We all have our favorite bands and of course favorite songs as well. OLDCODEX is not an exception with its vocalist, the famous seiyuu Tatsuhisa Suzuki known for numerous roles in anime like Viscount Druitt from Kuroshitsuji or from last summer’s anime FREE!, in which he reprised Tachibana Makoto; then we have the painter in charge of writing the lyrics, YORKE. These are the two members that have survived the multiple changes the band has suffered throughout the past few years. The band was founded in 2009 and at the moment has a total of 9 singles, 2 mini-albums and 2 albums, in which many of them have songs featured as the opening or ending themes for numerous known anime. So let’s kick this top off.
10- Mono frontier (2009)
As all the songs in this top, Mono Frontier is also good, but the reason it is in last place is probably because even with the whole instrumental that characterizes OLDCODEX’s sound there is something missing, most likely it’s the song in itself that didn’t bring out the potential of ta_2’s vocals and the tone in which he’s singing can be a little of a let done because if he actually did sang with a different one this song could most likely be in a different position in this top, but even so this song is nice to listening to.
9- Catal Rhythm (2012)
Being the opening theme of the 1st season of the famous sports anime Kuroko no basket, this song had all the hype that it needed, but in comparison with the rest of the songs in this top it’s easy to understand why it is in this place. Besides the fact that the theme is perfect to open that anime, but that something is missing is true, even so it doesn’t turn this song into a bad track and truth be told nothing is more funny that Takao singing an acapella of this song in the anime, but there are simply more OLDCODEX’s songs that are better than this one.
8- Flag on the hill (2010)
Flag on the hill has the speed, the heaviness and the whole potential. If we look at the instrumental it is impressive in its way with all the elements of punk-rock, the splashy and fast drums that never stop throughout the whole song and of course that in this track all the instrumental mixes together very well, but it isn’t in 7th place because Hidemind is a better song.
7- Hidemind (2010)
This song is probably the surprise in the whole OLDCODEX’s repertoire, because I’m going to be honest, the first time I listened to this song I thought this one was a shame that it didn’t have any of the elements typical from the band but when it reached the outro I noticed the explosion that makes this song a huge surprise because I was expecting a ballad but instead I had the best song of the album in “front of me”.
6- The Misfit Go (2013)
Once again being the opening theme of an anime, The Misfit Go was a song with a lot of hype and as Catal Rhythm, this song makes its justice. ta_2’s vocal work in this song is the cause this song is in 6th place and also the instrumental that is once again in complete harmony with each other. Even with this song being a little more punk-rock oriented than what I was expecting from an opening theme but it still surprised me. 5- 美しい背骨 (2013)
Being the ending theme in Arata Kangatari (the same anime that the previous song opened). This song is surprisingly a little slower to actually bring the whole OLDCOLDEX essence to the song. I think that this song needs a little of praise because even if we still have the splashy drums and the guitar and bass as usual in this bands song, the tempo isn’t all that fast as I thought it would be. This song turned out to be a hidden wonder.
4- #4 (2010)
Now turning once again to the more punk-rock songs, here’s #4. OLDCODEX brings us once again a song that has a lot of drums work and guitar and bass that are very noticeable especially when you listen to it with earphones. The whole charming point in this song is definitely is the fastness that it starts and ends with which leaves a little of a bitter taste because it doesn’t feel enough. Regardless one of the best in their whole repertoire.
3-Swamp (2013)
This song is one of my absolute favorites be it the guitar, or even the way ta_2 sang this song, I just love it all. This gem of song is a very heavy one with a lot of english in the lyrics. Now let’s honest here, almost all their songs are partially in english but this one just sounds so much better with it that I don’t want to imagine it any other way. Another reason for this song being one of my favorites is because of the amazing bass work in this song helping it being in the top 3.
2-How Affection (2014)
This is probably the only ballad that I can actually think of in OLDCODEX’s repertoire and trust me you won’t be disappointed after you listen to it, even if we think that it doesn’t suit their style, I mean please give this song a chance and listen to it until the end, I was the same when I first listened to this track, because it makes since that normally you wouldn’t see this band making ballads but after listening to the whole thing I noticed that the beginning of the track is just a preparation to the actually powerful chorus that returns to their usual style, besides it isn’t every day that we have ta_2 using his potential in singing with his more high pitched notes. This song is more than worthy of 2nd place.
1-Wire choir (2014)
After all the wait we finally reach number 1 in this top. This song in the number one because OLDCODEX presented us a complete new leaf in their work showing that they could pull off a song with new elements without leaving their sound but instead improving even more and making it sound great. What other albums lacked, A Silent, within The Roar had it, the required experimentation and the required mix that resulted in Wire choir.
Final overview
OLDCODEX is a band that over the years has definitely improved. In the beginning their sound was rough and raw with a lot of splashy drums and in some songs it almost turned out in a pandemonium because of the whole instrumental, but with time they started to fix that problem that in my opinion just served as a launching ramp to increase their growth as a band. What we could notice as well as was that OLDCODEX tried to incorporate a lot of small elements here and there in numerous songs in multiple albums and singles and most of the time they actually created some pretty good songs, but in my opinion I think it’s wise to say that the peak of their growth, until the date, was in their last album A Silent, within the roar, be it for songs like Wire choir that showed us a complete new side of their usual sound or How Affection that turned out to be an excellent song that surprisingly enough was a ballad and not a fast punk-rock oriented song as many of the fans would expect.
