ONE OK ROCK – 35xxxv Review

ONE-OK-ROCK-35xxxv

Release Date: February 11, 2015

Track Listing

  1. 3xxxv5
  2. Take Me To the Top
  3. Cry Out
  4. Suddenly
  5. Mighty Long Fall
  6. Heartache
  7. Memories
  8. Decision
  9. Paper Planes feat. Kellin from Sleeping with Sirens
  10. Good Goodbye
  11. One by One
  12. Stuck In The Middle
  13. Fight The Night

Review

35xxxv (Thirty-Five) is the seventh studio album from the Japanese rock band ONE OK ROCK. It includes the singles Mighty Long Fall (theme song for Ruroni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno), Heartache (theme song for Ruroni Kenshin: The Legend Ends), Decision (theme song for their documentary Fool cool rock) and Cry Out.

This is the first album the band has recorded abroad, with much of the recording being done in Los Angeles and New York while they were touring America in 2014. With this in mind, 35xxxv has been described by fans as being “too Americanized” compared to the band’s previous works.

When listening to this album, one will realize that is a valid argument. There is a distinct lack of the Japanese feel, and one could mistake them for a plethora of North American or European bands instead if not paying close attention.

That might be a huge factor in investing your time in this album. After all, if you don’t like current American or European rock music, this will probably not appeal to you at all. But if you’re some sort of ONE OK ROCK super fan or can get past the fact that this doesn’t have that completely unique Japanese touch, then you should be fine with 35xxxv.

I would place most of the songs in Linkin Park-style stadium rock. They would go over well in a hyped concert atmosphere with maximum crowd participation. That is at least what I got from giving this a few spins. But if you can’t imagine that, they will also help you in a mission to go deaf by blasting tracks on high volume on your stereo or MP3 player.

Surprisingly it’s the slower songs that leave a lasting impact after listening. Prime examples are Good Goodbye, Fight The Night and the previously mentioned Heartache.

35xxxv may not suit every ONE OK ROCK fan or general Japanese rock listener. Although it managed to get the band their first weekly album #1 ranking on the Oricon chart, it can’t be all bad, can it? Perhaps some folks are just being a bit picky.

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