HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR - DIVE into YOURSELF

HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR (HaiKara) is a hot, young act that brings a mix of rock and pop to the table and with this single, they live up to that reputation. For only being together about two years, this band is well known in Japan and has already made their way to the USA.

With such success in such little time, it can be expected that fans (returning and new) or someone just wondering, "What's the hype about?" will have high expectations for this band. With that in mind, let's begin.

01- DIVE INTO YOURSELF
I have to be honest. I did not think I was going to like this song when Yuusuke’s (the male vocalist) part began after the intro. It wasn't his voice that I didn't like, but the music accompanying it. When the chorus began, that's when the more "familiar" sound of HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR was noticeable and quite catchy at that! Because of the chorus, I needed to hear that track again.

The second time around, I appreciated the part I originally disliked. Matter of fact, that part is actually now my favorite! DIVE INTO YOURSELF is different from other releases by HaiKara with the mixture of familiar and new sounds, not to mention heavy guitar. But it's because of that mixture that this track is unique.

02-Flying music
This is the "typical" HaiKara track of the single. Even though it has Rock overtones, there is still that perfect blend of pop. This song was definitely made for Maki’s (the female vocalist) strong vocals. At points in the song when certain instruments get louder, Maki isn't drowned out; it’s actually the contrary, seeing as her voice gets stronger.

03-Haitoku no jounetsu ~Urgent Immoral Passon Mix~
Exactly as the title states, this is a mix and not a re-mix. The track pretty much sounds the same as the original which was released on HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR's album Gou on PROGRESSIVE. But due to the placement of the mixed parts, certain areas of the song were emphasized and the effect from that "small" difference made a huge impact on the track.

This version is not as heavy as the original, but it can still be appreciated as a completely different song, rather than being compared to the original. I guess you could say this song was made for the fans who appreciate more pop than rock.

04-DIVE INTO YOURSELF (Less Vocal Track)
I have mixed feelings about this track altogether; part of me loves it and part of me just can't get use to it. It's very hard for me to appreciate vocal-less tracks especially after hearing them with a vocalist. It's as if there's an instrument missing from the song, a note lost somewhere. Even with that, the music is just amazing. Each note can be clearly heard and parts of the music that weren't noticeable with a vocalist are noticed in this version.

OVERALL SCORE: 8/10 for being close to perfect, but I feel HIGH and MIGHTY COLOR could have gone just one step higher, especially after hearing all of their previous releases.