Happy CANNONBALL day everyone!!
Still waiting for my copy, but a few of us in the Seven Central Discord decided to listen to the album together which was a lot of fun! So many different opinions, which is always really interesting!
I'm just going to start my review right away with...!
01. Higher DimensionSuch a different sound from Nana and so different from her usual openers too! Change is always interesting and to me, Higher Dimension is a good change. This song screams concert opener, and will work really well around other cheery mood setters, think NEXT ARCADIA and Fun Fun People. Just some exciting feel-good goodness, call it Nana Mizuki -High School Musical edition- LOL! Only downside I can think of is the song's length, but I guess I'll just have to deal with it!
From a higher dimension, straight into
02. マーガレット / Carpe Diem
I must agree with
stranger that this track could be seen as the "true" opener of this album, being one of the more experimental tracks on this album! My compliments to Agematsu for this unique sound, really hoping I'll be able to hear this at LIVE RUNNER. Can't wait for a lyrics translation for this song, am interested in finding out what it's about!
Get ready for the next battle!
03. Love Fight! is easily one of my favorite tracks on this album, if not my favorite. It's like Nana asked her brother Mamoru Miyano to show her the ropes on creating a drop the beat K-Pop vibe dance track. I didn't expect this song to be that at all, I actually expected this to be the cute towel filler song of the album, so the fact that I got something completely different already satisfies me. Her vocals are fiery but flirty, but also like she's ready to knock you out. Go ahead and step on me, Nana!
We're waiting for so long...
04. DAYBREAKERS
more like we've been waiting for a new Nana album for two years, lol! If you listen to this album from beginning to end, this track has been the most "Nana" as we know her so far. Her passion, vocal strength and the futuristic sounding heavy synth instrumentals are all present. I nickname this song Synchrogazer 2019 edition, for it being really simular to it! And not in a bad way, it's reinvented to suit her latest style more. Good stuff!
Gimme gimme dance will
05. Knock U downCall it old, call it cliche, call it cringy, that's okay, because it is... and I love it! This song is one of the best tracks on this album to me easily. It's so relaxing and fun to listen to and not as packed as DAYBREAKERS is for example. It puts a smile on my face instantly! I've been wanting Nana to tone it down a little bit and just have some silly fun with a song... and she gave me this. My boyfriend actually likes this song, and that says a lot! I can't wait to experience this song live, since I think the calls will be so much fun. Fun Fun People -CANNONBALL- style and I'm living for it. It's on fleek!
06. BLUE ROSE
I don't really have much to say for this song other than man... it's been out for so long. So much has happened since then so I felt rather nostalgic when this song started playing. I'm glad it made the album since I wanted to own it on a physical disc. It's definitely a good song and she shows off her anisong roots in it!
U fu fu~
07. Sweet Dealeris a nice track in-between BLUE ROSE and WHAT YOU WANT for it being slower and another relaxing listen. For me, this is the "growing" track, as the first time I was kind of weirded out by it, but after hearing it a couple times, it's quite fun! Sexy, elegant and mellow~
SAY YEAH!
08. WHAT YOU WANTNot a lot to say except that it's a great rock track and the message of it is great! It grew on me a lot ever since it came out! Hope it will make one final return at RUNNER so I can experience the calls live~
Aishiteiru~
09. マーガレット /
Marguerite
One word: CUTE! Perfect for an acoustic corner, or maybe even LIVE THEATER 2! She wrote the lyrics for this song with Marriage as the theme, and it's adorable. Simple, stripped down sweetness. Nana just having fun with a song yet again. Great focus on her mellow voice. Love it!
Live... live your life now! Can live freely!!
10. METANOIA -Aufwachen Form-
The intro of this song expands on the single, not being it's separate segment, which is why this form is a win. Good stuff, great single. Personally, I'm really happy they went into a different direction for Symphogear songs. I mean as great as Synchrogazer and Vitalization are, I don't listen to these songs that much anymore these days, yet songs like Exterminate and this song stick, as they are more approachable to me and I guess more mainstream? I don't know how to explain this, this is just good stuff!
11. glitchWasn't expecting a rock song, but thank god it is. The flow from METANOIA into this is good, so good song placement for sure. Another song in which I can just feel that Nana is having fun in it. The repeating parts puts emphasis on the frustration and desperation in this song. Not specifically related to this song but might as well bring it up; NEOGENE CREATION was an okay album, but I don't find myself listening to a lot of it's songs anymore, only Meguri Au Subete Ni, ALONE ARROWS and Hatsukoi on occasions. I wouldn't say the album was uninspired, but it didn't have much longevity to it and quickly I started craving for something new. This came to my mind around this section of the album.
12. NEVER SURRENDERGreat follow-up on 2017's Destiny's Prelude. This song will have to do as one of the wintery tracks on the album. Secretly wishing we got something on this album like Hoshikuzu Symphony, Eden or even Promise on Christmas. But Nanoha's music is always good, so I don't have much to complain about or say here except it's nice to listen to while being wrapped in a blanket, drinking some hot chocolate milk. 10/10 would recommend.
13. Light Births ShadowThis is actually the only song of the album I'm not quite fond of... I don't hate it, but it's like GLORIA and Birth of Legend's had a child together, and... eh. I like the before mentioned songs better. It's being used for Nana's radio channel, which used way better songs before this, for example Poison Lily and Lazy Syndrome. My feeling towards this song is simular to when I first heard Please Download, with the vocal edits putting me of quite a lot. Please Download grew on me a bit though, so maybe this will too?
14. REBELLIONGood anisong just like BLUE ROSE, but BLUE ROSE is the better one out of the two imo!
15. UPSETTERThere seems to be quite a contrast in the song and it's title, so I can only fully form my opinion on this song when a translation of the lyrics has been released. It's starts quite anxious with the violin, but then does a 180 flip to a cheery "We can do this!" vibe. Towel song material for sure, but better than the stuff we've got in the last few years. It's a good song, but it doesn't impress me as much as some of her older self composed songs did. On the contrary of what I said in the beginning with me wanting more simple and relaxed tracks, I kinda wished she would've gone all out on this and surprised us this time.
16. ALL FOR LOVEAmazing ballad, much better than JEWEL from NEOGENE CREATION. It has a much more adult and desperate vibe to it, and just sounds more emotional in general. Perfect for this time of the year!
17. FINAL COMMANDER -Aufwachen Form-This song rocks. Such a cinematic track. They looked at Glorious Break and went: Can we make this better? Yes, we can! and just did it, lol. I like the intro of this song too, but it's not as good as METANOIA's. It just blends better while FINAL COMMANDER's intro is too trance/dancy compared to the song itself. Still amazing though.
Conclusion:Overall I'd say this album is really good and a huge step up from NEOGENE CREATION. Only one or two tracks that are quite forgettable on the first few listens. Sadly I'll have to admit Nana's golden era seems to have passed, which is why I'm happy with anything that seems refreshing, new and unlike anything in her discography. This album is stepping in a good direction judging from the first few plays! Let me borrow the rating system Stranger used and rate the songs:
S rank = god tier
A rank = incredible
B rank = above average
C rank = average
D rank = below average
F rank = atrocious
S rank:Knock U down
Love Fight!
カルペディエム / Carpe Diem
A rank:Higher Dimension
DAYBREAKERS
ALL FOR LOVE
B+ rank:
METANOIA -Aufwachen Form-
FINAL COMMANDER -Aufwachen Form-
マーガレット / Margaret
B rank:BLUE ROSE
Sweet Dealer
glitch
C rank:WHAT YOU WANT
REBELLION
D rank:Light Births Shadow
There's my review! Sorry for the 15 page essay...! I'm going to have to relisten to the album a lot in preparation for LIVE RUNNER next year! I cannot believe I'm going on a vacation to Japan in 2020 and also see my favorite artist ever... Me and my boyfriend are still preparing everything but we already know it's going to be a blast! Also I wanna see LABO already so my dear copy, arrive fast- *ding dong* *CANNONBALL RUNS to the door*