beni

This thread needs more love. And kyary's beautiful face. <3
 

 
Who else thought the stick man's hands were a moustache?
 

 

 
Other contribution, this whole thread of Jrock memes for your entertainment.
 
And a GIF, just because, it's true in my case.

 
(I'm sorry these aren't exactly the right memes ><)

Much love to you ender for making this thread happen. Look at all those glorious bands! :'3 I don't have many new recs/contributes to add, (lmao, I had more than I expected x'D) since I've spotted all the ones I wanted to put up but, at the bottom are some I've remembered having gone through a section of my music library quickly. I'd just like to give a thumbs up to a load of my favs already listed so be prepared for some scrolling (I won't spam this too much with a load of quotes so I'll give some shoutouts to the original poster)
 
Responses
EDIT: Mabuta, how the hell did I miss yours? xD Thank you for liking ender's last post so I re-read through the thread again and got to yours!
  Her voice sounds scary, haunted and beautiful at the same time, and her guitar lines are pretty cool.
She used to be in a band called Obscure but now I think she’s on her solo project
 
I adore Kokusyoku Sumire, I need to listen to them more often. I wanted to mainly quotes you just to say you won't hear the end of me complimenting you and your new avi now! x'D NOBARA is new to me though, so I thank you a lot for bringing her up.
 
: CROSS VEIN had been a band I've been interested in hearing for a while, so when I spotted the album newly put up here ( shoutout to that user too (; ), I jumped for joy. A really great heavy band, as I was expecting. I can say the same for GANGLION too. Both have some really catchy songs and deserve a lot more attention. <- I mean this with every musician I bring up, to be honest. Itsue is one I've heard of before, and seeing as you're a massive fan, I better get to listening to them sooner then later! HEAD PHONES PRESIDENT is one of my first female fronted bands I enjoyed too! To think Anza had sung the complete opposite at the start of her career. HPP are amazing, no joke! And SHISHAMO, HELL YEAH! I need to continue listening to them more often. 
 
@TheStoic: Your list is pretty much all the ones I first thought of too! Nice choices! But, just one thing I'd like to bring up on this, if I may. How can Olivia only be mentioned without her lovely sis Caroline? The Lufkin siblings are two of my all time favourite singers! Her music is a lot more dreamy like.
 
 
SCANDAL fan here too~ I think all three of the other bands you've brought up are still active, and awesome choices. I particularly love Chatmonchy because of the vocals, and Kinoco Hotel because,  well, DAT WHOLE STYLE~ I am quite jelly you've seen the brilliance that is Tsushimamire live! Great mentions all out!
 
@CAT5: I am so pleased to see UNLIMITS there! You've reminded me I need to continue listening to everything Yumi Nakashima related. me-al art's a great one too, and no surprise with those last couple of favs, haha.
 
@paradoxal: DecoLa Hopping is one I was going to bring up! Nicely done!! And I see you listen to the two that needed no introduction. Really awesome.
 
@DeithX252: Brilliant you brought up aquarifa! And you've actually spoken of a lovely new batch I need to give a listen to as well. SCOTLAND GIRL sounds so good! And what you said below...
 
 
Too right, I wanted to bring them up too so I'll just quote these awesome lot for a +1 on them heh.
 
: I know right!? Silent Siren deserved a bring up too so thanks for that! I can't believe I haven't heard of AJICO before, wow. Clammbon = approved. And YES TO MY OTHER WAIFU. Everything Togawa related; flawless. yapoos and ヤプーズ included. Thank you for that. You've made my respect for you sky rocket lol. No forgetting Ringo, prz-san! x'D
 
Picks
So, hello there, if you've decided to skip to here. xD If not, then have a cookie for still sticking around.
These gals are also worth mentioning to me:
 
Pop picks
Aural Vampire is a electro duo who really kick ass, made up of female vocalist Exo-Chika, and male music creator Raveman.
little by little is another female/male duo musician act I had found when I first got into Asian music, thanks to anime in all honestly. With cute vocals and catchy rhythms, there's a lot to love here.
I have yet to bring this girl rapper duo up, and I should have done ages ago when Charisma.com came up as our top album release of 2014. HALCALI also rap, and while not as outstanding or as catchy as Charisma.com, it's very reminiscent to these two. They can do really fun and happy songs, or sad and heartbreaking tracks, all including very easy going rap.
And finally, Zwei. Another girl duo~ So rockin'! Not exactly pop but they now do anime/game songs unlike before when their work was a lot more individual for this reason, I believe. Still, I love 'em.
 
LOVE PSYCHEDLICO is a band with that slow, rock tempo kind of style. I saw a similar band mentioned so I really wanted to reveal this treasure. They're said to be popular not only in Japan, but also in Taiwan and Hong Kong, but I rarely hear them spoken about at all. If you're into some laid back pop, I cannot recommend them enough. Sung most often in English, they're really catchy and sweet.
savage genius, much like little by little, is a pop group I found when becoming addicted to an anime opening. I don't love them as much as the latter, but they're just as talented.
Seeing as UNLIMITS were brought up, I'd like to speak up on 7!! (oops). Those vocals, this pop, that kawaiiness. <3
Everything Yuki Kajiura and Yasutaka Nakata related as well. Vocals are on point with the music genres and both deserve even more recognition for their work.
Everything Tomoko Kawase related too, as well as her band the brilliant green. Because she has two 'acts' (alter-egos), she can do pop/punk and rock. A lot to love for a woman who tries and does so much.
 
Heavier sound
LIV MOON and Light Bringer have two of the best female vocalists I have ever heard. Along with already mentioned Dazzle Vision, they're all tied as my all time favourite female fronted bands.
Rampant was one of the first heavy bands I gave a listen to who are Japanese. Their vocalist has departed sadly, but their album 'Choice of Life' is worth every second.
AREA51 definitely are worth a mention. While the vocals are something that might take a while to get into, or not at all, the intruments are stunning. 
The gallhammer gals are my children. They don't seem liked all that much, but just give them a go. Their album 'ill innocence' is a masterpiece. Don't give me that expression, I'm not kidding. 
No mention of BLOOD STAIN CHILD yet? The shock!! Vocalist Sophia (one of the first songs to feature her as their new vocalist back in 2011) is delightful.
 
There's too many I want to bring up and so much text already (cut down from before ><). *fans self* I apologise. lmao, ender, I had more left over than I thought. x'D

Jig being awesome as usual, thank you bringing up a band I am new to. I just realised they are listed as 'similar artists' to Togawa on Last fm! I need to continue searching most artist there. Would've missed this gem! Thanks for reminding me, and for the rec and vids. I'm loving them very much! It's even better it's a male singer btw, I'm more of a female vocalist listener so this is perfect.
 
 
'Run by the vocalist from Uchouten.' Awesome, didn't know that! A lot of info there is new to me too, thank you for this! I'll spend more time looking into this music era now, sounds amazing. All those band names you just gave me I'll have to check out too. I'm looking forward to doing so!
Extra kudos to you for including Togawa, haha.
 
I'm very appreciative of both your replies and recommendations!!

^ If you like that quirky '80s new-wave style thang, you might enjoy Uchouten (tho they had a male vocalist):
 

You might want to check out the bands on the NAGOMU label run by the vocalist from Uchouten. It was sorta the epicenter for odd & quirky releases in the Japanese music scene of the 80:s. Bands like PICKY PICNIC, MINCA PANOPICA, BACHIKABURI, MIN & KLINA-MEN etc.etc.
 
There were also some oddities in a maybe less manic way being released by the Yen/NonStandard/Alfa Records labels which were spearheaded by the guys from YMO. Usually more with more electronic focus on the music. Stuff like APOGEE & PERIGEE for instance (featuring Jun Togawa on this track):
 

Here's my end of the year list. I quickly realized I only listen to cross-dresser crap and don't follow many western bands closely enough to pay attention to new releases. Oh well~~~. 
 
Now with working mp3s

Albums:


 
Kamijo : Heart
 
Kamijo graced us this year with not one, but two albums. As this was his only full release, I’ve included it in my list here (although Symphony of the Vampire was equally as good, just for different reasons). As many other reviewers have said before me, this album truly showcased what aspects of Versailles Kamijo really had contributed. Ripe with a mix of classic tropes from his past bands, Heart brings the best of several worlds together in a one gilded soundscape. In it, he has some Versailles-esque neoclassical tracks (“(闇夜のライオン”),  some Lareine-ish melodic songs (“Romantique” and “抱きしめられながら”), and even an epic-length track (“Heart”).  In spite of the many critiques his previous band received about becoming stagnant after exhausting their classical influences, Kamijo has managed to keep his signature style while revitalizing it just enough to keep things fresh and interesting.  If this year is any indication of how things will go for Kamijo, it looks like the King of Rose-kei will keep his throne for years to come.
 
闇夜のライオン:



 
己龍 :  暁歌水月
 
One more first album of their career!! Just kidding: if there’s one thing the Kiryu is good at, it is releasing an absurd amount of CDs with very little time to breathe. 暁歌水月 is their 4th full-length in their discography and is one of their stronger albums to me. While their crazy take on Japanese folk-metal may get tiresome to some, their formula works exceptionally well for them and clearly stick to the motto “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Here you’ll find a good mix of their dark and chaotic songs, as well as their melodic and softer ones, all held together by their signature use of traditional Japanese instruments. As this album showcases more than ever, The Kiryu have some of the best riffage in the scene and do not let stereotypical visual-kei earmarks get in the way of their progressive individuality. 
 
愛怨忌焔:



 
Azealia Banks : Broke with Expensive Taste
 
Another year of firsts for this artist—Azealia Banks dropped her long awaited full length album late this year. After originally announcing to come out in the spring of this year, the release date kept getting pushed further and further back. Thankfully, the wait was well worth it. Filled with her typical poignant disposition and clever lyrics, Broke With Expensive Taste offers a smattering of musical styles all over the spectrum that work well together and do not fall victim to tokenism. Her claim-to-fame track “212” made yet another appearance, as well as other singles “Yung Rapunxel,” “Heavy Metal And Reflective,” and “Chasing Time.” If you’re looking to try out an album that goes from playfully singing in Spanish, to a song called “BBD” (which stands for “Bad Bitches Do It”), and a surf rock song about a rebellious teen that goes to a nudist beach, this album is a must-try. 
 
https://soundcloud.com/azealiabanksweb/azealia-banks-heavy-metal-and-reflective-explicit



 
Lana Del Ray : Ultraviolence
 
Lana Del Ray once again leads the sadcore pop scene with her second album, Ultraviolence. Lana is an artist I tended to shy away from for a while, but this album seems to have won me over. It’s disposition is much more melancholic than what I’ve heard from her first album, and its lyrical content are more about coming out of tight spots in her life, such as abusive relationships. The musicianship here is top-notch, and her voice, hell, her whole persona, fits the album’s 70’s revival vibe so well. If you’re in the mood to watch the rain with flowers in your hair while Facetiming with a sepia filter, this is the perfect album to do that to. Definitely recommend checking out “Cruel World,” “Shades of Cool,” and “West Coast.”
 
West Coast:




 
Sukekiyo : Immortalis
 
Already wrote a bit about this on the Christmas list, but basically this is what Arche is derived from and I like this better. While I don’t necessarily like most of their members, when they put their heads together they really do come up with some wonderful ideas.
 
斑人間:



 
ギャロ : NERO
 
Completely out of left-field for me this year, I tried their split single with AvelCain and had to have more. Kind of quirky, but doesn’t use that as a crutch to base their musical decisions on, The Gallow are truly a band to keep an eye on. In a way, they kind of remind me of Cali Gari but more aggressive. Do not let this band stay under your radar!
 
帝都四号魔水路:



 
DEZERT : 「タイトルなし」
 
Another branch of the homage-kei trinity, DEZERT finally managed to put out a full-length album this year after releasing quite a large discography before doing so. Miraculously, nothing on here was from their previous singles (which is unheard of in visual-kei????) .  Hard-hitting and fast paced, 「タイトルなし」 serves up some cool nü-metal influenced tracks as well as some metal-core ones. Compared to their earlier discography, this was probably their most accessible release to me and a strong step in the right direct for this band. My favorite tracks include “Doze,” “「擬死」,” and “胃潰瘍とルソーの錯覚.” While they’re not exactly similar, per say, if you’ve enjoyed AvelCain’s album odds are you will also enjoy this one. Cake, anyone?
 
胃潰瘍とルソーの錯覚:

 


 
AvelCain : AvelCain-アベルカイン-
 
AvelCain released their first full-length as this year, self-titled “AvelCain.” This album falls under the homage-kei umbrella, giving praise to many different acts from the late 90’s and turn-of-the-century visual-kei. Here we find a return to motifs about psychosis, darkness, and ball-jointed dolls in a more modernized fashion. From hard hitting singles like “Psycho” and “ID,” to equally as powerful (and slightly deranged) tracks like “操り人形,” this album brings back all of those feelings of not quite fitting in and teen angst right back. The band does show their softer side with songs like “千羽鶴.” There’s even a Puppet Mammy cover song, as most likely suggested by their drummer and producer who was a part of that band. This is a great album to start with when trying to get into AvelCain. My only complaint with it is that they used quite a lot of rereleased material here and it could have benefitted from a larger repertoire of new songs.
 
PSYCHO-サイコ-:



 
Buck-Tick : 或いはアナーキー
 
Visual-kei legends Buck-Tick released their millionth album this year. While I haven’t really followed them for too long, it seems as though their sound has evolved at every step in their career from all different genres. According to Wikipedia, they are currently in their “straight rock” phase, although I’m not sure how true that holds when descripting 或いはアナーキー. This album has many different influences in it, spanning different genres they’ve already covered at some point in their career like post-punk, new wave, gothic rock, and quirky punk. Even with the massive genre shifts from the start to the end of the album, it all somehow works. A surprising favorite of mine is “Survival Dance,” which is one of the most fun songs released this whole year. Even if you’re afraid of Buck-Tick’s gigantic discography, this album is a good place to dive in (it’s actually the first full album of theirs that I tried out, myself). Oyaji rock has never sounded so fresh. So what?! So What?!
 
Survival Dance:



 
UNDEAD CORPORATION : 神速
 
This album is actually my first time listening to Undead Corporation. As you could probably tell by the album art, they’re a Touhou group. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect on my first listen, but what I got was a donkey kick in the stomach because this album goes hard real fast. As much I hate to use “brvtal” to describe something, even ironically, that’s basically the most succinct way to describe what this album has to offer. However, there is enough craftsmanship to this album’s music that it isn’t heavy for heavy’s sake—each song seems deliberate and thought out, even if those fleshed out ideas are pants-on-your-head crazy. This album spans a few genres, mostly hovering around metal-core + death-core, dabbling a bit into technical death metal and even pop, and it makes use of beauty and the beast vocals without being grating or trite. Another interesting point about this album is that there are really only 8 songs and then the rest are reinterpretations or remixes. Off the top of my head, I know that there is at least one song that was redone without any harsh vocals, for example. Even if you aren’t really a follower of the touhou scene, or don’t quite “get it” (trust me, I do not fall under either of those), this album is great ear bleach to cleanse all of those no-name bands trying to do the same thing and failing. 
 




八十八ヶ所巡礼 : 攻撃的国民的音楽
 
This band is bizarre in one of the best ways possible. They’re like looking at a modern art gallery and instead of being like “uggghh this is sO DUMb” you feel “wait…I actually…get this?” Maybe there really is some deeper meaning behind the unsettling egg men, only found when meditating to the cascades of arpeggios and bends oozing out of 88’s 4th mini-album. Keeping their spot as one of Cat5’s most favorite indie bands, this album still retains all of the technical goodness and androgynous multitasking that all of their previous works had to offer, but this time around it is presented in a way that is somehow more accessible. While I do love crazy key changes and time signatures, there was always this layer to 88’s music that I found somewhat draining, with the exception of a few songs. Don’t get me wrong, I think they’re fantastic, but I could never listen to them for extended periods of time.  攻撃的国民的音楽 fixed this issue and has allowed me to sink into their vibrant world again and again. “赤い衝動-R.I.P-“ is like a religious experience for me, and “都会の魔界” some of the coolest bass walks ever.
 
赤い衝動-R.I.P-:

 
Singles:



 
アルルカン : 墓穴
 
Arlequin started off as what I thought would just be a guilty pleasure for me. Now they’ve grown into a legitimate pleasure and one of the best vkei bands currently active (even if their full-length was a bit lackluster). This single here is their best release to date, imo. The chorus of the title track is phenomenal and I love how the guitar solo mimics the main melody of the song, then transitions into a rehash of the same theme seamlessly. We all have classics that we will love for forever, and I feel that this single will be one of those classics for me. A+ beep-boop-core clown music.
 
墓穴:



 
Scapegoat : 赤いバスルーム
 
Scapegoat are like the D’espairsRay of today: a lot of people like them, but we just keep forgetting they’re around. I discovered this single by watching their music video and was total blown away. While they are beep-boop core as well, they put more emphasis on the –core than the bloops (I’m so good at writing, omg). The title track is dark and moody in the best way possible, and the rest of the single has better wubs than whatever the fuck the gazette have been trying to do since 2010. Hell, even Cat5 liked this single. This is a band I have to keep reminding myself to check out because they are tight.
 
赤いバスルーム:



 
少年記 : Bang Me
 
Hyped to kingdom come, the title track of this single was actually really good. I love the 90s boyband harmonization going on here, and the vocalist can actually sing well. While the musicianship isn’t anything ground breaking, it is good at what it needs to do and “Bang Me” is so catchy that it really doesn’t matter if the guitars are bland or not. I don’t consider myself to be a fan of this band, but I’ll be there for them if they keep releasing catchy pop rock songs like this and their previous single. Originally I tried this out to see what all the hype was, expecting to roll my eyes. Then I ended up really liking it, hue. Para + Mi’hen: 1, Me: 0.
 
Bang Me:



 
Ru:Natic : 「M」/ foggy night
 
The OG homage-kei band that never quite made it. This is their first single that was released since they decided to become self-produced (and quite frankly, much better. Good move on their part) and it takes a break from the La:Sadie’s worship to experiment in some more melodic aspects of late 90’s vkei hallmarks. Unfortunately, and fortunately all at once, they’ve traded in the dolphin noises to channel the ghost of Mana’s past. Truly a fantastic single, and hopefully not their last.
 

 

 
Penicillin : SOL
 
Penicillin are one of the oldest vkei bands ever, and technically have been active for longer than both Kuroyume and Luna Sea (as they didn’t take a break for 10 years and then decide they ran out of money). This year marked the release of their 200522nd album, which was more or less super bland, as well as their 3004000101st and 3004000102nd singles. While the previous single of this year, “幻想カタルシス”, was also great, the b-sides weren’t strong enough to place it above SOL. Not sure what “SOL” is supposed to mean (“Shit outta Luck??”), but the title track is a great post-Ultimate Velocity pop rock song, and the songs they chose to cover as b-sides were superb. Their covers also didn’t smother the original integrity of the songs and actually sounded like Penicillin trying to cover them, not butcher them. Awful album art though, jfc
 
北ウィング -PENICILLIN ver.- :

Honorable Mentions:


 
Kylie Minogue : Kiss Me Once
 
Kylie is an artist that I didn’t know I knew, but after listening to more of her stuff I realized I knew who she was (lmao). This album here is a good mix of different flavors of pop, like the dub-steppy “Sexercise,” the catchy “Les Sex,” and the softer “I was gonna cancel.” To be honest, this sounds more like Madonna than anything Gaga has ever done, but internet stan wars are for the mentally ill. My favorite track is actually the weird-ass b-side “Mr. President.” Apparently I’m the only person who likes it, so I’m just going to consider it written specifically for me.
 
Mr. President:



 
D機関  : 羅刹國
 
羅刹國 is the first album by D機関 , which is like the same thing as 黒夜葬 but different enough to warrant making a different band for. Idk, all I know is that is the same kind of gawfy Moi Dix Mois Castlevania nonsense that people here dig, but ignore because they don’t wear dresses. Good album nonetheless, just didn’t make my top list because nothing stood out enough on it to really floor: it’s merely a solid album. Definitely an improvement over his first mini-album under this name as well, which showcased some good ideas with very poor execution. 
 
Variant Cell→Apotosis (索敵機、発艦始め！):



 
グリーヴァ :  黒イ百合ノ花ト×××
 
グリーヴァreleased their first mini-album this year. To my dismay, it was only 1.75 new songs and the rest were all rerecordings. Thankfully, those rerecordings are great and were not just “remastered” (read: copied and pasted onto this album). It contains a great smattering of their early tunes, as well as early-like tunes, that are more aggressive than what can be found on their 2nd album. Thankfully the left off that god awful song “無常成ル世界ノ解答.” The unplugged and acoustic versions of their songs are surprisingly good as well. This didn’t make my top list because it could have used more unreleased material, although it was good for what it was.
 
相剋ノ[baiser] -黒イ百合ノ花ト×××version-:



 
Gwen Stefani : Baby Don't Lie
 
I’ve always liked Gwen, even when No Doubt were first starting to become popular in the early 90s when I was a little kid. Always dug her solo work too, even if I didn’t like the hyper exposed song “Sweet Escape” which still plays all the time on mom radio stations. This is her comeback single, and honestly I liked it a lot. It has enough catchy aspects and oomph to both make me remember it and want to listen to it again. The reason this is on the “honorable mentions” instead of the real list, however, is because of the embarrassing part in the middle. The music video is super vapor-wavy too, which is awesome.
 

Post 1 - Top 10 Japanese male musician releases (♫ Just keep scrolling, just keep scolling~ ♫)
Post 2 - Top 10 Japanese female musician releases (I'm more of a J-pop head then I thought!)
Post 3 - Runners up (that should be in the above two categories but couldn't fit in), the mixed vocals + honourable mentions (all previously brought up in ChristMHas list)
Post 4 - Top English album + single (only one of each because I'm more of an Asian music listener than anything else)
 
My top 10 Japanese male musician releases
 
TK from 凛として時雨 - Fantastic Magic /

 
asobius - pray & grow / 

 
THE NOVEMBERS - Rhapsody in beauty /

 
MEJIBRAY - シアトリカル・ブルーブラック /


 
Lycaon - 馬鹿ね。+ 悪女の微笑 + Shadow /


 
AvelCain - AvelCain / 


 
Plastic Tree - echo /

 
PLASTICZOOMS - Secret Postcard /

 
yazzmad - niche['ni:tʃə] /


 
LM.C - PERFECT FANTASY / 

 
For the full length (unedited) review, click on the spoiler tag below:

Much love to you ender for making this thread happen. Look at all those glorious bands! :'3 I don't have many new recs/contributes to add, (lmao, I had more than I expected x'D) since I've spotted all the ones I wanted to put up but, at the bottom are some I've remembered having gone through a section of my music library quickly. I'd just like to give a thumbs up to a load of my favs already listed so be prepared for some scrolling (I won't spam this too much with a load of quotes so I'll give some shoutouts to the original poster)
 
Responses
EDIT: Mabuta, how the hell did I miss yours? xD Thank you for liking ender's last post so I re-read through the thread again and got to yours!
  Her voice sounds scary, haunted and beautiful at the same time, and her guitar lines are pretty cool.
She used to be in a band called Obscure but now I think she’s on her solo project
 
I adore Kokusyoku Sumire, I need to listen to them more often. I wanted to mainly quotes you just to say you won't hear the end of me complimenting you and your new avi now! x'D NOBARA is new to me though, so I thank you a lot for bringing her up.
 
: CROSS VEIN had been a band I've been interested in hearing for a while, so when I spotted the album newly put up here ( shoutout to that user too (; ), I jumped for joy. A really great heavy band, as I was expecting. I can say the same for GANGLION too. Both have some really catchy songs and deserve a lot more attention. <- I mean this with every musician I bring up, to be honest. Itsue is one I've heard of before, and seeing as you're a massive fan, I better get to listening to them sooner then later! HEAD PHONES PRESIDENT is one of my first female fronted bands I enjoyed too! To think Anza had sung the complete opposite at the start of her career. HPP are amazing, no joke! And SHISHAMO, HELL YEAH! I need to continue listening to them more often. 
 
@TheStoic: Your list is pretty much all the ones I first thought of too! Nice choices! But, just one thing I'd like to bring up on this, if I may. How can Olivia only be mentioned without her lovely sis Caroline? The Lufkin siblings are two of my all time favourite singers! Her music is a lot more dreamy like.
 
 
SCANDAL fan here too~ I think all three of the other bands you've brought up are still active, and awesome choices. I particularly love Chatmonchy because of the vocals, and Kinoco Hotel because,  well, DAT WHOLE STYLE~ I am quite jelly you've seen the brilliance that is Tsushimamire live! Great mentions all out!
 
@CAT5: I am so pleased to see UNLIMITS there! You've reminded me I need to continue listening to everything Yumi Nakashima related. me-al art's a great one too, and no surprise with those last couple of favs, haha.
 
@paradoxal: DecoLa Hopping is one I was going to bring up! Nicely done!! And I see you listen to the two that needed no introduction. Really awesome.
 
@DeithX252: Brilliant you brought up aquarifa! And you've actually spoken of a lovely new batch I need to give a listen to as well. SCOTLAND GIRL sounds so good! And what you said below...
 
 
Too right, I wanted to bring them up too so I'll just quote these awesome lot for a +1 on them heh.
 
: I know right!? Silent Siren deserved a bring up too so thanks for that! I can't believe I haven't heard of AJICO before, wow. Clammbon = approved. And YES TO MY OTHER WAIFU. Everything Togawa related; flawless. yapoos and ヤプーズ included. Thank you for that. You've made my respect for you sky rocket lol. No forgetting Ringo, prz-san! x'D
 
Picks
So, hello there, if you've decided to skip to here. xD If not, then have a cookie for still sticking around.
These gals are also worth mentioning to me:
 
Pop picks
Aural Vampire is a electro duo who really kick ass, made up of female vocalist Exo-Chika, and male music creator Raveman.
little by little is another female/male duo musician act I had found when I first got into Asian music, thanks to anime in all honestly. With cute vocals and catchy rhythms, there's a lot to love here.
I have yet to bring this girl rapper duo up, and I should have done ages ago when Charisma.com came up as our top album release of 2014. HALCALI also rap, and while not as outstanding or as catchy as Charisma.com, it's very reminiscent to these two. They can do really fun and happy songs, or sad and heartbreaking tracks, all including very easy going rap.
And finally, Zwei. Another girl duo~ So rockin'! Not exactly pop but they now do anime/game songs unlike before when their work was a lot more individual for this reason, I believe. Still, I love 'em.
 
LOVE PSYCHEDLICO is a band with that slow, rock tempo kind of style. I saw a similar band mentioned so I really wanted to reveal this treasure. They're said to be popular not only in Japan, but also in Taiwan and Hong Kong, but I rarely hear them spoken about at all. If you're into some laid back pop, I cannot recommend them enough. Sung most often in English, they're really catchy and sweet.
savage genius, much like little by little, is a pop group I found when becoming addicted to an anime opening. I don't love them as much as the latter, but they're just as talented.
Seeing as UNLIMITS were brought up, I'd like to speak up on 7!! (oops). Those vocals, this pop, that kawaiiness. <3
Everything Yuki Kajiura and Yasutaka Nakata related as well. Vocals are on point with the music genres and both deserve even more recognition for their work.
Everything Tomoko Kawase related too, as well as her band the brilliant green. Because she has two 'acts' (alter-egos), she can do pop/punk and rock. A lot to love for a woman who tries and does so much.
 
Heavier sound
LIV MOON and Light Bringer have two of the best female vocalists I have ever heard. Along with already mentioned Dazzle Vision, they're all tied as my all time favourite female fronted bands.
Rampant was one of the first heavy bands I gave a listen to who are Japanese. Their vocalist has departed sadly, but their album 'Choice of Life' is worth every second.
AREA51 definitely are worth a mention. While the vocals are something that might take a while to get into, or not at all, the intruments are stunning. 
The gallhammer gals are my children. They don't seem liked all that much, but just give them a go. Their album 'ill innocence' is a masterpiece. Don't give me that expression, I'm not kidding. 
No mention of BLOOD STAIN CHILD yet? The shock!! Vocalist Sophia (one of the first songs to feature her as their new vocalist back in 2011) is delightful.
 
There's too many I want to bring up and so much text already (cut down from before ><). *fans self* I apologise. lmao, ender, I had more left over than I thought. x'D

Edit: Maria-chan, you always look so adorable. ;;
I try not to spam in this thread so much because I just want to compliment everyone ><

Edit: Maria-chan, you always look so adorable. ;;
I try not to spam in this thread so much because I just want to compliment everyone ><

Edit: Maria-chan, you always look so adorable. ;;
I try not to spam in this thread so much because I just want to compliment everyone ><

Edit: Maria-chan, you always look so adorable. ;;
I try not to spam in this thread so much because I just want to compliment everyone ><

Edit: Maria-chan, you always look so adorable. ;;
I try not to spam in this thread so much because I just want to compliment everyone ><

Holy hell, I want your hair colour.
 
Anyway, figured I might as well post a pic of me. This is one of the few selfies I'm semi-comfortable with.

^ Thank you ;www; I am really insecure about my looks, so thank you for saying that, made me blush! ;w; <3

Much love to you ender for making this thread happen. Look at all those glorious bands! :'3 I don't have many new recs/contributes to add, (lmao, I had more than I expected x'D) since I've spotted all the ones I wanted to put up but, at the bottom are some I've remembered having gone through a section of my music library quickly. I'd just like to give a thumbs up to a load of my favs already listed so be prepared for some scrolling (I won't spam this too much with a load of quotes so I'll give some shoutouts to the original poster)
 
Responses
EDIT: Mabuta, how the hell did I miss yours? xD Thank you for liking ender's last post so I re-read through the thread again and got to yours!
  Her voice sounds scary, haunted and beautiful at the same time, and her guitar lines are pretty cool.
She used to be in a band called Obscure but now I think she’s on her solo project
 
I adore Kokusyoku Sumire, I need to listen to them more often. I wanted to mainly quotes you just to say you won't hear the end of me complimenting you and your new avi now! x'D NOBARA is new to me though, so I thank you a lot for bringing her up.
 
: CROSS VEIN had been a band I've been interested in hearing for a while, so when I spotted the album newly put up here ( shoutout to that user too (; ), I jumped for joy. A really great heavy band, as I was expecting. I can say the same for GANGLION too. Both have some really catchy songs and deserve a lot more attention. <- I mean this with every musician I bring up, to be honest. Itsue is one I've heard of before, and seeing as you're a massive fan, I better get to listening to them sooner then later! HEAD PHONES PRESIDENT is one of my first female fronted bands I enjoyed too! To think Anza had sung the complete opposite at the start of her career. HPP are amazing, no joke! And SHISHAMO, HELL YEAH! I need to continue listening to them more often. 
 
@TheStoic: Your list is pretty much all the ones I first thought of too! Nice choices! But, just one thing I'd like to bring up on this, if I may. How can Olivia only be mentioned without her lovely sis Caroline? The Lufkin siblings are two of my all time favourite singers! Her music is a lot more dreamy like.
 
 
SCANDAL fan here too~ I think all three of the other bands you've brought up are still active, and awesome choices. I particularly love Chatmonchy because of the vocals, and Kinoco Hotel because,  well, DAT WHOLE STYLE~ I am quite jelly you've seen the brilliance that is Tsushimamire live! Great mentions all out!
 
@CAT5: I am so pleased to see UNLIMITS there! You've reminded me I need to continue listening to everything Yumi Nakashima related. me-al art's a great one too, and no surprise with those last couple of favs, haha.
 
@paradoxal: DecoLa Hopping is one I was going to bring up! Nicely done!! And I see you listen to the two that needed no introduction. Really awesome.
 
@DeithX252: Brilliant you brought up aquarifa! And you've actually spoken of a lovely new batch I need to give a listen to as well. SCOTLAND GIRL sounds so good! And what you said below...
 
 
Too right, I wanted to bring them up too so I'll just quote these awesome lot for a +1 on them heh.
 
: I know right!? Silent Siren deserved a bring up too so thanks for that! I can't believe I haven't heard of AJICO before, wow. Clammbon = approved. And YES TO MY OTHER WAIFU. Everything Togawa related; flawless. yapoos and ヤプーズ included. Thank you for that. You've made my respect for you sky rocket lol. No forgetting Ringo, prz-san! x'D
 
Picks
So, hello there, if you've decided to skip to here. xD If not, then have a cookie for still sticking around.
These gals are also worth mentioning to me:
 
Pop picks
Aural Vampire is a electro duo who really kick ass, made up of female vocalist Exo-Chika, and male music creator Raveman.
little by little is another female/male duo musician act I had found when I first got into Asian music, thanks to anime in all honestly. With cute vocals and catchy rhythms, there's a lot to love here.
I have yet to bring this girl rapper duo up, and I should have done ages ago when Charisma.com came up as our top album release of 2014. HALCALI also rap, and while not as outstanding or as catchy as Charisma.com, it's very reminiscent to these two. They can do really fun and happy songs, or sad and heartbreaking tracks, all including very easy going rap.
And finally, Zwei. Another girl duo~ So rockin'! Not exactly pop but they now do anime/game songs unlike before when their work was a lot more individual for this reason, I believe. Still, I love 'em.
 
LOVE PSYCHEDLICO is a band with that slow, rock tempo kind of style. I saw a similar band mentioned so I really wanted to reveal this treasure. They're said to be popular not only in Japan, but also in Taiwan and Hong Kong, but I rarely hear them spoken about at all. If you're into some laid back pop, I cannot recommend them enough. Sung most often in English, they're really catchy and sweet.
savage genius, much like little by little, is a pop group I found when becoming addicted to an anime opening. I don't love them as much as the latter, but they're just as talented.
Seeing as UNLIMITS were brought up, I'd like to speak up on 7!! (oops). Those vocals, this pop, that kawaiiness. <3
Everything Yuki Kajiura and Yasutaka Nakata related as well. Vocals are on point with the music genres and both deserve even more recognition for their work.
Everything Tomoko Kawase related too, as well as her band the brilliant green. Because she has two 'acts' (alter-egos), she can do pop/punk and rock. A lot to love for a woman who tries and does so much.
 
Heavier sound
LIV MOON and Light Bringer have two of the best female vocalists I have ever heard. Along with already mentioned Dazzle Vision, they're all tied as my all time favourite female fronted bands.
Rampant was one of the first heavy bands I gave a listen to who are Japanese. Their vocalist has departed sadly, but their album 'Choice of Life' is worth every second.
AREA51 definitely are worth a mention. While the vocals are something that might take a while to get into, or not at all, the intruments are stunning. 
The gallhammer gals are my children. They don't seem liked all that much, but just give them a go. Their album 'ill innocence' is a masterpiece. Don't give me that expression, I'm not kidding. 
No mention of BLOOD STAIN CHILD yet? The shock!! Vocalist Sophia (one of the first songs to feature her as their new vocalist back in 2011) is delightful.
 
There's too many I want to bring up and so much text already (cut down from before ><). *fans self* I apologise. lmao, ender, I had more left over than I thought. x'D

Much love to you ender for making this thread happen. Look at all those glorious bands! :'3 I don't have many new recs/contributes to add, (lmao, I had more than I expected x'D) since I've spotted all the ones I wanted to put up but, at the bottom are some I've remembered having gone through a section of my music library quickly. I'd just like to give a thumbs up to a load of my favs already listed so be prepared for some scrolling (I won't spam this too much with a load of quotes so I'll give some shoutouts to the original poster)
 
Responses
EDIT: Mabuta, how the hell did I miss yours? xD Thank you for liking ender's last post so I re-read through the thread again and got to yours!
  Her voice sounds scary, haunted and beautiful at the same time, and her guitar lines are pretty cool.
She used to be in a band called Obscure but now I think she’s on her solo project
 
I adore Kokusyoku Sumire, I need to listen to them more often. I wanted to mainly quotes you just to say you won't hear the end of me complimenting you and your new avi now! x'D NOBARA is new to me though, so I thank you a lot for bringing her up.
 
: CROSS VEIN had been a band I've been interested in hearing for a while, so when I spotted the album newly put up here ( shoutout to that user too (; ), I jumped for joy. A really great heavy band, as I was expecting. I can say the same for GANGLION too. Both have some really catchy songs and deserve a lot more attention. <- I mean this with every musician I bring up, to be honest. Itsue is one I've heard of before, and seeing as you're a massive fan, I better get to listening to them sooner then later! HEAD PHONES PRESIDENT is one of my first female fronted bands I enjoyed too! To think Anza had sung the complete opposite at the start of her career. HPP are amazing, no joke! And SHISHAMO, HELL YEAH! I need to continue listening to them more often. 
 
@TheStoic: Your list is pretty much all the ones I first thought of too! Nice choices! But, just one thing I'd like to bring up on this, if I may. How can Olivia only be mentioned without her lovely sis Caroline? The Lufkin siblings are two of my all time favourite singers! Her music is a lot more dreamy like.
 
 
SCANDAL fan here too~ I think all three of the other bands you've brought up are still active, and awesome choices. I particularly love Chatmonchy because of the vocals, and Kinoco Hotel because,  well, DAT WHOLE STYLE~ I am quite jelly you've seen the brilliance that is Tsushimamire live! Great mentions all out!
 
@CAT5: I am so pleased to see UNLIMITS there! You've reminded me I need to continue listening to everything Yumi Nakashima related. me-al art's a great one too, and no surprise with those last couple of favs, haha.
 
@paradoxal: DecoLa Hopping is one I was going to bring up! Nicely done!! And I see you listen to the two that needed no introduction. Really awesome.
 
@DeithX252: Brilliant you brought up aquarifa! And you've actually spoken of a lovely new batch I need to give a listen to as well. SCOTLAND GIRL sounds so good! And what you said below...
 
 
Too right, I wanted to bring them up too so I'll just quote these awesome lot for a +1 on them heh.
 
: I know right!? Silent Siren deserved a bring up too so thanks for that! I can't believe I haven't heard of AJICO before, wow. Clammbon = approved. And YES TO MY OTHER WAIFU. Everything Togawa related; flawless. yapoos and ヤプーズ included. Thank you for that. You've made my respect for you sky rocket lol. No forgetting Ringo, prz-san! x'D
 
Picks
So, hello there, if you've decided to skip to here. xD If not, then have a cookie for still sticking around.
These gals are also worth mentioning to me:
 
Pop picks
Aural Vampire is a electro duo who really kick ass, made up of female vocalist Exo-Chika, and male music creator Raveman.
little by little is another female/male duo musician act I had found when I first got into Asian music, thanks to anime in all honestly. With cute vocals and catchy rhythms, there's a lot to love here.
I have yet to bring this girl rapper duo up, and I should have done ages ago when Charisma.com came up as our top album release of 2014. HALCALI also rap, and while not as outstanding or as catchy as Charisma.com, it's very reminiscent to these two. They can do really fun and happy songs, or sad and heartbreaking tracks, all including very easy going rap.
And finally, Zwei. Another girl duo~ So rockin'! Not exactly pop but they now do anime/game songs unlike before when their work was a lot more individual for this reason, I believe. Still, I love 'em.
 
LOVE PSYCHEDLICO is a band with that slow, rock tempo kind of style. I saw a similar band mentioned so I really wanted to reveal this treasure. They're said to be popular not only in Japan, but also in Taiwan and Hong Kong, but I rarely hear them spoken about at all. If you're into some laid back pop, I cannot recommend them enough. Sung most often in English, they're really catchy and sweet.
savage genius, much like little by little, is a pop group I found when becoming addicted to an anime opening. I don't love them as much as the latter, but they're just as talented.
Seeing as UNLIMITS were brought up, I'd like to speak up on 7!! (oops). Those vocals, this pop, that kawaiiness. <3
Everything Yuki Kajiura and Yasutaka Nakata related as well. Vocals are on point with the music genres and both deserve even more recognition for their work.
Everything Tomoko Kawase related too, as well as her band the brilliant green. Because she has two 'acts' (alter-egos), she can do pop/punk and rock. A lot to love for a woman who tries and does so much.
 
Heavier sound
LIV MOON and Light Bringer have two of the best female vocalists I have ever heard. Along with already mentioned Dazzle Vision, they're all tied as my all time favourite female fronted bands.
Rampant was one of the first heavy bands I gave a listen to who are Japanese. Their vocalist has departed sadly, but their album 'Choice of Life' is worth every second.
AREA51 definitely are worth a mention. While the vocals are something that might take a while to get into, or not at all, the intruments are stunning. 
The gallhammer gals are my children. They don't seem liked all that much, but just give them a go. Their album 'ill innocence' is a masterpiece. Don't give me that expression, I'm not kidding. 
No mention of BLOOD STAIN CHILD yet? The shock!! Vocalist Sophia (one of the first songs to feature her as their new vocalist back in 2011) is delightful.
 
There's too many I want to bring up and so much text already (cut down from before ><). *fans self* I apologise. lmao, ender, I had more left over than I thought. x'D

Just gonna confess upfront that the title of this thread is legit and I literally have no clue what on earth I am doing here in this list. I am horrible at explaining why I like things beyond "THIS IS GREAT YOU SHOULD LISTEN" so if you can get through all of my nonsense and come out of it with some new tunes to jam to, awesome. If not, please don't mind me. c: I swear next year I'll have a better looking list with better blurbs. ;;  Bless Cat and Zeus for putting up with all of my stupid questions as I worked on this. They da real MVPs.
 
Fave tracks samples are in order as listed above mp3 bars.
 
 
NAINE - THE WALL and NEW ANSWER IS NEW ENDING

Fave tracks: THE WALL; NIGHTMARE; BEAUTIFUL CRIME
   

 
 
 
 
Schwarz Stein - GEBET, COCOON -Fallen- and Sleeping Madness

Fave tracks: Rise to Heaven -2014-; COCOON -Fallen-; Lilith
   

 
 
 
Favorite Weapon - Sixty Saragossa

Fave tracks: Hollow; Let's Shake On It
 

 
 
 
The Amity Affliction - Let The Ocean Take Me

Fave tracks: Pittsburgh; Don't Lean On Me
 

 
 
和楽器バンド - ボカロ三昧

Fave tracks: セツナトリップ; いろは唄; 脳漿炸裂ガール
   

 
 
倖田來未 - Bon Voyage

Fave tracks: SHOW ME YOUR HOLLA; Dreaming Now!
 

 
 
浜崎あゆみ - Colours

Fave tracks: Terminal; Merry-go-round; Lelio
   

 
 
HORA - DESOLATION BEAUTY

Fave tracks: DESOLATION BEAUTY; MOONRISE; CARPE DIEM
   

 
 
ＭＵ - Discovery of the AVALON

Fave tracks: 神世界; 幸せの代償
 

 
 
Black Gene For The Next Scene - 廃憶のdanceパレード

Fave tracks: Light is there; 空から零れ落ちる100億の光
 

 
 
exist†trace - WORLD MAKER

Fave tracks: Imagination; スパイラル大作戦; 長い夢の終わりに
   

Fuck I'm going straight edge for the foreseeable future. Everything even down to caffeine I'm absolutely done with.
 
I'm through with looking and feeling like I've had the aids for the past decade and I'm through with having my heart rate so utterly and completely fucked that it is practically racing it's way through my chest half of the day. The bulk of the past year my diet has been so atrocious and my cardiovascular health so shit that going outside has been more of a struggle than it has needed to be, and by Christmas my body was pretty much eating up itself when I was practically living like David Bowie during the Station to Station recording. Not like much changed after I flew to my parents for the holidays because then I drank and six out of eight days there and I just passed out in peace at my own quarters. At least I've had the decency lately to leave my brain chemistry alone for the most part and I haven't mistaken any Grimes haircuts on the street for half eaten heads since last snowfall.
 
Quite honestly I don't even recall when I last wrote a facebook status update, posted here or even had done some school work while not on something. I'm willing to bet I haven't written a word during my entire academic career sober since I turned bloody 18 and that feels like a lifetime ago. It's not that intoxication substantially affects the quality of my writing, but it's just a habit I've had and was not very inclined to get rid off. Now I've done the initial preparations of having thrown out the ashtray and having indigested the leftover vodka in the fridge. Might as well have a go at it now and try to make 2015 less shit than 2014.
 
 

We all see fashions and styles that we would love to have ourselves, but style can come with considerable work sometimes.  The goal of this thread is to promote exercise, getting in shape, constructive feedback, and provided the motivation needed to achieve the healthy look you’ve been wanting.
Did I mention you can win free VK stuff?  Because you totally can. 
 
How it works
 
Make a post with your fitness goal and where you are now.  Pictures of what you are shooting for can help others visualize what you want.  (Pictures of yourself are completely optional)
Post updates!  What have you been doing for your workouts?  Have you noticed any positive changes since you’ve started?  Everyone who posts at least one update each week will get one entry into a drawing at the end of the month.  More details on the drawing and prize below.
Want a second entry each week into the monthly prize drawing?  Those who provide regular constructive feedback for others will receive another entry into the monthly contest.  Feedback should be polite, but it should also be critical.  Feedback that only consists of “Great job!” doesn’t really contribute much, suggestions for improvement and areas to work on are examples of great feedback.
Lastly, we are using a bit of an honor system here.  If you didn’t do a workout, don’t post and say that you did.  We’re all trying to improve and support each other, let’s keep things positive.
 
Now for the part we’ve been waiting for.  The FREE STUFF!
 
A winner will be randomly chosen at the end of each month using a random number generator.  Once chosen, I’ll look at the last.fm profile of the winner to determine which prize they get.
THIS MONTH’S PRIZE IS A CD DONATED BY RAREZHUT.
Seriously check Rarezhut out (www.rarezhut.net) for all the CDs, cassettes, DVDs, and VHS you have a hard time finding elsewhere.  They ship internationally, provide sample clips of the stuff they sell on their website, and have a great “fuzzy” search system so you can find what you are looking for.  Possibly the best part is that they provide a CD with digital rips (using professional-grade equipment no less) of all VHS and Cassettes that you buy since not everyone has a VCR or cassette deck.  Plus it’s run by our very own Biopanda XD
 
---------
I've tried several different workout trackers and logs in the past, but my favorite by far is Fitocracy.  It has hundreds of exercises in its database, so adding them is a breeze.  The biggest feature (and my favorite) is that is makes working out into a game.  You log your workouts, get points, level up, complete quests such as running or biking a certain distance, and it's all free.  There's the social aspect too.  You can join groups, friend other Fitocrats, and even challenge others to duels.  There's an optional paid membership called "Hero mode" and individual coaching, but the free features are still more than amazing
https://www.fitocracy.com/
 
Our very own MH group on Fitocracy
https://www.fitocracy.com/group/19063/?about

I've been speaking to a couple of my comrades, namely  and @fictioninhope, about making this thread to have a place to share bands with and/or of women in the Japanese music scene. Visual kei and beyond. 
 
I've noticed a lot of times over the years I'd be in music communities and a random "girl" band would come up, and when asked what other female j-rock artists they enjoyed, most of the people could only name a couple off hand. Not because they didn't enjoy female musicians, but simply because they weren't exposed to any. I'm hoping this thread can change that and the wonderful members of MH can share their favorites here. And also have discussions about women in the industry and the pros and cons of it. 
 
I'll start off with some recent finds from the last few months. I'm always excited to see new faces, maybe some MH members can shed some light on these bands?
 
I recently found out this band is major on Victor Ent.? Not too bad, but their costuming made me expect something a little more epic. 
 
GANGLION
I think this group has been around a while, I know I've seen their name. But this song sounds like they may be worth looking into.
 
 
I think bands like Exist Trace, and Danger Gang won't need introduction in this thread. By far, I listen to a lot more non-visual bands so a couple of my recent favorites in that realm would be
New album is coming soon and I'm over the moon. All aboard the hype train. Choo choo! 
 
HEAD PHONES PRESIDENT
Anza was probably the first female rock vocalist I heard and I've been obsessed ever since. She's amazing.
 
And this band is a super recent find for me but I'm getting addicted to their brand of excessive cuteness. I can't fight it. ;;
SHISHAMO

Prepare for cavities!
 
So MH, who are some of the J-rock (or pop or hip-hop, it's all good) women in your life? Tell me all about them.

It's fitear1590's birthday today, woot!! Have a lovely birthday as well as miyavizeddiru18!! Have a great one you guys!

Thank you!
My otther favourite are X Japan, and Yoshiki in "classical mode", Sugizo, as you may have understood ... LOL, L'Arc~en~Ciel, Vamps, Malice Mizer, Moi dix Mois, Dir en Grey, Jupiter, Sambomaster and many others.

^Italian communities regarding Japanese music have slowly disappeared through the years so it's nice to see some of us coming together here! xD

Hello benibana

I'm fine, thanks and thanks for the warm welcome Haha

about Kamijo ? Yes i love him. I forgot to put him on the list

nice to meet you.