Do As Infinity(ドゥー・アズ・インフィニティ) - ALIVE Album Thoughts(J-Rock)

01.~ prologue 
02.Alive
03.GET OVER IT
04.火の鳥
05.To Know You
06.Iron Hornet
07.Silver Moon
08.化身の獣
09.唯一の真実
10.~ epilogue 
 



   Do As Infinity is a band that was in their prime from the 2000s to late 2011. The female fronted band has had plenty of pauses in their career. There was member changes then the guitarist and producer of the band wanted to take a long break. Then album sales started to fall after the band stop being promoted correctly by Avex. Many people internationally know them for the songs that they contributed to the popular smash hit anime called Inuyasha. This series spawned several hits for the band and even helped them to continue to do well for a few years after the series ended in Japan. Now, Do As Infinity is trying to get back on track with their first album in over three years. The album is titled ALIVE like they are hoping their music careers still are.

  I don't have a huge opinion about ALIVE. Let's just say that it's not their best album. Some of the tracks go somewhere good but then the good outweighs the bad. The good being that ALIVE shows the band trying to go back to their old post 2000-2005 style with tracks. GET OVER IT. GET OVER IT actually took my for a surprise because I wasn't expecting a track that was so reminiscent  of the style that got them their fame in the past. Another track or maybe two are held in on the same level, Even ALIVE as a track is worth a listen until I realize that I don't care for the digital pop rock sound that Do As Infinity is creating to probably stay relevant in Japan. Whoever's bright idea it was to have them sing a couple of the tracks in English messed up their album also. I've said in my past posts before, that I don't judge based off English ability. I do get bothered though when I know someone is singing in English and I can't make out what they are saying. No matter how hard I try. Do As Infinity is in a case of "don't fix it if it's not broken." because the current era Japanese music is in would have been the perfect time for them to come back performing their same old style. Music similar to what they use to do as a band is charting well in Japan right now. The key here is promotion but Do As Infinity is considered a top band in Japan based on their music alone. They shouldn't have followed the English trend. The bands that sing in English and actually pull it off are One Ok Rock which is based solely on the fact that Taka studies English, [ALEXANDROS], and Radwimps(both frontmen of these bands speak English fluently because they were raised outside of Japan.). Do As Infinity should have practiced their pronunciation more. At least the good tracks still rock hard when needed and are beautiful when called for.

   The vocals are the same and probably one of the best qualities about Do As Infinity. Even the bad English didn't stop the vocals from soaring. Nothing can stop our front woman.

   Do As Infinity was a band that I used to get excited to listen to years ago. I'm not going to lie, I haven't been keeping up with their music much. Their single before this album release wasn't to my liking either but Alive has a gem or two in there.