Pierrot began their major (non-indies) career with a trilogy of albums: "FINALE," "PRIVATE ENEMY" and "HEAVEN THE CUSTOMIZED LANDSCAPE." Several themes tied the three together, and at the end of "HEAVEN" it almost seemed we had reached a place of peace. Not so. Pierrot has boldly declared this album to be an attack on the "stagnant rock scene." And it is that. The question is: can it measure up to their past albums while creating a new and unique sound?

Just what is Kirito doing to that gun?!

1. a pill
Thus we are introduced to the album's drug theme. The song opens with a heavy, pounding dance beat and some cool synthed sounds. Then, the crunch of steady electric guitars enters, and Kirito begins singing. As always, he packs a lot of insinuation into the way he says his words. The chorus is bright, vivacious, with a touch of disco flair (in a good way!) I really like the percussion in this song; it adds so much to the mood. I always think of bright neon lights when I hear this song. Halfway through, we get the first of many standout guitar solos. What I should make apparent is that this sounds like Pierrot, but with a new twist. It's a great song musically.

With all Pierrot songs, the lyrics play just as much (if not more) of a role than the music. At first, the lyrics seem party oriented and not very serious. However, it soon becomes apparent that there is a lot more going on here. Kirito first hints at his inner "monster," and this one seems to be tied to drug use. He also mentions that in this century, we are "entraced by the chaos." Hmm... is that because of the drugs he hints at, or are the drugs a means of escape?
Rating: 5

2. Psychedelic Lover
The eternal debate over this song is whether it is too "pop" or not. Personally, I don't see how a song can be bad just because it is happy or a little more pop-ish. Whatever. This song has a happy, bouncy little beat and brighter vocals from Kirito. The beat always makes me of punk-meets-dance. A strange combination, but that's the feeling I get. I love Kirito's performance in this song, as well as the driving bass line. Jun and Aiji sound great, too. Despite many fans hatred for this song, I really love it. It's a party song. It's fun. What's to hate?

Lyrically, it's another song that seems pretty basic at first. "Let's love each other in the paradise painted a color you never knew." Seems like a nice little love song, eh? However, Kirito says the alternative title is "My Lover LSD." That makes it a bit more sinister. Suddenly, the singer is a man who can't get along without his addiction. Even at the end, he's not letting go. That's just creepy.
Rating: 5 (Yes, a 5! All you other Pierras can kill me! I DON'T CARE!)

3. DAYBREAK
If you were worried that Pierrot was turning into a pop group, this track should put your mind at ease. It begins LOUD, with the bass, guitars and percussion assaulting your ears. The intruments drop out while Kirito sings the first verse, return, drop out again. The contrast is nice. Kirito combines some nice, controlled vocals with his signature screams. His voice is so harsh sometimes, it makes me cringe. In a good way. I just think it must hurt. The bridge is quiet, even gentle, but don't let Kirito lull you into a false sense of security. This is a wonderful song to just go crazy and headbang to.

This song makes me think of Pierrot's previous albums. Throughout those works, Kirito was warning us of all the terrible things that could happen. This song seems to be him saying, "I told you so!" "At that time, you still didn't know what it meant, but now you understand the catastrophe that I was screaming about." He reminds us that we are in control of the future, and we're the ones that caused these things.
Rating: 4

4. upper flower
And so we arrive at my favourite song on the album. It always makes me think of sunny, indies Brit rock. The guitars are especially bright, and the arrangement bounces along happily. Kirito's vocals still have some harshness here and there, but only when it adds to the mood. Most of the time, he sounds smooth and in control. I imagine people who liked "DRAMATIC NEO ANNIVERSARY" would like this song. In the middle is one of my favorite guitar solos of all time, which actually turns into a duet partway through. There are so many nice touches, like the computer modulation of Kirito's voice at the end of some lines. This is really a wonderful piece of work, and unlike anything Pierrot has done in the past.

In this song, the singer has a new idea that is blossoming in his mind like colorful flowers. However, at the end he speaks of a "gradation," the bleeding of colors together. It is no coincidence that the next two songs are "neogrotesque" and "kakumei no kuroi tsubasa," or "Black Wings of Revolution." See, the colors are slowing bleeding into black. This would be what we call foreshadowing...
Rating: 5

5. neogrotesque
Ah, yes... the song where Kirito attacks everything from new age music to cover songs and Hirai Ken. Gotta love it. You'll recall that when I reviewed the single, I really liked this song. I still do. In fact, I like it more in the context of this album. Like I said before, this song is all about the bass and the guitars. This song just sort of hurtles along without stopping, without giving you a chance to breathe. It's almost... unforgiving. What an odd word to describe a song with, and yet it fits perfectly. My favourite moment is Kirito's little sigh after he sings "bakemono da!" It's just... disturbing.

Again, this song sneers at pop-culture. Those of us that find Pierrot's music soothing are monsters just like Kirito. I can live with that. ^____^
Rating: 5

6. kakumei no kuroi tsubasa
The word that came to mind the first time I heard this song was "thrashy." It is that. The percussion in particular is very prominent and pushes the song forward. The guitars are cool, but a bit too repetitive. Same for the melody, though I like Kirito's performance. I do really, really hate the backup vocals during the bridge. Ugh, they're annoying. However, I want to point out that when you want loud music to lose yourself in, this song does the trick.

Things improve when we look at the lyrics. In this song, we can all dream that we have black wings that empower us. To what? Revolution, I'd say. "Smash whatever is in my way to bits, in the morning I understand everything. I won't leave you again, the dream has me on the verge of bursting out laughing." So much for the bliss of "upper flower."
Rating: 3/4 (can't decide, leaning toward a 4)

7. acid rain
My second favourite from this album. It beings with the guitars and some sound effects swirling, fading in and out of existence... repeating and overlapping... like time is no longer moving in a straight line. It's very haunting. Kirito's vocals are so gorgeous and moving. He pours emotion into every note. I would like to call this a ballad, but it's too complex for that. The percussion and guitars move along pretty quickly. I would like to point out that the guitar solo reminds me so much of an X Japan song it's uncanny. The chorus of this song soars, rivalling even "Child" in beauty and emotion. It's... breath-taking.

"I hear your voice, so I look for you, before this poison rain washes it all away. I need you to shine a light on the darkness; this body about to fall apart needs you." Kirito wants to meet on "that hill" from "HILL-genkaku no yuki-." Speaking of which...
Rating: 5

8. HILL -genkaku no yuki-
I used to not like this song. But it's grown on me, and now it's one of my favourites. (Honestly, what Pierrot song isn't? Well, "Newborn Baby" I guess.) Anyway, it's a mid-tempo song that feels like a ballad, though it isn't. Kirito's voice is filtered in the first verse, so that it feels like he's singing from far away. The song keeps building in speed and volume, growing more desperate. The overall mood is somewhat surreal. I definitely recommend it.

This song is supposedly based on the story of Cain and Abel from the Bible. Cain killed his brother Abel because God favored Abel's sacrifice over his own. To me, this song is Cain attempting to find solace, but he can't. He's waiting on "that hill" for Abel, but his brother will never come again. Cain is just deluding himself. That's my interpretation, anyway.
Rating: 5

9. GOD BLESS XmeXXXX
Whoo, time for the hardest song on the album. This song is angry, although you might not guess it from Kirito's singing. He sounds just kinda happy and sing-songy. Meanwhile, the accompaniment pounds along behind him, until we reach this bright chorus. Lalala, all the world is good, life is great. Yah, sure. Since when. The guitars plus the added sound effects make the background music really interesting.

Okay, where to start with the lyrics. The "XmeXXXX" is "aMErica." Get it? This is Kirito's attack on the good ol' United States. He begins by saying that the U.S. was too eager to make itself a victim after 09/11, and used that tragedy to justify attacks on other countries. "Fight fire with fire, power is everything." Rather than admit we might have done something to provoke the attacks, we "make a scapegoat of a dictator," in this case Hussein. "The mountain of bodies piles up in the name of God. It's a small price to pay to protect you. A rose in each hand, a gun under each arm, and chains tied to our legs we live dragging with us." We kill and justify it with talk of God, and think we are maintaining our freedom. In reality, we are just enslaving ourselves. Whether you agree or disagree, you have to admit that Kirito expresses himself eloquently. At the end, he tells us that a "rose-colored world" has been created. Remember that for "barairo no sekai."
Rating: 5

10. MORNING JUNKY
This song always reminds me of "Freaks" or "Creature." It's loud, scathing... hammers at your skull... then has this nice little chorus. The chorus is almost TOO happy for the song. This is probably the most old-school Pierrot song on the album, and it's nice to hear them return to their roots. Of course, there are plenty of touches to keep it unique. I would not recommend listening to this when you have a headache though. Oh, and it's really short at 2:43

This song is about a man who is so strung out on drugs that he can't even get up in the morning without them. He completely destroyed his mind, so drugs are the only way he can get by. When he takes them, the world seems like it's full of happiness and light, but that's only an illusion. Perhaps, as the lyrics suggest, he is trying to escape the "monster" he has become.
Rating: 3/4 (same as "kakumei; I can't decide. Closer to a four, 'tho.)

11. barairo no sekai
As I've said before, this is a nice, happy sounding bit of jrock that reminds me of "Creative Master" for some reason. It shares some of the same feel as "Psychedelic Lover" too. Whether that's good or bad is up to you. The beat is very steady and will probably make you bob your head from side to side. To quote myself, "There are some strange choir-voices in the chorus, but they are only slightly distracting. The guitars, bass and percussion pound away at your senses, while another little guitar riff underscores it all." Yeah, I like it. It's not as innovative as other songs on the album, but it's good.

Remember the "rose-colored world" from "GOD BLESS xMExxxx"? This is it. What's he saying is that we look around and see perfection, but that's just an illusion. In reality, we're headed toward our own demise. "The story of history aiming towards destruction, if it'll bring you to your senses, shall I bend it for you?" The world is headed for destruction, but Kirito is willing to change its path for you. Awww... I love Kirito's lyrics.
Rating: 4

12. Answer
It's sad to see such a wonderful album come to a close, but all good things must end. We end on a mid-tempo almost ballad, which is actually filled with hope. The instrumentation is subdued, but still adds to the feeling the song is trying to create. We finally get Kirito's most heartfelt vocals. I don't mean dramatic, like "acid rain." I mean honest and open sounding. He's not holding anything back, but nor is he trying to overwhelm us. It's a perfect balance.

Add to this his most personal lyrics as well. "One day when you and I meet I'd like to tell you about irreplaceable dreams and this reality no one wants to accept. I will just write it all down like this, and look to the sky." Yes, there is frustration in his words, because it sometimes feels like no one is listening. But there is hope, too... "I won't give up on anything that's to come." Lyrics like this make me want to cry. It ties the entire album together and brings it to a close, reminding us that the future is in our hands.
Rating: 5

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5