The album opens with Boys don’t cry. The song is fast paced with amazing instrumentation. The vocals are beautiful in their own way and suit the song completely. It starts with two guitars calling and responding to each other which creates a contrasting mood to when the rest of the instrumentation comes in sounding light and upbeat. This darker edge that pops up in this song now and then only makes the song see more hopeful. It’s a beautiful, light hearted and hopeful, opening. Straight away you know the album is going to be good.

After boys don’t cry comes RUN INTO THE FREEDOM. It starts slow and rhythmic, with an almost melancholic feel to it. It’s very quiet and quite slow. This builds up into a dark sounding, almost angry verse and then a more relaxed chorus. It’s carries on the amazingness that was Boys don’t cry with fantastic instrumentation and vocals. I love all the variations the song goes through (e.g often going back to the lighter, melancholic feeling similar to the beginning) and the overall feeling to the song.

Without pausing the track flows immediately into the next, which is a personal favourite, 偽りのオレンジ. This song is painfully sad- like losing the most important thing to you. It opens with a gentle and rhythmic guitar before the drum and vocals come in: a slow and very melancholic opening. This feeling of sadness and loss continues into the rest of the song. Then after a little while the guitar comes in properly and just… it blows me away EVERY TIME (And I’ve been listening to this song for a while now). This build up from sadness, to sadness blended with an almost anger and regret is incredibly powerful. The vocalist sounds very sad, his voice rough lending a raw emotion the song. The instrumentation is astounding, especially the guitar part. The song goes through constant variation, every bit amazing and filled with overwhelming emotion. The ending really finishes me off with the repetition of “namida” (tears). This song is powerful filled with the complex feelings of loss (although I have never seen the lyrics, it just sounds that way to me) Just beautiful really.

Next up is LAST ALLIANCE (album version). Having never heard the single version I cannot compare really. The song starts with a really awesome, loud and in your face guitar and drum part. It’s fast and noisy, but not in the bad way. After the sad 偽りのオレンジ this kind of lively, upbeat track is welcomed.

Continuing in the loud, noisy style comes REBEL FIRE. Typical to the name the song has a rebellious feel to it. It’s loud, and heavy- at times the vocalist is almost shouting. I also liked the use of backing vocals in this one. Also have to love how at one point it tones down for the guitar solo, taking on a funkier feeling. It’s quite playful in a way the way it switches around. Overall, like most of the tracks, great vocals and instrumentation. This song is short but fast with great feeling. The album continues to be awesome; never once dragging on.

Track 6 is beautiful. This is a very fast paced upbeat track. It sounds light and hopeful. It’s also extremely short. Almost like a prelude to the next track….which is プラネタリウム (it actually has a similar feel to beautiful before it). プラネタリウム has a gritty opening, and then the rest of the instrumentation comes in and makes it pretty upbeat with airy rhythms. This track is good, but not one of the best on the album. It does sound like there has already been a track like this on the album.

SEE YOU AGAIN follows and is sounds quite dark even though it’s not actually that heavy. It’s a very fast song, with an almost rushed feel. It’s got a lot of attitude, especially when the vocalist says “See you again”. A little repetitive, but it’s short so that becomes irrelevant.

Then comes the beautifully titled SKY IS CRYING. This song is loud and gritty. It has a rough feeling but still fantastic instrumentation. Fast and short with a lot of emotion- making yet another powerful track. The ending to this one is pretty cool; it goes from rough ending rather ethereal. I think a problem with this album that is beginning to appear is that although the tracks technically don’t sound the same, and they don’t drag on, they are (with the exception to one or two songs) all loud, in your face rock tracks which can make this album tiring if you aren’t in the mood to listen to it.

Next up is ヒダリムキ. After just saying about track sort of sounding the same, this one is actually pretty different. It starts very atmospheric, fast but kind of melancholic at points. The instrumentation is really lovely, soft and a wonderful blend of gentleness overlaying something heavier. The vocalist uses a higher register of his voice for an interesting effect. There is also use of overlapping the voice/backing vocals at points which is effective. A very nice, sweet-sounding song. Lots of variation again helps the song to stay interesting and there is great emotion too.

Last up is EQUAL REASON (Album version). The song starts quietly and gently, feeling rather tense, before blasting the rest of the instrumentation. Like the track before it there is that blend of softness overlaying something heavier. The vocalist sings real low before raising his voice up to build up to the chorus. I really love his voice. Again the instrumentation is noticeably awesome creating a wonderful atmosphere. The song varies throughout, with a dominant feeling of hope and letting go. I also managed to find lyrics to this , and they too are really awesome- seemingly about despite everything, keep going and be strong sort of thing- “Like clinging on anyone that has already turned around, I don’t want to choose such an escaping way”. EQUAL REASON is an amazing, hopeful and powerful ending to a fantastic album.

Overall rating: 10/10 (Awesome)
Favourite Tracks: 偽りのオレンジ, SKY IS CRYING, ヒダリムキ, EQUAL REASON

For a debut album this is amazing. LAST ALLIANCE is awesome. This is a very strong debut album, the highlight for me being just about every song. The album flows wonderfully from beginning to end, showcasing just how talented the band is. Songs can be similar; however they all manage to have a different feel and to differentiate from the others in their own way. It’s kind of strange like that. You’d think their music would be boring but it’s actually really powerful.

There is one thing holding me back from giving this the awesomeness rating though, and that is the fact that there are a lot of songs here in the same kind of style and they don’t drag on, they aren’t uninteresting but as I mentioned up above in the review- if you’re not in the mood for the constant assault of those songs, one after the other, it does get tiring. However the album is pulled back up by amazing tracks like偽りのオレンジ, EQUAL REASON, SKY IS CRYING, ヒダリムキ which are definitely the more unique ones that stand out here. To be honest it is still an amazing album well worth listening to. One of LAST ALLIANCE’s best.