Traxan

To the surprise of absolutely no one, Aldious has chosen R!n as their new vocalist. R!n had been sharing vocal duties on the band's 3 month Japan tour with Saki, formerly of Cyntia, where they alternated nights singing. But all the emphasis seemed to be on R!n despite the fact she had never been in a band before (she won some singing contest) and Saki was a veteran singer.
 
Official news: https://aldious.net/contents/258597
 
New band photo.
 

 
No one knows when this picture was taken, since Toki is pregnant but it could be she is hiding her bump with the guitar.
 
R!n certainly could do the old material justice. Below is a clip of them doing "Spirit Black" and she came very close to Rami. Now let's see what the next album sounds like.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15WUKBazz98&t=800
 

To the surprise of absolutely no one, Aldious has chosen R!n as their new vocalist. R!n had been sharing vocal duties on the band's 3 month Japan tour with Saki, formerly of Cyntia, where they alternated nights singing. But all the emphasis seemed to be on R!n despite the fact she had never been in a band before (she won some singing contest) and Saki was a veteran singer.
 
Official news: https://aldious.net/contents/258597
 
New band photo.
 

 
No one knows when this picture was taken, since Toki is pregnant but it could be she is hiding her bump with the guitar.
 
R!n certainly could do the old material justice. Below is a clip of them doing "Spirit Black" and she came very close to Rami. Now let's see what the next album sounds like.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15WUKBazz98&t=800
 

Not VK: Gacharic Spin, "Juicy Beats." I believe the late Armmy wrote this.
 
My heart's in an uproar
You manipulate my egotistic self
In your arms, my body becomes light
Dizzying weightlessness
Tonight, I'm devoting myself to you
 
I'll make you forgot your tears
Now the bell's ringing resounds
I'll make you wake up, come on
In your head, the bell's ringing Shakin' your head
Ring Ring Ring Make some noise!!
 
If you can't sleep, enjoy yourself more EhO! EhO!
It's fine if you're tied up, get high Wowow!
Wanna do something bad? Dance dance dance dance, Take me on
Forget your sadness, Dance dance dance dance, Satisfaction
 
My heart's stirred up
You control my masochistic self
You're a parasite eating into me
My body's heating up just by looking at you
I remember that night
Tonight too, steal me away
 
Before you change your mind, I'm beat beat beating, I'll make you lose yourself
I won't let you be bored, love is beat beat beating, Change your heart
Beat beat beat Change my heart!!
 
I want to be filled up, cry out more EhO! EhO!
It's fine if you can't be patient, fulfill this need Wowow!
Wanna do something forbidden? Dance dance dance dance, All night long
Forget your sadness, Dance dance dance dance, Satisfaction
 
If you can't sleep, enjoy yourself more EhO! EhO!
It's fine if you're tied up, get high Wowow!
Start with this feeling, Dance dance dance dance, Take me on
Love is surely boundless, Dance dance dance dance, Satisfaction
https://lyricstranslate.com/en/juicy-beats-juicy-beats.html

In case you forgot, they are soldiering on with a temp singer as it is. Re:No has not been replaced and the tour has two singers, Saki from Cyntia and a new girl named Rin, alternating from show to show. So now they are going to continue on with two temps.
 
Interesting tidbit from the blogs is that Toki was a teenager when she joined Aldious and that was 10 years ago. I would have guessed her to be older but they do start young in Japan. Gacharic Spin just hired a 17 year old singer.
 
And Nekkichi, that lame pic is from the Lovebites tour of England. Aldious have yet to set foot outside of Japan much less is that their audience. So you are twice wrong.

In case you forgot, they are soldiering on with a temp singer as it is. Re:No has not been replaced and the tour has two singers, Saki from Cyntia and a new girl named Rin, alternating from show to show. So now they are going to continue on with two temps.
 
Interesting tidbit from the blogs is that Toki was a teenager when she joined Aldious and that was 10 years ago. I would have guessed her to be older but they do start young in Japan. Gacharic Spin just hired a 17 year old singer.
 
And Nekkichi, that lame pic is from the Lovebites tour of England. Aldious have yet to set foot outside of Japan much less is that their audience. So you are twice wrong.

You must be new here.

In case you forgot, they are soldiering on with a temp singer as it is. Re:No has not been replaced and the tour has two singers, Saki from Cyntia and a new girl named Rin, alternating from show to show. So now they are going to continue on with two temps.
 
Interesting tidbit from the blogs is that Toki was a teenager when she joined Aldious and that was 10 years ago. I would have guessed her to be older but they do start young in Japan. Gacharic Spin just hired a 17 year old singer.
 
And Nekkichi, that lame pic is from the Lovebites tour of England. Aldious have yet to set foot outside of Japan much less is that their audience. So you are twice wrong.

You must be new here.

I don't adore then but I do like exist trace and feel like the only one here who does.

Actually nao popped out like 3 kids. MTH's output this decade was severely curtailed because of it. Now they are on Warner after leaving VAP but things are held up because Daisuke had major neck surgery.
 
Also, Nao is a little more tightly connected to MTH since Ryo the guitarist is her younger brother. Aldious is Yoshi's show.
 
Oh, and if Saki (Cyntia) gets the singer gig, I wouldn't be surprised if they bring Yui along now that she has recovered and do Cyntia songs as part of the set.

In case you forgot, they are soldiering on with a temp singer as it is. Re:No has not been replaced and the tour has two singers, Saki from Cyntia and a new girl named Rin, alternating from show to show. So now they are going to continue on with two temps.
 
Interesting tidbit from the blogs is that Toki was a teenager when she joined Aldious and that was 10 years ago. I would have guessed her to be older but they do start young in Japan. Gacharic Spin just hired a 17 year old singer.
 
And Nekkichi, that lame pic is from the Lovebites tour of England. Aldious have yet to set foot outside of Japan much less is that their audience. So you are twice wrong.

In case you forgot, they are soldiering on with a temp singer as it is. Re:No has not been replaced and the tour has two singers, Saki from Cyntia and a new girl named Rin, alternating from show to show. So now they are going to continue on with two temps.
 
Interesting tidbit from the blogs is that Toki was a teenager when she joined Aldious and that was 10 years ago. I would have guessed her to be older but they do start young in Japan. Gacharic Spin just hired a 17 year old singer.
 
And Nekkichi, that lame pic is from the Lovebites tour of England. Aldious have yet to set foot outside of Japan much less is that their audience. So you are twice wrong.

News here, with a statement from Toki. She will leave the band after a June show, but not for good, apparently. Run it through your favorite translator.
 
https://aldious.net/contents/244569
 
BIG statement from Yoshi. The bottom line seems to be they are hopeful Toki can/will come back after the baby is born.
 
http://yoshidious.jp/archives/14921

News here, with a statement from Toki. She will leave the band after a June show, but not for good, apparently. Run it through your favorite translator.
 
https://aldious.net/contents/244569
 
BIG statement from Yoshi. The bottom line seems to be they are hopeful Toki can/will come back after the baby is born.
 
http://yoshidious.jp/archives/14921

News here, with a statement from Toki. She will leave the band after a June show, but not for good, apparently. Run it through your favorite translator.
 
https://aldious.net/contents/244569
 
BIG statement from Yoshi. The bottom line seems to be they are hopeful Toki can/will come back after the baby is born.
 
http://yoshidious.jp/archives/14921

https://aldious.net/contents/229302
 
Age-ha power metal band Aldious announced a 28 date "Evoke" tour with two singers splitting vocal duties.
 
The first is former Cyntia vocalist Saki.
 

 
The second is a contest winner named Rin.
 

 
This is what Google translate says:
 
 
And the second person appeared on TV TOKYO "THE KARAOKE ★ BATTLE" (victory in 2018), TV Asahi "Music Champ" (winning the 2018 year), "Advance Giant 2nd Season" theater version of theater version, Mobile Suit Gundam R! N (Lynn) of a singer-songwriter who was in charge of the main theme of NT.
 
【Aldious Tour 2019 “Evoke”】
4月20日(土) 神奈川・F.A.D YOKOHAMA　Vo：R!N
4月28日(日) 群馬・高崎clubFLEEZ　Vo：SAKI
4月29日(月・祝) 新潟・柳都SHOW!CASE!!　Vo：R!N
5月1日(水・祝) 富山・富山MAIRO　Vo：R!N
5月3日(金・祝) 福井・福井CHOP　Vo：R!N
5月5日(日) 大阪・梅田CLUB QUATTRO　Vo：R!N
5月11日(土) 静岡・静岡Sunash　Vo：SAKI
5月12日(日) 愛知・豊橋club KNOT　Vo：SAKI
5月25日(土) 山梨・甲府CONVICTION　Vo：R!N
5月26日(日) 長野・松本ALECX　Vo：SAKI
6月1日(土) 茨城・水戸LIGHTHOUSE　Vo：SAKI
6月2日(日) 栃木・HEAVEN'S ROCK 宇都宮 VJ-2　Vo：SAKI
6月9日(日) 東京・Shibuya TSUTAYA O-EAST　Vo：SAKI
6月22日(土) 秋田・秋田Club SWINDLE　Vo：R!N
6月23日(日) 岩手・盛岡CLUBCHANGE WAVE　Vo：R!N
6月25日(火) 青森・青森Quarter　Vo：R!N
6月27日(木) 岩手・KLUB COUNTER ACTION 宮古　Vo：SAKI
6月29日(土) 宮城・石巻BLUE RESISTANCE　Vo：SAKI
6月30日(日) 宮城・仙台MACANA　Vo：SAKI
7月5日(金) 北海道・帯広STUDIO REST　Vo：R!N　　　
7月7日(日) 北海道・札幌cube garden　Vo：R!N
7月13日(土) 兵庫・神戸VARIT.　Vo：R!N
7月15日(月・祝) 福岡・福岡BEAT STATION　Vo：R!N
7月16日(火) 宮崎・宮崎SR BOX　Vo：R!N
7月18日(木) 山口・周南rise　Vo：SAKI
7月20日(土) 岡山・岡山image　Vo：SAKI
7月21日(日) 滋賀・大津U☆STONE　Vo：SAKI
7月27日(土) 愛知・名古屋CLUB QUATTRO　Vo：R!N
 

Update on the idol case, if anyone cares.
 
http://aramajapan.com/news/maho-yamaguchi-apologizes-again-management-finally-release-statement-on-her-assault/94545/

there's another angle to why this is reported so often in public (as opposed to the Japanese habit of shunning issues - i.e. in visual kei you'll have apparent suicides disguised as accidents or death/retirement issues never explained in public because the members themselves live relatively private lives) - the bands you're pretty much posting on here exclusively have disturbed, creepy male fans;
 
"hearing issues" is a respectable opt-out of a toxic scene that doesn't seem really removed from general idol mess that literally came through this week again:
 
https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/international/8493058/j-pop-girl-group-ngt48-apologizes-discussing-assault-yamaguchi-maho
 
 
I don't think ramen-fed mouthbreathers have a normal human response to their metal-waifus wanting to have kids and healthy families.

I haven't combed over these thoroughly, but higher incidence of hearing loss might be attributed to ethnicity/genetics*. As for women, my understanding is that men are more prone to hearing loss**. It might seem like it happens more to female Japanese musicians (w/ how clumped these incidents are) , but I'm assuming the heightened coverage is just coincidental (implying that Japanese men might have as much, if not more hearing loss)***. Musicians, especially live performers, are more prone to hearing loss.****
 
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/03005369609076781
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22124888
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/44568755_Hereditary_hearing_loss_and_deafness_genes_in_Japan
 
Also, there are a lot of things that can contribute to hearing loss and dizziness. Just throwing ideas around.
 
* I mean genetics obviously plays a role in hearing loss. I'm implying here that maybe Japanese or East Asians are more susceptible.
** https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9746707
     https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1808869415313483
Whether it be hearing loss or tinnitus, it's a bit more complicated than what I initially thought. I was thinking of the 60% v. 40% finding by the  CDC.
*** @nekkichi brings up a point I completely glossed over here:
Collectivist cultures like Japan's tend to misdiagnose or shove under the rug health problems in lieu of getting them actually treated. I think that further compounds the hearing loss diagnoses issue. What's likely is that the musicians probably have a fuck-ton of problems but don't get them treated so they don't become an "inconvenience". (This mentality generally exists w/ everyone but feels more severe given cultural norms)
****
 

Aldious vocalist Re:No will leave the band after a final show on 12/17 due to an ear-related health problem. The news was announced here:
 
https://aldious.net/contents/210457
 
According to Bing translation she has a condition called patulous Eustachian tube, where the tube is open instead of sealed. Wikipedia describes it as "When this occurs, the patient experiences autophony, the hearing of self-generated sounds. These sounds, such as one's own breathing, voice, and heartbeat, vibrate directly onto the ear drum and can create a "bucket on the head" effect." Apparently she is stepping away from music on doctor's recommendation. It reminds me of a similar situation with Gacharic Spin dancer Nenne, although we never got a formal diagnosis.
 
The band has said they will continue and find a new vocalist. It just released an EP called "All Brose," a melding of blue and rose.
 

Three all-girls bands are touring Europe right now. None of them VK, sad to point out here.
 
Lovebites: touring Holland, France, Germany and England

 
Band Maid: touring Finland, England, Holland and Germany. Also hit LA and SF.
 

 
Bridear: Playing France, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic
 

 
I'm surprised two or all three bands didn't team up. 
 
So with Europe warming to Japanese metal, any chance for some VK bands as well? Or is it too far out there for Europeans?
 
 

Three all-girls bands are touring Europe right now. None of them VK, sad to point out here.
 
Lovebites: touring Holland, France, Germany and England

 
Band Maid: touring Finland, England, Holland and Germany. Also hit LA and SF.
 

 
Bridear: Playing France, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic
 

 
I'm surprised two or all three bands didn't team up. 
 
So with Europe warming to Japanese metal, any chance for some VK bands as well? Or is it too far out there for Europeans?
 
 

We have big news for our fans all over the world!

Lovebites will unleash the sophomore full-length album called 'Clockwork Immortality' on December 5, 2018!!

It has mighty newly recorded 10 songs. We also release very limited editions including live Blu-ray/DVD 'Battle In The East' that was recorded in Tokyo, June 28 this year.

Regarding release dates in other territories than Japan, we'll announce more details soon...

TITLE: Clockwork Immortality
STREET DATE (in Japan): December 5, 2018
Mixed by Mikko Karmila
Mastered by Mika Jussila - Mastering of the Universe (Finnvox)
Cover art illustration: The EasyRabbit CreArtions

>>LIMITED EDITION A-TYPE<<
CD + Live Blu-ray 'Battle In The East'

>>LIMITED EDITION B-TYPE<<
CD + Live DVD 'Battle In The East'

>>STANDARD EDITION<<
CD
NOTE: Incl. one of 6 stickers randomly (a first pressing only)

Here are the new tour dates for Japan 2019!
- January 12: OSAKA - Club Quattro, Umeda
- January 13: AICHI - E.L.L., Nagoya
- January 27: TOKYO - Mynavi BLITZ Akasaka
- February 10: FUKUOKA, DRUM SON
- February 15: MIYAGI - MACANA, Sendai
- February 23: HOKKAIDO: Duce Sapporo

Maybe it's just my choice of bands, but I see more Japanese bassists using the slap/pop style than finger plucking style. In some cases, it really fits, like Ue-chan in MTH. Others make it work, like Koga in Gacharic Spin or Kiyoshi with Marty Friendman. Sometimes, it's a WTF situation, like Silent Siren, whose bassist uses it a lot and they are pop. I'll defer to VK fans for how often it is used in that genre.
 
In the US there are only two prominent rock bassists who slap, Les Claypool (Primus) and Flea (RHCP). It's popular in funk and jazz, though.
 
So where is this influence coming from?