Acid Black Cherry 3rd Album [2012]
The album theme this time is, “to live”.
Well then, why is it [2012]?
This album is made up of stories with these 3 keywords as the axle,
[Present time]
[Prophecy of the Mayan Calendar]
[Doomsday clock]
First is [Present time]---
This of course, refers to this year being 2012.
Next is [Prophecy of the Mayan Calendar]---
It's been said that “the world will end” along with the end of the calendar used by the Mayan civilization which will be ending on 2012 December 22nd.
Then lastly is [Doomsday clock]---
The [Doomsday clock] changes according to world affairs.
In January this year, that needle of the [Doomsday clock] advanced by 1 minute, the news was spread around of it being pointed at “5 more minutes” until the end of the world.
So here once again, I want to formally convey the theme of this album again.
The theme of the album this time is, “to live”.
If the whole album titled [2012] is a metaphor of “the world that’s ending”, then the tracks it contain within it, are stories of “people who live in that world”.
All respective protagonists have dire ordeals befall them, and are desperately struggling through the hardships.
Such state will, perhaps be seen as uncool.
Perhaps it’ll be seen as very pitiful.
But, none of the protagonists who show up in the lyrics gave up on living.
Precisely because they didn’t give up on living, they desperately struggle to search with all their might, for their own “meaning to live”.
Then, one day, they will find out there is light beyond that point.
This album is by no means, something that sang of “the end of the world”.
Even when given an ordeal to the extent equal to the end of the world, “don’t give up on living”.
This very thing is the biggest message of [2012].
I’m happy if you can feel it even if just a little.
The doomsday clock which pointed to the remaining 5 minutes.
2+0+1+2 = 5.
I want to change this “5” into a “5” of hope, so there are 5 prayers included within the stories.
3 prayers of the young girl,
1 prayer of an angel
Prayers around the world as 1
I wish that the thoughts, and prayers, of all those people will become one someday.
It’s tough to live.
“But hey…by being alive, the future will surely change”
This has been the unchanging belief that Acid Black Cherry continues to sing of since the very beginning. Things that can only be done now.
Things that can’t be done unless it’s now.
Things that can be done because you’re living the present.
The meaning of the title [2012], lies there.
Someday, in the far off future when the current “year of 2012” will become the past, when you listen to [2012] again, I think it’d be good if there will be a scene where you will be recounting “2012 was such a year, huh” with a smile. After all, the world continued on without ending at that time, because everyone living with a smile in that future, is the very evidence [of that].
An album filled with such message from yasu.
We wholeheartedly want this [2012] to reach everyone.
Believe in the future where you exist--.
~TEAM ABC
Source
The artworks for the story telling in this album's booklet are beautiful, just like this album overall.
