Hyde's first solo album, "ROENTGEN" was an artful piece of work, filled with haunting and majestic melodies. For the most part, there was very little "rock" to be found anywhere on it. "HELLO" is a departure from this style and moves Hyde more into the rock/punk genre, something he has really never done.

Heeeere's HYDE!

1. Hello
This song starts out rocking from the very start, with fast, loud guitar chords and pounding percussion. The style is somewhere in between rock and pseudo-punk, sort of like the music hide made, only less quirky. The verses go by very quickly, leading to a somewhat predictable but very catchy chorus. Hyde's voice is good, even though it is rougher than it has been in the past. Is he doing it on purpose, or has he smoked one too many cigarettes? Either way, it fits the style of the song very well, and he still has a huge range. The most interesting thing about this track is that although it is in a minor key, Hyde's vocal line almost makes it sound like it's major. Weird. Nevertheless, this is a great piece of rock music from a talented musician.
Rating: 10 out of 10

2. The Other Side
This is a much, much darker song than any Hyde has done in the past. It's also very hard. The lyrics are all in English, and Hyde does a wonderful job with them. Only in a couple places did I wonder what he was saying. The verses are pretty quiet, with some nice syncopated percussion and sound effects. Hyde's voice is very rich and emotional in places, though still rough. The chorus is nice and loud, but not fast. You really believe that Hyde is screaming as he drowns. The guitars and bass are particularly good on this track, as is the drummer. Not bad for a backup band. This truly is another wonderful song. I can't believe how many great songs Hyde has released!
Rating: 9 out of 10

Overall Rating: 9 out of 10