Versailles -Philharmonic Quintet- - PRINCE & PRINCESS

PRINCE & PRINCESS is the first double single by Versailles -Philharmonic Quintet- since their name change.

The first song of the double single is PRINCE. A piano melody layered with violins brings forth romantic images of castles, rose gardens and stained glass, sunlit rooms. After the interlude, the guitars come in, but not as hard as their usual songs. KAMIJO's voice remains strong but soft throughout the song, giving the music a lighter feel. The guitars, which have a constant presence within the song, take on a more melodic sound and blend well with the orchestra in the background. In the bridge, the guitar solo brings a little bit of metal flavor to PRINCE without destroying the romantic aspect. The ending showcases KAMIJO's voice as he bellows out the last lyrics and fades into faint echoes.

As soon as you leave the soft romantic world of PRINCE, you're brought into a much more shadowy one with PRINCESS' darkly tinged organ solo. The intro brings forth images of cathedrals at night with candle lit chambers. The intro is broken by HIZAKI and TERU, then KAMIJO enters the song accompanied by only by orchestra music. He then goes into slightly eerie, chant-like chorus. Once again, the song changes tempo and mood with a chorus that brings back the romantic feel of PRINCE. Unlike PRINCE, PRINCESS returns to Versailles' symphonic metal roots, with guitar solos and speed strumming placed throughout the song. The bridge during which KAMIJO sings in English is an airy, harpsichord-filled serenade that brings forth images of elegant ballrooms that fit with the song's romantic lyrics. KAMIJO echoes the last lines of the song along with TERU's and HIZAKI's guitars and brings the song to its conclusion, which just happens to be the opening refrains to PRINCE.

The bonus track, SILENT KNIGHT, starts strong with heavy guitars, and then rests for a piano interlude that leads into a familiar melody. The song gets more interesting when the second guitar joins in along with a sprinkle of sparkling piano cords. Another guitar versus harpsichord battle adds a strange touch of elegance. The rest of SILENT KNIGHT is pure melodic metal, full of screaming guitars and pounding drums. SILENT KNIGHT ends with a powerful orchestral tune, bringing the song to a close on a dramatic note.

In all, Versailles's PRINCE & PRINCESS was successful in bringing the listener into another world, one full of light and darkness, elegance and romance.