FictionJunction new song “black rose” (digital release July 26, 2025)

[CloisteredFlame]

OK, now from a comment on the auto-loaded "Shine in the Cruel Night" track, they were asking if Kajiura would get together with Revo again for another collaborative work... I think the creative juices are flowing and they should do something.

A dark ballad instead of a light one like they did the last time; like a camera film negative of the music for "Dream Port".

Or a fully traditional-style Japanese track with some more theatrical elements from Revo.

 

[NoxLila]

I love it
I have no doubt the live version will be wonderful

 

[Lorde-Kowz]

I am RABU RABUing black rose.
Love me the Irish reel (jig?) violin. Love me Emiko. Love me the song. Simple as.

 

[Saber]

Very, very Fairy Tail. I thought I was listening to the wrong composer at first.

Not that it's a bad thing. Finally something that isn't just Kajiura on autopilot. Love the belted chest notes too.

 

[maha_gnosis]

now now, we have candidates for kalafina 2.0: Emiko, Rito, Lino Leia(?).

In short, I want more Rito and Emiko with Kajiura's sounds

 

[george1234]

now now, we have candidates for kalafina 2.0: Emiko, Rito, Lino Leia(?).

In short, I want more Rito and Emiko with Kajiura's sounds

Sorry to disappoint you, but rito left highway star / FJ few months ago https://canta-per-me.net/2025/01/singer-rito-quits-highwaystar-agency/

 

[maha_gnosis]

i know, but she can still come back

 

[george1234]

Yea, who knows :)

guys the YT video works now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DI6Q4neOx0 (not sure if sound quality is any better than bili though)

 

[toshiroukajiura]

Kajiura said this song is great of kick starting the YKL 21. But I vision this song as either the first song for the concert or the first song for the encore. And maybe they will have solo instrumental adlibs like they did on Red Rose.
Anyways, Emiko has that distinct voice also that sets her apart from Keiko but I have to be honest, Emiko has better vocal control than Keiko ( musically speaking ). Let’s just say both of them have something unique to offer to Kajiura’s music.
But damn, I have to say, Emiko ate at the end of Black Rose and left no crumbs She’s good. Glad she’s in the YK fam.

 

[Kenjikun]

I really like it. it's been years I hadn't heard a Kajiura's song in repeat since their release. Maybe the last one was "Koto no hoka yawarakai".

I was really hoping EMIKO wasn't that good, because I really like Keiko and it feels like she comes to replace her... and for me Kajiura's music without Keiko... I have mixed feelings... but gosh EMIKO was hungry and she ate... I can't find anything bad, she's been so good, I can't wait to see her in lives. I'll miss Keiko, but I'm very happy to see I can still get excited with new songs, and I guess we can just move on and enjoy this!!

Someone before said this could have been a .Hack song and honestly got me curious to hear how this would sound in Chiaki's voice!! She's also got the power in her voice!!

PS: Also seeing the amount of posts on this thread from different people that usually don't interact shows how exciting this song was!!

 

[grunty]

Yea, who knows :)

guys the YT video works now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DI6Q4neOx0 (not sure if sound quality is any better than bili though)

The official yt upload is much better than bilis, at least on the quality I get from bili.

 

[Lúa]

I’m very pleased. I think YK let Emiko shine and do her thing. Even if at the beginning for a second I thought I was hearing Keiko then snapped out of it. Towards the end it was very clear it was an Emiko song

 

[MushiMushi]

I’m very pleased. I think YK let Emiko shine and do her thing. Even if at the beginning for a second I thought I was hearing Keiko then snapped out of it. Towards the end it was very clear it was an Emiko song

When I was listening to black rose for the first time I thought I heard Keiko too in a few parts

 

[CloisteredFlame]

we have candidates for kalafina 2.0: Emiko, Rito, Lino Leia(?).

Shhhh!

Emiko has better vocal control than Keiko ( musically speaking )

She gives the tone what it needs to match the level Keiko brought to Kajiura's music.
She also seems to have more granular tonal-switching ability (dark-to-bright harmonics) and volume control (messa di voce), and with a more developed chest-dominant belt technique, she may not slip into that slight yell-y/shouty route Keiko did for power at times )which cost her some control).

but gosh EMIKO was hungry and she ate... I can't find anything bad, she's been so good, I can't wait to see her in lives. I'll miss Keiko, but I'm very happy to see I can still get excited with new songs, and I guess we can just move on and enjoy this!!

I appreciate the support Emiko is getting from Keiko stans! It helps that she absolutely delivered and is winning respect with just her vocal performance, and I believe she will do even more with her personality on stage

I thought I was hearing Keiko then snapped out of it.

Yeah, it was just the fulness of Emiko's tone in that low range that we've only really got from Keiko as a female singer within Kajiura's world.

I thought I heard Keiko too in a few parts

I heard Keiko-level low tone and Kaori-isms. It just shows the wide palette that Emiko has to pull from.

 

[CloisteredFlame]

What's exciting me about harmonies with Emiko is the fact that her a cappella and lifelong experience with sibling/family vocal blending enables her to adapt to others, even though she's been a solo artist for a while.

It's the live harmonies I'm really waiting to hear...

 

[george1234]

guys i found the black rose
https://x.com/Fion0806/status/1949014754938192207/photo/1