Kamen Rider 555 Song Collection Review (2003)
Avex Mode
Kage

Introduction

I recieved this CD a whopping two days after it's release. I figure i'll step forward and give this a review while some of the tracks slowly leak out onto P2P programs.

Kamen Rider 555

In the predictable tradition of avex mode, Kamen Rider 555 has had an incomplete song collection released in November 2003. The artwork is all around excellent! Even the inside of the "Obi" has a colour image of 555 splashed on it! The disc itself contains 12 songs.
Of the 12 songs on this album, only a mere 5 are brand new songs. This leads me to believe that avex mode has yet again pulled a fast one on eager fans like myself. The new songs on this disc are pretty excellent! Then again, alot of the rehashed material is also remarkably great! Despite the record company being a bunch of jerks, this disc gets a
solid 444 out of 555.

01. Justiphi's

>>he Kamen Rider 555 Opening song. This song is full of action. The very beginning seems a little tacky, but once it gets moving the song is great! Every action show needs this sort of powerful opener!

02. Taiyo no Kage Tsuki no Yoru

>>This song is the answer to Kamen Rider Ryuki's "INORI". The song is quite similar, at the same time so much better. I love this song! This is the first in a loooong string of character songs. *Note: this song was initially released on the BOOK CD*

03. existance~KAIXA~nized dice

>>Hands down my personal favourite 555 song. This song has energy and some wicked awesome music! I especially like the line "Just KAIXA is existant". Almost as if it were mocking the opening song! Very cool song here! *Note: this song was initially released on the BOOK CD*

04. Double Standard

>>The beginning is kind of slow, but then it picks up to a mellow, yet very upbeat flavour. I really like the fluxuation in this song. It changes mood and experiments with some news style of music. Nicely executed song.

05. cross a river

>> This song is also of a newer breed of music. At some points it hints an older style, but it definitely is a unique one. This is a consistantly mellow song. Definitely on par with a song like "True Dream" of Blue Swat.

06. Yume no Kakera~Romantico

>> This song starts off pretty cool with the violin. Just as you can imagine from the title, this song is pretty jazzy and romantic. Probably more jazzy than anything though. This style has been commonplace in Tokusatsu music for quite some time. It's nice to hear a familiar style, even if I am all for moving ahead.

07. Hang On

>> A "Doo-Wop" type rock song. Like the previous track, the music isn'tany kind of new style. It's just good ole happy rock. An excellent song!

08. My Name Is Smart Lady

>>Probably my favourite song that is new to this CD. This song is back to the experimental stylings of newer Kamen Rider. I love the music for this song! Not serious, not happy. It just IS. At the same time, the vocals carry the music into ups and downs. Excellent song! Though the Kaixa song still is "NANBA WAN!" in my eyes.

09. Dead or alive

>>The series first ending song and Shinichi Ishihara's return to Tokusatsu music! This song is exceedingly awesome from the start. Very cool build up into the actual beat. Ishihara's singing is pretty limp at most points, but he gains alot of emotion. It shows. All in all, this song is a great example in coolness.

10. The People With No Name

>> The series second ending song. It's the return of RIDER CHIPS! I must say, at first I didn't agree with this song, but it grew on me. The eventual part of the song that won me over was the Rap part. It's unique to anything i've heard in any Kamen Rider song. It also let's the listener know that the people in charge can do a great job of choosing their singers!

11. EGO~eyes glazing over

>> The series third ending song. Possibly the most superior of the three. This song gets right to the point. Techno. Very fast and doesn't let up one bit. Super Energy Song!

12. DELTA STRIP~White Ring

>> The music from the start is pretty cool. Someone showing off their DJ skill obviously. The song picks up some momentum, but from there it doesn't grow much. The vocals could've been a bit better, but it's still a good song. *Note: this song was initially released on the "EGO" single*

Kage

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27.11.2003 avex mode

01. ISSA
02. Yuria Haga & Mika Katou (AKA Mari Sonoda & Yuka Osada)
03. Takayoshi Tanimoto (AKA Masato Kusaka)
04. JUN
05. Izumi Masayuki (AKA Yuji Kiba)
06. Mitsuru Karashi (AKA Naoya Kaido)
07. Ken Mizorogi (AKA Keitaro Kikuchi)
08. Hitomi Kurihara (AKA Smart Lady)
09. Shinichi Ishihara
10. RIDER CHIPS Featuring m.c.A.T.
11. ICHIDAI
12. Ikuo

To get a copy of this CD make sure to stop by Anime Jungle