Girugamesh (album)
Encyclopedia
Girugamesh is the self-titled second album
from the band Girugamesh
, released on December 26, 2007
. A limited and a regular edition were released, with different contents, as well as a European release featuring three extra tracks from the band's previous EP
, Reason of Crying
. The regular edition, including thirteen tracks, was released on iTunes
simultaneously with the Japanese release. The limited edition included only ten songs on the feature disc, but was supplemented with a DVD
with two music video
s for "Vermillion" and "Kowareteiku Sekai", and backstage footage.
-mates Tatsurou and Miya of Mucc
, and with Miya as the co-producer for the album.
Composition on Girugamesh is fairly consistent with other albums, with the lyrics
being written by vocalist Satoshi, and most of the music being written by drummer
Ryo, with minimal music composed by Nii and Shuu. The lyrics in the album are often about controversial subjects such as war
and hatred
. The lyricist
, Satoshi, has stated that his lyrics were often written on tour and the "main inspirations are from situations and human relationships me". The music, being mainly composed by Ryo, was often produced when "sit[ting] around at home playing piano
, guitar or programming some drum sequences," and the intention was to "make the songs shorter and more efficient" with the heavy sound.
In support of Girugamesh, the band toured in both Japan and Europe, under the tour title "Stupid Tour '08"; the tour is named after the "stupid" amount of tour dates, surpassing forty, rather than the song from the album. The Japanese leg had Girugamesh performing a series of one-man lives (i.e. only Girugamesh performing) throughout Japan. Later in January, Girugamesh toured Europe for the first time, visiting Germany
, France
, the United Kingdom
, Sweden
and Finland
. Following their European tour, Girugamesh continued the "Stupid Tour '08 in Japan", followed by a short pause. In March, Girugamesh returned with a two-man tour with fellow Japanese band Roach, visiting venues all over Japan including Okinawa.
Following a performance at Wacken Open Air
, the second support tour will occur, entitled "Shining Tour '08". The first performances begin in July, under the name "Shining Tour '08 [Shooting Summer]". The Japanese tour will endure through July, visiting Osaka
and Nagoya, with one finale performance in August at the Liquidroom in Tokyo
. Concerts in July will feature second acts, including Gelugugu, Tr. Dan, Sel'm, Dogma, and Deathgaze
, while the tour finale show will be a one-man performance, with only Girugamesh.
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
from the band Girugamesh
Girugamesh
is a Japanese visual kei rock band, formed in 2003. The name is derived from the ancient king Gilgamesh, and is sometimes typeset with a metal umlaut as girugämesh.-2004-2006: Formation:...
, released on December 26, 2007
2007 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007.-January:*January 1 - George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame...
. A limited and a regular edition were released, with different contents, as well as a European release featuring three extra tracks from the band's previous EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, Reason of Crying
Reason of Crying
- Personnel :*Satoshi – all vocals*Shuu – guitar*Nii – bass*Яyo – drums...
. The regular edition, including thirteen tracks, was released on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
simultaneously with the Japanese release. The limited edition included only ten songs on the feature disc, but was supplemented with a DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
with two music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s for "Vermillion" and "Kowareteiku Sekai", and backstage footage.
Music
The album features a notably heavier sound than their previous album, with a more "aggressive, destructive, and power" sound. Drummer Ryo comments that during touring, the band felt as if "there was something missing in our [Girugamesh's] songs", and the band "wanted to make our songs a little bit harder with an "edge." The band collaborated on "Patchwork", "Stupid" and "Crazy-Flag" with labelRecord label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
-mates Tatsurou and Miya of Mucc
Mucc
is a Japanese visual kei rock band formed in 1997. Named after a character from the Japanese children's TV show Hirake! Ponkikki, the band is also known by the nickname 69 since "six nine" can be pronounced "muku" in Japanese...
, and with Miya as the co-producer for the album.
Composition on Girugamesh is fairly consistent with other albums, with the lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
being written by vocalist Satoshi, and most of the music being written by drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Ryo, with minimal music composed by Nii and Shuu. The lyrics in the album are often about controversial subjects such as war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
and hatred
Hatred
Hatred is a deep and emotional extreme dislike, directed against a certain object or class of objects. The objects of such hatred can vary widely, from inanimate objects to animals, oneself or other people, entire groups of people, people in general, existence, or the whole world...
. The lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
, Satoshi, has stated that his lyrics were often written on tour and the "main inspirations are from situations and human relationships me". The music, being mainly composed by Ryo, was often produced when "sit[ting] around at home playing piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, guitar or programming some drum sequences," and the intention was to "make the songs shorter and more efficient" with the heavy sound.
Touring
Stupid Tour '08 ("in Japan", "in Euro", and "Girugamesh Vs Roach") |
---|
Stupid Tour '08 in Japan
Stupid Tour '08 in Euro
Stupid Tour '08 in Japan (Continued)
Stupid Tour '08 Girugamesh Vs Roach
|
In support of Girugamesh, the band toured in both Japan and Europe, under the tour title "Stupid Tour '08"; the tour is named after the "stupid" amount of tour dates, surpassing forty, rather than the song from the album. The Japanese leg had Girugamesh performing a series of one-man lives (i.e. only Girugamesh performing) throughout Japan. Later in January, Girugamesh toured Europe for the first time, visiting Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Following their European tour, Girugamesh continued the "Stupid Tour '08 in Japan", followed by a short pause. In March, Girugamesh returned with a two-man tour with fellow Japanese band Roach, visiting venues all over Japan including Okinawa.
Shining Tour '08 |
---|
Shining Tour '08 [Shooting Summer]
|
Following a performance at Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air is a summer open air heavy metal music festival. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany...
, the second support tour will occur, entitled "Shining Tour '08". The first performances begin in July, under the name "Shining Tour '08 [Shooting Summer]". The Japanese tour will endure through July, visiting Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
and Nagoya, with one finale performance in August at the Liquidroom in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. Concerts in July will feature second acts, including Gelugugu, Tr. Dan, Sel'm, Dogma, and Deathgaze
Deathgaze
is a Japanese Nagoya kei metal band. Their sound is alternative metal, though more recently they have stepped into metalcore territory.- History :Deathgaze was formed in the summer of 2003 by Hazuki, Ai, Naoki, and Kanna. After releasing their first single, "294036224052", vocalist, Hazuki, left in...
, while the tour finale show will be a one-man performance, with only Girugamesh.
Regular edition
Limited edition
Personnel
The following are all credited individuals cooperating in this album's creation.- Satoshi – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, lyricistLyricistA lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:... - Nii – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media... - ShuU – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, composer - Яyo – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, composer - Tatsurou (MuccMuccis a Japanese visual kei rock band formed in 1997. Named after a character from the Japanese children's TV show Hirake! Ponkikki, the band is also known by the nickname 69 since "six nine" can be pronounced "muku" in Japanese...
) – chorusRefrainA refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
vocals ("Patchwork") - Miya (Mucc) – chorus vocals ("Stupid", "Crazy-Flag"), co-producer
- Masahiro Oishi – executive producerExecutive producerAn executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
- Tetsuya Tochigi – recording, mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
- Makoto Toonosu – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
- Tomoya Sakurai – art directorArt directorThe art director is a person who supervise the creative process of a design.The term 'art director' is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in advertising, publishing, film and television, the Internet, and video games....
- Severin Schweiger – photographer
- Taro Otani – "soul advisor"