Your thoughts on each Kalafina album

[HashmalS]

For me: After Eden > Seventh Heaven > Red Moon > Consolation.

Sevent Heaven: formerly my least favourite album. At first i liked only oblivious and Ongaku (pretty much because of its live version), but after some listens I was able to like the whole album. But it still has some pretty decent songs.
Favourites: ARIA, sprinter, Ongaku.
Least: Natsu no Ringo, Mata Kaze ga Tsuyoku Natta, Kimi ga Hikari ni Kiete Iku.

Red Moon: a good album, amazing first half and not-that-amazing second one. The album tries to create a dark atmosphere but at the same time there're songs like Hikari no Senritsu or storia, they really aren't needed there. And as I said, the second part is 'meh'. Starting from Hoshi no Utai there is no song I was able to like, except intermezzo, maybe.
Favourites: red moon, Yami no Uta, fantasia.
Least: storia, progressive, Hoshi no Utai.

After Eden: truly a masterpiece and my favourite album of all times. Yeah, it has 3 songs I don't like, but the rest of them are nearly perfect. And I think this album is perfectly balanced. There're no similar tracks that play in a row, like it is at the other albums and there's no chance to get bored of it while listening.
Favourites: Magia, sandpiper, destination unknown.
Least: snow falling, in your eyes, Eden.

Consolation: I was already a fan of Kalafina when this album came out so I was kinda hyped for it. And the result was a big no. I mean, this album is boring. Awfully boring. Even signal and obbligato that should rock have the same feel. It still has some good songs like Manten and consolation, but still, it's definetely their worst album so far.
Favourites: consolation, Manten, Hikari Furu.
Least: obbligato, Hanataba, moonfesta.

Others: some b-sides are amazing like adore, gloria and Utsukushisa, some are pretty decent like sapphire. But I think all of the post-consolation songs are really, really good. Especially Tsuioku, it's one of the best songs Kalafina ever had.

 

[Lord Starfish]

Hmmm, I don't think I can really give as in-depth an opinion as many others here, but okay, here goes...

Seventh Heaven: The titular track is in my opinion Kalafina's magnum opus. As for the rest of the album, I like most of the actual KnK-songs (a bit indifferent to oblivious and Kimi ga Hikari, but other than that they're all really good), Ashita no Keshiki is also quite moving, and while Ongaku has over the years gotten a bit overplayed what with it seemingly being on every concert ever, it's still a rather epic song. So I can certainly see why it's in the tracklist of every concert ever. Not too fond of love come down. Largely indifferent to the rest of the album.

Red Moon: The titular track is probably the track that most perfectly defines what I like about Yuki Kajiura's music, and it's like, if someone asks me who Kalafina are (which happens way too often for my liking... WHY HAS NOBODY I KNOW EVER HEARD OF THEM) I generally just link them to this song. Overall this is probably my favorite album of theirs. It seems to have the most consistent tone to it, and it probably has the highest number of songs I find good. Red Moon, Yami no Uta, Hoshi no Utai and Lacrimosa all have a similar sort of feel to them and I do find all of them to be pretty darn epic. (Hoshi no Utai is probably my favorite of the four though.) Hikari no Senritsu was the first Kalafina-song I ever heard and so for that it holds a special place in my heart. storia and I have a dream are just on the whole nice. Not too fond of Te to Te to Me to Me. Largely indifferent to the rest of the album.

After Eden: Yeah okay, this is probably their overall weakest effort. I mean, it does have Magia on it which remains one of their best songs, and I do think the album both begins and ends on a fairly strong note, but most of the songs in between just never left that much of an impression on me, though I do still think they're perfectly listenable. Not too fond of In Your Eyes. (Notice a pattern here?)

Consolation: The titular track would make a great Madoka Magica opening, should they ever decide to stop with the bait-and-switch happy jPop intros. door is just plain lovely. Hanataba is nice though I feel that Keiko delivers her bit with a little too much intensity. Kiichigo is nice though it does remind me an awful lot of Kagayaku Sora no Shijima ni wa. Manten is the best damn song they've delivered since Magia and would probably fit in perfectly on Red Moon. Hikari Furu I'll admit sounds like a failed attempt at remaking seventh heaven and I think I liked it better as an instrumental track, but I do still like the second half of it. Yume no Daichi feels very Symphonia-esque, and while it makes sense why, I feel like it casts a slightly less than favorable light on this one as I just don't feel it quite holds up in comparison. That said it is still a nice song, and I do like the Kajiurago in the chorus. I just wish it was longer... And yes, I realize it isn't really all that short at all but it just feels so short with how it's structured. Not too fond of signal. Largely indifferent to the rest of the album. Is Kajiura guilty of plagiarism with Moonfesta...?