Rabu, 19 November 2008

alan - RED CLIFF ~Shin Sen~



SINGLE REVIEW
alan - RED CLIFF ~Shin Sen~

1. RED CLIFF ~Shin Sen~
2. Xin Zhan ~RED CLIFF~
3. Ashita e no Sanka ~Orchestra Version~
4. RED CLIFF ~Shin Sen~ (Instrumental)
5. Ashita e no Sanka ~Orchestra Version~
(Instrumental)

This is alan’s 7th single and it was released on October 15, 2008. This single reached #23 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and it has sold 5,260 copies. The 2nd track was used as the theme song for the Chinese movie Red Cliff and the title track was the theme song for the movie’s Japanese release.

Holy shit. RED CLIFF ~Shin Sen~ is epic epic epic. Being the 4th release in alan’s 5 elemental singles campaign, this song represents fire and the burning desire within one’s heart. I loved how cinematic and theatrical the music was because it features a fantastic orchestral arrangement. There is a great accumulation of tension right when the song starts with alan’s adlibbing and it just builds and builds until the powerful chorus arrives. The sweeping strings really give the song its dramatic feel without being over the top. However, the most phenomenal part of the song is without a doubt the climactic bridge sequence that includes powerful mountain vocals. I was honestly blown away by that part because it is AMAZING. alan is certainly becoming a force to be reckoned with and this song proves it.

The 2nd track is the original Chinese version, Xin Zhan ~RED CLIFF~. This was actually my first time hearing alan sing in her native language and there’s a big difference in terms of how “natural” she sounds. I’m not surprised though and the Chinese version is definitely on the same level as the Japanese version, except for one thing. The bridge does not feature the mountain vocals previously heard in the Japanese version. I was mildly disappointed by the exclusion but the song is still insanely epic nonetheless.

Also on the single is a grandiose and sensational orchestra version of her debut Japanese single Ashita e no Sanka. I really liked how things got mixed up for this version because it does not follow the same structure of the original. It open and ends differently, plus the verses are rearranged as well. The instrumental sections are great and sound really grand with the added strings and brass, giving the song this extra ”royal” or “imperial” vibe.

Overall Rating

5 stars

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