UVERworld - CORE PRIDE

It’s been just over a year since one of UVERworld’s songs has been used in a TV anime. Released on May 11, CORE PRIDE paves the way for another successful release. UVERworld will release a new album, LIFE 6 SENSE this June, which is highly likely to include their 19th single, CORE PRIDE. Also, CORE PRIDE has been used as the opening theme for the currently airing TV anime, “Ao no Exorcist.”

CORE PRIDE conveys a sense of power. In the first five to ten seconds, the listener is blown away with a deafening but powerful spout of drums and a few slams on guitar before a hard, heavy few lines of rap that turns into melodic vocals, hit the listener’s ears. Surprisingly, the entrance of a saxophone darts into the song and stretches into a jazz-turned-pop genre. CORE PRIDE is a combination of genres; jazz, rock (both a Western and Japanese style), a smattering of hip-hop and pop. The use of the saxophone in Japanese pop and/or rock is rare and that element alone is interesting. The hook, if it were in English, would be fitting for a song by one of the many alternative rock and punk bands across the US. CORE PRIDE conveys a strong sense of power, like most anime openings do and keeps this feeling lingering into the next track.

The B-side, Kyouchi Mantra, is a beautiful piece. Describing an internal battle within, it builds to a fast trance-like intro that shatters immediately and falls into another rock dance inspired number. The listener expects vocals, but no. Kyouchi Mantra is almost entirely an instrumental piece, however the guitar and synthesizers in the background seem to emulate the vocal line. Actual vocals are not heard until 30 seconds to the end of the song, where at that moment, are just barely there.

UVER Battle Royal～Ketahazure mix～ is another power infused track. Fast-paced and driving the listener to dance and sing along, the track lets you fall into a trance. Takuya∞’s voice is driven further with the sheer speed of the trance-like base beat. By end of the track, the listener can find themselves clicking ‘repeat” more than once.

Overall, the single is surprisingly creative. All of the tracks use and combine several elements of a variety of genres and mix them together—the saxophone and trance base beats are not acquainted with each other. But when they are, the possibilities are endless.

The limited edition of the single includes an extra disc with songs taken from the DRUM LOGOS 2010.12.16 live as well as two additional tracks. The anime edition contains a TV size version of CORE PRIDE as well as the features of the limited edition.