ASCENDEAD MASTER [Regular Edition]

When I first saw the PV preview on the OHP and then on CDJapan, I was honestly a little worried about this release. From the short segment of Ascendead Master that was played, it sounded much more commercial or mainstream compared to older releases. However, upon hearing the full release, I was extremely impressed!

Track 1: Ascendead Master

Despite the chorus having that catchy, almost mainstream sound, the rest of the song has a number of transitions that keep the style changing, much like other Versailles songs. The guitar solos are very intricate, as fans would hope from Hizaki and Teru, and Kamijo's singing still continues to improve. The song is around 6-7 minutes in length, but the fast pace and transitions make it feel much shorter. After listening to this song just once, I found myself humming it at work the next day.

Track 2: 月下香

Gekkakou is much faster and harder than Ascendead Master. It was written and composed by Hizaki, so you might find it's a little similar to other songs he's worked on -- like Suzerain. What's especially fun about Gekkakou is that you can hear Kamijo continue to experiment with his vocals -- there's a few verses in Latin which he basically screams. Of the two songs on this single (that aren't instrumentals), I listen to this one more frequently.

Track 3: DESCENDANT OF THE ROSE [SOUNDTRACK]

This is a short instrumental that is featured in their short film (the one that is broken into three parts in the limited edition versions of the same single). It's very dramatic and fitting of Versailles, but if you're thinking it's going to be a track like PRINCE & PRINCESS's Silent Knight (focused on guitar and bass playing), then you'll be disappointed. Nevertheless, it's a fun little addition.