Do As Infinity [GATES OF HEAVEN] (Fifth Album)

Gates of Heaven
Honjitsu wa Seiten Nari (本日ハ晴天ナリ, Today Will Be A Fine Day)
Hiiragi (柊, Holly)
Azayaka na Hana (アザヤカナハナ, Vivid Flower)
Mahou no Kotoba ~Would you marry me~ (魔法の言葉, Magic Words ~Would you marry me~)
Buranko (ブランコ, Swing)
D/N/A
Weeds
Field of Dreams
Kagaku no Yoru (科学の夜, Night of Science)
Thanksgiving Day

The album starts off with the rock-laced track Gates of Heaven. I normally don’t get into songs like this, but I find that I really like this song for some strange reason. Its strange because I don’t think I have ever liked this song until just now. The arrangement is a very aggressive and damn good guitar and drum ensemble, I mean I’m not much of a rock fan, its honestly a guilty pleasure of mine, but I really liked this. Tomiko’s vocal performance was pretty strong, I especially loved her voice during the chorus. This is a nice and rather engaging start to the album.

The next track on the album is the up-tempo Honjitsu wa Seiten Nari (本日ハ晴天ナリ, Today Will Be A Fine Day). This song was a bit similar to the first track only a bit more upbeat. Its one of their songs that I don’t really listen too, but when I hear it I can’t help but get into it. The arrangement was a bit more engaging than the previous track and I thought the random clapping throughout was a nice touch. Tomiko’s vocal performance was a bit charming, because though she sounded serious it really seemed like she was enjoying recording this. I don’t blame her this is a pretty fun and carefree song.

The next track on the album is the down-tempo Hiiragi (柊, Holly). Hmm? I wonder why I never really listen to this song? DAI aways seem to really surprise me with their down-tempo tracks, they are always so good. The arrangement is pretty heavy and depressing, but it does fit the song and creates a moody and rather sorrowful atmosphere. Tomiko’s vocal performance was good, I have no complaints. I mean she has a voice that can be annoying at times, because she tends to hit certain notes higher than she should and its rather obvious, but she brings a lot of depth to the songs she sings, so you hardly ever really notice.

The next track on the album is Azayaka na Hana (アザヤカナハナ, Vivid Flower). Well, this song is different. It also plays like a song I wouldn’t normally like, but Tomiko’s vocals and the light warmth and softly jazzy feel of the arrangement makes me like it anyways. I mean this song appears to be very easy-going, but its a bit serious. I didn’t expect this song to turn out the way it did, but I’m pretty pleased that it did.

The next track on the album is the lively Mahou no Kotoba ~Would you marry me~ (魔法の言葉, Magic Words ~Would you marry me~). This song is a bit surprising, because it seems almost happy in a sense, I mean not saying DAI can’t come out with happy songs, but I’m use to a more depressing undercurrent in concerns to their less woeful songs. This track carried none of that. The arrangement sounded very show tune, I could just imagine Tomiko on stage in a gaudy outfit, singing to an enthusiastic crowd. It was kind of off-putting, but interesting at the same time. I thought Tomiko’s vocal performance was pretty good too, but like I said before Tomiko has the tendency to sound louder than she should and it kind of turns me off. I’m still on the fence with this track, but I think I’m more inclined to like it.

The next track on the album is the tired Buranko (ブランコ, Swing). This song is pretty down in the tempo and gives off a very angsty vibe. The only thing I liked about this song was the arrangement. It sounds very traditional and that traditional sound always sounds good on my ears, I also really liked the guitar solo. Tomiko’s vocals ruin this song, they’re not bad, but she sings this song in such a tired and windy way that I found it impossible to pay attention to this track and my mind and interest kept wandering. I listened to it twice and both times it went completely over my head. I don’t know, its not a bad song, but Tomiko’s vocals just do nothing for my eardrums.

The next track on the album is the mid-tempo D/N/A. There isn’t much to say about this track other than it sounds awfully familiar, it really does sound like one of her other songs, especially when she gets to the chorus. If so, its a bit more tame. The arrangement was your typical DAI fare, but it made the song seem a bit dreary. Tomiko gave a good vocal performance. This song is all right, but nothing that really stands out.

The next track on the album is the dull Weeds. What a boring song, and it went completely over my head. I mean I don’t expect much from a song called ‘weeds’, but I at least expected DAI to bring it a little harder and more creative than this. It sounds too familiar, and its pretty much on the stagnant side. The arrangement plays like a slow day, I mean I like that its lead by the guitar, but its quite the boring tune. Tomiko’s vocals are decent, but she sounds a bit uninspired to me and though her voice more often than not pulls me into songs like this, I felt no connection. This track was quite underwhelming.

The next track on the album is the uncomplicated Field of Dreams. I really like the title. This song isn’t really all that interesting, but sometimes I just comes across songs that I like just because I simply like them. The arrangement is guitar based, and though its nothing we haven’t already heard its still a really nice and reflecting listen. Tomiko’s vocals do a good job conveying the whole mood and feel of the song. It doesn’t stand out much though, this is a pretty quiet song.

The next track on the album is Kagaku no Yoru (科学の夜, Night of Science). This song is a bit different, and I mean that arrangement wise because Tomiko’s vocals have been sounding the same sense the album began. The arrangement is of course guitar based, I think there’s some drums and a little synth, it was nice and brought a bit of meaning to the title, which I thought was a bit strange. Tomiko’s vocals like I said are pretty same, but she of course gave a good vocal performance. This is yet another song that doesn’t really stand out, but its an all right listen. The chorus is the high light.

The next track on the album is the oddly titled Thanksgiving Day. This is another track that doesn’t really stand out and sounds kind of muffled, but that’s probably because I had the volume down. The arrangement is typical, there was nothing really interesting about it, though it was pretty consistent. Tomiko’s vocals were fitting, she’s actually the reason why I’m inclined to like this song, even though it offers nothing. The chorus adds a bit to that as well.

The next track is a bonus Honjitsu wa Seiten Nari (a-nation Live). There’s not much to say that I haven’t already said about this song, its a good listen though.

The last track on the album is another bonus Shinjitsu No Uta (真実の詩, Song of Truth) (Mandarin Version). I thought it was neat that they did a Mandarin version, especially since the arrangement sounds so traditional Chinese, though I do believe its traditional Japanese, maybe a flute?

-GRADE: B
Rating: ** stars

Do As Infinity’s fifth album GATES OF HEAVEN is all right, but it is definitely one of their more weaker albums. The only song that really stands out is Honjitsu wa Seiten Nari, the others play nice but don’t really jump out at you and honestly if it wasn’t for Tomika’s pretty good vocal performances I doubt I would have liked half the songs on here, especially since the arrangements aren’t anything memorable. GATES OF HEAVEN should of course be listened to by all DAI fans, because it does carry some good tracks, but in all truth its somewhat of a forgettable album.

Do As Infinity [DEEP FOREST] (Third Album)

Fukai Mori (深い森, Deep Forest)
Tooku Made (Album Version) (遠くまで, Distance)
Tadaima (タダイマ,I’m Home)
Get yourself
Tsubasa no Keikaku (翼の計画, Plan for Wings)
Kouzou Kaikaku (構造改革, New Foundation)
Koi Otome (恋妃, Girl’s Love)
Week!
Hang Out
Boukensha Tachi (冒険者たち, Adventurers)
Enrai (遠雷, Distant Thunder)

The album starts off with the phenomenal Fukai Mori (深い森, Deep Forest). This is the first ever song by DAI that I heard, mostly because it was the second ending theme to InuYasha, and that was back when I actually watched that show and anime in particular. The arrangement is just so majestic, the guitar adds such a depth and mood to this song that makes it felt, like to your very soul. Tomiko’s vocal performance was just incredible, especially when she got to the chorus, the way she sings it with such power, even though her voice is straining, just makes your blood rush and your heart race. This is a such a deep song, and my favorite DAI track.

The next track is the airy Tooku Made (Album Version) (遠くまで, Distance). This track really makes me feel like I’m soaring through the sky, the feeling is odd and nice at the same time. The arrangement like I said is pretty smooth and calm sounding, in a more fast-paced, and rock-based kind of way. It sounds very airy and sweeping. Tomiko’s vocals are really nice in this song, they’re low during the verses but they get high, and not so much strained, but a bit during the verses. It gives this song a lot of personality.

The next track on the album is the tame Tadaima (タダイマ,I’m Home). This song isn’t really engaging in terms of DAI material, but I do like the soft flow of it. The arrangement is a bit rock, but mellowed over. It gives you the feeling of understanding and comaderie. Tomiko’s vocals were good in this, I didn’t notice any strain, plus I loved the way she held the note at the end of the chorus’. This is a DAI song, where the chorus basically makes the whole thing come together and work. This isn’t an overtly interesting song, but its soothing in a sense and gives you this all right, everything is so routine anyways feeling.

The next track is the odd Get yourself. This song plays very weirdly to me. The arrangement is neat, a bit experimental, sounds like something that would play in a wet and abandoned factory like scene in a horror-alien movie, but it just seemed so disjointed. Like the beat would at certain, consistent parts sound like its stopped, but it hasn’t it just sounds like it has, and it makes everything seem so last minute. Tomiko’s vocals are good, but the beat is so wonky that it sounds like Tomiko is trying to fix her voice so that she actually sing along with it, instead of over it. I mean the song is called, ‘get yourself’ but I don’t really get this song. Its not bad, its a pretty decent listen, but I just don’t get it. Also, it just seems so brief to me.

The next track on the album is the slightly mid-tempo Tsubasa no Keikaku (翼の計画, Plan for Wings). Oh, I really liked this song. The arrangement is a bit of a acoustic guitar, which is really nice and fitting. It gets just so lovely during the parts where everything slows down and Tomiko holds the note at the end of the chorus’. I loved Tomiko’s vocals in this, they were really wonderful. The slight pauses in her voice, where they would be normal then get high were a nice touch and made this song really endearing, and quite the enjoyable listen.

The next track on the album is the head-splitting Kouzou Kaikaku (構造改革, New Foundation). This song had so much potential, but I just can’t do it. The arrangement was a bit interesting, it was very swing, big bang, jazz, throw-back to the thirties-sounding, and I really enjoyed that. It gave it a bit of variety and switched the pace up from the typical DAI guitar based arrangements. Then Tomiko starts singing, but she’s not singing, she’s yell-singing. Its almost like she’s trying to compete with the beat, and its just so grating, especially when we get to the chorus. This song is a mess. Its really unfortunate, because if Tomiko had sung this in a less than head ache inducing way, I would actually like this song, but as it stands, its impossible.

The next track on the album is the somewhat mid-tempo Koi Otome (恋妃, Girl’s Love). This song comes across as very stiff to me. The arrangement was nice, typical DAI and very simple. Tomiko’s vocals were good, but like I said before this song came off as very stiff. It makes you feel a bit and oddly uncomfortable. I mean this is not a bad song, I pretty much like it in a sense, but I just can’t shake off the fact that its very stiff.

The next track on the album is the up-tempo Week!. This is one of my favorite DAI songs. This is also one of the first DAI songs I ever heard. The arrangement is a nice rock, It seems hard, but its pretty much goes at a very mellow pace. It gives you such a feeling of nostalgia that really makes this song stick. I loved Tomiko’s vocal performance in this, how she sung the verses a bit slowly and surely, but sped up the pace a bit with the chorus. I do adore this song. Its one of those songs, that make you feel happy and melancholic at the same time. It also makes me think of friendship and youth, and just hanging out and having fun with your closest friends.

The next track is the down-tempo Hang Out. DAI brings the pace down with this nice and mellow rock number. I love the drums in the arrangement, they go at just the right pace, keeping the song consistent and not distracting in the least. Its also really nice on the ears. I enjoyed Tomiko’s vocal performance in this, there was a sad quality to her tones that brought a lot of personality to this song and really made it stand out and stick.

The second to last track on the album is the up-tempo Boukensha Tachi (冒険者たち, Adventurers). This is the type of song that gets really annoying, really fast. The arrangement is pretty rock, of course, in the DAI up-tempo and frenzied fashion. It did its job. Tomiko’s vocal performance was decent, but its just when the arrangement rises as well as her voice, it just got old, tired and irritating way too fast. It goes over your head. This track has a nice pace, and a pretty decent chorus, its a song a lot of people would like, I’m not one of those people.

The last track on the album is the down-tempo Enrai (遠雷, Distant Thunder). This song is really genuinely down-tempo, I love it. The arrangement is really mournful, and really gives meaning to the title of this song, because it really felt like that. This cold feeling of distance and isolation. Tomiko’s vocals were wonderful, I especially loved her tones during the chorus. She put a lot of depth and emotion into this song, but a deep melancholy as well. Its somewhat a depressing end to the album, but still a very good one.

-GRADE: A-
Rating: **1/2 stars

Do As Infinity’s third album DEEP FOREST was of course a good album, but I can’t help but think that it could have been better. With a title track as epic as Fukai Mori one would think this album was going to rival that of their great debut album, but no, this album is DAI as we know an love them, nothing more. Its not a bad thing, but the third time around it would have been interesting to hear something a bit more different. Its not much I can say about this album other than the obvious; DAI does not disappoint. I loved the majority of the songs on here, stand-out being: Fukai Mori, Tsubasa no Keikaku, WEEK! and Enrai which was an incredibly poignant ballad from them. DEEP FOREST was good like what we’ve come to expect from DAI, but I was hoping for great. They played it a little too safe and a little too routine this third time around.

Do As Infinity [BREAK OF DAWN] (First Album)

BREAK OF DAWN
Standing on the hill
Oasis
Another
Kokoro no Chizu (心の地図, Map of the Heart)
Heart
Raven
Welcome!
Painful
Tangerine Dream
Yesterday & Today

The album starts off with the very laid-back, BREAK OF DAWN. I like this song personally, because it’s all in English. In a sense you can understand what Tomiko is saying, when she get’s to the one liners of course. I love how the arrangement is so easy-going, it makes this a very interesting song, and one that you can’t dislike, because it just has that ‘everyday routine’ like vibe going for it. Tomiko’s vocals are great as usual, my favorite part is the, ‘drinking beer’ part of the hook. Only problem I had with this song was how high and strained Tomiko’s voice got in the ‘break of dawn’ line in the chorus, and how the song just ends.

The next track is the somewhat mid-tempo, Standing On The Hill. In retrospect this song is quite forgettable, but it’s the chorus and Tomiko’s vocal performance that really bring this song to life, and makes it an enjoyable listen. The guitar and barely there arrangement add to the whole quiet appeal of the song, and makes you think of Autumn, which is my favorite season.

DAI picks up the pace a bit with one of their more well known tracks, Oasis. A nice little rock tune with Tomiko really bringing out the hard-edged tones of her unique voice. I love the chorus, and think it’s the most memorable of this song, despite the verses being good as well. The arrangement makes everything very atmospheric, and somewhat post-apocalyptic. I love how it goes out with the guitar solo.

We slow the pace down a bit with the next track, Another. This is definitely one of my favorite DAI songs, because it has so much going for it despite it keeping to the same pace throughout. The arrangement is more on the acoustic side, which is wonderful and fits the lyrics of this song quite well, giving off this very somber and melancholic feel. I love Tomiko’s vocal performance, especially during the chorus when her voice goes high. Great song.

The next track is more on the up-tempo side, Kokoro no Chizu (心の地図, Map of the Heart). It’s an interesting song, that could in a sense go over your head but it stays grounded, with a nice stormy arrangement, and great vocals from Tomiko. I also like how Kazsko came in during the hook with the vocoder like voice, to make this song more memorable. It’s actually my favorite part of the song.

Another of my favorite DAI tracks is the next one, Heart. I love how dark rock it is. Very atmospheric. One thing I’ve always liked about DAI is that their songs always present this one specific atmosphere or scenery, that really sets their music apart from the rest. Tomiko’s vocals were at there best, hitting all the right notes in all the right tones; the chorus being the best part of this song, as well as the wonderful, guitar-thrumming arrangement.

The next track is the mid-tempo, Raven. Another one of my favorites, because it’s much more darker and much more raw than the previous track. I love the guitar at the beginning, and the arrangement is just the perfect blend of dark and haunting. I love how Tomiko’s vocals are slow, almost soft during the verses and then her voice rises during the chorus, and the ‘oh ah’ at the end, really brings passion to this song and makes it memorable.

Up next is the up-tempo, rock tune Welcome!. This is the perfect song to open a concert with, because it has an engaging arrangement, a catchy chorus and it’s very high energy. Tomiko’s vocals are what really shine in this song, especially towards the end of the chorus’ where she holds the note. It reminds me a lot of WEEK!, which is my favorite up-tempo song from DAI.

The next track, Painful is one I both like and dislike. I like it because it has a nice, very easy-going arrangement, that doesn’t do more than it should and actually gives off that painful vibe that the title suggests. Tomiko’s vocal performance was also nice. I don’t like the fact that this is a really forgettable as well as somewhat boring song, that never seems to go anywhere, even though it should. The ending was just jarring, and completely ruined it for me.

The second to last track is the mix between mid and down-tempo, Tangerine Dream. I don’t know, this song is pretty basic. The arrangement is barely noticeable, because all I really heard was the thrumming of the guitars. Tomiko’s vocal performance was all right, I didn’t like how it would go high during the chorus, because it made her sound like she had strep throat or something, but it worked itself out. It doesn’t do too much, and the song, though boring and forgettable is still a pretty good listen.

The last track on the album is the wonderfully nostalgic, Yesterday & Today. When I first listened to this song, it was around the time that I had found out that DAI was breaking up, and I had actually thought this was one of their last songs. I was very surprised to find that it was on their first album. I love the arrangement, it’s so touching, and mellow. Tomiko’s vocal performance was also very heartfelt, and the music just embodies, ‘a friend is forever’. It gives you the feeling of even though you are parting ways, you will always need each other, and be there for one another. I love the way the song goes out, and it’s the perfect way to end a great album, as well as a great concert closure. It’s one of those songs that plays like a dream and when it ends you feel inspired.

-GRADE: A+
Rating: ***1/2 stars

Do As Infinity’s debut album BREAK OF DAWN is the perfect example of how a debut album should be, it has everything, from wonderful vocals to great arrangements, and variety. DAI is one of J-music’s greatest bands, and it’s really a shame that they aren’t together anymore, because they were always consistent, and continuously made great music together. Some of DAI’s best and most memorable songs are on here: Oasis, Heart and Raven. They also have some pretty stand-out tracks, like Another and Welcome!. Also Kokoro no Chizu seemed very experimental to me, and Tangerine Dream was good despite being one of those songs that go over your head, and let’s not forget Standing On The Hill. BREAK OF DAWN started on a very mellow, laid-back note with the title track, and then ended on a somewhat somber but hopeful note with Yesterday & Today. This was a great album–and is definitely one of the top 100 greatest J-music albums of all time.