N
ninetales
Guest
^ They sound good, too, don't they? 
@George: You're welcome!
Okay, my official reviews
Eden -
Reminds me of Voyagers, but doesn't have an uncomfortable similarity. The switches between Wakana and Hikaru's parts are seamless, as are the switches between keys, and the bg 'echoing' of certain lines is interesting. The arrangement is perfect (finally the flute isn't overwhelming!), and the guitar adds a lot...much more than in Voyagers, actually. Everything else is solid.
What I like: Flute mixed in the bg (at last~); guitar behind the Kajiurago; the Kajiurago itself; Hikaru on chorus; Wakana's bridge-between-lines-and-chorus stuff ("doko e yukou ka", etc.); Keiko's quieter line
What I dislike: Lack of guitar solo
9/10
Sandpiper -
For some reason this reminds me more of Loreena McKennitt songs than it does of Serenato, although there is quite a bit of Serenato in this too. The guitar bg and the strings are very Lotus. (I actually racked my brain for a while wondering where I'd heard the guitar before.) Anywho, it's pleasant, but not the sort of song I want to listen to all the time. It's rather...bland in some ways. Also, I don't particularly like the piano in the arrangement; this sounds like an acoustic-guitar-driven song to me.
What I like: Guitar bg; opening instrument; drums; chord progression in the chorus; ending instrument
What I dislike: Barely audible guitar solo; slightly bland melody; piano in the arrangement
6/10
Kugatsu -
I think I like the keyhole version better than the CD one in some ways, because of the added atmosphere. (I've tried to recreate that and I can't, so I've kept the keyhole version.) Hikaru sounds beautiful at the beginning, and the piano-and-FX arrangement is absolutely lovely. But when Wakana comes in and the arrangement changes, I lose a lot of interest in it...I would've much preferred a Gloria-esque song to a Kagayaku-esque one. Plus, the militaristic drums don't fit at all.
At least it's shorter than Sandpiper...
What I like: Hikaru's opening; arrangement in the opening; basically all the bass despite the fact that it doesn't fit
What I dislike: arrangement change; flute solo; uncomfortably familiar chord progression in the Kajiurago
7/10
In your eyes -
Well, I think this is the song Grunty mentioned, where the key never changes
It sounds like vintage See-Saw to me (I can almost hear Chiaki singing it). Love Hikaru, love the FX here and there, love the chorus melody. I don't mind that this is over six minutes (as opposed to Hikari no Senritsu), because it's so fun and plain groovy...my only problem is the complete switch in musicians 
What I like: Hikaru; Keiko; the rhythm, especially the percussion; the bass line~
What I dislike: Nishikawa, as usual; the fact that Jr's not playing the bass line
10/10
Destination Unknown -
My favorite! Koichi-san carries this song; his bg practically creates the mood (along with the drums), and his solo is unspeakably great as always. Speaking of drums, I usually don't like that sort of manic style, but here it fits perfectly. With the "knock-down-drag-out fight in a back alley" atmosphere of this, I don't find it repetitive at all. (Plus, Hikaru and Keiko switch their parts all the time, the arrangement goes from manic to quieter and back, Kajiurago shows up...)
What I like: Hikaru; Keiko; the sudden appearance of Kajiurago; the drums; the bass line; all the guitar
What I dislike: The fact that we'll probably never get to see this performed live
10/10
Neverending -
I thought more of Forest than Hikari no Senritsu when I first heard this, probably because of the opening strings. Personally I think Hikaru sounds better than she ever has before in the first line...her voice almost rivals Wakana's for that lofty tone. (Unless that actually is Wakana, and I missed it.) But I like this song. It's light and gentle, with a nice arrangement (Sandpiper could've benefited from the lack of piano) and a pretty chorus. It doesn't wear out its welcome for me.
What I like: Hikaru in the beginning; the melody/chord progression of the chorus, especially the "neverending song" part; the "lalala", especially the quieter second repetition; the cello
What I dislike: Doesn't really move me that much
9/10
Kotonoha -
The first one I repeated, for probably at least an hour. I fell in love with Kotonoha the instant I heard the sample, and nothing changed when I heard the full song. Hikaru's "hontou wa" and on is (as I suspected) absolutely beautiful. I think that this is more of a successor to Utsukushisa as opposed to Intermezzo, not because of its length but rather its haunting atmosphere. It makes me see a hilltop, bare to the sky, surrounded on all sides with trees wearing faded autumn colors; the sun is setting and its last rays peek out from an unclouded horizon, but the sky above and to all directions but west is clouded and dim...
What I like: The main melody; Hikaru's "hontou wa" and on; the subtle arrangement; the fact that it honestly moves me
What I dislike: Nothing
10/10
Magnolia -
Not sure whether to think of Fantasia or Kyrie with this one...it sounds basically like a Red Moon leftover. Even so! The arrangement is so deliciously techno (the bass especially) and the guitar so...Koichi-san...that those aspects more than make up for anything lacking. Personally this solo is my favorite from the album. Partly because I can just see Koichi-san playing the beginning part, with the "noteless chords" thing. I'm not a particular fan of the melody lines and the way Wakana sings most of them, though Keiko sounds good.
What I like: The arrangement; "wakeau kara" and its fellow line, for some reason; the guitar
What I dislike: Most of the melody lines; the entire chord progression; the way the drum hurts my ears
8/10
Mune no yukue -
First of all, I have to admit: listening to this, I have no clue why some are saying that Keiko gets nothing in this album. She gets two whole lines here! In which she sings higher than she's probably ever sung outside Vanity live! Plus, she gets much more, in this song alone, and don't get me started on the rest of the album! Well...myself and my friend both agree that this doesn't sound very Lion King (I think it's more vintage See-Saw), but I don't love it. The lines are beautiful, especially Keiko's opening ones, but the key change and basically the entire chorus is a little lackluster. I can honestly say that this sounds completely original to me, but it's also quite long. (i.e., Hikari no Senritsu long.)
What I like: Keiko's opening lines; the pronunciation of "sky is high"; Hikaru's solo with bg chanting; the vintage '90s guitar solo!
What I dislike: The choruses; the key change from lines to said choruses; slightly drawn-out piano at the end
6/10
Symphonia -
I must say that this is about the only song I'm really disappointed with. Symphonia itself is a gorgeous song, and I appreciate getting more of it...but what really hit me was the guitar. I was expecting at least a little solo, or some sort of nice improvisation here and there, and instead what we get is the guitar playing harmony with the horns. Not only that, but for some inexplicable reason (I'm loath to blame Koichi-san) it's completely out-of-place half the time, with its harder sound. I personally think that a gentler Inca Rose style would've sounded much better.
What I like: Keiko; the key change from lines to chorus; something about the way Wakana comes in; those awesome horns, especially at the end
What I dislike: The key change from chorus to lines; the guitar
I'm sorry, Koichi-san......
5/10
Best to worst:
1. Destination Unknown
2. Kotonoha
3. In your eyes
4. Snow Falling
5. Eden
6. Neverending
7. Magnolia
8. Magia
9. Kagayaku
10. Mune no yukue
11. Kugatsu
12. Sandpiper
13. Symphonia
(Note: The only reason Kotonoha is #2 is because it's shorter than Destination Unknown...)
All-around rating: 8/10
(Magia and Kagayaku get 8/10, and Snow Falling gets 10/10.)
@George: You're welcome!
Okay, my official reviews
Eden -
Reminds me of Voyagers, but doesn't have an uncomfortable similarity. The switches between Wakana and Hikaru's parts are seamless, as are the switches between keys, and the bg 'echoing' of certain lines is interesting. The arrangement is perfect (finally the flute isn't overwhelming!), and the guitar adds a lot...much more than in Voyagers, actually. Everything else is solid.
What I like: Flute mixed in the bg (at last~); guitar behind the Kajiurago; the Kajiurago itself; Hikaru on chorus; Wakana's bridge-between-lines-and-chorus stuff ("doko e yukou ka", etc.); Keiko's quieter line
What I dislike: Lack of guitar solo
9/10
Sandpiper -
For some reason this reminds me more of Loreena McKennitt songs than it does of Serenato, although there is quite a bit of Serenato in this too. The guitar bg and the strings are very Lotus. (I actually racked my brain for a while wondering where I'd heard the guitar before.) Anywho, it's pleasant, but not the sort of song I want to listen to all the time. It's rather...bland in some ways. Also, I don't particularly like the piano in the arrangement; this sounds like an acoustic-guitar-driven song to me.
What I like: Guitar bg; opening instrument; drums; chord progression in the chorus; ending instrument
What I dislike: Barely audible guitar solo; slightly bland melody; piano in the arrangement
6/10
Kugatsu -
I think I like the keyhole version better than the CD one in some ways, because of the added atmosphere. (I've tried to recreate that and I can't, so I've kept the keyhole version.) Hikaru sounds beautiful at the beginning, and the piano-and-FX arrangement is absolutely lovely. But when Wakana comes in and the arrangement changes, I lose a lot of interest in it...I would've much preferred a Gloria-esque song to a Kagayaku-esque one. Plus, the militaristic drums don't fit at all.
At least it's shorter than Sandpiper...What I like: Hikaru's opening; arrangement in the opening; basically all the bass despite the fact that it doesn't fit
What I dislike: arrangement change; flute solo; uncomfortably familiar chord progression in the Kajiurago
7/10
In your eyes -
Well, I think this is the song Grunty mentioned, where the key never changes
It sounds like vintage See-Saw to me (I can almost hear Chiaki singing it). Love Hikaru, love the FX here and there, love the chorus melody. I don't mind that this is over six minutes (as opposed to Hikari no Senritsu), because it's so fun and plain groovy...my only problem is the complete switch in musicians What I like: Hikaru; Keiko; the rhythm, especially the percussion; the bass line~
What I dislike: Nishikawa, as usual; the fact that Jr's not playing the bass line
10/10
Destination Unknown -
My favorite! Koichi-san carries this song; his bg practically creates the mood (along with the drums), and his solo is unspeakably great as always. Speaking of drums, I usually don't like that sort of manic style, but here it fits perfectly. With the "knock-down-drag-out fight in a back alley" atmosphere of this, I don't find it repetitive at all. (Plus, Hikaru and Keiko switch their parts all the time, the arrangement goes from manic to quieter and back, Kajiurago shows up...)
What I like: Hikaru; Keiko; the sudden appearance of Kajiurago; the drums; the bass line; all the guitar
What I dislike: The fact that we'll probably never get to see this performed live
10/10
Neverending -
I thought more of Forest than Hikari no Senritsu when I first heard this, probably because of the opening strings. Personally I think Hikaru sounds better than she ever has before in the first line...her voice almost rivals Wakana's for that lofty tone. (Unless that actually is Wakana, and I missed it.) But I like this song. It's light and gentle, with a nice arrangement (Sandpiper could've benefited from the lack of piano) and a pretty chorus. It doesn't wear out its welcome for me.
What I like: Hikaru in the beginning; the melody/chord progression of the chorus, especially the "neverending song" part; the "lalala", especially the quieter second repetition; the cello
What I dislike: Doesn't really move me that much
9/10
Kotonoha -
The first one I repeated, for probably at least an hour. I fell in love with Kotonoha the instant I heard the sample, and nothing changed when I heard the full song. Hikaru's "hontou wa" and on is (as I suspected) absolutely beautiful. I think that this is more of a successor to Utsukushisa as opposed to Intermezzo, not because of its length but rather its haunting atmosphere. It makes me see a hilltop, bare to the sky, surrounded on all sides with trees wearing faded autumn colors; the sun is setting and its last rays peek out from an unclouded horizon, but the sky above and to all directions but west is clouded and dim...
What I like: The main melody; Hikaru's "hontou wa" and on; the subtle arrangement; the fact that it honestly moves me
What I dislike: Nothing
10/10
Magnolia -
Not sure whether to think of Fantasia or Kyrie with this one...it sounds basically like a Red Moon leftover. Even so! The arrangement is so deliciously techno (the bass especially) and the guitar so...Koichi-san...that those aspects more than make up for anything lacking. Personally this solo is my favorite from the album. Partly because I can just see Koichi-san playing the beginning part, with the "noteless chords" thing. I'm not a particular fan of the melody lines and the way Wakana sings most of them, though Keiko sounds good.
What I like: The arrangement; "wakeau kara" and its fellow line, for some reason; the guitar
What I dislike: Most of the melody lines; the entire chord progression; the way the drum hurts my ears
8/10
Mune no yukue -
First of all, I have to admit: listening to this, I have no clue why some are saying that Keiko gets nothing in this album. She gets two whole lines here! In which she sings higher than she's probably ever sung outside Vanity live! Plus, she gets much more, in this song alone, and don't get me started on the rest of the album! Well...myself and my friend both agree that this doesn't sound very Lion King (I think it's more vintage See-Saw), but I don't love it. The lines are beautiful, especially Keiko's opening ones, but the key change and basically the entire chorus is a little lackluster. I can honestly say that this sounds completely original to me, but it's also quite long. (i.e., Hikari no Senritsu long.)
What I like: Keiko's opening lines; the pronunciation of "sky is high"; Hikaru's solo with bg chanting; the vintage '90s guitar solo!
What I dislike: The choruses; the key change from lines to said choruses; slightly drawn-out piano at the end
6/10
Symphonia -
I must say that this is about the only song I'm really disappointed with. Symphonia itself is a gorgeous song, and I appreciate getting more of it...but what really hit me was the guitar. I was expecting at least a little solo, or some sort of nice improvisation here and there, and instead what we get is the guitar playing harmony with the horns. Not only that, but for some inexplicable reason (I'm loath to blame Koichi-san) it's completely out-of-place half the time, with its harder sound. I personally think that a gentler Inca Rose style would've sounded much better.
What I like: Keiko; the key change from lines to chorus; something about the way Wakana comes in; those awesome horns, especially at the end
What I dislike: The key change from chorus to lines; the guitar
I'm sorry, Koichi-san......5/10
Best to worst:
1. Destination Unknown
2. Kotonoha
3. In your eyes
4. Snow Falling
5. Eden
6. Neverending
7. Magnolia
8. Magia
9. Kagayaku
10. Mune no yukue
11. Kugatsu
12. Sandpiper
13. Symphonia
(Note: The only reason Kotonoha is #2 is because it's shorter than Destination Unknown...)
All-around rating: 8/10
(Magia and Kagayaku get 8/10, and Snow Falling gets 10/10.)
)
almost half of the RE price... (Even I can't read anything, but I'm sure that it's just the version that will be released in Korea, not with 'Korean lyrics', right..? 
. But I have a problem with extracting the dvdrip..it keep saying that the password is wrong even I copied it from the web.. 
.
