I honestly can't remember the last time Kiryu released a bad song. The traditionally-influenced horror-rock band seems be unstoppable and shows no sign of slowing down with their newest PV. Though a little sloppy at times, "Akai mi Hajiketa" is a thrilling song that gives fans exactly what they want and adds yet quality song to Kiryu's long list of hits.
The song starts out with a rapid and ominous piano piece. The vocalist's voice joins the piano music as it slows down, but shortly after the song bursts open before transitioning into the first verse. The verses have a creepily enticing feel to them: the vocals are haunting, the drumming is intense, the guitar-playing is captivating, and the traditional Japanese sounds that Kiryu is known for using in their songs pound in the background. My one main gripe about this song is that the frantic instrumentation gives these verses a somewhat cluttered feel. It's not a problem if you listen closely to the song, but I could definitely see myself getting a headache from listening to the overwhelming instrumentation multiple times.
However, "Akai mi Hajiketa" more than makes up for that gripe with one of the most stunning choruses in a visual-kei song this year. As with many of Kiryu's songs, the chorus is what makes the song. The vocalist's haunting voice melds with the traditional-sounding background music and crescendo drumming to produce a sound that will stop you in your tracks with its intensity. It's worth mentioning that the bass guitar is used much more effectively throughout this song than has been done in past Kiryu songs. Another nice touch is the way the band ends the song with a long scream by the vocalist that is mixed with frantic guitar playing and the piano music from the song's beginning. One of Kiryu's weaker traits is that the vocalist's somewhat-weak screams usually don't carry the weight that their placement in the band's songs requires. But the vocalist's long scream in this song is full and dramatic, and it ends the song quite well.
The PV for "Akai mi Hajiketa" mirrors the traits of the song: it's vivid, haunting, and a little messy. The camera switches between the band performing and the horror story being portrayed in the video. Although not as bloody as some of its predecessors, Kiryu's latest PV is as dark and intense as ever. The band performs in a cemetery on top of a pile of bones while lifeless female bodies hang from nooses in trees in the background (part of the PV's story). A blacklight is used to make every color on every band member jump out at you, and the riveting speed with which the PV jumps from shot to shot matches the rapid pace of the song.
The only crime that Kiryu ever commits in "Akai mi Hajiketa" is that of being too intense. But in an age of music where the temptation for a band to lighten its sound to gain a larger audience seems almost irresistible, that's a flaw I'm willing to accept and embrace. In fact, we know that Kiryu is perfectly capable of making top-quality lighter-sounding songs (see my review of "Etsu to Utsu" here), and that makes it all the more admirable that they continue to push the intensity of their songs to the limit. There's nothing shocking about the quality of this Kiryu song: "Akai mi Hajiketa" is a must-listen and must-watch. Just make sure you take breaks from repeated listening to avoid shell-shock.
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