a riot, fxxk it up!"

"Mermaid" has a more electronical feel in the first parts of the song. Especially in the intro, but it mixes well with the previous atmosphere of IMPERIAL RIOT--so well, in fact, that I didn't completely notice that the tracks had changed when I first heard the album until later on in the song. The repetitive beat in the beginning goes on for 10 seconds before Yuu plays to welcome the harmony. The song is heavy and magical--very different from the first impressions. Sono enters at 0:25, ending each line on a higher octave until every third line where he hold his longer notes. The harmony continues for a few more seconds, but Sono's voice becomes more monotone and distorted, like a robot, but only for the english lines of the song. His emotionless voice is cut off as it sings "Swimming against the streams" and continues, in one voice with more emotion, with the Japanese words "Sore demo shinjitai." The main chorus follows quickly with a more gathered feeling at 0:54, giving the image of sinking deep and deeper into the ocean (as the english lyrics described a struggle against the ocean's current) and floating with the water. It continues until 1:23 where the beat slows and the harmony disappears, leaving the beat as Sono singing with the first technique he entered with. Yuu plays quickly to reintroduce the harmony as Sono builds power in his voice for the main chorus to return. It gracefully passes as we are brought to Anzi's solo at 2:18 and he takes over from Sono's virbrato. Quickly, he plays, building speed until 2:33, where Ayame takes over and holds his final note through as everyone drops. The continuous underlying beat that is heard at the beginning is brought back out from the overlapping shadows of the instruments. At about 2:47, everyone returns--beating roughly at the chanted words by Sono, "Flow! Flow! Let us flow!". The song circles back around to the main chorus and build, only this time with a more obvious approach to the exposition . Towards the end, it's almost as if the entire groups gives in their all for a few seconds until they tire and slow. Once Sono exits, the harmony continues playing and the song concludes, with each member fading away one by one.

The seventh track, "21mg" begins with the constant playing of the guitar for the backing beat which is repeated about 3 times before allowing everyone else to enter the song and follow Anzi's lead. Sono quickly enters without hesitation, singing slowly at his entrance with the words [let me fly] are sung gently in the background by the chorus. His voice is persuasive and continues on, but the harmony is definitely not the same as it had started with. This one is slower and longer--more relaxed than the hastened one. Sono changes octaves as the backing chorus sighs gently as if you were in a dream. His voice raises, building us to the abrupt silence--only broken by Sono's voice and Ayame's harmony, in a softer, slower beat. The melody changes a bit here, fluttery and careful until everyone returns in the same beat, only heavier. It's still gentle, not demanding, and they disappear, leaving Anzi with Sono at 1:28 until 1:35, when both chorus and Yuu slowly build. The melody changes again with a harder, faster pace. The lyrics repeat, as if on a broken record, until Sono shouts "Tada sugite" (?) and exits the song momentarily. The repitition of the lines like that is the only thing that bothers me in this song. It fits beautifully, yes, but... It happens three times. Of course I'm bound to be at least a bit tired of the same idea in the melody playing over and over again. This sequence is repeated multiple times through out the song, but at least they try to keep it interesting. After a shout from Sono, the harmony completely changes, creating the story's "falling action" in the song at 2:51. As Sono's voice returns, Anzi begins--his solo fades in behind the vibrato and continues to play in the melody, but with an attitude. It leads us out of the surrounding music and back to Ayame and Sono at 3:48. The song heads toward a closing with the "final" beat at 4:50, leaving us in silence... until the sound of Anzi's opening harmony calls us back at 4:53, going through the intro again--only with Sono's voice this time. We are reunited with the main chorus to the song at 5:10 as the backing vocals sing [let me fly]. Sono's voice sounds questioning around this point of the song, soon followed by a wonderful mix between the guitar solo and his various shouts. The song officially ends with Anzi's well known harmony to the song, followed up be everyone else playing with him in the background.

"AGE" begins only moments after--again with the similar feel to the ending power of 21mg, only a bit different and a bit more upbeat. Sono sings right at the beginning of the song with everyone else playing up until 0:22, where the harmony is left to play and Ayame takes over for the main part. The song's emotion becomes lighter and Sono enters with a bit of a hush. The beat has changed to something a bit more basic--along with the melody. It's rolling up and down, like in "濡らした唇でキスをして" just slightly more upbeat. It's a bit hard to explain this song because it sounds so familiar, yet... everything in the song surprises you. Yuu and Sono build steadily toward the main chorus, but still continuing gracefully in the the quickening tempo, where Anzi does his quick welcome to the main chorus as it begins to play. The same verses in the very beginning to the song are heard with a grander feeling. The song, however, makes you feel as f you're watching a TV show. It's almost like an opening (no offense intended), but that's mainly for the first 1:30 seconds. That's especially when Ayame takes over with his harmony. The song fluttery gently over the builds to the main chorus, repeating it a few times before ending. Thesong fades out as Anzi and Ayame play, Ayame playing his melody and Anzi playing the harmony--as if a bird were soaring higher and higher into the sky before completely disappearing.

Just Be Myself, is the only instrumental on the album and one of the few general ballads.   If a band has instrumentals, I want them to be powerful--something that captures my attention and I will never tire to hear. The song is written by Anzi, thus making him the melody as Ayame plays harmony. The tempo begins quickly paced, but slows down quickly to the basic idea of the song. The chorus plays in the background with the high keen of the keyboard occasionally floating in and out. The low strums of the bass hold the other side of the beat that the drums don't play (even though they play quickly and heavily). Occasionally, there is a call and return motion between the guitar and the keyboard during the build to the main chorus. It returns with a gradual ritardando [slowing of the beat] (with a largo [broad, slow tempo]) toward the beginning, hyped tempo. The drums may sound a bit simple, but they complicate as the song goes on. The chorus chants as Anzi tells his story, returning to the main chorus, yet again. During the before mentioned ritardando, the bass is better heard. At 2:20, Ayame's keyboards quickly take over for Anzi at the melody--inserting his "thoughts" to the song. It enters the heavier aspects of the song as the chords on the keyboard carries over. The guitar picks up where it had left off, returning the strumming of the bass as well. The song slows greatly for one of the final plays of the main chorus (in a higher octave), then the pace goes to it's original one. You is easily heard behind Anzi as the guitar plays out all the way through and is the last thing you hear.

The tenth track, APOPTOSIS, begins with a very symphonic, heavy feel (with what sounds like tracks of violins)--later having the backing chorus singing as the song progresses to the main harmony. It goes on in a fluid motion until Sono enters at 0:42, singing his interesting melody. Each line is written with different emotion behind it as Ayame plays differently in the background--Yuu and You following the same tempo until 1:56 (where they return to the beginning idea). The guitar solo quickly follows after, filling in for the backing chorus. Yuu holds a small solo of his own, interrupting Anzi, the it goes back to the solo that builds toward Sono's entrance at 3:15. The writing here is obviously complicated--all except for Sono's steady voice. The song goes on like a stream of rushing water, occasionally slowing and quickening--other times it almost completely stops. My first thought of the song in certain arts were "This reminds me of VERSAILLES..." (more specifically their song "Princess -Revival of the Church-", just in a higher octave). It's simply the way they mix the sound of the instruments that makes me think that. Of course, you can't forget that VERSAILLES is the band that took care of MATENROU OPERA in the beginning, so it couldn't exactly be helped for some of the style to rub off in such a way. Once their chorus begins and the harmony changes, I  am reminded "This is MATENROU OPERA." It's almost as if the song was made to remind you of their musical journey. Sono's voice sounds almost relieved as he sings, having passed the climax of the song. It takes a turn to the light, almost hastening to the conclusion of the song (when there are still 5 lines left). Sono is the last thing you hear once we reach the end.

The song "NEW CINEMA PARADISE" is also fairly difficult to explain because it's so comfortable. It begins as if you are rolling film for a movie in the theater; the steady, soft clicking of the machine with the tape (like the beginning of エーゲ〜過ぎ去りし風と共に〜 (E-GE- ~Gone with the Wind~) by MALICE MIZER). The band begins to play, then, nearly breaking the peacefulness that surrounds you--but not completely.  The song is slow, carefully transitioning to the harmony as it goes on. The song stays at a comfortable beat and Sono enters--his voice at the perfect pitch. The song is almost dreamlike--almost. It turns back to reality at 1:24, changing it's tempo to something a bit more choppy as you follow You's bass. The song swings back and forth between the two separate beats, keeping you interested in the song. It falls away, dramatically slowing down as Sono takes on a vibrato at about 2:01. Here in the main chorus, there's a regretful tone in the atmosphere, contrasting greatly in tempo and a bit in the soul, yet it still fits perfectly with the song. It adds as much depth to it as it does emotion. Then the harmony is returned to us gracefully at 2:38 under Sono's voice as Yuu hits the cymbals. Agression is pushed into the next verse of the song, leading us to the guitar solo at 3:20--which is shorter than the previous ones. Again, the song turns a corner to the next part of the story, holding a different atmosphere all together at 3:34, but still fitting the scene that was set from the solo. After a short silence, we are brought back to the sensitive, soulful voice of Sono's and the familiar slow, waltz-like music at 4:14. As the song reaches it's end, everyone raises an octave as the keyboard responds to Sono's last line, echoing his voice as we fade back to the sound of the clicking film.

"絆 -full chorus-"  here, however, is remastered with a bigger harmony, surrounding you in the sentimental feel that glides you through to the end before the bonus track. It begins with only Sono's voice singing in a lower octave. It calls out in the quiet before the song begins with Anzi's guitar then, as opposed to Ayame on piano, but still holds him on harmony. They slowly introduce you to the song's new sound and begin. The ballad is lovely and soft, holding a nice soft rock to it in the background. The song sounds fuller, holding more than it did before. It's easy to tell where they changed certain parts of the song to hold more emotion and which could be held longer. Violins, it sounds  like, play softly in the back as the guitar and bass having more in this song than before. The song is simple, beautiful, and put together very well. Even as it cuts off suddenly, you know it's not the end until a hushed note flows gently in.

The bonus track "Designer Baby" fits perfectly playing after such a beautiful ballad. It brings you back to life, but keeps you in your place. It's like a song that is made to make sure you're listening. When you are sure you are, at that very moment, you are released back into your deep thoughts as it plays. The introduction, in absolutely no way, breaks the mood. It's soft with careful, gently beats that slowly fade in as the song progresses. Each part of the song enter, and the backing chorus is finally "released" at 0:47. Their chanting is slow and mystical, floating gently above the beats. No other member, except Ayame, has entered the song until 1:17. Sono's entrance is subtle, The song only sounding as if it has just him and Ayame. At 1:51, the beat drops, leaving gently chimes and tracks of violins in the background. His voice builds, leaving us, again, with the chorus and the beat until he returns. The song holds a very slow tempo, keeping you in a dream-like state almost as if you're simply floating through the night sky. At 2:06, the main chorus plays. It's only slightly more up beat,just a small allegreto between that and the basic harmony. Despite the feeling, the song maintains the extact same tempo thourgh out. Allowing the chorus to stay on beat each time Sono's voice drops. Occasionally his voice echos back (ex. 3:02). The song is comfortable--nothing too hard-core, but nothing so soft that you would tire of it. It ends gracefully as the chords to the keyboard fade out.

The guys of MATENROU OPERA have put in a lot of work to their first major release--and it shows! The power and mystical atmosphere is applied to every song. Power exists here--which is exactly what you should expect. The only thing that worries me is how some of the songs manage to run together within the first 15 second that the tracks start. Only later on do you realize "Hey! I actually really like this song." Now if someone is patient enough, they will sit down and listen to each song. If they are just in a rush or have no care for slow beginnings, well then... They'll just be missing out on some pretty good stuff, won't they? I'm also a bit disappointed because it gives me that lazy feeling in certain parts of the album. I guess I had some pretty high expectations for the heaviness in each song, but, regardless, they've made me happy. It gives me a feel of some of their older work as well--back before they were major (with the release of mini-albums like "Abyss"), but in a good way. I was able to sit back and visualize each movement in their songs. I'd gladly listen to this album over and over again... Just put it on shuffle in my iPod so that I can more easily tell the songs apart (laughs). They've definitely improved between this album and their last, so I'll give them kudos for that! Listening to this album makes me wonder... What will their next album be like?
It's a simple question and it's asked by all fans every time they finally manage to hear a new release for the first time.
Of course, we all know it's far too soon to ask such a question when we have a brand new one right here! Satiate your desires for MO with this, it definitely helps.

Object of reference: JUSTICE itself, which you can, hopefully, still purchase from CDJapan.

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