Brief Summary
Drumroll Tony reacts to all 13 openings of Black Clover, providing a detailed musical analysis. He focuses on the composition, instrumentation, and transitions within each opening, noting the distinct changes in style and energy as the series progresses. Tony shares his personal preferences and invites viewers to share their own favorites and insights about the show's musical evolution.
- Detailed musical analysis of each opening
- Focus on composition, instrumentation and transitions
- Personal preferences and viewer engagement
Intro
Drumroll Tony introduces himself as a streamer, musician, and music teacher. He expresses excitement about reacting to all 13 openings of Black Clover, a highly requested video. He clarifies that he has never seen the show or heard the music before, ensuring a genuine first-time listening experience. He also warns viewers about his tendency to stop, rewind, and talk a lot during his analysis, inviting them to watch in chunks using the timestamps provided in the video description.
Rewind Disclaimer
Tony provides a disclaimer about his reaction style, mentioning that he frequently stops, rewinds, and talks a lot to analyze the music. He acknowledges that this approach may not suit everyone and encourages viewers to be understanding in the comments. He reiterates that he has no prior knowledge of the show or its music, aiming for a genuine first-time analysis.
Opening 1 - Haruka Mirai
Tony begins with the first opening, "Haruka Mirai." He immediately praises the bass lines, noting their complexity and how well they fit the genre. He points out the transition from normal bass playing to a thumb slap pattern, and the aggressive vocals. He also highlights the percussion and overall design and writing of the song, declaring it his favorite so far due to the bass player's performance.
Opening 2 - PAiNT it BLACK
Tony observes an immediate change in style with the second opening, "PAiNT it BLACK," noting the faster tempo and splashy high-hats. He acknowledges the busy bass line, almost too much, and the loud guitar layer, making it difficult to isolate the vocals. He points out the removal of the bass drum to allow the vocals to be on top and praises the transitions between tonal sets. Despite the song's intensity, he still prefers the first opening.
Opening 3 - Black Rover
Tony describes the intro as "sick" with the piano. He notes the vocalist's distinct style compared to the previous openings. He points out the contrast between the big block piano rhythms and the vocals, and the thinning out of the instruments to highlight the kick drum. He appreciates the wet bass sound, subtle piano, and intimate lyrics, considering this opening more chill yet aggressive. He also praises the bass player's performance and the tight harmonies, making it his favorite so far due to the transitions and turnarounds.
Opening 4 - Guess Who Is Back
Tony notes the variety in this opening, with elements of turntable scratching, piano, funk, and digital sounds. He compares the beginning to 90s Seattle grunge with digital elements. He points out the half-time Lenny Kravitz groove and the staccato vocals. While he finds it cool and funky, he admits he is still thinking about the previous song, indicating it didn't make a big impression on him.
Opening 5 - Gamushara
Tony describes this opening as complicated, with outstanding guitar work. He notes the busy rhythm section and the difficulty in separating the layers. He points out the slow feel with half notes and the ascending guitar chords. He also highlights the walking bass line in a different style of music. He considers it one of the most complicated ones so far, with great guitar work.
Opening 6 - Rakugaki Page
Tony praises the intro and notes that the bass players are getting to do good stuff. He observes that this anime has a busier rhythm section, especially the bass. He highlights the split vocals, call and response, layering, and the slap bass solo. He jokes about putting a bass guitar in the thumbnail due to the instrument's prominence. He considers this his second favorite, appreciating the transitions and intricacies.
Opening 7 - JUSTadICE
Tony describes the intro as cool, with a motif that establishes the song. He notes the moving chord progression and the tight, well-rehearsed performance. He praises the guitarist's arpeggios and the semi-distorted, fuzzy guitar sound. He highlights the transition to a fuzzy bass and psychedelic vocals, and the shreddy guitar solo. He notes that the openings are fast and in a rock-pop fashion, sprinkled with amazing transitions and charismatic musicianship.
Opening 8 - sky & blue
Tony observes that this opening is way different, with a sitcom vibe due to its less aggressive nature. He notes the happier-sounding vocals and the clapping sound on the two and four beats, a contrast to the thrashing drums in previous openings. He points out that he can hear the vocal line and how it moves over the guitar chords. He appreciates the chordal turnaround and the band hitting phrases together, making it easier to digest. He loves the variety in this one.
Opening 9 - RIGHT NOW
Tony describes the bass as "bumping" and notes the cool drum sound on top of it. He observes that the back half of the openings is way different from the first six. He notes the industrial keyboard vibe and the forward motion. He is drawn to the keyboard sounds and how the harmonies work together. He highlights the crazy dissonant stuff at the end and the high-pitched metallic sound, calling it wild and the most out there compared to everything else.
Opening 10 - Black Catcher
Tony notes the ballad-like piano introduction that quickly changes. He describes the piano and bass locking in together, with the drums providing the metronome. He points out the ascending groove and the tempo modulation. He notes that the piano is basically going to stay the same, the bass line has completely evolved, and the drummer is playing a lot more notes. He loves this one, considering it awesome.
Opening 11 - Stories
Tony asks viewers how their layer identification is going, pointing out the guitar in the left ear and the ride cymbal in the right ear. He notes the full-on house vibe and the return to the drum kit feel. He points out that the arpeggios are getting congested and the bass is right in there too. He explains the halftime groove and hopes it was a learning moment. He notes that even though there was a club thing, it is still similar to the other ones.
Opening 12 - Eien ni Hikare
Tony notes that this is the first opening with acoustic guitar. He describes it as completely different, wondering what happened in this season to cause the change. He points out the electronic style and the halftime groove. He notes that the guitar player was still playing the exact same line when the groove changed. He feels it is a feel-good song and that things are wrapping up. He says that out of all of these, this is the only one he has not really been into so far.
Opening 13 - Grandeur
Tony expresses surprise at how different this opening is. He notes the funky keyboard part and wonders if it is in English. He points out the house bass and the boy band pop drops. He is digging the keyboard parts. He observes the lack of thematic unison versus the length of the show. He notes the reggaeton circle out of nowhere and the cool vocal thing that happens. He concludes that it was a wild ride and asks viewers to share their favorite and least favorite openings.