D'espairsRay - IMMORTAL

On April 20, visual kei giants D’espairsRay released IMMORTAL in North America through Maru Music. The compilation album contains fifteen tracks spanning from 1999 to 2008. The lyrics booklet includes the lyrics in both Japanese characters and romaji, making it a useful language learning tool and of course helpful when you want to sing along.

Last year, D’espa participated in the V-ROCK FESTIVAL, the largest visual kei festival in Japan, and is now preparing to embark on a world tour. They’ve performed already in both Europe and the United States, and as many of the songs on this album make evident, they are a band to see live. So if they come to your country during their world tour, be sure not to miss them.

The album opens with the unimpressive, haunting and tormented Ori no naka de miru yume (Dream seen in a cage), which features exotic drums and a surreal atmosphere. It’s a sleepy start, but the intensity picks up with the edgy and wild MaVeriCk, a faster paced heavy number with some particularly dark and aggressive guitar play from Karyu and sinister death vocals from HIZUMI.

Next up is the D'espa classic Garnet, which builds into a hardcore head banging number. HIZUMI’s vocals transform seamlessly from melodic to demonic and screaming on the same note. The following BORN opens with sitar-like synths before breaking into a guitar-heavy, rock-out number whose absorbing chorus will probably be familiar to even the most casual D'espairsRay listener.

The fifth track is Yami ni furu kiseki (Miracle that falls into darkness), and it reveals a more classic, balladic side of the band with strings and acoustic guitar. The chorus is powerful and soaring, and ZERO’s bass is especially prominent in the light bridge. The lyrics of this phenomenal love song are exquisite and present a completely different, much less introspective facet of the group. The words speak of the singer’s desire to share his beloved’s pain and to be with her always, even in her sadness.

Tracks six through eight are incredible live songs. TSUKASA sets a sprinting pace for a number that evokes a hall full of fans jumping and punching the air, Fuyuu shita risou (Suspended ideal). Featuring some great synths and strings in the background layered onto the traditional instruments, it only gets better as it progresses. Forbidden is another classic most visual kei fans will recognize and one that’s representative of the group’s live potential. With a driven energy and electronic, digital vibe, the melodies are infectious and catchy, complimented by some aptly placed punctuating death vocals.

Abel and Cain takes the electronic vibe up another notch. This song is a lot of fun, with its perfect combination of digital music with hardcore, head-banging sound. Complete with English profanity, this is another one you’ll want to rage to in the pit at their concerts. Track nine, Kogoeru yoru ni saita hana (Flower that bloomed in the frozen night), keeps the energy going with driving guitars from Karyu and a light but speedy beat from TSUKASA. Very optimistic in sound, it has a powerful message describing the singer’s loneliness being eased by bright memories.

Closer to ideal vacillates between hardcore, head-banging territory and grand-scale melodious sound, and the lyrics describe the pursuit of an ideal the speaker would sacrifice everything for. Track eleven, SQUALL, is a dramatic, orchestral love song where HIZUMI belts out the lyrics spectacularly, particularly for the finishing lines: “Reflecting memories come undone…The sky is crying.”

The album continues with MIЯROR, a racing, inspirational number with a raging, destructive air. Track thirteen, Cocoon, is a nice combination of soaring melodic vocals and death voice, also mixing Japanese and English about half and half.

The digital sound returns with the fast-paced Scissors , during which TSUKASA’s frequently changing rhythms will keep you on your toes. In contrast to the dark message of inferiority in Scissors, the album finishes on an optimistic note with the single HORIZON. Alongside light, glinting guitars, ZERO’s bass frolics under HIZUMI’s soaring vocals as he sings about persevering and moving forward along your own path.

It’s easy to see why D’espairsRay has become such a popular band in the visual scene. This one album combines incredible live numbers with epic love songs, electronic pieces and introspective, haunting tracks. For fans of D’espairsRay, this is a representative collection of songs throughout their career you won’t want to be without, and for those who are new to the band, there’s probably no better place to start!


Note: MaruMusic is now holding a fan commercial contest for the album IMMORTAL until June 21st. Among other prizes, the winner will receive an autographed copy of the album. For more details, please visit Maru Music's contest page.