At the core of things they're still a band, though, if the music ceases to be of any interest then that's a significant problem. It won't stop the girls from being amazing people nor will it change the fact that they've released numerous fantastic pieces of music over the past 7 years, but it will change how things will work out for future releases. If the new album does suck then I'll probably stop pre-ordering their releases, up until now I've done so upon the trust that there'll be something there I'll really enjoy and so far that's worked out, every release has had something great on it in my opinion. Even with Believe there was IEN and Lapis, I quite like RYB as it is, but Koibito is more the kind of thing I want, etc.
The pattern still hasn't changed, though, and that's why I'm hopeful. Even since their debut their a-sides have been the weakest part of their repertoire. Even back in the Seventh Heaven era where the a-sides were fantastic, they were outclassed by Serenato. I just hope that Kajiura pulls through with FotW and the album original tracks are at least as strong as After Eden's, if not better. That will be enough for me to keep interest. I'm a critical person and I'd say one who has a very wide variety of taste (pardon the narcissism) so even with my favourite artists there's always the chance that something will intercept if the quality starts to dip consistently. Will this change my opinion that their first four albums are near enough masterpieces? No, of course not. I still have albums I consider in such high regards from well over a decade ago, even from artists which have fallen far, far beyond where Kalafina is now. What the girls have done is done, and nothing will change that. The one worry I do have is that if the new album is awful throughout that their tour in October will likely play most of the tracklist and if I don't like any of it then that'll be taking valuable time away from vastly superior releases, but here's hoping that doesn't happen.
Edit: Since you brought it up, I'll just have to say that everything I wrote about the Japan Expo live in my report was fully sincere. That's how much I love what they've done, and that's what I want to see continue on. What I wrote when I gave the girls a note at the event was even more so, since at that time they were nearly faultless. I wish I had a copy of what I put down there since I wrote it in my hotel right before I met with them the last time. Being a critic and a realist though, I am worried and upset with the possibility of what is to come. I don't want it to end.
!? It would look funny to see Kalagirls as mermaids)... It's a lot of ideas! I hope for beautiful, blue dresses 
:
