SEVENTH HEAVEN
1988/06/21
01. FRAGILE ARTICLE
02. ...IN HEAVEN...
03. CAPSULE TEARS -PLASTIC SYNDROME III-
04. CASTLE IN THE AIR
05. ORIENTAL LOVE STORY
06. PHYSICAL NEUROSE
07. DESPERATE GIRL
08. VICTIMS OF LOVE
09. MEMORIES...
10. SEVENTH HEAVEN
Those of you who know me somewhat are probably aware of the fact that BUCK-TICK is one of my all-time favorite Japanese bands, so it's a bit hard for me to choose one out of all their fantastic albums, but right now this is the one that hits the spot.
I've known about B-T almost from the very beginning of my deep dive into visual kei, but I think I only got really hooked after about a year or so. Back then it was harder to find albums online, so for a while I only had an assortment of random songs from all over the place and a couple of music videos. I was amused to find out that the spiky-haired youngsters in snazzy suits from so long ago were the same as the moody monochromatic gentlemen in a more recent video, haha. Just goes to show you, they've always been about constant evolution!
In fact, by the time this album was released the band had been developing their style in rapid pace as they raced through two full-lengths and an EP all in the short span of a year. What started out as a rough punk-rock outfit was beginning to grow into an unexpectedly mature-sounding unit. There is something very airy, light and elegant about the mood of this album (I think I called it 'fluffy' on The Visual Kei Podcast), but that doesn't mean that it lacks substance.
Guitarist Imai crafted some excellent guitar-pop tunes full of hooks that won't leave your head easily after you get a taste of them. The sound is very much influenced by the new wave and post-punk of the time, but with B-T's own majestic (and at times quirky) spin. It's hard not to bob your head along to the catchy driving rhythms of "...IN HEAVEN..." or get lost in the mysterious vibes of "CASTLE IN THE AIR" or "VICTIMS OF LOVE". This album also marks the first songwriting credit of guitarist Hoshino in the form of "DESPERATE GIRL", a fast-paced melodic standout track. All in all, never a dull moment, and they had only begun to refine their music at this point.
Even if SEVENTH HEAVEN doesn't quite reach the full potential that the band showed in the following albums of the late '80s and early '90s (all stone-cold classics and game-changers of the scene if you ask me), its undeniable charm and youthful energy carries it without a doubt. It's a colorful snapshot of a group in transition, just before turning to darker themes.
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