G.O.D. -Guitarists on Demand- III
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Album Title: G.O.D. -Guitarists on Demand- III |
| Record Label: ViViX |
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| Catalog No.: VIVI-0011 |
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| Release Date: January 31, 2018 |
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| Purchase: Buy at Bandcamp |
Overview
G.O.D. III is the fourth original album released by ViViX for the Guitarists on Demand group and features a variety of instrumental rock tunes. As previously stated, these artists are a younger generation of guitarists compared to Masahiro Aoki’s other group of artists, the G5 Project. Featuring reprises from many the guitarists from the past Guitarists on Demand albums, as well as new members, how does it compare to the other albums?
Body
The album opens with “xPLAnETes,” composed by ino., and is an anthemic rock tune with sci-fi elements (vocal samples, electronic backing, that feature an adventurous melody with a soft acoustic/synth bridge that provides a bit of dynamics to the piece. The end result is a solid opener. Mitsuyo’s “Kiruke,” is an eclectic piece with frenetic electronic accompaniment, metal riffs, funky bass and keyboard work, particularly during the calmer sections. It’s another dynamic piece with an excellent melody, but one that is also a bit chaotic. “reload,” by Vogue, is an upbeat tune with plenty of strings work and a groovy melody line that gives off a mix of vibes between Falcom Sound Team and Persona 5. It’s an excellent tune with an equally great melody and some wonderful solos. Ren’s “Lost Elphame,” on the other hand, is more of a blend of acoustic guitar and electric guitar with a clear fantasy vibe with its lush orchestration and Celtic inspired sound. The rock elements complement the orchestration quite beautifully. It’s a tune that tells a story and despite it not being solely guitar focused, is an absolute highlight of the album.
Satoshi Oka’s “Elektrichka” is a groovy guitar track with bright electronic accompaniment that boasts a fun melody. At times, there are definitely some djenty sections that give the piece a bit more dynamics and adds a bit of tension. Overall, it’s an enjoyable track, but isn’t as standout as some of the others on the album. “Menthol,” by Mayer, is jazz rock and boasts a strong melody complemented by some wonderful bass work and jazzy piano chords, both of which add to the jazz feel of the piece. The end result is a tune that has an excellent atmosphere and is quite smooth. Veering towards a pop rock ballad is Zenko Mitsuya’s “Fragment,” featuring plenty of romantic strings work in the accompaniment, an equally romantic electric guitar melody, and some pop piano and drum work. Fortunately, the melody itself is very strong and helps elevate the overall soundscape of the piece. Godspeed’s “Odyssey,” on the other hand, is an adventurous rock/orchestral tune that definitely gives off a sense of a journey. The mix of Spanish guitar and electric guitar helps lift up the upbeat and bright melody while the solo sections, both guitar and synth, give off a progressive rock feel. It’s a very enjoyable and dynamic piece of music.
On the flip side, “The Sprawl,” by Alfie Bradic, is certainly heavier in tone, with plenty of riffs. There is less focus on melody compared to other pieces on the album and lots of fragmented melody. Adding to the piece are wispy vocals that give a bit of exoticism to the piece and the gritty nature of aspects of the tune give it some musical texture, but it’s not very memorable. A good background piece, but not as forward in terms of engagement. “Advent,” by Yusuke Hiraga, is a speed metal tune with a great progression. At times, it reminds me of a Guilty Gear or BlazBlue game, stylistically, mixed with a bit of visual kei/J-metal. The subtle piano in the background also gives off an ethereal touch. It’s not as complex as some of the other pieces, but is performed very well. One of the longer pieces on the album, “Saw A York,” by Yamato, features a great progression. The subtle accompaniment adds a bit of a dramatic tocuh to the piece while the guitar itself has a very progressive feel to it that also features some metal aspects as well. The melody itself is great and, at time,s has a bit of an anime OP sound to it. It’s a highly enjoyable tune and is another tune that takes us on a musical journey across various styles.
“One Last Wish,” by setsat, is another rock ballad featuring violin, which is also played by the composer. It has a beautiful melody and a romantic feel to it and is, at times, raw. It’s not as strong as his past work on the G.O.D. series, but it does show a softer side of his music. Another song that takes a bit of a ballad approach is “My Last Hours,” by Sebon. Soft accompaniment with vocals combine with heavier guitar riffs and a slow rock feel to create a warm touch, but towards the middle of the piece, it tends to lean a bit more chaotic, creating a jarring experience that takes away from the initial atmosphere created. As the name might imply, “Miasma,” by Seku, is tense and mysterious with a metal/djent influence. The melody and progression are outstanding and the overall piece is lots of fun with different atmospheres being constantly introduced and reintroduced. The album closes with AZ’s “My Dear,” another rock ballad. Beautiful piano, violin, and strings open the piece and after a fairly lengthy introduction, the electric guitar is finally brought into the picture. As with his other G.O.D. work, it has an exquisite melody and atmosphere and serves as an excellent closer to the album.
Summary
While G.O.D. III certainly brings a variety of rock styles with it, perhaps even more so than G.O.D. II, some of the tunes don’t stand out as much as previous entries. Everything is performed quite well, but I found this album to be slightly less engaging compared to previous entries. It’s still worth a listen if you are a fan of the series for sure, but your mileage may vary.
Do you agree with the review and score? Let us know in the comments below!
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Posted on March 22, 2018 by Don Kotowski. Last modified on March 22, 2018.
About the Author
Don Kotowski Currently residing in Philadelphia. I spend my days working in vaccine characterization and dedicate some of my spare time in the evening to the vast world of video game music, both reviewing soundtracks as well as maintaining relationships with composers overseas in Europe and in Japan.
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