Single: ルーシー - Discord
Date released: 7.5.2008.
Track list
1. ～歪～ (Ibitsu) [Listen]
2. Discord [Listen]
3. HADES (Secret track) [Listen]
Discord is the debut single of the dark Visual kei band Lucy, who has been around for a year (interesting that the single was released on the day of their first anniversary). Besides the pretty dark look the band has proved to have a pretty dark sound.
Ibitsu roars with heavy distorted guitars and distanced shivering riffs in the background at the beginning. I couldn't help to notice that the singer Sakaki has got a very resembling voice to Distraught Overlord's singer Mikaru: velvety, deep, warm and then again pretty rough. His screaming parts really sound harsh, giving you the chills. But not only his voice is mesmerizing, the overall sound of the song is pretty dark (though the refrain has got some positive feel to it) enhanced with screeching guitars, trembling bass and very subtle drumming. Imagine pre- [Coll:set] D'espairsRay darkness but without the pumping energy and speed and you'll get Ibitsu.
Discord begins slowly, silently before turning into a distorted, loud, screaming beast of a song. I've really heard quite a lot of dark Visual kei bands, but these guys are really, really dark... Jumping from melodious, obscure parts to almost atonal frontal crashes of heavy distorted guitars and screaming. Discord yet surprises with a good refrain where Sakaki's voice really shows it's warm timbre.
Though only two songs are listed on the track list, Lucy has put an additional semi-instrumental song as a secret track (I found out that the song is called HADES). The song begins with the kind of slow and echoing drumming you'd probably hear in some 80's rock ballad, but the mere echoing presence of the drums in combination with both scratching and swaying riffs gives up a very unusual, dark atmosphere. Judging by the quality of the song, it must have been live taken. And again Lucy interchange their almost atonal noisy parts with quite ingenious melodic parts.
I must say I actually like Lucy's style though the dark atmosphere, harsh screaming and somewhat shabby compositions, but I can't deny their potential and ability to create a really strong atmosphere. In a way I have founded in Lucy something that was missing in the latest D'espairsRay single: the darkness that gradually gets under your skin.
Even though Lucy won't blow you away, their songs will pull you into their realm, somehow making you actually want to listen to them.
+DéspairsRay+ (when they were still called like that), Distraught Overlord and -OZ- fans should really consider checking Lucy out.
Thanks to precious_metals for giving the recommendation.
