#lyrical love

LIVE
image

Here I am with the final part of October’s themed week in “Lyrical Love”! Today’s subject is a song by the visual kei band Gotcharocka, precisely Ash, the lead-track of their eighth single with the same name, released on 9th November 2016. This song features all the band’s key elements, with an energetic rock sound accompained by a really positive message.

THE MUSIC

The song starts with pretty energetic and paced guitar notes, leading up to a flowing and dynamic theme; Jui’s voice is quite fast and passionate, well accompained by the guitar notes, in a catchy and engaging rock track, pretty easy to listen and emphasized by Jun’s awesome guitar work, especially in the second part.

Lyrics (Romaji)

“Mata kurai kao shichatte douse kangaegoto nan desho?”
GARASU goshi ni utsutta jibun o mitsumete wa
umaku nante ikanai ne…
kinou to onaji SERIFU narabeta
ashita mo kitto kawaranai no desu ka?

“Ii desho? kore ijou”
“ii desho? ima ijou”
“nayami komanakute ii”

“Kono sekai ni kimi wa tatta hitori sa
kimi no kawari o enjiru hito nado inai”

Kagiri naku nibiiro ni chikai sora no shita de
akiru kurai iya na koto ga aru noni
kawaranai dakedo tachidomari wa shinai kara
ikura namida koboretatte waraeru sa
ima kanashimi ni todome o

“Mada NIGAi kao shichatte douse omoidashita n'desho?”
nanigenai hitoiki ga tameiki ni kawatta
wasurerarenai doushite…
youyaku rikai shita yo hito ni wa
hanarerarenai kako ga arutte koto

“Ii desho? ima kara de”
“ii desho? osoku wa nai”
“umarekawareru no sa”

“Sukoshi kurai yasashisa nagesutete shimaeba ii
kokoro ga oreru kurai nara”

Tsurakatta azayaka ni nokoru kako no kioku
ima mo kokoro tokiori sashikomu kedo
mou nidoto omoide no maigo ni wa naranai
ikura namida koboretatte waraeru sa
ima kanashimi ni todome o

Let’s sing a merry song.
Let’s dance together.
Keep playing until your grief is gone.

Kagiri naku nibiiro ni chikai sora no shita de
akiru kurai kujike tsudzuketa keredo
kawareru sa koko de tachidomari wa shinai kara
ikura namida koboretatte waraeru sa
ima kanashimi ni todome o
hikari sasu ashita e

Lyrics (Translation)

“Do I have again a gloomy face or is only a thought?”
Looking at myself, reflected in the mirror
It is not good…
Disposing words from yesterday
Will it change tomorrow?

“Is everything alright? Not anymore.”
“Is everything alright? More than now.”
“You don’t have to worry.”

“You are unique in this world
nobody can replace you.” (I)

Under the sky, closer to grey
I am tired of this
It doesn’t change, but it doesn’t stop
It doesn’t matter how many tears will be shed, you can laugh
Now stop the sadness. (II)

“Do you remember you still have a painful face?”
A casual breath, becoming a sigh
Why I can’t forget…
Finally I understand that for people
There’s a past which can’t be separated.

“Is everything alright? From now, yes.”
“Is everything alright? It’s not late.”
“I am reborn.”

“Throw away the kindness for a little
if it breaks your heart.” (III)

A painful and vivid memory of the past
Even now, sometimes I insert my heart
Don’t lose yourself in memories
It doesn’t matter how many tears will be shed, you can laugh
Now stop the sadness. (IV)

Let’s sing a merry song.
Let’s dance together.
Keep playing until your grief is gone. 

Under the sky, closer to grey
I am tired of this
I can change because I won’t stop here
It doesn’t matter how many tears will be shed, you can laugh
Now stop the sadness
The light shines on tomorrow. (V)

THE WORDS

Written by the singer Jui, the text appears quite simple and contained, fitting with the band’s musical style. The single where the song is features follows a sort of conceptual path about feelings, since the other two songs, …Murideshita(…It was unreasonable) and She Luvs “Pop Star”, deal respectively with emotions seen by a female point of viewandthe fanatism in musical world. The lead-track is about an inner conflict between positive and negative thoughts(explaining the presence of lines written in quotes), where the protagonist jumps in and out, finding himself drawn into a maze of memories and pain, which he can’t get out from. So he realizes to have a new goal, which is to find the happiness and the positivity in an hard time, even if he has to leave his past and his feelings behind. And now… let’s analyze the song!

I) The text starts with the protagonist having one of his inner thoughts, about his face, become gloomy (”Mata kurai kao shichatte douse kangaegoto nan desho?”); he realizes that it is like that after looking to his self at the mirror, thinking that it is not a good thing for him (GARASU goshi ni utsutta jibun o mitsumete wa/umaku nante ikanai ne…) and he asks if his future will change, whether he uses the same words of the previous day (kinou to onaji SERIFU narabeta/ashita mo kitto kawaranai no desu ka?). He is aware that something is wrong on him and tries to motivate himself (“Ii desho? kore ijou”/“ii desho? ima ijou”/“nayami komanakute ii”), considering himself as unique and irreplaceable, probably as someone has said to him (“Kono sekai ni kimi wa tatta hitori sa/kimi no kawari o enjiru hito nado inai”).

II)He finds himself under a sky which is almost grey (Kagiri naku nibiiro ni chikai sora no shita de, the grey is symbol of absence of feelings or, more specifically, of depression) and he is tired of living in pain (akiru kurai iya na koto ga aru noni), since it doesn’t change and doesn’t stop at all (kawaranai dakedo tachidomari wa shinai kara). Despite the tears shed, he says that his mate, the reader, can laugh, and asks him to free his mind from sadness (ikura namida koboretatte waraeru sa/ima kanashimi ni todome o).

III) The protagonist wonders if he ever remembered of having a painful face (“Mada NIGAi kao shichatte douse omoidashita n'desho?”), leading a casual breath to become a sigh (nanigenai hitoiki ga tameiki ni kawatta) and to questioning the reason behind his inability to forget the past (wasurerarenai doushite…), and slowly he realizes that each person has a past which he can’t be separated from (youyaku rikai shita yo hito ni wa/hanarerarenai kako ga arutte koto). Being aware of his condition, he realizes that he can be reborn (”Ii desho? ima kara de"/“ii desho? osoku wa nai”/“umarekawareru no sa”)
and that the kindness he used to feel is the cause of his pain (“Sukoshi kurai yasashisa nagesutete shimaeba ii/kokoro ga oreru kurai nara”).

IV)In his mind one of the memories of his painful past comes out (Tsurakatta azayaka ni nokoru kako no kioku), stimulating in some way his own heart (ima mo kokoro tokiori sashikomu kedo) and he hopes to not being lost in memories anymore (mou nidoto omoide no maigo ni wa naranai). The sequence ends with the repetition of the final lines from the second part.

V)The final sequence starts with a whole strophe written in English and not by case, since it encloses the core message of the text, an invitation to sing, dance and play until the pain fades out (this part might be a sort of signature of the band’s concept), ending with a repetiton of the second sequence, where the protagonist knows that he can change his path (kawareru sa koko de tachidomari wa shinai kara) and that his future can shine (hikari sasu ashita e).

In troubled times of our life there’s always a ray of light and happiness awaiting for each one of us, which must be found in order to leave behind an hard and painful past. Gotcharocka goes beyond their cheerful style, building up a really mature song, without betraying the positive energy they usually bring on each their work.

That’s all folks! This is the final post of this 2020 and next year we will be back with new reviews and not only… but don’t forget to stay tuned for the “Album Selection of 2020″!

Thanks for the reading!

READ OUR RELATED POSTS

REVIEWS

SPECIALS

image

Here I am with the final part of September’s themed week in “Lyrical Love”! The subject is a song of the visual kei band Dexcore, precisely Brain Washing, the lead-track of the same name single came out on 14th November 2018. The song summarizes all the band’s key features, going from a technical and aggressive sound to direct words, expressing raging feelings in the best way possible.

THE MUSIC

The song starts with crystalline notes, leading up to an heavy and highly paced metal theme, showing off an incredible technique; Kagami’s vocals are aggressive at maximum, featuring also clear notes in the refrain, a proof of his fascinating versatility; a complex and astonishing track, where the articulated breakdown represents something unusual and hard to forget.

Lyrics (Romaji)

Is that how you really feel?
Do you want to see someone smiling when you are tricking yourself?
You have lots a fucking words that someone used lined up in front of you
And you listen to those words with no doubt
and the venue is filled up with irritated sweat and mother fucking tears
Remove it before I drawn
I got a problem with the fucking world like that

Pushing my self down to get famous
Brain washed by others to get famous
Sing for the fame
You are already done at the time you are saying that you want to be famous

Appropriate words
soko ni wa nani mo umare wa shinai
kibou mo namida mo itami mo

Is that how you really feel?
Do you want to see someone smiling when you are tricking yourself?
You have lots a fucking words that someone used lined up in front of you
And you listen to those words with no doubt
and the venue is filled up with irritated sweat and mother fucking tears

This is not the world I wanted

Appropriate words
soko ni wa nani mo umare wa shinai
kibou mo namida mo itami mo

nagashite hontou no namida o
kikasete hontou no koe o
“koko” de misete

Welcome to my mother fucking heart
Probably you won’t fell anything
Your basically brain washed

Don’t fucking disturb me

Appropriate words
soko ni wa nani mo umare wa shinai
kibou mo namida mo itami mo

This world makes me sad
kowashite
Dope people disappears and shitty people grows

This is not the fucking world I wanted
This is not the music I wanted

Lyrics (Translation)

Is that how you really feel?
Do you want to see someone smiling when you are tricking yourself?
You have lots a fucking words that someone used lined up in front of you
And you listen to those words with no doubt
and the venue is filled up with irritated sweat and mother fucking tears
Remove it before I drawn
I got a problem with the fucking world like that  (I)

Pushing my self down to get famous
Brain washed by others to get famous
Sing for the fame
You are already done at the time you are saying that you want to be famous 

Appropriate words
Nothing is born there
Either hope, tears or pain (II)

Is that how you really feel?
Do you want to see someone smiling when you are tricking yourself?
You have lots a fucking words that someone used lined up in front of you
And you listen to those words with no doubt
and the venue is filled up with irritated sweat and mother fucking tears

This is not the world I wanted

Appropriate words
Nothing is born there
Either hope, tears or pain (III)

True tears are shed
A true voice is heard
Show me “here”

Welcome to my mother fucking heart
Probably you won’t fell anything
Your basically brain washed

Don’t fucking disturb me
 

Appropriate words
Nothing is born there
Either hope, tears or pain

This world makes me sad
Breaking
Dope people disappears and shitty people grows

This is not the fucking world I wanted
This is not the music I wanted (IV)

THE WORDS

Written by the singer Kagami, the text is pretty simple to follow, especially thanks to the massive use of English, one of Dexcore’s peculiarites, and to a plain layout. The single where it released deals with the common theme of discomfort for the world where we live in, reflected indeed in the language used for each track. The two b-sides, Hey!! CockroachesandNaked, deal respectively with the rottenness of human soulandthe necessity of expressing ourselves, rendered with the act of screaming, making them strictly linked with the lead-track’s subject. It deals with the mind being the frailest part of a person, which can be easily influenced by words and images, often carrying a mistaken meaning or leading to a wrong purpose or thought. The manipulation of human mind leads unavoidably to the erasure of any authentic feeling and to a constant and meaningless searching for the fame, a vain concept for itself, which is linked to the music world, which sees this dark concept in action. And now… let’s analyze the song!

I) The text starts with the author who is asking to the reader if his feelings are properly real, trying to see someone smiling, while he is deceiving himself; in his mind there are a lot of words, disposed by other people, which he listens to without any doubt, making his world full of fatigue and sadness, so he invites him to leave that world before he is drown into it.

II) The author admits to have gotten too far only for the fame, aware that his brain is actually manipulated by other people for that purpose (there’s a sure reference to Kagami’s personal life); he says that fame brings to the end of life and so he invites the reader to not follow that path, since nothing comes, good or bad, from those aligned words by others ( Appropriate words/soko ni wa nani mo umare wa shinai/kibou mo namida mo itami mo,not by case, this part has two lines written in Japanese).

III) After the repetition of the first sequence, the protagonist says that he doesn’t want a world made of deception and manipulation, and then the sequence ends with the repetition of the second part.

IV)In the final sequence, the author says that tears have started to flow, fulfilled by truth, along with a voice, made in the same manner (nagashite hontou no namida o/kikasete hontou no koe o), so he asks to the reader to show him everything he has in that distorted world (“koko” de misete). The author decides to accept it in his heart, but he is aware that he won’t feel anything, because of the manipulation he’s getting, so he screams to not being disturbed. Following a repetition of the second sequence, the author says that the world where he lives is making him sad, because of its contradictions, such as the bad people living more than the “dream-doped” ones, ending the text with the desire of not hearing the music of this cruel world anymore.

The most important thing for an human being is his/her identity, unique and personal, which is often attacked by manipulation and distorted realities. Dexcore talk directly with each one of us, expressing the cruelty of a rotten and deceiving world, where nothing is as it seems and the individuality is becoming rarer.

That’s all folks! See you with a new review in “Let’s Listen to”!

Thanks for the reading!

READ OUR RELATED POSTS

REVIEWS

SPECIALS

image

Here I am with the final part of August’s themed week in “Lyrical Love”! Today’s subject is a song by the Japanese pop artist Kenshi Yonezu, precisely one of his most famous hits, Peace Sign, released as lead song of the single with the same name on 21th June 2017. Being known as the second opening theme of the anime Boku no Hero Academia, this song combines the catchiness and the energy of Kenshi’s music with a subject related to his personality as artist, in a more compelling work than expected.

THE MUSIC

The song starts with Kenshi’s clear vocals, leading up to a positive melody, kept up by an energetic rhythm; Kenshi’s interpretation moves on clear and decise notes, increasing even more the energy brought up by the song and showing his incredible talent as singer; the track results being catchy and passionate, with a really good pop-rock vibe which makes in a good mood.

Lyrics (Romaji)

Itsuka bokura no ue o suresure ni toorisugiteitta ano hikouki o
Fushigi na kurai ni oboeteru imi mo nai no ni naze ka
Fugainakute naita hi no yoru ni tada tsuyokunaritai to negatteta
Sono tame ni hitsuyou na yuuki o sagashimotometeita

Zankoku na unmei ga sadamatteru to shite
Sore ga itsu no hi ka boku no mae ni arawareru to shite
Tada isshun kono isshun iki ga dekiru nara
Dou demo ii to omoeta sono kokoro o

Mou ichido tooku e ike tooku e ike to boku no naka de dare ka ga utau
Dou shiyou mo nai hodo netsuretsu ni
Itsudatte me o harashita kimi ga nido to kanashimanai you ni waraeru
Sonna hiiroo ni naru tame no uta

Saraba kakagero piisu sain korogatteiku sutoorii o

Mamoritai da nante ieru hodo kimi ga yowaku wa nai no wakatteta
Sore ijou ni boku wa yowakute sa kimi ga daiji dattanda
“Hitori de ikiteikunda” nante sa kuchi o tsuite sakenda ano hi kara
Kawatteiku boku o waraeba ii hitori ga kowai boku o

Ketobashite kamitsuite iki mo dekinakute
Sawagu atama to hara no oku ga kushakusha ni nattatte
Tearai mo keiren mo kieteshimau kurai ni
Ima wa sawatteitainda kimi no kokoro ni

Bokutachi wa kitto itsuka tooku hanareta taiyou ni sura te ga todoite
Yoake mae o te ni irete waraou
Sou yatte aoku moeru iro ni somari oboroge na machi no mukou e
Te o tsunaide hashitteyukeru hazu da

Kimi to mirai o nusumiegaku hineri no nai sutoorii o

Kasabuta darake arakureta hibi ga kezuri kezurare surikireta ima ga
Kimi no kotoba de yomigaeru azayaka ni mo arawareteiku
Sanagi no mama de nemuru tamashii o tabekake no mama suteta ano yume o
Mou ichido torimodose

Mou ichido tooku e ike tooku e ike to boku no naka de dare ka ga utau
Dou shiyou mo nai hodo netsuretsu ni
Itsudatte me o harashita kimi ga nido to kanashimanai you ni waraeru
Sonna hiiroo ni naru tame no uta

Saraba kakagero piisu sain korogatteiku sutoorii o

Kimi to mirai o nusumi egaku hineri no nai sotorii o

Lyrics (Translation)

When we were up there
A plane was passing by
Strangely I remember that
It doesn’t have sense, why?

In the night, after having cried for all the day
I hoped to be strong
The needed courage
I was looking for it

A cruel fate, defined
One day it appeared next to me
If I would have a moment, this moment, for breathing
It wouldn’t matter to me. (I)

Once again
“Go far away!”
Someone is singing it to me
With so much passion
Your eyes, always swollen with tears
I laugh for not being sad
A song for becoming an hero
Goodbye, peace sign
A rolling story (II)

I can’t say that I want to protect you
Realizing that you weren’t weak
I am weaker than this
You were important

“I’ll live by myself”
I screamed that day
You laugh of me, that I have changed
I am scared to be alone

Even if I would breathe, bite or kick
My head becomes noisy and inside the stomach, all crushed
The pretense of showing myself off vanishes
I want to touch your heart

We
Surely are very distant
With the hands reaching for the sun
They arrive before the day, while we laugh
Dyed of a burning blue
From the other side of a dim city
We should run, while you take my hand
Stealing the future with you
Writing a story without twists

Rough and encrusted days
Now scratched and consumed
They revive in your words, appearing vivid
A soul sleeping like a chrysalis
A dream thrown away like if is half-eaten
I will take everything back again

Once again
“Go far away!”
Someone is singing it to me
With so much passion
Your eyes, always swollen with tears
I laugh for not being sad
A song for becoming an hero
Goodbye, peace sign
A rolling story 

I will steal the future with you, writing a story without twists.

THE WORDS

Written by Kenshi himself, the song features a long text, with a plain structure and made by long but simple lines, easy to get when connected one to another, since the order of words is not what we would expect (because of this, the translation will stick to the literal order of the words, compared to the ones you can find on the web, which are more free). The single where it is featured deals, such in a way, with the concept of the past, present in this song and also in other two ones,Neighbourhood, which is about sad memories as part for forming ourselves, considered a conceptual opposite of the lead-song, and Yumekui shoujyo(Dreameater girl), self-cover of one of his Vocaloid songs, which is about a love which destroys dreams. The song covered here is a personal perspective about Kenshi’s life, focusing in particular about his childhood, a time when his passion for anime and manga came out and he experienced hard moments; the text is a conversation between Kenshi’s grown self, represented by the figure of hero(explaining the song’s presence in an anime like Boku no Hero Academia) and his past one, a frail being and victim of the events, where the two parts get together and go on towards the future, made of hopes and uncertainities. And now… let’s analyze the song!

I) The text starts with the image of one of the memories coming from the protagonist, when he was over the sky with his “hero”, watching a plane passing by and not understanding why he would remind such thing (Itsuka bokura no ue o suresure ni toorisugiteitta ano hikouki o/Fushigi na kurai ni oboeteru imi mo nai no ni naze ka); during the night, after he has cried for all the day, he hoped to be stronger and so he tries to look for the needed courage, in order to go on (/Fugainakute naita hi no yoru ni tada tsuyokunaritai to negatteta/Sono tame ni hitsuyou na yuuki o sagashimotometeita); a cruel and definite fate appears next to him, a thing he wouldn’t consider important, if he had a moment for breathe (Zankoku na unmei ga sadamatteru to shite/Sore ga itsu no hi ka boku no mae ni arawareru to shite/Tada isshun kono isshun iki ga dekiru nara/Dou demo ii to omoeta sono kokoro o,the cruel fate is the time which goes by too fast, not giving the time for living own life day per day).

II) His “hero” sings with passion to the protagonist, asking him to go far and far, so that he won’t have swollen eyes for his sadness, which he tries to hide with his laughter; the song that he is singing to him is an invitation for becoming stronger, like the hero is (this makes thinking that the hero could represent also a role model for the protagonist, a former mentor, maybe a member of his family or a best friend); finally the protagonist says goodbye to his old self, exchanging a peace sign and goes to continue his rolling story (Mou ichido tooku e ike tooku e ike to boku no naka de dare ka ga utau/Dou shiyou mo nai hodo netsuretsu ni/Itsudatte me o harashita kimi ga nido to kanashimanai you ni waraeru/Sonna hiiroo ni naru tame no uta/Saraba kakagero piisu sain korogatteiku sutoorii o, the image of peace sign indicates that he made peace with himself and his inner pain, needed for growing up and becoming adult).

III) The protagonist knows that he can’t protect his mate, because he is strong, while he realizes that is weak, the reason why his mate is the most important person for him (Mamoritai da nante ieru hodo kimi ga yowaku wa nai no wakatteta/Sore ijou ni boku wa yowakute sa kimi ga daiji dattanda); since they separated, the protagonist screamed that he wants to live by himself, even if he is scared to be like that, bringing his mate to laugh of his change (“Hitori de ikiteikunda” nante sa kuchi o tsuite sakenda ano hi kara/Kawatteiku boku o waraeba ii hitori ga kowai boku o); he wants to touch his heart, even if it breathes, bites or kicks, even if his head is noisy and his stomach is upside down and even if his desire of showing off to other people disappears (Ketobashite kamitsuite iki mo dekinakute/Sawagu atama to hara no oku ga kushakusha ni nattatte/Tearai mo keiren mo kieteshimau kurai ni/Ima wa sawatteitainda kimi no kokoro ni).

IV)They are so much distant, but their hands are reaching the sun (symbol of life), trying to catch it before the dawn, smiling together (Bokutachi wa kitto itsuka tooku hanareta taiyou ni sura te ga todoite/Yoake mae o te ni irete waraou); the sun is dyed of a burning blue (blue is symbol of youth and linked to burning, it hints to a intense and blazing phase of the protagonist’s life), in the opposite side of a dim town (the town, and in general, the urban world, are one of the most common themes in Kenshi’s songsand it may be a synonym of uncertainity), and the protagonist would like to run with his hero, hand by hand, while stealing the future and building a story without twists (Sou yatte aoku moeru iro ni somari oboroge na machi no mukou e/Te o tsunaide hashitteyukeru hazu da/Kimi to mirai o nusumiegaku hineri no nai sutoorii o).

V) The rough and encrusted days, now scratched and consumed by time, are brought up again by the hero’s words, making them more vivid (Kasabuta darake arakureta hibi ga kezuri kezurare surikireta ima ga/Kimi no kotoba de yomigaeru azayaka ni mo arawareteiku); the protagonist wants to get back every thing he has been taken off, such his soul, sleeping like in a chrysalis, and his dream, thrown away like if half-eaten (Sanagi no mama de nemuru tamashii o tabekake no mama suteta ano yume o/Mou ichido torimodose). The text ends with a repetition of the whole second sequence and the last lines of the fourth, emphasizing the concept of the whole song.

A confrontation between the past and the present, the mistakes and the experience, the pain and the hope of being happy; Kenshi Yonezu focuses on this dialogue in one of his most renowned songs, not only because of its presence in a popular anime, but also for the efficient mix between an energetic pop-melody and a compelling theme, made by motivation and hope for the future.

That’s all folks! See you next Wednesday for a new review in “Let’s Listen to”!

Thanks for the reading!

READ OUR RELATED POSTS:

REVIEWS

SPECIALS

image

Here I am with the first part of July’s themed week in “Lyrical Love”! Today’s subject is a song by the Japanese metal band Unlucky Morpheus, precisely Black Pentagram, lead-track of the single with the same name came out on 29th December 2016. This song is fundamental for the band’s path, as it launched them in a new musical frontier, extending their unique concept in a new and refreshing level.

THE MUSIC

The song starts with a strong rhythm and a great guitar work, bringing out intense and compelling notes, along with screamed vocals; then Fuki takes up the scene, with charismatic and efficient vocals, empowering the melody along with Jill’s beautiful violin, in an impactful track, easy to appreciate and hard to forget.

Lyrics (Romaji)

Usu murasakiiro no kiri no naka
ikudo mo mite ita yume no shiro
tsubasa haeta inu no tōboe wa
anata o michibiku shito no koe

Seija ni shi no senrei o
higan o sukuu mukui o

Akumu o miseteageru
hitai ni kizanda kuroki hoshi o
futatabi mezameru toki
anata no kokoro ni yomigaeru

Dare yori utsukushī yūjin wa
kagami ni utsutta tsumi no iro
abiru hada ni nijimu senketsu ga
watashi no sakebi ni ko tamashī suru

Seija ni hi no sensei o
higan ni sukuu akui o

Noroi o kashite ageru
sono mi ni nagareru ōke no chi o
futatabi mezameru toki
anata o tsukatte yomigaeru

Takaki tō no itadaki e
chijoku o kakusu yō ni
wasure rareta tamashī wa
kono hi o machiwabite

Seija ni shi no senrei o
higan o sukuu mukui o

Akumu o miseteageru
hitai ni kizanda kuroki hoshi o
futatabi mezameru toki
anata no kokoro e

Tobira o hiraku ga ī
akuma to chigitta sono akashi o
karada wa tsuchi ni kaeri
anata o kuratte yomigaeru

Watashi ga anata ni
kawatte ikiru no

Lyrics (Translation)

Within a purple fog
It is seen a castle of dreams for long
An howl of a dog with spread wings
The voice of the disciple will guide you (I)

The baptism of death to the living
An arranged reward for a dear desire

I will show you a nightmare
A black star carved in the forehead
In the moment you wake up again
Your heart will revive (II)

Who more than a sweet friend
The color of sin reflected in the mirror
Fresh blood strains on the skin
My scream will recall the spirit

The saint makes a crimson oath
The malice will haunt the nirvana (III)

I will lend you a curse
The royal blood flowing in the body
In the moment you wake up again
It will revive you

On the top of the high tower
For hiding the shame
The forgotten spirit
Impatiently waits this day (IV)

The baptism of death to the living
An arranged reward for a dear desire

I will show you a nightmare
A black star carved in the forehead
In the moment you wake up again
It will be in your heart

Open well the door
The proof that there’s the devil
The body returns to the ground
Eat and revive

I am you
Rather live (V)

THE WORDS

Written by the singer Fuyuki “Fuki” Tenge, the song features a simple layout, with a language taking inspiration from gothic world and from several religions known in the world, fitting with band’s concept. The single where the song is featured sees a focus on the theme of feelings, as shown even in the b-sides, Dead Leaves RisingandViolet, respectively dealing with the sense of absence of the loved oneandthe love as an hope for the future. The title-track takes the concept of feelings in a darker turn, focusing more on a new beginning from a painful existence, represented through the metaphor of initiation to a faith, where the soul is sold in exchange of a new life, acquired through the death. And now… let’s analyze the song!

I) The text starts with an image which brings straight to the gothic atmosphere of the song; the protagonist sees a castle of dreams behind a purple fog (Usu murasakiiro no kiri no naka/ikudo mo mite ita yume no shiro, in Japanese culture the purple is synonym of mystery, dream, magic, death, penitence and unconscious, all themes linked to the song, and the castle is a metaphor of human mind), where a dog with spread wings is howling (tsubasa haeta inu no tōboe wa,the winged dog is a likely reference to Simarĭglŭ, a mythological figure of Slavic culture, seen as a guardian of life), defined as the voice of a disciple, inviting the reader to follow him in his guidance (anata o michibiku shito no koe, the disciple likely represents the coscience).

II) The voice leads to the baptism of death for a living one, the reader (Seija ni shi no senrei o), where the reward, already arranged, is a thing wished for a long time, salvation (higan o sukuu mukui o); the author, which is the one who is guiding the reader, will offer him a nightmare (akumu o miseteageru,here meant as a manifestation of all fears and pains), and will have a black star carved in the forehead (hitai ni kizanda kuroki hoshi o,the pentagram of the title, a magic symbol of protection against evil) and when the time of reawakening will come for him, his heart will revive (futatabi mezameru toki /anata no kokoro ni yomigaeru).

III) The focus moves on a sweet friend, whose colors of the sin reflected on the reader’s mirror (dare yori utsukushī yūjin wa/kagami ni utsutta tsumi no iro, in Japanese culture the mirror represents the true essence of human soul, meaning that the sins of this friend corrupted the reader’s soul), and the blood coming from that sin is spread on his skin (abiru hada ni nijimu senketsu ga), so the author wants to recall his spirit with a scream (watashi no sakebi ni ko tamashī suru); then a saint will come out for making a crimson oath (Seija ni hi no sensei o, the crimson represents life itself) and the malice will haunt the nirvana (higan ni sukuu akui o,a metaphor for describing the order shaken by the chaos).

IV) The author will lend to the reader a curse (Noroi o kashite ageru), so that he will revive again, thanks to the royal blood flowing in his body (sono mi ni nagareru ōke no chi o/futatabi mezameru toki/anata o tsukatte yomigaeru); his forgotten soul will await with impatience that moment at the top of an high tower, presumibly of the castle of dreams mentioned early, hidden because of the shame felt for his mistakes (takaki tō no itadaki e/chijoku o kakusu yō ni/wasure rareta tamashī wa/kono hi o machiwabite)

V) In the final sequence there’s a repetition of the whole second part, followed by the ending lines; the author invites the reader to open well the door, behind which there’s the devil (tobira o hiraku ga ī/akuma to chigitta sono akashi o, of course the devil represents the sin and the temptation) and in that moment the reader’s body will get back to the ground, for then reviving again (karada wa tsuchi ni kaeri/anata o kuratte yomigaeru) and finally the reader completes his initiation, becoming like the author (Watashi ga anata ni) and so he can live again his life, without the weight of pain (kawatte ikiru no).

Faith implies that is found a purpose for living, despite the pain and the sin; Unlucky Morpheus, through a song made by images and strong symbols, bring a compelling message thanks to a energetic melody and piercing words, made by darkness and light at the same time, in a cathartic experience, under any aspect.

That’s all folks! See you with the second part in “Let’s Listen to”!

Thanks for the reading!

loading