beni

ALSDEAF (ALSDEAD)
GAYLEYD (GALEYD)
DESSERT (DEZERT)
MESSY (MERRY)
NOCTURNAL BLOODSLUT (NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST)

Onan thooooo

it's like '90s Ryutarou went blonde

Yo everyone. I'm a guy from Finland who has been interested in Japanese culture and music, especially a bit heavier one since... 2005'ish or something. I'd say Gazette, An cafe and Miyavi were the first ones I listened to, but nowadays I prefer deathcore, progressive rock and grunge-esque music, but also umm... I don't really know where to categorize Finnish bands as Rubik and Pariisin Kevät, but they are awesome too! Such variety, many bands, wow. I also like to make terrible jokes and I like memes, especially doge. Doge is love, doge is life... ok not really, but you get the point. I love video games and manga and anime and yada yada from Evangelions to shamisens and so on. I also play LoL on both EU servers, so if someone wants to play, feel free to message me!
 
Yea that pretty much sums up my dull life at the moment... I guess ^^'

Ubukata is dead on.
 
  

Hopefully this isn't too late to bring up but I finally gave 88kasyo's album a listen and now, I regret not doing so earlier so it could be higher on the list. xD A very enjoyable album, I'm going to have to check out the rest of their stuff now!
On the subject of that, reading everyone's reviews on the albums has sealed the deal in needing to listen to all these guys. I've been planning to go through girugamesh's whole discography, since I seem to have only went through their supposed worst releases. xD Kameleo are awesome too, had given their NOW! album a listen ages ago and really loved it. Happy to see them here.
About 6th spot, I think I've talked far too much about him here as it is. xD And everyone probably knows what I think of the album (Realised I forgot about the album review link to the post... sleep depravity is annoying so if anyone's interested, it's linked here and above, at the top until the next Featured Review is finished). If not, I'll just keep it short: it's fabulous~
Seems like not much love huh? D':

Hopefully this isn't too late to bring up but I finally gave 88kasyo's album a listen and now, I regret not doing so earlier so it could be higher on the list. xD A very enjoyable album, I'm going to have to check out the rest of their stuff now!
On the subject of that, reading everyone's reviews on the albums has sealed the deal in needing to listen to all these guys. I've been planning to go through girugamesh's whole discography, since I seem to have only went through their supposed worst releases. xD Kameleo are awesome too, had given their NOW! album a listen ages ago and really loved it. Happy to see them here.
About 6th spot, I think I've talked far too much about him here as it is. xD And everyone probably knows what I think of the album (Realised I forgot about the album review link to the post... sleep depravity is annoying so if anyone's interested, it's linked here and above, at the top until the next Featured Review is finished). If not, I'll just keep it short: it's fabulous~
Seems like not much love huh? D':

It's amazing how polished they are, musically and visually. I really can't say I know another band doing this style as well as they are and a full album of originals would send me over the moon. Not that I even knew that they were in fact covers in the first place but shhhhh.

I still love most of the ones in the 'bad' sections but supporting and upping both Jun Togawa and Shinsei Kamattechan as well for such good WTF-inducing vocals! Love them so much, I was already prepared to bring them up until I read through the thread ehe.
 
As for contributing, I do have a 'bad' one. As soon as I saw the thread, I thought, 'I actually have one I can safely say even I can only listen to for a bit and then must take one hell of a long ass break from it.' xD
Tokami's Agato, newest vocalist. He sounds just.. so bad... And not only to me either, he seems quite popular to the fans for being pretty bad as a singer haha. And yet, we still love it. xD

Revisited this thread and just noticed your embed link
 
I must be a special snowflake since that "pseudo-glam rock-ish-grab-your-balls" scream @Decadence's chorus is what makes it memorable to me
 
Also:
 

 
*wink wink* Anti-idols.

I still love most of the ones in the 'bad' sections but supporting and upping both Jun Togawa and Shinsei Kamattechan as well for such good WTF-inducing vocals! Love them so much, I was already prepared to bring them up until I read through the thread ehe.
 
As for contributing, I do have a 'bad' one. As soon as I saw the thread, I thought, 'I actually have one I can safely say even I can only listen to for a bit and then must take one hell of a long ass break from it.' xD
Tokami's Agato, newest vocalist. He sounds just.. so bad... And not only to me either, he seems quite popular to the fans for being pretty bad as a singer haha. And yet, we still love it. xD

WTF-inducing Japanese vocals

At least from the perspective of an English speaker, I think Japanese vocalists can sometimes produce the strangest sounds from their mouth holes.  Let's discuss those moments here.

Now, "WTF-inducing" doesn't necessarily mean bad; in fact, I have more positive than negative examples!
Here are a few examples of Japanese vocals that completely took me off guard the first time I heard them.
 
The Good
愛狂います。 (Aicle) in "豚の王様「ニトログリセリン」" (Vocalist: Emiru)
This song consists of about 3 lines of actual lyrics.  The rest of the "vocals" come in the form of grunts, screeches, growls, and yes, pig oinks.  Wonky as shit, but I love this track.

 
女王蜂 (Ziyoou-vachi) in all of their songs, tbh (Vocalist: Avu-chan)
Avu-chan tends to switch abruptly between a gruff "male" voice and squeaky "female" voice, just adding another layer of weirdness on this major-label noisy ass punk group.

 
戸川純 (Jun Togawa) in "パンク蛹化の女"
Jun Togawa was always nuts, but I think this "punk" version of her hit song "mushi no onna" illustrates in the most obvious way just how "out there" here anti-idol act was.  Listen to her scream her heart out passionately over a delightfully cheerful synth version of Pachelbel's Canon!

己龍 (Kiryu) in most songs (Vocalist: Mahiro)
I think Mahiro has to be one of the most consistently "extreme" vocalists in VK.  He's frantic, sounds like he's on the verge of crying, he moans, cackles, and growls like a demon.  Love him!



神聖かまってちゃん (shinsei kamattechan) in most songs (Vocalist: Noko)
Similar to Jun Togawa, there's a raw, yet childish energy to Noko's vocals.  HOWEVER, Noko is actually a guy.  He pitch shifts and adds other effects to achieve this scary sound.  Just imagine a grown man saying "fuck you" in pitch shifted baby vocals...


 
The Bad
己龍 (Kiryu) in "鬼祭" (Vocalist: Mahiro)
As much as I love Mahiro's craziness, I do think he went overboard on one song.  In 鬼祭, he does inhale-y growls through the song's entire chorus.  It's just off-putting and doesn't really work.



Going for falsetto notes that you can't hit
There are plenty of examples for this, but I'll focus on Shaura of the band VII-Sense.  Just watch this clip (hopefully it starts at the right time) and see if you can listen to the entire vocal outro without cringing.  The sad thing is I liked his voice in all his previous bands!  I don't know what happened...



The Raid. in "JUDGEMENT" (Vocalist: sena) 
The Raid. have come to embody what I dislike about 80% of current VK, so apologies for the bias.  (All the more disappointing, because I really enjoyed the preview for their first single.)  ANYWAY, just watch the video.  From their weak-ass "airy" growls to the absolutely goofy falsetto in the chorus, nothing meshes.  I just have a very confused look on my face when I see this video.





Discuss!  Post your own examples (youtube videos in "spoilers," please!)

You can make out with your IRL friends, but you cannot make out with your internet friends.

Good job facing your fears beni!
Eraser Head's a weird one! It definitely stands out from other films I've seen but it's not one of those movies I've wanted to watch again.
Speaking of chainsaw, i just watched the 'series' up to the 2003 remake and....I dunno, it feels like the series took a turn.
As I mentioned, 2 was great. It expanded upon the events set in the first film and added in some black comedy.
3 was just ok, but there were actually some great parts. Viggo Mortensen's in this! Aragorn, son of Arathorn, king of men and a brother to Elves!
Anywho, I actually watched this in 2 sittings. The first 20 minutes or so kind of bored me. But, the movie gets alot more interesting. There's a cat and mouse-like chase scene in a forest with Leatherface and our protagonists and, surprisingly, the movie gets really suspenseful and had me hooked. There is some crazy family stuff later in the film, but it's not long enough and I wish they added more scenes. I don't want to see a re-hash of the first 2 films, but something extra, I think, would have made the movie even better.
4 is when you start to wonder what's going on with the series. Group of students at prom get entangled with the Leatherface family and craziness ensues. But everything is louder and people are more dramatic. The characters aren't as memorable, the acting from the kids are horribly directed, and Leatherface is changed to be a whiney drag queen.
By the way, Matthew friggen McConaughey and Renee Zellweger are in this. They're the only reason to see this IMO. Everything else just sort of falls flat and nothing is explained.
The 2003 remake bored me. Back then I think I would've had nightmares but it's full of stupid people making bad decisions. The bad guys are always somehow bending the rules like not making any noise when walking (to generate jumps scares) and, in running parts, somehow being right behind the main character despite being blocked by something or stuck or hurt.
For me it's not a matter of "is it 100% faithful to the original" because no it's not. And that's fine with me because this one was made to be different using the original as a springboard for inspiration. All the original elements are there, it's just told differently. So, in a way it's actually a good remake. This movie is a lot darker and delves deeper into the goriness of the situation rather than the mad house family insanity. That being said, it's not too bad (although there's one cringe worthy scene). There are memorable characters like the sheriff and the acting is good.
Maybe a bit outdated but good enough for 1 or 2 spins. I think I'm just conditioned to Michael Bay's directing.

The Last House on Dead End Street was a very low budget (3k) horror film made in the wake of Wes Craven's shocker The Last House on the Left, which is also a low-budget film, but with a budget of 90k. So it's quite a difference, and that can be seen and heard and felt. Wes Craven with a bigger budget, as well as being ten times the director the other guy was. The one you saw is a remake of this.
 
The Strangers are awfully underrated. I really like the film and feels as if it deserves a lot more recognition from people. Great and effective film.
 
Eraserhead is recommended a lot by me, but it's surrealistic and certainly not for everyone. It's simply a bit weird. But if one can handle that kind of films it's a gem.
 
And I think there's a lot of original and unique films being made today. A lot actually. Films like Amer, Berberian Sound Studio, The Stange Colours of Your Body's Tears and to some degree Red Nights feels very original and unique to me. The creators have been getting their main inspiration from gialo, but worked a lot on it to make it something quite different. These might be a bit too weird to people, though, especially the three first. But yeah, unique films. Sometimes style over substance, but I'm fine with that.

Artist: TK from 凛として時雨 Single: Fantastic Magic Score: Fantastic Magic? You bet it is!
TK from 凛として時雨(Rin Toshite Shigure), male vocalist of said band, presents his second solo album titled Fantastic Magic. 凛として時雨 and TK’s solo works are indie rock and alternative, but both units also utilize the genre of shoegaze, making them incredibly interesting. As TK breaks away for a solo effort from his band formed way back in 2002, he successfully creates a wild and dramatic ride sure to please all our musical needs.

The album starts with “Fantastic Magic.” Our ears are exposed to thrashing drums and quick piano keys playing along to strumming of guitars along with TK’s whimsical vocals calling out to us between the pauses. As soon as the song’s in full flow, it’s a manic musical racecourse, building up to the chorus where we hear TK’s sincerest shouts we’ve been waiting for. The single “unravel,” featured as the opening for anime Tokyo Ghoul is up next, the song many listeners look for. It gets any listener pumped up for what’s coming next. Thanks to the cluster of violins, drums and guitars playing together, and the emotional drive of TK’s helpless tone, “unravel” is a gripping song. Along with the tuneful build up to the end, we’re hit by TK’s desperate shrieks after the first chorus. Not only is it fitting for the anime tie-in, it’s a perfect fit to TK’s signature musical style with the mixture of high and low vocalisation, creating a quick, pulse-racing track.

Being a more beat oriented track, “kalei de scope” builds up tension and the emotional chaos is slowed down. The tiny taps of piano with small segments of drum beats, guitar strings, and electric beats all mix into a mesmerizing piece of music. The abrupt end makes you want more. “an artist” contrasts with previous tracks, sounding far more hopeful. TK doesn’t raise much of his voice in the song and it’s is definitely the calming point of the album. With piano backing the band, its melody is enchanting. In small sections, the music may completely halt so we can only hear TK’s echoing, breathy vocals. This creates a haunting tone, never stopping in dragging the listener in.

TK’s tone in “tokio” is just as emotionally breath-taking as his shrieks. He captures us, being entrapped and torn by his vocal work. An impressive acoustic track, it shows us just how emotional his unique voice is. A piano is used throughout this song which continues into the upcoming track. The stunning ballad “Shinkiro” features the equally child-like, innocent sounding singer Chara. The track is distinctive because of the added vocals and emotions. The fluid sounds of acoustic guitar, drums and bass doesn’t make the song overbearing or sleep inducing. The imperfection of both vocalists’ voices creates a modest and honest song which is chilling to the bone. There’s a sense of gentleness and warmth with the duo of sweet sounding voices.

The album version of “Dramatic Slow Motion” now begins to refill the tank after the few resting tracks, which is a thrilling ride, effectively building up throughout by the instrumental involvement to create a dramatic and racing tune that delivers an electrical current until the end. “Spiral Parade” is instantly a toe tapping number. Catchy and addicting. This track welcomes you to dance while rocking out. TK keeps his unique tune as the violin playing within the chorus adds another layer of chaos below the electronic beats and taps. The louder the music gets, the more instruments become involved, including random piano keys playing and steady beats from a drum.

TK takes on another soothing song, entitled “fragile.” The track is just as atmospheric as the ballads beforehand. What can now be noticed is how strained TK’s voice can be when he sings in a lower tone. This may put many listeners off the acoustic/ballad sounding tracks due to how piercing it can be. However, that’s where the source of magic can be most noticed. The irregularity of TK’s vocals creates the much needed melancholic feeling. “contrast” mashes various pieces of instruments very smoothly to create a tuneful closing. Starting off with only the piano, it quickly becomes very pleasing to listen to. We’re given everything TK’s offered us throughout the album in this final track alone. It’s atmospheric in the verses and bridges then energetic as soon as the chorus hits us. And when it does, it’s stunning. The instruments play harmonically together into a dramatic finish and TK’s vocals never slip up. It’s very worthy of being the album closer.

In conclusion, what we have here is a gem. Listeners who haven’t given a shot at the genre should definitely give TK a listen. His individuality and uniqueness is expressed wonderfully and definitely deserving of more attention. Because of how the tracks are ordered, various songs contrast effectively with one another. While my personal preference disagrees with the placement of “fragile,” the ‘problem’ many may be turned off by is TK’s vocals in the slower songs. However, the tranquility of each and every song deserves recognition. It’s ‘Fantastic Magic.’

Tried describing the subgenres as accurate as possible but obviously, bands can cross into more than one category and some genres can even be described differently.
I would, personally, pick all of them. xD But if I have to cut it down, it'd have to be Iryou Kei, Soft Kei and Tanbi Kei. I love how unique the Iryou visuals are because there aren't that many bands that choose to appear in this way. Also picked Soft Kei because most of my favourite bands can now be categorised in this subgenre. And the elegant section too because the music is usually rather dramatic, which I really like. And as a bonus, the vocalist usually always sounds so beautiful, contrasting with the hard sound of the genre. And those clothes, so stunning!! It's no secret I'm a fan of any man who cross-dresses hehe. I've noticed there's not much love for my old favourites, Oshare and Koteosa Kei D:

Fly away 裏の見えない この世界で声を枯らしても
羽を広げあるがままに 飛び立つんだ 喝采の明星
 
些細な言葉で傷を負うぐらい弱い俺さ 今朝も泣いていた
SO UP DOWN SO DOWN DOWN 繰り返した 情けないね でもね
 
唾を吐いて そっと睨むんだ 限界のその先を
 
SON OF A BITCH -ARROW-
SON OF A BITCH -SORROW-
落ちぶれたデイドリーム
 
SON OF A BITCH -ARROW-
SON OF A BITCH -SORROW-
だから深く不味い
 
SON OF A BITCH -SORROW-
Let's Go
 
汚れた身体隠すより
邪に笑い散らせば
There is nothing scary
 
Fly away 誰かが言った この世界は夢など見れない
耳障りだ 切り裂くのさ 72億分/1の咆哮で
 
SON OF A BITCH -ARROW-
SON OF A BITCH -SORROW-
落ちぶれたデイドリーム
 
SON OF A BITCH -ARROW-
SON OF A BITCH -SORROW-
だから深く不味い
 
SON OF A BITCH -SORROW-
儚き Life without regrets
 
SON OF A BITCH -ARROW-
SON OF A BITCH -SORROW-
ここから始まる
 
SON OF A BITCH -ARROW-
SON OF A BITCH -ARROW-
SON OF A BITCH -MARROW-
 
BLACK VIBES
 
 
 

I enjoyed this album a lot so I was really happy to be able to have to keep repeating it so many times! So it wasn't a problem at all reviewing it, throughly enjoyed it! And I'm happy to see you liked it too Cat! I know I can be a bit too easy and kind on certain things, especially music, but I found this very easy to rate actually, and I don't think I chose the wrong rating (okay well, maybe lower since his voice certainly is hit or miss ><). I thought it was an amazing listen the first time and I just became even more obsessed with it the more I listened to it. I heard his first album is even better so I look forward to giving that a listen. I didn't give it a full 5 stars because of the reasons you brought up. But I actually disagree with his voice not suiting the slower songs. I feel like there was an imbalance to these songs compared to the kind of songs on the album similar to his band work or louder tracks (pretty much every track not a ballad/slow track). They're rather similar to each other which makes for lengthy listening which might becoming boring but I thought TK's vocals made up for that. They were interesting because of his voice to me. Not dreary at all, just very different. My favourites were probably the single releases too, but overall this album is fabulous to me. And HEY, no calling my Chara unnecessary! </3 xD I just think she was a nice addition to the track after the similar sounding songs around it. 
Don't speak those words Cat, please! No more disbandments, especially them! 
 
 
Like I said in reply to Cat, I still MUST give that album a listen! Since I only have one complaint on this album, I bet that album is perfection to me. xD Same here, I like how it's slightly poppier compared to the band. It shows there can be many sides to his voice and even if that's not always a good fit, I love it when unique sounding vocalists do a different sounding track unlike what they usually do. xD I was about to say, I like how you weren't too fond of my two favourite tracks haha. Yeah, I thought they fit well in the album. And I'm giving you a virtual high five for that compliment on Shinkuro, their voices makes that track stand out so much. It's beautiful. Honestly, tokio took me a while to appreciate, probably the longest out of the tracks for me to enjoy but apart from that, they're all defeintly worth checking out.
 
And guys, thanks for replying. Love reading what others have to say about his and Rin Toshite Shigure music!

Good ol' TK striking again~
 
(Fun trivia: TK's solo career contributed a lot to my liking of anything LTS/TK-related - dominating radio-friendly elements in his earlier release + singles made it easier for me to digest their usual, brickwalled loudness)
 
Besides single tunes, I dug the late 90s dance poppy vibes in "Spiral Parade" and Chara duet in "Shinkiro" a lot (highlights! )

Artist: TK from 凛として時雨 Single: Fantastic Magic Score: Fantastic Magic? You bet it is!
TK from 凛として時雨(Rin Toshite Shigure), male vocalist of said band, presents his second solo album titled Fantastic Magic. 凛として時雨 and TK’s solo works are indie rock and alternative, but both units also utilize the genre of shoegaze, making them incredibly interesting. As TK breaks away for a solo effort from his band formed way back in 2002, he successfully creates a wild and dramatic ride sure to please all our musical needs.

The album starts with “Fantastic Magic.” Our ears are exposed to thrashing drums and quick piano keys playing along to strumming of guitars along with TK’s whimsical vocals calling out to us between the pauses. As soon as the song’s in full flow, it’s a manic musical racecourse, building up to the chorus where we hear TK’s sincerest shouts we’ve been waiting for. The single “unravel,” featured as the opening for anime Tokyo Ghoul is up next, the song many listeners look for. It gets any listener pumped up for what’s coming next. Thanks to the cluster of violins, drums and guitars playing together, and the emotional drive of TK’s helpless tone, “unravel” is a gripping song. Along with the tuneful build up to the end, we’re hit by TK’s desperate shrieks after the first chorus. Not only is it fitting for the anime tie-in, it’s a perfect fit to TK’s signature musical style with the mixture of high and low vocalisation, creating a quick, pulse-racing track.

Being a more beat oriented track, “kalei de scope” builds up tension and the emotional chaos is slowed down. The tiny taps of piano with small segments of drum beats, guitar strings, and electric beats all mix into a mesmerizing piece of music. The abrupt end makes you want more. “an artist” contrasts with previous tracks, sounding far more hopeful. TK doesn’t raise much of his voice in the song and it’s is definitely the calming point of the album. With piano backing the band, its melody is enchanting. In small sections, the music may completely halt so we can only hear TK’s echoing, breathy vocals. This creates a haunting tone, never stopping in dragging the listener in.

TK’s tone in “tokio” is just as emotionally breath-taking as his shrieks. He captures us, being entrapped and torn by his vocal work. An impressive acoustic track, it shows us just how emotional his unique voice is. A piano is used throughout this song which continues into the upcoming track. The stunning ballad “Shinkiro” features the equally child-like, innocent sounding singer Chara. The track is distinctive because of the added vocals and emotions. The fluid sounds of acoustic guitar, drums and bass doesn’t make the song overbearing or sleep inducing. The imperfection of both vocalists’ voices creates a modest and honest song which is chilling to the bone. There’s a sense of gentleness and warmth with the duo of sweet sounding voices.

The album version of “Dramatic Slow Motion” now begins to refill the tank after the few resting tracks, which is a thrilling ride, effectively building up throughout by the instrumental involvement to create a dramatic and racing tune that delivers an electrical current until the end. “Spiral Parade” is instantly a toe tapping number. Catchy and addicting. This track welcomes you to dance while rocking out. TK keeps his unique tune as the violin playing within the chorus adds another layer of chaos below the electronic beats and taps. The louder the music gets, the more instruments become involved, including random piano keys playing and steady beats from a drum.

TK takes on another soothing song, entitled “fragile.” The track is just as atmospheric as the ballads beforehand. What can now be noticed is how strained TK’s voice can be when he sings in a lower tone. This may put many listeners off the acoustic/ballad sounding tracks due to how piercing it can be. However, that’s where the source of magic can be most noticed. The irregularity of TK’s vocals creates the much needed melancholic feeling. “contrast” mashes various pieces of instruments very smoothly to create a tuneful closing. Starting off with only the piano, it quickly becomes very pleasing to listen to. We’re given everything TK’s offered us throughout the album in this final track alone. It’s atmospheric in the verses and bridges then energetic as soon as the chorus hits us. And when it does, it’s stunning. The instruments play harmonically together into a dramatic finish and TK’s vocals never slip up. It’s very worthy of being the album closer.

In conclusion, what we have here is a gem. Listeners who haven’t given a shot at the genre should definitely give TK a listen. His individuality and uniqueness is expressed wonderfully and definitely deserving of more attention. Because of how the tracks are ordered, various songs contrast effectively with one another. While my personal preference disagrees with the placement of “fragile,” the ‘problem’ many may be turned off by is TK’s vocals in the slower songs. However, the tranquility of each and every song deserves recognition. It’s ‘Fantastic Magic.’

I enjoyed this album a lot so I was really happy to be able to have to keep repeating it so many times! So it wasn't a problem at all reviewing it, throughly enjoyed it! And I'm happy to see you liked it too Cat! I know I can be a bit too easy and kind on certain things, especially music, but I found this very easy to rate actually, and I don't think I chose the wrong rating (okay well, maybe lower since his voice certainly is hit or miss ><). I thought it was an amazing listen the first time and I just became even more obsessed with it the more I listened to it. I heard his first album is even better so I look forward to giving that a listen. I didn't give it a full 5 stars because of the reasons you brought up. But I actually disagree with his voice not suiting the slower songs. I feel like there was an imbalance to these songs compared to the kind of songs on the album similar to his band work or louder tracks (pretty much every track not a ballad/slow track). They're rather similar to each other which makes for lengthy listening which might becoming boring but I thought TK's vocals made up for that. They were interesting because of his voice to me. Not dreary at all, just very different. My favourites were probably the single releases too, but overall this album is fabulous to me. And HEY, no calling my Chara unnecessary! </3 xD I just think she was a nice addition to the track after the similar sounding songs around it. 
Don't speak those words Cat, please! No more disbandments, especially them! 
 
 
Like I said in reply to Cat, I still MUST give that album a listen! Since I only have one complaint on this album, I bet that album is perfection to me. xD Same here, I like how it's slightly poppier compared to the band. It shows there can be many sides to his voice and even if that's not always a good fit, I love it when unique sounding vocalists do a different sounding track unlike what they usually do. xD I was about to say, I like how you weren't too fond of my two favourite tracks haha. Yeah, I thought they fit well in the album. And I'm giving you a virtual high five for that compliment on Shinkuro, their voices makes that track stand out so much. It's beautiful. Honestly, tokio took me a while to appreciate, probably the longest out of the tracks for me to enjoy but apart from that, they're all defeintly worth checking out.
 
And guys, thanks for replying. Love reading what others have to say about his and Rin Toshite Shigure music!

Thanks for reviewing this! This was a pretty good album, although I'd rate it a bit lower personally. I loved the eps and singles that TK released prior to this, but the full length just didn't do it for me as a whole. Those vulnerable, ballad-y TK tracks really drag the album down imo...I feel like his voice just isn't suited to those kinds of songs. And I know CHARA is pretty iconic, but her being featured on "shinkuro" was unnecessary...her voice is even more shrill than TK's lol.
But despite it's faults, this album was better than anything 凛として時雨 released as a band this year. I'm honestly worried that they might disband at this point. XD

His best songs are still on his first album ("Abnormal trick" and "phase to phrase" are just too good), but I like this new CD a bit better as a whole. I like that it doesn't sound as much as Ling as the other one did, and the fact that it's poppier at some points doesn't bother me at all. I wasn't too fond of both "unravel" and "contrast" when they came out as singles, but these two songs sound a lot better in the album context and are actually some of the highlights of it. The track with Chara is one of my favorites too - it's calm, simple, subtle and both voices work well in it imo. "Spiral Parade", however, is my favorite song off the record overall; "tokio" and "kalei de scope" are the only ones that haven't really hit it with me.