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Another chapter has been written and filed away into the ever growing library of visual kei history, so we resume our customary annual review of all of the great albums that saw the light of day in 2018. Unlike previous years, we elected to wait until the middle of January so the stragglers of the year had their fair chance to weigh in. This list is also not in any specific order, although DIMLIM's CHEDOARA deserves a mention for getting the most votes internally and therefore kicks the list off with a bang. Even in our most challenging years, there's always something fresh and new around the corner waiting to be discovered. Like always, this isn't an exhaustive list and plenty of the hidden gems slip through the cracks, so if you have anything to add to the list tack it on at the end so the entire community can find something new to enjoy. Without further ado, here are some great J-Rock albums of 2018. DIMLIM -- CHEDOARA @The Reverend @emmny @helcchi Sigh - Heir to Despair @The Reverend @helcchi Dir en grey - The Insulated World @emmny emmurée - lightless @The Reverend キズ - 「傷痕」 @platy Mass of the Fermenting Dregs - No New World @The Reverend @Zeus 陰陽座 (Onmyo-Za) - 覇道明王 (Hadou Myouou) @Zeus The GazettE - NINTH @Zeus グリモア - プシュコマキア @platy DADAROMA - dadaism#4 @helcchi @platy lynch. - XIII @YuyoDrift Thanks for reading!

New band "L'eveil en Roseraie" have formed on 2018/11/11. Next live will be at Nishikujou BRAND NEW on 2019/01/27. The first single "静寂の闇に舞う愛と悪戯の遁走曲" went on sale on 2018/12/31 in his live at Kyoto MUSE. "L'eveil en Roseraie" members: vo. Neue -ノイエ- gt.&pi. Renée - ルネ - ba. 忍(ren)(support) dr. 拓郎(takurou)(support) (ex.Larme d'ange) "静寂の闇に舞う愛と悪戯の遁走曲" CD TrackList: 1. 静寂の闇に舞う愛と悪戯の遁走曲 2. フーガ ト短調 -Organ Choral- ohp

Mamireta will release their first mini-album, "weekly 絶倫マンション" (weekly zetsurin mansion), on 2019.03.27. It will have seven tracks and cost 2,500 yen (tax not included). Tracklist 月曜日：朝勃ちの朝にー。 火曜日：ハミガキ 水曜日：Gepp 木曜日：もしもし 金曜日：足裏の天使 土曜日：桜フェラペチーノ 日曜日：ため息の夜にー。 They will hold their second anniversary live at Takadanobaba Area on 2019.05.29 and will also have a oneman at Zepp Diver City on 2020.01.21. Source: https://mamireta.com/contents/219376

Kind of got back into art, still lacking talent, but I'll show off the last thing I finished working on and then I got really bored at work and tried to add to it with gimp, results are mixed at best

This mini album mmmmm yes. Perfect from start to finish, gotta love the reworked songs. Fun fact: "701125" most likely refers to 25th November 1970, the date of famous author Yukio Mishima's death (who died by ritual suicide after attempting to carry out a coup at a military base).

The fact I have to re-purchase games from my childhood because of disk failure is a stark reminder that I won’t have those games in my life forever Today was the deepest blow, I had to reorder Super Smash Bros. Melee, my current copy has formed a crack on the disc hole

Already stanning the shit out of them. Edit: Not enough use-every-sample-on-garage-band-at-once to be E'm: this is more like Juka-era M10M, but my above statement still stands.

I'm not going to lie I totally forgot that mini even existed. It was around the time when I lost all interest in what these guys were doing until 13 brought me back. Songs like Iroaku are on par with anything else I like from them. I think 14 is at its best when it reminds a little of 8. First and last tracks are great, like probably the best vk around rn, while there's def a hard slump in the middle. It doesn't subtract from their legacy, but doesn't add much to it either. Still, I consider them a veteran institution that can do pretty much whatever it wants and if I like it, great, and if I don't that's alright too. My fav is 5 or 6 depending on the day altho the two disc album with second shuuji re-recordings would be number 1 should that count.

A band composed of cheap sex dolls is the only thing that could rival Babymetal. Good idea.

I wouldn't be surprised if this guy ditch vk to start a porn career lol

I find it mind-blowing that almost 20 years since its release, FF IX still has probably the best background art in the videogame history ever https://imgur.com/a/ra3OU#0 and the closest thing that comes to this in terms of visual fidelity is bloodborne (which lacks imaginative design for a good 2/3 of the actual game, two yarnham locations aside) released in 2015.

I will never forget when I received their Hisai live DVD the Christmas of the year it came out and I replayed that thing for weeks. One of the most consistently fantastic bands I've ever heard. I remember the phase in their career where they stopped using Fukaya Yuichiro's illustrations for their CD artwork and I was shook. When they started using them again I was overjoyed. I can't even pick favourite songs with Kagrra, because there are too many to list. 😭❤️

Does anyone remember their VHS 'Black Fairy' complete with Subway restaurant realness and parody commercials (near the end of this clip)? lmao I could not get enough back in the day. currently down the rabbit hole Also, a very underrated Vidoll gem to get your groove on.

Arlequin new single release date January 30th, 2019!!! Spot with previews for each track on their channel. Sounds incredible, the new mixing style they’re going for is exactly what they needed. Tour dates, album art and group photo as well on twitter!

I remember buying 0605231830 for a shockingly low 3900 yen at Closet Child like 4ish years ago. To this day one of my favourite concerts.

There's no way this isn't going to horrible

I know that one is a reference to Sex Pistols (you know, the punk band). They wanted something edgier so they changed the pistols for machineguns.

TrackList: 1.ガガガガガガガ 2.こんにちは孤独 3.ガガガガガガガ(オリジナル・カラオケ) 4.こんにちは孤独(オリジナル・カラオケ)

they look like they came from 2006

α means bonus, like karaoke versions, instrumental tracks etc

Their live-limited single will be titled, "Enter the Circus". Contents 2 new songs + α (Not sure what 'α' means ^^;) MV + making-of Picture Privilege: Original sticker

Enjoy watching the videos they make. It reminds of this hilarious video between Rame and Shun (which YouTube is not allowing me to embed the video for some reason...) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl8X-M-OGCQ

i like your mom xx

My goal is to have all of my (opened) collection scanned by the end of March. I think I'm about 3/4 of the way there? Anyway, today's update was a big one that I've been working on for a while. This is all of my Grieva CDs + the rest of my last Rarezhut order + a random one I know I didn't do yet. Enjoy~

The booklet says it was recorded at Narciss, so I think it actually was recorded live lol

I'm reading Utena, I got the omnibuses and they're HUGE.

I appreciate the fact that your header image is Vidoll! Gosh, I miss them. Good taste!

Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas has announced on their official site that bassist Kei has passed away on 12th January at midnight, due to acute heart failure. His funeral was held on 15th, with only his family and close relatives. The band's upcoming tour, events and album are indefinitely postponed. They will continue activities sometime in the future. The members have posted their comments on the OHP apparently, but the site cannot be reached currently (I'm assuming there's an influx of traffic due to the news). R.I.P.

Royz- which I keep pronouncing as "Roids" Golden Collard green fried chicken or whatever Gackt's other project was called. Dummy-xD - that some myspace name Baboo Aboo F@nny Far east dizain Buglug Gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy Log Micro 4heads pon pon or whatever that name is the 😮 um the : O Fest Vainqueuer Sex machineguns had a name before reminded me of Ino from Naruto SHILFEE AND TULIPCOROBOCKLES <--- wut?

Third year in a row! Let's see how this year turns out...

Picked up the tablet again around the new year, and finally joined ig. Just been doodling a few bandmen on their birthdays lol December 30: the most crowded birth date in vk

Getting in on this hype so I can actually remember what came out this year and be persuaded to listen to more shit in the process yas. For now it's only the name of the release with a short description. New categories, scores and dates being added in the future.

^ Good to see Mako came out for his yearly awkward photo appearance, haha.

Paralyzed gecko realness

How unexpected, but interesting nonetheless

For me it's Schwartz:Mist idk if the second word is supposed to be english but if it's german like the first one tries to be, that translates to black shit. also, dad-aroma.

I'm actually cool with this band so far but chedoara destroys 99% of anything I've heard this year

.....I’ll stick to DIMLIM

it sounds cool, it sounds like Aharewata from DIMLIM. Not bad.

I like it and every instrument is given its chance to shine in this song, but I can't help but feel it's a bit cobbled together. There's times where the vocalist isn't quite in-beat, as well as the latter half of the guitar solo. I'm not sure whether or not to support them, though. It's a shame Issei is such a prick.

Feels like issei just couldn't help restarting from where he left off. The similarly with DIMLIM must be accepted,i guess Furthermore,I think it's unfair throwing too much high expectations on the vocalist, he still fresh to the scene,and that MV was a decent beginning for him

i dont know i kind of actually really dig it. i know some people might think of it as a less impressive version of dimlim but considering dimlim has been the most impressive group this year i think its fine

Do we still get death penalty for sharing the music?

Art Kei is dead.

Every song she makes sounds nostalgic or a anime opening,love her

Saw MERRY in Liquidroom for their 2009 Underworld [BURST]Tour final and during the set, I was sub-consciously digging my nose (I know, I know....) and my eyes and Gara's met (I'm a Asian dude). Gara then smiled and proceeded to violently dig HIS nose with all his fingers, one at a time and then licked all his fingers while glancing in my direction with a crazed look. Good times!

A few of last year's looks and releases THE BLACK SWAN RIBELIO Balalaika DADAROMA FAR EAST DIZAIN Zonbi SCAPEGOAT