Imaginary Album Review: Miyavi - Warrior
When I said last time that Imaginary kicks into high gear soon, I really meant it. The very next track is Miyavi doing what Miyavi does best. In fact, Warrior is one of the best tracks on a standout album.
The moment the song opens with its speedy electronic guitar riffs, you know this is going to be special. In fact, from this moment onwards, Miyavi is not going to stop till the song ends. The police sirens just let you know things are getting serious, but Miyavi rushing out of the gate with the guitar at full speed is the true reveal.
From when he proclaims "Sheilds up, lockdown", things get serious. The drums then bang as the re-chorus arrives with full intensity.
This is when Warrior unveils its unexpected trump card. Songwriting typically dictates slowing the song down for the chorus, especially in upbeat rock, is a terrible, terrible idea. Many songwriters would just repeat the verse's opening riff with a chant. Miyavi, however, does something completely different.
Compared to the speeding verses, the chorus is towering, almost mountainous. Miyavi now lets his guitar do the talking, and it is brilliant. One feels like they are freefalling alone in space. It is so imposing. The song never reduces the intensity, only transfers it in a completely different way. I have never seen anyone do this trick like this, and Miyavi absolutely nails it.
From then on, the song continues down the same basic structure. However, Miyavi hates waisting all surprises at the beginning of the song. The melody keeps providing new, Sci-Fi-esque productional flourishes throughout the track. Many of them provide a crashing feel. This causes both a sense of familiarity and discovery.
Of course, we all know Miyavi might just be the best guitarist alive. However, Warrior pushes even him to the limits. The song's crashing and towering feel leads to several brilliant moments, all of them much better experienced than told, ending the song on an unbeatable high.
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