The Rampage from Exile Tribe - The Rampage Album Thoughts(J-pop)

   I didn't know anything about The Rampage until about their second single release. I'll admit that I though Frontiers was their first single. I'm sitting up there thinking that I found a new group during their debut, later finding out that this group had been established already. Most of the members were found throughout Japan by holding competitions that narrow down which boys will be chosen for the final cut. The Rampage as been more focused on single releases more than anything until the drop of their first album. They've cleaned up at a couple of award shows for the single releases alone. There's twenty tracks on the album so you can't say that you didn't get your money's worth as a fan. Exile is known for releasing overkill two disc albums…. Probably to guilt fangirls into buying a physical copy instead of downloading from iTunes.

Disc 1: Downtown Side

1. Lightning
2. LA FIESTA
3. Fandango
4. HARD HIT
5. 100degrees
6. Knocking Knocking
7. New Jack Swing
8. SWAG IT OUT
9. FRONTIERS
10. GO ON THE RAMPAGE

Disc 2: Uptown Side

1. Dirty Disco
2. DREAM YELL
3. Can't Say Goodbye
4. Over
5. ELEVATION
6. The Typhoon Eye
7. Dream On
8. BREAKING THE ICE
9. Shangri-La
10. Only One

    "The Rampage" is separated into two parts. Disc one is titled the downtown side and disc two is named the uptown side of the album. Thinking about the male counterparts who have come from Exile Tribe makes me see the contrast in the groups. Generations has a more gentle vibe that girls who want that in a man will relate to. The Rampage on the other hand, is more full of force in showing what they want. It's very fitting of their name and to girls who like bad boys. Downtown is where most of the tracks I liked reside. Many of the tracks from the opener to the middle of the album are very lively. Hip hop, Rap, and Pop RnB glaze the tracks that get you pumped for the next one to come through the speakers. If you liked any of the singles that were released before the album, then you will fall in love with the tracks all over again. I know that I surely did because of the placement of the track list for disc one. The Rampage doesn't give enough time to doubt if you like these guys or not because each track brings a new sort of fire that would be no stranger to the club dance floor. I spammed a little bit at how consistent the album is during the first disc. One problem I think some people might find with disc one is that there's no ballad to chill out all of the hyper masculinity flying in the air. I don't mind this since there are some dance pop songs that are less forceful but do know that this group aren't trying hard to be anything less than men in their music. Uptown Side has a old sound from the early eighties and nineties American popular music. The Rampage struts their stuff down the streets without even a moments hesitation. Some of the tracks sound like samples were taken from the soundtrack of the show; In Living Color. Yeah, they tried to pull a Bruno Mars on us Y'all and I was HERE FOR IT! Honestly, I think that most people would get tired once you reach the second disc. Twenty songs is a lot, plus their agency knows good and well that those boys won't be performing all those twenty songs. Tracks such as Dream Yell are the traditional style of the mainstream sound in Japan. You know they couldn't completely escape singing these types of songs. Idols are required to be bright, happy, and full of life no matter how manly you might be. It's a good thing that I can stomach Dream Yell as the track isn't a bad song to get down to during a workout. My honest opinion of the whole album is that the first part should have been the only tracks released just for the time sake of listeners.

    The Rampage defiantly has a better handle on what it means to have soul.  Tracks like Dirty Disco showcase that the two vocalist have the dynamics of feeling the music down. My eyes widened a bit while listening to some of the vocal runs the two pulled off with ease. I also loved that the performers of the group readily jumped out the gate rapping in songs. Many of the other Exile male groups's dancers had to slowly ease into rapping on tracks while these guys brought bars like they were born to do this. They kinda have Generations beat when it comes to flow in my opinion……

   Disc two of "The Rampage" isn't bad but I would keep about two songs and throw the rest of the section away. Either way, These guys win solely for the album have more bops than flops. I would actually pay a ticket to see them live based off of the music they gave me. I'm proud of them.