Single: メリー - Midnight Shangri-la/空っぽな唄~final cut~
Date released: 3.5.2008.
Track list
1. Midnight Shangrila
2. 空っぽな唄~final cut~ (Karappo na uta～final cut～)
I actually thought this was a regular single, but found out later it's a single that was sold at Yokohama Bunka Taiikukan live or something (though that won't stop real Merry fans on getting their hands on it). Still I'll take the honor (or not) to review this "special" single.
Remember the Merry cover of LUNA SEA's song PRECIOUS... that was released on the LUNA SEA tribute album. You know the song that was basically audioraping-turn-fun. Midnight Shangri-la takes a floor up. Midnight Shangri-la is the probably most hysterical song I've ever heard, turning into three and a half minutes of violent noise enough to damage your hearing. Hey, take all the screaming Kyo from Dir en grey has done in their songs and pack it into one song (on the screaming parts Gara even beats Kyo when it comes to sky high pitched screams) with a hint of paranoid hysteria and concentrated insanity and viola! You get a "song" (mildly speaking). In some strange and unusual way, I actually like Merry when they are sounding like having a seizure. And the yeah,yeah,yeah,yeeeaah,yeah! is quite catchy.
Karappo na uta was the closing song on their album nu chemical rethoric and the ~final cut~ version can be described as better. Gara's vocals sound very clear and expressing (though after Midnight Shangri-la practically everything sounds good). The song has got a very clean, almost sterile production, twittering high-pitched riffs and a very good and sharp refrain that will make you sing a long (with a additional vocal provided probably by one of the guitarists whose name I don't know nor care about). Average Merry but decent.
So either if you love ear-violence or the original Karappo na uta or both, give a shot at this single. Merry again managed to deliver their highly recognizable yet slightly mediocre sound.
