zombieparadise

PV looks absolutely amazing, probably their best one in ages. Like someone else already jokingly pointed out, it looks like Kyo's slowly transforming into Sopor Aeternus' Anna-Varney though 
 
also it DEF feels as if some parts of the songs have been cut out

the mistake was that he accidentally took a 128kbps rip of one of their older best-ofs from some random blogspot site

The album is out today and is available on iTunes Store globally.

Wow, Jinkaku Radio ripoff much?
 
 

Cover art has been revealed (it was already pretty much revealed...)

Type A:


Type B:


Standard edition:


Also revealed:
* The standard edition comes with 8 tracks
* Limited types A and B each come with 11 tracks.
      - 8 of the tracks are the same as the standard edition.
      - the remaining 3 tracks consist of acoustic arrangements of songs on the album, and will vary between Type A and Type B. Basically, the same scenario as his previous album.
* Type A comes with a DVD featuring a PV for a song titled 「くるおし花/kuruoshibana」
* Type B comes with a DVD featuring a PV for a song titled 「憑影と月風 /tsukikage to tsukikaze」


The full tracklist still has yet to be posted.

I think the cover is very beautiful and intriguing.
 
I will admit though that it is rather unusual for DEG, not only because of their choice of colors but also (and especially) because the more I think about the motif, colors and different design elements, the more I get the feeling that this cover art expresses something radically contrary to what the album title suggests (and contrary to DEG's usual vibe): peace, enlightenment and spirituality.
 
At first I tried to read it from the usual angle: dark, depressive, gloomy, aggressive etc. and the fractal design of the cover came to mind and I thought, well, maybe it signifies something along the lines of a fragmented personality/world (lat. fractus = broken) or that everything repeats itself endlessly. That would mean that nothing can truly change because real change without repetition is not possible resulting in immobility and apathy. That's where the "insulation" from the album title comes in. Plus the funnel-like objects surrounding the pupils have those dark swirls in them which might be a metaphor for all the pain and suffering or generally bad things this person has absorbed etc...
 
BUT then there’s the general expression of that person on the cover which I'm deducing mainly from the mouth and they look quite content, graceful, even dignified. The eyes are certainly wide open, so they seem to be quite perceptive and open to experience. The bindi-like dot on the forehead (the location of the third eye) is associated with spirituality and deeper perception and the color purple is usually associated with wisdom, peace, nobility, power, a higher self and so on. There's also the white fractal surrounding almost the entire head like a halo. Obviously, spiritual elements play a huge role in that image. But there's also the interplay between heaven (the golden area around the head looks like a sunlit sky) and earth (the green-brown area beginning on the neck and stretching further down to the chest) - so there's the heart that grounds you (soma) and the mind that wanders and aspires to that which is located on a higher experiential plane (psyche).
 
And that’s just off the top of my head… I think it’s a really cool cover and certainly lends itself to many interpretations. The spirituality aspect cannot be denied though I think and it makes me wonder if this is to represent a DEG that has shaken off its earthly shackles (like depression and pain) and has ascended to a higher realm of consciousness? 🙉And will that also show in lyrics? Or is it just artistic hybris: "Hey we have a new record, it'll blow your fucking mind". Whatever it is, I'm looking forward to it!
 
PS: You guys are unimaginative and boring as shit with your snarky comments - why u sound so butthurt all the time?

I can't tell if I like it more or less than the pink monkey man or naked green alien butt artwork covers of past years.

stupid title for whats gonna be a fKIN amazing album ❤️

I just read chiaki's new interview on cure, it seems like this album is his answer to this question(why doing music) he kept searching for over a year.
Basically he's in existential crisis right now.
 
Here's a brief translate(Sorry for my bad English):
 
-Why name this album [Today]
Chiaki: How to get through [Today], to me its really difficult for past year. I have insomnia for over a year, can't sleep, don't wanna go out. I know there is no answer but I'm keep searching by hang out with members and go on tour(That explained why their last tour name is"Please save/help chiaki"). Sometime I get a little realization but mostly don't. So it's really difficult for me to live through everyday.
 
Although you might think:"Even though you depressed before bed, you just close your eye and today will end, right?" . The answer is no, it doesn't. Because there are no ways you can experience tomorrow, you can only live in "Today". I wanna get an answer, otherwise  there will be no inner peace in my mind. In order to move forward from this restless state, from now on I will create songs on this premise. I'm not trying to deny our past, I will still write heavy songs when I'm angry, but right now this album is my state of mind.
 
I know a lot of people will think:"wtf are you guys doing, you changed so much", I don't expect this album will reach to everybody, it would be great if I can create something everybody like, but I cant. If there is one moment in the album that can resonate some of you, for me right now, its the happiest thing ever. I expect a lot of backlash, I will take full responsibility, that's how important this album to me. 
 

I love this and I didn't think Yoshihiko would ever scream in a song. I am surprised. XD

Right. I like the verses but I think the chorus is a bit repetitive :x

I'm expecting some very strong lyrical game from this one x

Wow, was not expecting that much of a downgrade. Other than the vocals this is not the same band.
 
If a band's popular enough to become major (if they are indeed major), why the hell do record labels insist on changing everything that made them good/unique enough to become major to begin with? Retarded.

| This leftover pizza tastes better once you warm it up.
 
Tracklist:
1. INTRODUCTION
2. THIRTEEN
3. GROTESQUE
4. EXIST
5. JØKER
6. RENATUS
7. AMBLE
8. SENSE OF EMPTINESS
9. FIVE
10. INTERLUDE
11. FAITH
12. OBVIOUS
13. A FOOL
 
With the return of bassist Akinori, lynch. has become a 5-member band once again. With tours 「13th ANNIVERSARY –Xlll GALLOWS- [THE FIVE BLACKEST CROWS], 『TOUR’18「THE NITES OF AVANTGARDE #2」“A BLØODY REVENGE”』, and the release of their compilation album SINNERS -no one can fake my bløod, the band has been on the move during 2018. While the announcement for their new album XIII had warranted excitement, it also brought along with it some skepticism from fans.  Seems reasonable since we have seen an abundance of mediocre re-recordings and mixes from lynch. How the band could have possibly had the time to put together an album, let alone what it was going to sound like, was something to be concerned about.
 
First impressions of XIII are positive. The album feels balanced, as Hazuki’s vocals are not the only prominent feature here but the chords and basslines of the guitars that compliment it, providing strength in the mid-range as well as an actual presence. Tracks such as "THIRTEEN", "RENATUS", and "FIVE" are perfect examples of these nuances, as well as some highlight tracks of XIII that are equally enjoyable. Taking note at one of lynch.’s only hindrances, we see that they've stuck to the same composition style as their last two albums, making a large portion of XIII  feel like a collection of B-sides. It failed to strike immediate chords with me, something that D.A.R.K and even AVANTGARDE  had no problem with. Adding to this is a variation in sound, something unfamiliar that I knew would take time to be accepted as the new norm. The balance in vocal and guitar strings, while being right up my alley, leaves the drumming much to be desired. There is reduced dynamic range, isolation, and maybe even a flat signature, ridding any “tail end” from the drums that could give the album more life. With arrangements mimicking the last two releases, and an unfamiliar sound, my first listen through XIII felt like one big blur.
 
However, after giving the album a couple week’s worth of listening, an appropriate break-in period that I felt was needed, XIII by lynch. has distinguishing attributes that separate it from the rest of their discography. The more I listen to it, the more my initial thoughts beforehand seem like fan uneasiness as lynch. has revisited their past work and refined it, throwing in inspiration from Visual Kei bands of the 90s like Kuroyume, Luna Sea, and Laputa. "RENATUS" has become a track favorite, with an astounding atmosphere that gives the aggression of those guitars a stronger bite. I’m a sucker for melodic tracks, and "AMBLE" sounds almost euphoric, providing many moments of elation that I wish could last forever. The versatility in musical instruments during "FAITH" is one to definitely check out. Lastly, the emotional cool-down track that is "A FOOL" brings XIII to a smooth close, without trying too hard to make it obvious.
 
XIII sounds completely different than it did a couple weeks ago, as the album takes on an empathetic atmosphere, driving a nostalgia trip that's going to be different for everyone. The album  is able to express its confidence here with an abundance of melodies and guitar solos, like a tribute to 13 years of lynch.'s past work, with a glint of 90’s Visual Kei thrown into the mix.  Whether this combination will make one feel something is up to the listener, but overall this album certainly has become a standalone release that I can easily stand behind, only after being given some time to warm up to it first. 
 
 

Wow, was not expecting that much of a downgrade. Other than the vocals this is not the same band.
 
If a band's popular enough to become major (if they are indeed major), why the hell do record labels insist on changing everything that made them good/unique enough to become major to begin with? Retarded.

Wow, was not expecting that much of a downgrade. Other than the vocals this is not the same band.
 
If a band's popular enough to become major (if they are indeed major), why the hell do record labels insist on changing everything that made them good/unique enough to become major to begin with? Retarded.

Wow, was not expecting that much of a downgrade. Other than the vocals this is not the same band.
 
If a band's popular enough to become major (if they are indeed major), why the hell do record labels insist on changing everything that made them good/unique enough to become major to begin with? Retarded.

YES! Please upload. I only got the Special Edition.

A few weeks late but I'd like to chime in with my thoughts towards the album as well. I've been listening to it on repeat for a while now, and while I was disappointed at first, I'm gradually coming to appreciate this album as something that's different from the usual lynch. I think the compositions are simpler than most of their songs (which isn't saying much), but what it lacks in depth it makes up for in atmosphere.
 
At first the songs blended together for a really underwhelming effect, but after multiple listens, things level out and I can appreciate the album as a whole. It's nice to see a lynch. album with this many slow songs and such great atmosphere. I still hate JØKER though; I don't think that would fit well on any of their previous albums. Their better me more bangers on their next full-length though.

Favorite tracks: EXIST, SENSE OF EMPTINESS, A FOOL, OBVIOUS
Not bad: THIRTEEN, RENATUS, AMBLE FAITH, FAITH
Boring: GROTESQUE, JØKER, FIVE

They're like a physical way of downloading a digital file. Each one has a download code on it for the songs.

That's been my experience in a nutshell. Different bands provide a different fan 'aura', but generally my experience as a 20-something's gaijin has been pretty accommodating. The awkwardness always melts away when my favorite bands take the stage anyway \m/ (I've just learned to stay out of the furitsuke for my own good LOL)