D - Snow White

The compositions and lyrics on the new single Snow White were written entirely by Asagi, who with this release decided to reveal the band's gentler side. On New Year's Day, instead of another gothic rock or metal song, D fans received a heartbreaking ballad.

A piano and Asagi's warm voice introduce the listener to this touching story. Soon, the strings section starts playing and when the first refrain begins, the listener is grieving with Asagi at this poor girl's fate. Then, the other band members join in and the wonderful guitar solo only adds tension to this already moving ballad.

The next track is Snow White "Another gift", which is a faster, more energetic version of the title song. It's performed by the band without using any extra instruments, and it's definitely a great song to be played live. The guitar solo is top-notch - unfortunately, it's the only positive side of this arrangement. Snow White "Another gift" sounds like an attempt at mainstream sound and reminds more of Gackt's works than D's previous releases. The song is simply too poppy to fit into D's works, and the happy sound spoils the melancholic mood created by the lyrics.

The third song on the CD is the live version of Night-ship"D," recorded at D's first major concert promoting their debut major single BIRTH. Including live versions of songs, especially those well-written and well known, proves to be a great idea. Without a doubt it's a great chance for those who haven't had a chance to see D in person yet to find out for themselves how great the band sounds live.

The last track on the single is the karaoke of Snow White. Listening to the instrumental version lets you fully appreciate this wonderful composition of Asagi's.

This edition of the single comes with a DVD containing the beautiful PV for Snow White, which every fan will want to watch more than once.

Snow White, despite the small flaw, is a very good release. It shows both the gentle and dark side D's works. This CD is definitely a must-buy for all D fans.