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Artist: lynch. Album: D.A.R.K. -in the name of evil- 1. INTRODUCTION 8. FALLEN 2. D.A.R.K. 9. BEAST 3. ANTARES 10. INVADER 4. EVOKE 11. COSMOS 5. GHOST 12. MELANCHOLIC 6. ILLUMINATI 13. MOON 7. ETERNITY Rating: | DARK is a breath of fresh air for this great band! lynch.'s last studio album GALLOWS is what brought me back out looking for my VK renaissance. By falling so short of expectations creatively, it reminded me what made me so avid about listening to these bands almost ten years ago. Since then I have come to MH, and delved far deeper into the scene, creating healthy distance from such established names as lynch. and the GazettE. By late 2015 I was more than ready to get back into what lynch. had to offer, but following the EVOKE and ETERNITY singles I was concerned whether I would be even further disappointed by their strict, uniform sound.I was happily proven wrong as the new album is well laid out and shows commendable creative efforts. "INTRODUCTION", a piano based SE, serves to at least be stronger and more ominous than "GALLOWS". At less than one minute, it sets a suitable atmosphere but does little more than that. Deep, rhythmical guitars usher in a true example of what the album means by 'DARK'. Appropriately spooky synth sounds accompany the stark guitar/piano combination of "D.A.R.K". while Hazuki lays out safe but still impressive vocals. A decent chorus keeps this title track among my top played for this album. The first experiment on D.A.R.K. is "GHOST", which opens up very smooth and relaxed. The main guitar riff is energetic without losing a swing quality which is more playful than the band usually allows. Mostly for Hazuki, I see this is a bit out of the comfort zone of current lynch.. It's quite interesting and entertaining and I hope they do more with this influence in the future. The creepy, carnival sample at the beginning of "ILLUMINATI" was immediately one of my favourite sounds from the album. Sporting of course an eerie and topical title to live up to, it pops out another very standard lynch. riff. The harsh vocals here remind me much more of those heard on INFERIORITY COMPLEX, which is nice to have present on the album. I love that the song breaks back to the same sample from the opening and the subsequent breakdown section is reinvigorating. The chorus hampers the evil on this one, not to say it won't get stuck in your head. Our feature track and PV for the album itself, "BEAST" is high energy and old school lynch. harsh vocals. When the full version of the song was released prior to the album, I was underwhelmed. In the context of the full album however, it comes in at a welcome time following softer tracks. A heavier section before the final chorus provides a bit of garnish but nothing to drastically change the nature of the song. "FALLEN" is one of my immediate favorites on this album, it baffles me why they would choose to dwarf the impact of the previous song even more by following it with a much more emotionally impactful ballad. I got a little emotional with this one. It's among my most repeated songs on the album. Thundering bass drum and resonating signature guitar work with the vocals retaining the same or similar melody throughout the track giving it an intimate appeal. I appreciate the simplicity of "FALLEN" similarly to "BE STRONG" (from EXODUS), but surely even more so. "FALLEN" proves to be one of my favorite lynch. songs in recent memory (even recalling such former releases that "ETERNITY" failed to live up to). "INVADER" starts off with a quick, twangy bass line kicks off what is sure to be a live favourite in years to come. It also consists of mostly spoken lyrics and aggressive instrumentals one can liken to the revving engine of a muscle car. A very simplistic chorus is framed by shout-and-response energy and closes out as suddenly as it began. @Shir0 complained to me endlessly about the short track length of this one, and I feel her pain. However lynch. is known to include such short numbers in their full albums ("EXODUS" or "TIAMAT" being prime examples). The faded, far-off chorus preview effectively sets up the intensity of "COSMOS". Marching to the rhythm of a powerful breakdown. I was initially concerned that D.A.R.K. wouldn't feature anything dynamic enough to compare to title tracks "EXODUS" and "GALLOWS". "COSMOS" does so much more during the first harsh vocals, the instrumental stays relentless and offers varying riffs before returning to an admittedly powerful chorus. I do like and appreciate how the final chorus tapers out into something quite dainty with a falsetto note only to be followed by an uncompromising roar from Hazuki while once again blasting what is likely the band's strongest breakdown. Then there are tracks that didn't resonate with me as well as I wished. "ANTARES" is a song which I, for some reason, was expecting to be heavier - perhaps due to a misleading preview. The guitar work is strong, but the progression lacks the punch I was truly hoping for out of the faster songs lynch. produces and a decidedly weak chorus shows itself within 30 seconds. The latter half of this song features a pleasing heavy section but nothing lynch.'s followers haven't already heard. Thus far, it still hasn't called for repeat plays and is usually skipped. Upon its release, I was quite apathetic toward the album's first single "EVOKE". However, placed next to a similarly mid-range song like "ANTARES", it has a chance to shine as a strong example of typical lynch. On the flip side of these featured singles, we have "ETERNITY", a song that I literally forgot to type in the track list of this review. There's a little insight into my experience with the second featured single on D.A.R.K.. There is nothing technical to critique, only that it seems like a strained effort. The solo Hazuki PV was not what one expects from lynch., I have followed the band through similar featured singles like "MIRRORS". There is just very little to talk about. It's a song I may have appreciated more had I not already been an avid listener. The intensity of "COSMOS" warranted the most relaxing ballad track possible, making "MELANCHOLIC" a success. Soft, chiming guitar strokes create a cascading sound akin to the visual of falling water. It comes off very well written, but in comparison to "FALLEN" it does not endear itself so soon. In the third minute, the melodies become emotionally deeper, certainly worth waiting for by the track length. Surprisingly, despite being longer than either one, this song seems to come and go more quickly than "FALLEN" or "ETERNITY". This is not entirely a bad thing as I chalk this up to its position on the album and purpose in its progression. It's an honest, fun but disdainfully lighthearted finale to the album. I hear a lot being packed into the sound of the intro of "MOON" but everything subsequent feels quite basic in its catchiness. Like many of the mid-range songs on this, there is a banging heavy section late in the track but at this point in the album there is unfortunately nothing new here. It's not a bad song by any means, but as a memorable album closer, I see "MOON" as a misfire. Coming out of D.A.R.K., I find myself far more satisfied than with my experiences with the band's last few albums. It offers the dynamic focus of GALLOWS while providing enough intrigue per song to make them distinct, something that's infinitely valuable to lynch. who sport waning Nagoya visuals and often seem far removed from the Visual Kei fan base in which they were born. I would certainly recommend D.A.R.K. not only to those looking for renewed hope in the potential of lynch. but even to those open-minded metal fans in an effort to show something agreeable, interesting and undeniably talented. Being exactly a month old to this date, it has already proven its shelf life beyond my personal expectations. Support the band! Purchase D.A.R.K. on CDJapan!

Kyo's reaction is priceless.

sorry for the gross title, i couldn't think of another way to sum up the topic. there's a thread similar to this for songs but bands are a different matter imo! personal anecdotes and sentimental cheese aside, im curious as to what bands that you feel a strong emotional connection to? is there a band thats helped you get through some difficult moments in ur life or some shit? this thread is kind of dumb and mopey but its always fascinating what a personal connection we make to the music that matters to us so i wont judge ya hehe

When I need a good cry, let off some steam, or just feel emotional in any way even if I have no reason to be, Plastic Tree and PLASTICZOOMS are, essentially, my "go to" emotional bands. The other bands I like to listen to who also bring this out of me are BUMP OF CHICKEN, Radwimps and Galileo Galilei. I find lyrics extremely appealing. I am drawn to lyrics most when it comes to music. I remember them easily and can connect to them, this also includes the vocal delivery of them. As well as heartfelt screams as already mentioned above. AWOI comes to mind, who I felt really delivered in every way. 9GOATS BLACK OUT was even more amazing when evoking an emotional response, imo.

it is announced at KRAD presents live at TSUTAYA O-West at 2015/11/12 that their new maxi single "M.A.D" will be released at 2016/02/24 (1,296yen) [track list] 01.M.A.D 02.残影(zanei) btw they will hold their one-man live "毒裁(dokusai)" at Ikebukuro RUIDO K3 at 2016/02/24, for which their single "【D】Add" will be enclosed with live ticket (1,000yen)

I've never been one to really pay attention to lyrics, so everything I mention below is based purely on feelings and sound. THE NOVEMBERS have a good amount of songs like this for me. This one in particular tends to tug at the heart strings: But other than a good chunk of their songs, I usually consult a playlist I made for whenever i'm feeling down or depressed. Some of the Japanese stuff on that playlist include: My favorite song by wooderd chiarie, which is unapologetically 'radiohead-kei', and a sound that I've always been fond of: Some early sleepy.ab (more 'radiohead-kei', haha) number0, downy, and eksperimentoj also have a few that I tend to spin Also 'am:3:45' by ling tosite sigure is hands down one of my fav. songs by the band, and I've always found it highly therapeutic for these kinds of moods: Unfortunately, I have too many songs too talk about for this topic ^^;

definitely some great news - absolutey can't get enough from KRAD. just hoping *although i know it's pretty soon to say it* that they'll be nice enough to release a live DVD sometime within their career since i never got the chance to get a copy of their live DVD when they still were SHEDIA and i wanna see them live so bad!!!

I'm always a slut for KRAD releases xD can't wait for it to be listed on cdj XD and I would appreciate a tradingcard or "at least" a flyer/poster TwT

they will perform under band name "暗黒魔術薔薇薔薇集団" at DNL presents live "JASON NIGHT" at Takadanobaba AREA at 2015/11/13 (Friday)

Plastic Tree for me, ALWAYS. They were the band of my teens and basically the band that saved me through my dark days. Andro Metamorphose is all too beautiful, both musically and lyrically, but tracks like Dona Dona, Sanatorium, Thirteenth Friday, Yume no shima, 37C, Spica also move me very deeply. But obviously, I'm missing a good number of their songs here. In my later high school years I found bands like THE NOVEMBERS, envy, and Mono. For THE NOVEMBERS I love their whole To (melt into) album and my favorite is はじまりの教会, but when 今日も生きたね came out I lay down and listened to it forever and it was the song I went to when I needed it. I like a lot of songs by envy. A cage it falls into, Incomplete, the split they did with Jesu, and basically their Recitation and Insomniac Daze album. I can listen to them passively, but still feel something emotional from them every time. I can say the same for Mono too. But for sure, completely healing music from two great bands. edit: goddammit, i'm missing a lot of other good bands, but whatever those are my tops.

Ulver's album Shadows of the Sun has helped me through some really difficult times, so it holds a special place for me.

@saishuu I absolutely FUCKING LOVE Sufjan Stevens. I discovered him while I was in my last year of high school, so, there's a really special place in my heart. Illinoise is easily one of the most beautiful records i've listened. John Wayne Gacy Jr really touchs me in a deep level. Since CAT cited THE NOVEMBERS, I remembered a few songs by them I really love.

oh boy, I needed to stay away from this thread because sometimes I get -way- too sentimental about certain bands and I might end up posting something extremely embarassing, but I couldn't avoid posting here. I think this covers it all. lol

I just got attacked by ninjas cutting onions... To me, Akane's bands always sounded sorrowful, even the happy songs, and their sad ones like IDEA, The Virtues, a meaningless existence and December 24 are packed with some heart-wrenching lyrics and instrumentals. I guess I'm a sucker for gloomy stuff

Legendary goth band MADAME EDWARDA will release their new album "Rêve Désir" on 2015/12/25. Tracklist: -ACT I- 01. ECLIPSE ~火蜥蜴 ~ 02. DEEP IN COLOUR 03. MACBETH 04. SALOMÉ 05. LA FOLIA 06. BABEL 07. FORBIDDEN DOOR ~迷宮の扉~ 08. ORPHÉUS 09. FROZEN VEIL 10. EDWARDA 11. DEEP IN COLOUR II -ACT II- 12. ÉDITIONS de MINUIT 13. LA POUPÉE ~あなたが来るのを待てずに~ 14. TOTENKOPF ~舌のまわらぬ蓄音機~ 15. S.A.L.O.M.É. 16. POISON MIRROR ~落下の鏡~ 17. GNOSSIENNES DE LA NUIT/ETERNAL FEAST ~夜のグノシェンヌあるいは永遠の回廊~ Cover art: https://scontent-fra3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/11222235_931462186935362_845937898265052863_n.jpg?oh=3ba3ce25c6f078ab3d70f5488ec1cd10&oe=56BC8C06 wowwww

GACKT new album "LAST MOON" will be released at 2016/04/27 (18,144yen+700yen delivery), which will include 2CDs+DVD+booklet (20 pages)+MOON TYPE SPECIAL JACKET their box "PLATINUM BOX〜XVI〜" will be released at 2016/03/16 (9,504yen+700yen delivery) "PLATINUM BOX〜XVI〜" [contents] ・修楽旅行 in 札幌 　F9に襲いかかる悪魔のゲイム！ ・某イベントと謎の交渉マル秘プロジェクト！ 　PS：失敗したらご無礼！

ryo, aie & 夢時(yumeji) session will hold their one-man live "Premium Night vol.2" at Shibuya RUIDO K2 at 2016/01/07 session members: Vo.ryo (HOLLOWGRAM, TAG, KEEL, DALLE) Vo.&Gt.aie (the god and death stars, gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy, THE MADCAP LAUGHS, KEEL) Vo.&Gt.夢時(yumeji) (eStrial, HOLLOWGRAM, Angels) Gt.HIRO (La'cryma Christi) Ba.田浪真悟(tanami shingo) (ex-Sugar-->GOTCHAROCKA, now in Z's) Ba.高原未奈(takahara mina) (eStrial) Dr.篤人(atsuto) (ex-Sugar, now in eStrial, Angels)

I hope one of those songs is going to be "Quiet storm" ...it was once a live limited when they were just a sessionband and another time as shedia's last release before disbanding..and the preview of that song was soo awesome TwT and it would be nice to have their other live limited song "xxx mask..." in one of their releases xD just saying.

"Tiny Peridot" AvelCain - 過食症 (Unfinished) "DO DRUGS" AvelCain - いろはにほへと

Kiwamu also kicks off bands from label if they sell to less CD/DVD

stal so much of the people beefing them for the pic are the same DEG fans who are like how dare u disrespect my beloved kyo sama etc elitist shit like its so fuckin unnecissary they're there basically against their will, if i paid 75 bucks for a pic im gonna do it on my terms; they didn't do it to intentionally anger the band they did it to make the best of a dry meet n greet lol theres no point of sulking along with the members. at the same time i do get the sentiment but its not like that anymore that weird behaviour would make them cancel their tours or some shit. its not 2007 with the fans trying to sneak into tour vans or throwing their panties on stage or some shit like its really not that bad.

Yeah that's just wrong to me. Especially since to begin with, they really are against doing this kind of thing. I can't even blame tumblr (surprisingly) for having a shitfest over the photo too. Its like throwing salt in the wound (as if the band doesn't have enough shit to deal with as is). But i can also agree with you from that angle too. You payed....so might as well "have fun."

Gt.ヒカル(hikaru) has posted his message and various photos http://ameblo.jp/9allo-hikaru/entry-12093348688.html SET-LIST at 2015/11/12: 01.無題 02.夢葬 03.黒鶏論-破壊篇- 04.BOUTIQUE BEELZEBUB 05.東京シンデレラ

Ah this is gorgeous. <3 These guys are great! But they really love that glass shattering sound effect a little too much. X"D

someone help me i'm dying :'D

They're probably more mad that the guys in front pissed kyo off/tortured his poor soul with their respectless behavior

CHISA from DIV feat.2BOY will perform at EDM / ELECTRO / HIP HOP event "Ray-Van" at Shibuya club asia at 2015/11/20

they have opened their official twitter https://twitter.com/VAMQUET

LMFAO wtf is this edit: thats my tumblr friend on the right. he's such a cool dude but this pic is so fried lmfao aaaand there's already drama on tumblr over the pic zzzz dir en grey fandom stop dis

Got this off a website called "vinyl loop". Never heard of them but I dig it. Some good punk/rock/garage band goodness in the 80's/90's style (on a cool clear vinyl to boot).

latest romanji of their band name should be "mefyist", and at start their band name was previously "mephisto"

ギルド(GUILD) LIVE DVD "ギルド ワンマンツアー2015 Burning LOVEマシーン LIVE at Zepp DiverCity Tokyo 2015.08.19" will be released at 2015/11/04 (4,320yen) [DISC 1 track list] 01.オープニング動画 02.爆発MY HEART 03.Super Look of Love 04.MC 05.夏祭り 06.System Monster 07.シンデレラ 08.動画 09.HOT LIMIT 10.Special Instrumental 11.ウソじゃない 12.MC 13.約束 14.プラネタリウム 15.誘惑ラプソディー 16.MC 17.Silly Love 18.居酒屋らぷそでぃー 19.CIRCUS 20.My Life 21.Burning Love [DISC 2 track list] ＜Encore 1＞ 01.MC(動画) 02.Please Please Please Money 03.Getting Better 04.エンディング動画 05.告知動画 ＜Encore 2＞ 06.MC 07.On Your Mark 08.CARAVAN 09.MC 10.エンドロール ＜特典映像＞ ・Burning LOVEマシーン@Zepp DiverCity Tokyo making

fuck, guys... it's like they are freeing themselves from everything for the last time... showing their faces, their expression at the end of the MV... Gonna fucking miss them...

nah u understood it perfectly, thanks for sharing! dir en grey do ballads like nobody else...and i mean NOBODY else. theres no touching the acoustic break in undecided, the bassline in zakuro, the drumming in ware yami tote and the solo in vanitas & mushi.

mia scares the shit out of me paradigm paradox koichi must STAY

This song is in my head for last couple of days. Great!

And now i feel like.... and...

imo new label "Culminate" is related to 雪花(yukika) in view of label name and also Ains presents live "Dark New Year 2016." at Takadanobaba AREA at 2016/01/10 [live participating artists] グリーヴァ(Grieva) ゴシップ(Gossip) 黒百合と影(kuroyuri to kage) メディーナ(Mediena) MALISEND

oooh~ this could be interesting~

their new mini album "Red or Maryam" will be released at 2015/12/16 (limited edition 8,640yen), which will include USB [contents] -Songs- high-resolution (48kHz/24bit WAV)+MP3 (320kbps) 01.Secret mode(Red or Maryam ver.) 02.愛と哀を遺さず…(ai to ai wo nokosazu...) 03.Dry 04.Red tide 05.NOVA SPIRAL 06.ラナ(rana)〜from Future Boy〜 07.beautiful -Music Clip- Secret mode -Live Footage- DECAYS presents「THE GROWTH TO DECAY」 2015.07.28 AKASAKA BLITZ 01.NOVA SPIRAL 02.beautiful 2015.07.28 AKASAKA BLITZ Off-shot Photo Data 12 Photo Cards