togz

Honestly hadn't heard this group until I checked out your review... absolutely checking them out. 
 
Great review @Zeus!

I almost submitted for this but I was too busy to throw something together :< BUT BOTH OF YOU DID SO WELL. I hope we do this again next year.

I almost submitted for this but I was too busy to throw something together :< BUT BOTH OF YOU DID SO WELL. I hope we do this again next year.

I almost submitted for this but I was too busy to throw something together :< BUT BOTH OF YOU DID SO WELL. I hope we do this again next year.

To be honest... listening to most of their recent releases.... It's fun and all... like yeah it'd be fun live or something... but often times I find myself not really knowing what song is playing anymore... even though I've been very aware of their releases for a long time. I could probably listen to their discography religiously for weeks and still have songs I mix up with others... But I'm not going to call bad musicians or something on them, because I do enjoy a good lynch listen every now and then. SHADOWS was their peak for me. 

| A promising band creates an instant classic with their first release.
I smell a rivalry brewing within the depths of indie pop.
 
It all follows from the implosion of the still revered pop quartet school food punishment. A source of joy for many, internal and external pressures slowly tore the band apart. There was an overt sense that during the latter part of their career some members of the band were restraining their talents. We hoped for the best, but we saw it coming when vocalist and lead composer Yumi Uchimura suddenly left the band to pursue her own vision of music via la la larks. For all intents and purposes, la la larks filtered out what remnants of early school food punishment were left, opting for a ho-hum sleeker major label sound.
 
I looked forward to the solo efforts of Masayuki Hasuo, but I never thought he would team up with Haisuinonasa's Yoshimasa Terui. Undeterred, the duo found Argentina-born vocalist Annabel, who is probably the closest sounding person to Yumi that isn't Yumi, and returned to their roots with siraph. Their self-titled release immediately brings to mind the soundscapes of riff-rain that I fell in love with many years ago. The similarities are more than uncanny. I would call them an almost outright challenge to Yumi's new band, except Terui's compositions take the band into places Yumi would only dip her toes into. siraph sounds as if you teleported air feel, color swim into 2016, with six cuts brimming full of energy and craving to be heard. "時間は告ぐ" (Jikan wa Tsugu) alone is enough to convince me a few of them were composed with a not-so-different vocalist in mind.
 
The mini album is an earworm of catchy tunes for sure. The unpredictable drum rhythms and thick bass suit Annabel's rougher vocals like a glove, so much so that I'm willing to overlook her vocal imperfections as just another element to the track. If the progressive opener "in the margin" doesn't snag you immediately, "時間は告ぐ" follows a more conventional song structure that is sure to please. My personal favorite is "thor", which combines the chillwave and pop elements with a progressive rock touch for one hell of an awesome track, but I'd be lying if I said they all aren't good. Even the mellow closer "想像の雨" (Souzou no Ame) leaves me immediately wanting more.
 
It's rare to find a band establish their sound so firmly with their first release, but it doesn't surprise me that siraph strike gold on their first try. la la larks is cool, but it never filled the hole school food punishment left vacant since 2008. siraph is the band I didn't know I needed. It remains to be seen if la la larks will respond to the challenge or remain in their hemisphere of electro pop. As promising as this is, I believe siraph has enough chops to grow into their own band and expand their sound into places we have not yet seen. For now, this band has my attention.
 
 
Support the band!

✹ This release is available for purchase online via JP iTunes. Thanks for the information @Pho! ✹

So we got 2 submissions from @The Reverendand @plastic_rainbow
both ideas are very cool thank you for taking part
The Voting will start from today until the 10/31
 
The Reverend's Jack-o'-lantern dedicated to Prince. (RIP)
 
 
plastic_rainbow's grim reaper look
 

I love the both of you for doing this! Thanks guys <3

I know you touched on it a bit at the end of your review, but I should elaborate a little more.
 
lynch. comes in 3 flavors: concert, studio, and somewhere between. The last three albums hit each of these in turn. I hated the sandpaper sounding GALLOWS and it's singular focus on chugging and aggression. I loved D.A.R.K. because it felt like a studio lynch. album with some stabs at creativity. A few tracks had some iffy riffs but I was willing to overlook that since the entire package was solid. lynch want to return to that "live" sound but it's really hard to capture on disk IMO. By trying to meld the two sides of themselves together they lost all the advantages either one had. Each song sounds like a remix of a lynch. song I already heard and while it's not as one-dimensional as DEATHGAZE's regurgitations, I'm hard pressed to spin this when albums like IBIM and SHADOWS appeal to me infinitely more. I want to like this and maybe this will grow on me, but right now I'm chilling at about a 6/10 myself.

Great review @togz! Sad to say lynch. isn't appearing on any lists from me this year.

| AVANT GARDE but oh so predictable
 
lynch. has been around for some time when it comes to the history of modern J-rock bands. The band has released 9 albums, 15 singles, and 1 EP since their formation in 2004. The guys have managed to keep a steady and consistent sound despite some line-up changes. This sound revolves mostly around Hazuki's vocal style and melodic phrases. Though Hazuki's vocal strategy has yet to change, the groups instrumental phrasing alters a little with each release. Like any other artists, there's always a small group that doesn't approve of the musical direction. The main argument when it comes to lynch. is that they keep recycling the same formula. In most cases, opinions clash when artists change their sound completely or become a little more experimental with their sound. lynch. has stayed almost too consistent to this point, but somehow it works for them. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
 
AVANTGARDE is the newest addition to the bands discography and offers 12 new tracks. The title is quite vague and opens some space for creativity and exploration, but falls a little short of these expectations. "AVANT GARDE" is an interesting opening and utilizes a lot of synths and electronic aspects that work great for a stage entrance, but it does not sum up the whole album in any way. Tracks such as "EVIDENCE", "DAMNED", "PRAYER",  and "THE OUTRAGE SEXUALITY" sound a little fresher musically and offer a bit more depth in the heaviness department. Although "F.A.K.E" is catchy with the slap bass phrase, it and "PLEDGE" also sounds like they're right off one of their past releases.  "UNELMA" and "PHANTOM" show more of a solid direction change in this album. The guitar work in "UNELMA" is more adventurous and it shines best in the guitar solo while the general contrast between instrumentals and vocals in "PHANTOM" tastefully build off each other. "FAREWELL" is a beautifully slow, abstract, and smooth ballad but it sounds disjointed from the rest of the album. Because "AVANT GARDE" doesn't give a clear preview of the rest of the album, I would consider "EVIDENCE" as a better opening track. The first and last song should come full circle and translate a full summary of what the album is but these two tracks ended up being the only two completely fresh-feeling tracks on the album. 
 
While the release itself is still very strong if you've never listened to lynch. before, it doesn't stray too far from their previous work. This doesn't go to say that the band is not progressing or trying new things but simply that there wasn't a significant change to really create that wow factor that avid listeners are looking for. Listening for the production quality alone you can tell they've tweaked a few minor things to make the depth of their songs a lot more prominent and they've even adopted a few new djent techniques. This album will translate well to live performances just as their past releases have which brings me to one conclusion. In the words of @Zeus, " If GALLOWS was 100% live lynch. and D.A.R.K. was blending the live side with their studio sensibilities, then to me AVANTGARDE feels 70% of the way between D.A.R.K. and GALLOWS but closer to GALLOWS."
 
 
Support the band!
 
CDJapan | iTunes (Japan)

I went to see Purity Ring last night.
Holy smoookes they were so goood. 
 

 
I even got a photo with the opening act HANA. She threw on a killer performance as well. 
 

There was a Halloween themed house party for my friends house warming!
 

hellooo
 

| AVANT GARDE but oh so predictable
 
lynch. has been around for some time when it comes to the history of modern J-rock bands. The band has released 9 albums, 15 singles, and 1 EP since their formation in 2004. The guys have managed to keep a steady and consistent sound despite some line-up changes. This sound revolves mostly around Hazuki's vocal style and melodic phrases. Though Hazuki's vocal strategy has yet to change, the groups instrumental phrasing alters a little with each release. Like any other artists, there's always a small group that doesn't approve of the musical direction. The main argument when it comes to lynch. is that they keep recycling the same formula. In most cases, opinions clash when artists change their sound completely or become a little more experimental with their sound. lynch. has stayed almost too consistent to this point, but somehow it works for them. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
 
AVANTGARDE is the newest addition to the bands discography and offers 12 new tracks. The title is quite vague and opens some space for creativity and exploration, but falls a little short of these expectations. "AVANT GARDE" is an interesting opening and utilizes a lot of synths and electronic aspects that work great for a stage entrance, but it does not sum up the whole album in any way. Tracks such as "EVIDENCE", "DAMNED", "PRAYER",  and "THE OUTRAGE SEXUALITY" sound a little fresher musically and offer a bit more depth in the heaviness department. Although "F.A.K.E" is catchy with the slap bass phrase, it and "PLEDGE" also sounds like they're right off one of their past releases.  "UNELMA" and "PHANTOM" show more of a solid direction change in this album. The guitar work in "UNELMA" is more adventurous and it shines best in the guitar solo while the general contrast between instrumentals and vocals in "PHANTOM" tastefully build off each other. "FAREWELL" is a beautifully slow, abstract, and smooth ballad but it sounds disjointed from the rest of the album. Because "AVANT GARDE" doesn't give a clear preview of the rest of the album, I would consider "EVIDENCE" as a better opening track. The first and last song should come full circle and translate a full summary of what the album is but these two tracks ended up being the only two completely fresh-feeling tracks on the album. 
 
While the release itself is still very strong if you've never listened to lynch. before, it doesn't stray too far from their previous work. This doesn't go to say that the band is not progressing or trying new things but simply that there wasn't a significant change to really create that wow factor that avid listeners are looking for. Listening for the production quality alone you can tell they've tweaked a few minor things to make the depth of their songs a lot more prominent and they've even adopted a few new djent techniques. This album will translate well to live performances just as their past releases have which brings me to one conclusion. In the words of @Zeus, " If GALLOWS was 100% live lynch. and D.A.R.K. was blending the live side with their studio sensibilities, then to me AVANTGARDE feels 70% of the way between D.A.R.K. and GALLOWS but closer to GALLOWS."
 
 
Support the band!
 
CDJapan | iTunes (Japan)

| AVANT GARDE but oh so predictable
 
lynch. has been around for some time when it comes to the history of modern J-rock bands. The band has released 9 albums, 15 singles, and 1 EP since their formation in 2004. The guys have managed to keep a steady and consistent sound despite some line-up changes. This sound revolves mostly around Hazuki's vocal style and melodic phrases. Though Hazuki's vocal strategy has yet to change, the groups instrumental phrasing alters a little with each release. Like any other artists, there's always a small group that doesn't approve of the musical direction. The main argument when it comes to lynch. is that they keep recycling the same formula. In most cases, opinions clash when artists change their sound completely or become a little more experimental with their sound. lynch. has stayed almost too consistent to this point, but somehow it works for them. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
 
AVANTGARDE is the newest addition to the bands discography and offers 12 new tracks. The title is quite vague and opens some space for creativity and exploration, but falls a little short of these expectations. "AVANT GARDE" is an interesting opening and utilizes a lot of synths and electronic aspects that work great for a stage entrance, but it does not sum up the whole album in any way. Tracks such as "EVIDENCE", "DAMNED", "PRAYER",  and "THE OUTRAGE SEXUALITY" sound a little fresher musically and offer a bit more depth in the heaviness department. Although "F.A.K.E" is catchy with the slap bass phrase, it and "PLEDGE" also sounds like they're right off one of their past releases.  "UNELMA" and "PHANTOM" show more of a solid direction change in this album. The guitar work in "UNELMA" is more adventurous and it shines best in the guitar solo while the general contrast between instrumentals and vocals in "PHANTOM" tastefully build off each other. "FAREWELL" is a beautifully slow, abstract, and smooth ballad but it sounds disjointed from the rest of the album. Because "AVANT GARDE" doesn't give a clear preview of the rest of the album, I would consider "EVIDENCE" as a better opening track. The first and last song should come full circle and translate a full summary of what the album is but these two tracks ended up being the only two completely fresh-feeling tracks on the album. 
 
While the release itself is still very strong if you've never listened to lynch. before, it doesn't stray too far from their previous work. This doesn't go to say that the band is not progressing or trying new things but simply that there wasn't a significant change to really create that wow factor that avid listeners are looking for. Listening for the production quality alone you can tell they've tweaked a few minor things to make the depth of their songs a lot more prominent and they've even adopted a few new djent techniques. This album will translate well to live performances just as their past releases have which brings me to one conclusion. In the words of @Zeus, " If GALLOWS was 100% live lynch. and D.A.R.K. was blending the live side with their studio sensibilities, then to me AVANTGARDE feels 70% of the way between D.A.R.K. and GALLOWS but closer to GALLOWS."
 
 
Support the band!
 
CDJapan | iTunes (Japan)

YO I HAVE TOTALLY SEEN YOU AROUND BEFORE. I think you're friends with a few of my friends haha hi!
 
But anyway this is like the best selfie I can do. I dyed my hair gray/silver recently and I'm sort of in love with it. 
 

| AVANT GARDE but oh so predictable
 
lynch. has been around for some time when it comes to the history of modern J-rock bands. The band has released 9 albums, 15 singles, and 1 EP since their formation in 2004. The guys have managed to keep a steady and consistent sound despite some line-up changes. This sound revolves mostly around Hazuki's vocal style and melodic phrases. Though Hazuki's vocal strategy has yet to change, the groups instrumental phrasing alters a little with each release. Like any other artists, there's always a small group that doesn't approve of the musical direction. The main argument when it comes to lynch. is that they keep recycling the same formula. In most cases, opinions clash when artists change their sound completely or become a little more experimental with their sound. lynch. has stayed almost too consistent to this point, but somehow it works for them. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
 
AVANTGARDE is the newest addition to the bands discography and offers 12 new tracks. The title is quite vague and opens some space for creativity and exploration, but falls a little short of these expectations. "AVANT GARDE" is an interesting opening and utilizes a lot of synths and electronic aspects that work great for a stage entrance, but it does not sum up the whole album in any way. Tracks such as "EVIDENCE", "DAMNED", "PRAYER",  and "THE OUTRAGE SEXUALITY" sound a little fresher musically and offer a bit more depth in the heaviness department. Although "F.A.K.E" is catchy with the slap bass phrase, it and "PLEDGE" also sounds like they're right off one of their past releases.  "UNELMA" and "PHANTOM" show more of a solid direction change in this album. The guitar work in "UNELMA" is more adventurous and it shines best in the guitar solo while the general contrast between instrumentals and vocals in "PHANTOM" tastefully build off each other. "FAREWELL" is a beautifully slow, abstract, and smooth ballad but it sounds disjointed from the rest of the album. Because "AVANT GARDE" doesn't give a clear preview of the rest of the album, I would consider "EVIDENCE" as a better opening track. The first and last song should come full circle and translate a full summary of what the album is but these two tracks ended up being the only two completely fresh-feeling tracks on the album. 
 
While the release itself is still very strong if you've never listened to lynch. before, it doesn't stray too far from their previous work. This doesn't go to say that the band is not progressing or trying new things but simply that there wasn't a significant change to really create that wow factor that avid listeners are looking for. Listening for the production quality alone you can tell they've tweaked a few minor things to make the depth of their songs a lot more prominent and they've even adopted a few new djent techniques. This album will translate well to live performances just as their past releases have which brings me to one conclusion. In the words of @Zeus, " If GALLOWS was 100% live lynch. and D.A.R.K. was blending the live side with their studio sensibilities, then to me AVANTGARDE feels 70% of the way between D.A.R.K. and GALLOWS but closer to GALLOWS."
 
 
Support the band!
 
CDJapan | iTunes (Japan)

| AVANT GARDE but oh so predictable
 
lynch. has been around for some time when it comes to the history of modern J-rock bands. The band has released 9 albums, 15 singles, and 1 EP since their formation in 2004. The guys have managed to keep a steady and consistent sound despite some line-up changes. This sound revolves mostly around Hazuki's vocal style and melodic phrases. Though Hazuki's vocal strategy has yet to change, the groups instrumental phrasing alters a little with each release. Like any other artists, there's always a small group that doesn't approve of the musical direction. The main argument when it comes to lynch. is that they keep recycling the same formula. In most cases, opinions clash when artists change their sound completely or become a little more experimental with their sound. lynch. has stayed almost too consistent to this point, but somehow it works for them. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
 
AVANTGARDE is the newest addition to the bands discography and offers 12 new tracks. The title is quite vague and opens some space for creativity and exploration, but falls a little short of these expectations. "AVANT GARDE" is an interesting opening and utilizes a lot of synths and electronic aspects that work great for a stage entrance, but it does not sum up the whole album in any way. Tracks such as "EVIDENCE", "DAMNED", "PRAYER",  and "THE OUTRAGE SEXUALITY" sound a little fresher musically and offer a bit more depth in the heaviness department. Although "F.A.K.E" is catchy with the slap bass phrase, it and "PLEDGE" also sounds like they're right off one of their past releases.  "UNELMA" and "PHANTOM" show more of a solid direction change in this album. The guitar work in "UNELMA" is more adventurous and it shines best in the guitar solo while the general contrast between instrumentals and vocals in "PHANTOM" tastefully build off each other. "FAREWELL" is a beautifully slow, abstract, and smooth ballad but it sounds disjointed from the rest of the album. Because "AVANT GARDE" doesn't give a clear preview of the rest of the album, I would consider "EVIDENCE" as a better opening track. The first and last song should come full circle and translate a full summary of what the album is but these two tracks ended up being the only two completely fresh-feeling tracks on the album. 
 
While the release itself is still very strong if you've never listened to lynch. before, it doesn't stray too far from their previous work. This doesn't go to say that the band is not progressing or trying new things but simply that there wasn't a significant change to really create that wow factor that avid listeners are looking for. Listening for the production quality alone you can tell they've tweaked a few minor things to make the depth of their songs a lot more prominent and they've even adopted a few new djent techniques. This album will translate well to live performances just as their past releases have which brings me to one conclusion. In the words of @Zeus, " If GALLOWS was 100% live lynch. and D.A.R.K. was blending the live side with their studio sensibilities, then to me AVANTGARDE feels 70% of the way between D.A.R.K. and GALLOWS but closer to GALLOWS."
 
 
Support the band!
 
CDJapan | iTunes (Japan)

| AVANT GARDE but oh so predictable
 
lynch. has been around for some time when it comes to the history of modern J-rock bands. The band has released 9 albums, 15 singles, and 1 EP since their formation in 2004. The guys have managed to keep a steady and consistent sound despite some line-up changes. This sound revolves mostly around Hazuki's vocal style and melodic phrases. Though Hazuki's vocal strategy has yet to change, the groups instrumental phrasing alters a little with each release. Like any other artists, there's always a small group that doesn't approve of the musical direction. The main argument when it comes to lynch. is that they keep recycling the same formula. In most cases, opinions clash when artists change their sound completely or become a little more experimental with their sound. lynch. has stayed almost too consistent to this point, but somehow it works for them. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
 
AVANTGARDE is the newest addition to the bands discography and offers 12 new tracks. The title is quite vague and opens some space for creativity and exploration, but falls a little short of these expectations. "AVANT GARDE" is an interesting opening and utilizes a lot of synths and electronic aspects that work great for a stage entrance, but it does not sum up the whole album in any way. Tracks such as "EVIDENCE", "DAMNED", "PRAYER",  and "THE OUTRAGE SEXUALITY" sound a little fresher musically and offer a bit more depth in the heaviness department. Although "F.A.K.E" is catchy with the slap bass phrase, it and "PLEDGE" also sounds like they're right off one of their past releases.  "UNELMA" and "PHANTOM" show more of a solid direction change in this album. The guitar work in "UNELMA" is more adventurous and it shines best in the guitar solo while the general contrast between instrumentals and vocals in "PHANTOM" tastefully build off each other. "FAREWELL" is a beautifully slow, abstract, and smooth ballad but it sounds disjointed from the rest of the album. Because "AVANT GARDE" doesn't give a clear preview of the rest of the album, I would consider "EVIDENCE" as a better opening track. The first and last song should come full circle and translate a full summary of what the album is but these two tracks ended up being the only two completely fresh-feeling tracks on the album. 
 
While the release itself is still very strong if you've never listened to lynch. before, it doesn't stray too far from their previous work. This doesn't go to say that the band is not progressing or trying new things but simply that there wasn't a significant change to really create that wow factor that avid listeners are looking for. Listening for the production quality alone you can tell they've tweaked a few minor things to make the depth of their songs a lot more prominent and they've even adopted a few new djent techniques. This album will translate well to live performances just as their past releases have which brings me to one conclusion. In the words of @Zeus, " If GALLOWS was 100% live lynch. and D.A.R.K. was blending the live side with their studio sensibilities, then to me AVANTGARDE feels 70% of the way between D.A.R.K. and GALLOWS but closer to GALLOWS."
 
 
Support the band!
 
CDJapan | iTunes (Japan)

There was a Halloween themed house party for my friends house warming!
 

There was a Halloween themed house party for my friends house warming!
 

I like all sorts of different music, from newer stuff like Ghost to 80's punk and goth. But for the past few weeks it has just been UNiTE. lol 
My girlfriend and I have even been making UNiTE. artwork we are so obsessed.  


 

Welcome to the forum! 
I really like unite as well!
what other music do you like outside of those two?

DOOMBOX
ST. PETERSBURG, FL + ORLANDO, FL 
7/1-7/2
coldrain have been putting in a lot of hard work touring America lately and I have to say how grateful I am. I was able to attend their tour late last year supporting Volumes and Northlane, but unable to see them on tour with Silverstein this past spring. So when they announced they were coming back with Vans Warped Tour in the same year I was beside myself. I've been attending Vans Warped Tour for almost 15 years now, so to start seeing bands from all over the world join in during the last few years has been a joy. And the fact that they are bands I previously supported means Kevin Lyman and his team absolutely know who their demographic is and what is coming on the horizon. The line up this year was already wonderful but the addition of coldrain made an easy choice even easier.
 
VINOY PARK - ST. PETERSBURG, FL - 7/1
Vinoy Park is one of my favorite outdoor venues in the country, and it happens to be a thirty minute drive from my house. It's waterfront, well shaded, and generally a lot more temperate than farther inland. But that doesn't mean it's immune to the horrible Florida humidity and heat. And if you aren't used to that heat it can really be a buzzkill. By 2:00pm when coldrain hit the stage, you could tell some of the band members were not quite acclimated to the temperature spike, and they had the privilege of playing at the absolute hottest time of the entire day. The thermometer may have only read 95℉, but it felt like much more packed inside of a crowd of warm bodies, that's for sure. 
 
On both days I attended coldrain were slighted a bit in the schedule, they were set to play just after two southern region native bands with insanely loyal fanbases. Both were also amazing, high energy, and completely wore out their crowds. Today it was Whitechapel, deathcore favorites from Knoxville, Tennessee that dominated the Monster North stage. So moments after that on the adjacent Monster South stage when coldrain started their first song -the opening staple for the last year or so, "The Revelation"- only a handful of us were there to see it. It took a few minutes for the others in attendance to re-hydrate and make their way back, or hear them in passing and join the crowd to investigate. But by their second and third songs the crowd was starting to look lively again. It was hard not to. coldrain may not have been the heaviest band there, or the flashiest, but they play insanely catchy, hook-heavy, hard rock and everyone who even looked in their direction once they began playing had no choice but to nod along. 
 
coldrain took the stage in the tried and true Warped Tour band 'uniform' clad in all black with some ripped jeans, save vocalist Masato's patched-up, sleeveless denim vest that harkened back to the tour's punk rock grassroots. Masato kept things jovial as he could between songs as he introduced them as a band all the way from Japan. "Yes, I said Japan," he teased at what I assume were a few confused looks from the crowd. They attacked their set and gave it a hundred and ten percent of their efforts. Both guitarists Y.K.C and Sugi kept up insane levels of energy, headbanging, kicking, and spinning along to a nearly flawless musical performance. RxYxO was probably the most interactive with the crowd during songs, as he yelled out for us to jump, scream, and clap along. Katsuma pounded on his drums in near mechanically precise meter. coldrain are a well oiled machine and anyone who sees them live can testify to it.
 
But, even despite their almost ten years of experience playing concerts, effects from the heat are still unpredictable and can sneak up on you at any moment. The set list was designed to keep bumping up the energy with every song, and it did exactly as intended, but that also seemed to take a toll on Masato as nearing the end of "The Words of the Youth" when his face became so pale that everyone in the front row looked at each other in concern. The others seemed sweaty and tired, but Masato alone looked as if he'd faint at any moment. Though, that didn't stop him from screaming with everything he had. Maybe it looked worse than it felt to him at the time, but he did make a comment about the heat being ridiculous in the quiet moments before "The War is On" started up. That small break seemed to be just enough to give him whatever he needed to fight through the rest of the set and by the time they wrapped up the final song "Gone" it was almost all but forgotten. 
 
That was until the meet and greet half an hour afterwards at their merch tent. coldrain were patient and kind to their fans, as they usually are. We did have a small exchange about the heat and there were a few curse words strewn along to describe it jokingly on both sides. They smiled for every picture and were happy to sign as many items as anyone asked for. Their level of professionalism isn't left on stage and they make an effort to make every fan feel appreciated. Their merch salesperson had a tip jar offering to teach how to "curse in Japanese", and we spoke with her a while as we purchased our coldrain swag (t-shirts, bandanas, and extra copies of VENA and The Revelation to get autographed). Needless to say we helped teach her a few more curse words that day as well. She also deserves a small shout out for being equally awesome and helpful.
 
TINKER FIELD - ORLANDO, FL - 7/2
As the main problem for the Vinoy Park show had only been the heat, the problems for Tinker Field were just about everything else. coldainposted their set time was 7:00pm, with a 3:00pm meet and greet/autograph session. Our travel time to Orlando was only just over an hour, but there was no way we would agree to wait in the heat all day and have any kind of energy to dedicate to coldrain's set. Maybe I'm just getting old. But in any case, we decided to forego the meet and greet and enter the venue around 5:00pm. This was also compounded by the onslaught of rain that began right around 3:30. And by some miracle, we marched our way up to the entrance in the downpour only to have it stop just as they scanned our tickets. The J-Rock gods had blessed us and changed our luck. We were not going to take it for granted!
 
As previously mentioned the schedule was none-too-kind, the band slotted just before coldrain were actual Florida boys this time, Wage War. And if you add to that the fact that it's been a while since they last played in their home state then you end up with a ton of concert-goers who followed Wage War directly to their merch tent the minute their set was over. The rest of us left were mostly soaked, sunburned, hungry, thirsty, and exhausted. Well, except my group, of course. But if we hadn't been lucky enough to attend two days in a row, that would have certainly been us right along side of everyone else. 
 
As we hit early evening, the sun began to skim the horizon and coldrain took to the stage. They had opted to play the same set list for a second day in a row --not that anyone was complaining. The later set time and cool breeze after the rain had the band energized and ready to kick some ass, at least. Masato apologized for having "the most annoying band name of the day" but everyone did their best to keep the mood up. Masato smiled at everyone between songs, while Sugi sent out plenty of smiles and winks to anyone who watched him long enough as well. The rest of the band were totally into it and in their element as they played through the set. The crowd got hyped enough to keep the muddied mosh pit going through most of "Runaway" and "Words of the Youth". It was actually kind of amazing if you could see how dead everyone seemed between bands to how much energy coldrain managed to pull from the crowd. Hearing "Gone" at the end of the set was even more bittersweet since it may be a while before I get to see them again. But Masato's soaring vocals and the absolutely monstrous, anthemic drumming from Katsuma in this song just took it to another emotional level live that you can't find on the recording. Although, I highly recommend you get your hands on their most recent album VENA because it is still worth every penny. 
 
 
Both days I was able to attend ended up being quite exciting and I'm happy to learn as the tour progressed coldrain's crowd grew day by day. I did get to enjoy a few other bands during the two days, namely some pop-punk favorites in New Found Glory and Sum 41 (who brought on all of the school yard nostalgia), and my emo not-so-guilty pleasures Emarosa and Too Close To Touch. Also worth mentioning is Volumes, who toured with coldrain previously and put on an equally intense show. It was a great year for fans of the tour and I hope they continue to bring in more foreign acts from Japan and other countries to broaden the musical palette of the predominantly young audience. 'Best day ever'? Pretty damn close.
 
SET LIST
The Revelation
Wrong
Runaway
The Words of the Youth
The War Is On
Gone
 
TOGZ
Auburn, WA + Portland, OR
8/12 - 8/13
 I had the pleasure of experiencing coldrain live for the first time this past March. Prior to this show I hadn't really listened to them much. Their energy completely turned me around as they were arguably one of the best bands I have seen live, and if you're not already familiar with them you're definitely missing out. I remember asking Masato if they'd be back and all he mentioned was possibly summer. Immediately I thought of Vans Warped Tour since they're known for bringing bands like Crossfaith and One ok rock. A month or two later it was announced that they'd be joining the line-up for  all dates. I planned to attend two different dates of Warped Tour once I realized how many bands I wanted to see. 
 
WHITE RIVER AMPHITHEATER - AUBURN, WA - 8/12
Because of morning traffic we arrived at the Whiteriver Amphitheater at 10:00am. We must have beat the rush because parking was a blessing and we got settled fairly quickly. Thanks to twitter, we already knew what time coldrain would be playing and what stage so we decided to hang out in the car until 11:30am getting a pre-buzz. (Don't do drugs stay in school.) After downing some drinks and eating some snacks, we headed in and secured a spot at the front of the stage. At this time it wasn't too hot just yet and the sun was still low so the stage actually provided us a nice shaded area. 
 
We patiently waited at Monster Stage South was the stage and yet 12:30 felt so far away. We managed to warm up to the band that played before coldrain, which I can't quite recall what band it was but they were pretty rad. After they finished their set, the Monster Energy North stage blasted as coldrain began to set up their equipment.  It was in that moment that I realized the band playing next to them was a band I wanted to see for some time, The Word Alive.  I decided to watch them from afar since I didn't want to give up my spot so close to the stage. As soon as the other act was finished, coldrain's entrance music began. Soon enough, the members came out one by one to the stage and the fans shouted their names.  "The Revelation" was their opening track which was a great burst of energy to get the crowd moving. Despite it's heavier guitar work and really intense screaming, when the chorus hit the crowd was chanting it loudly as a whole.  The shouting and chanting of lyrics didn't end there. The guys continued to spew out their most popular pieces such as "WRONG", "No Escape", and "Runaway". 
 
During their set, Masato gave a short MC to really encourage the crowd to get involved. Some people may have known this already, but Masato has family in Seattle. As he spoke the the crowd, we all learned that his niece and nephew were watching him perform for the very first time. He asked all of us for our help to sing the title that they'd play next to help him look like the "Coolest uncle he should be." Naturally all the fans yelled and shouted in agreement to help him in such a task. After that, "The War is On" began. I personally thought that was cute request and I'm sure the fans efforts really showed his niece and nephew just how cool he really was.
 
"Gone" was the last track and before it even started, fans were already clapping to the beat of the intro. This song is upbeat and has a great bass and percussion flow to it, but people were more focused on singing their hearts out to this song to really go wild. It was amazing hearing so many people sing the words to this song. And here I thought not too many people knew about them when crowding the stage. I'd be surprised if the band wasn't impressed by the vocal efforts of the crowd. As their set ended, they thanked us and threw out a few picks and drumsticks and then fans scurried off to the merch booth for the signing/meet and greet that was scheduled shortly after. 
 
I decided to buy all the merch that I wanted on this day so I wouldn't have to carry so much around the next day. I ended up buying the white tank top and the black and white marble tie-dye shirt. But of course I had to get something signed, and I wanted to be able to wash my shirts so that was out of the question. I bought VENA and The Revelation for $15 combined which was really a great deal. The only problem is now I have 3 copies of VENA!! All the more to share with friends. Anyway, with each purchase you got a pair of chopsticks with a little paper holder that had the bands logo. The booths tip box also had the phrase, "Leave a tip and I'll teach you some dirty words in Japanese." I felt disappointed because when I left a tip all I got was, "Arigatou!" I would have tipped anyway. It was cute and laughable but it was clear the band was very prideful and made it known where their home was. 
 
The wait wasn't too long and off in the distance you could see the bands' heads over the line of people as they made their way over. The signing and meet and greet wasn't rushed in any way and everyone got to spend a reasonable amount of time with them. A few fans took quite a few pictures and even brought gifts. I myself asked for a selfie with each of them because I'm a selfish bastard. It worked out great because I took pictures while waiting for them to sign my CD anyway. That day i had worn a Her Name in Blood shirt and immediately their drummer Katsuma pointed it out (just as he did when I saw them the first time) with enthusiasm that he knew what I was wearing. The only difference from the first time I met them was the rest of the band noticed too. I was also surprised by how friendly they were and instead of offering a handshake or a fist bump, they welcomed me with open arms and smiles. After the hugs, autographs, chopsticks, and photos, I told them I'd see them the next day and Y.K.C. excitedly replied with, "YEAH?! You know it's last show!" I replied with, "It's gonna be so crazy!" and bid my farewells and continued the rest of the day. 
 
The rest of the day was extremely hot and we spent most of our time standing under the water stations they had to drench people in. We did however manage to see a few other acts like Cane Hill, Veil of Maya, Wage War, and Issues. There were other acts I stopped for but they didn't exactly stick. We left around 6:30pm so we could get enough rest to make the 3 hour drive to Portland the next day.
 
PORTLAND EXPO CENTER - PORTLAND, OR - 8/13
Man, oh man. Portland Expo Center is a nightmare. I swear I was tired before I even got through the gates. Even though we left at 6:30am, we were not parked and in to the venue until 12:30pm. That's 6 hours! Personally, I have been to this location for the same tour before and I remember it being the exact same nightmare. The space allowed for parking was so small near the actual site and even though we waited nearly 40 minutes in a huge line of cars we still ended up being redirected 10-15 minutes away.  Of course from this location they offered shuttles... in school buses. Nothing better than being surrounded by a bunch of teenagers on a school bus making your way over to Warped Tour. We decided to walk and got there before the shuttle did. 
 
Getting to the venue after doors opened wasn't useful at all. The lines were still long and having the show the day before to compare to, I wasn't pleased. FINALLY! We got in and I didn't even bother looking at the schedule and I stormed past people to the Monster Energy South stage. It was slam packed as Veil of Maya was in the middle of their set. Thankfully, Veil of Maya is one of my favorites so I pushed my way past the pit and by the end of their set I was one person/row back. This made it easier for me to grab the railing as the Veil of Maya fans scurried off to their next band of choice. 
 
You know, for not moving around much, my face was already drenched in sweat. Since it was later in the day the stage didn't provide any shade, and I could feel my skin frying. With the heat the wait just seemed so long, but I was able to converse with other coldrain fans who came specifically to see them. Two girls had driven all the way up from California and told me they'd seen them during earlier dates of the tour. This tour surprised me with how many people came just for coldrain, but it was clear a lot of people had just discovered them that day. 
 
The set was pretty much the same only the crowd was way more energetic about each song than the previous show. It was the last day after all. This show had crowd surfers, moshing, and water bottles flying everywhere. Even the security guards got involved and threw water on to the crowd. After the set was over, they bid their farewells and thanked the crowd. Katsuma came by and threw some drumsticks. I couldn't jump high enough to catch them, but I still managed to get my hands on one, thanks to my friend who received it from a staff member that handed out the remainder laying around. Due to the heat and how crazy the crowd was that day, I literally felt like I was going to pass out. We found a nice shaded area near the band's booth while we waited. 
 
This meet and greet was even more personal than Washington was and I was able to pass by and say hello to the guys several times even after the signing session had ended. I received a hug from each member and told them how great they did and that they should be proud. Masato was extremely genuine and I got the chance to really just chat with the guy.
 
Overall, coldrain was fantastic and I'm definitely looking forward to their return whenever that may be. The stage set up and sound quality were the same for both venues, but I still prefer Auburn over Portland simply due to the heat and the poor staffing at the Portland Expo Center. In order to make both of these days just one flawless show, I would have it at the White River Amphitheater with the crowd from the Portland Expo Center.
 
SET LIST
The Revelation
WRONG
The War is on
No Escape
Runaway
Gone

Thank you so much to @Tokagefor suggesting this list idea! And extra kudos for joining in as a guest writer for it! We love hearing everyone's suggestions for future lists so please let us know what you'd like to see! Today we're tackling songs that sound misplaced or completely random on album or in a band's discography. So please join us as we wonder, WTF were they thinking?!
 
 
 
"BLACK STARS" by Sadie
Release: 陽炎 (Kagerou)
Never mind that the single 陽炎 (Kagerou) deserves this reward for even existing - releasing singles after the album never made much sense to me - but "BLACK STARS" gets the gold medal in causing second hand embarrassment. A testament to binaural bilingual slaughter I thought only existed in fabricated straw man arguments is the best way to describe such poetic genius like cracker mad song and shala lalalalala crazy stupid breaking my shadow. Add in uncharacteristically brash production, a terrible flow, and a dreadfully catchy chorus, and you have the modern day equivalent of Sister no Future's "Fancy Meeting You Here". This is the worst Sadie track ever released. This might be one of the worst 100 visual kei tracks of the last decade. Worse than Sadie's "Struggle against betrayal" or the similarly styled "GREEDY EMOTION". I would say don't listen to this song but I think everyone should so I can reference it in the future.
I'm also dying for a rough translation I need to know what this song is about it's been an obsession of mine low key for the last few years...
@Zeus
 
"冬のカスタネット (Fuyu no Castanet)" by MERRY
Release: Under World
I’m not completely sure whether I’m alone on this one or not, but when I think MERRY, I usually think either fast-paced punk or kayokyoku-inspired retro tunes, so when they suddenly dropped a Christmas song I was kinda surprised to say the least. Guess they finally decided they had to put the ‘Merry’ in ‘Merry Christmas’.. Whatever it was that drove the guys to make this track, I would’ve preferred if they hadn’t. Maybe I’m slightly biased because I just really, really don’t like Christmas music in general, but  the track just feels so incredibly vanilla and straightforward to me. Even "木洩れ日が僕を探してる… (Komorebi Ga Boku Wo Sagashiteru…)" another one of the band’s slower songs I’m not a huge fan of at least has that funky instrumental passage about halfway through to shake things up. This one  just plods on and on.. I thought it’d just be a one-off single for the holidays that would be promptly forgotten afterwards, but for some opaque reason the band decided to slap it onto the tail-end of their next album Under World. I guess it must’ve been some contract-related shenanigans, because it just doesn’t fit in at all. For starters, Under World’s pretty much the band’s most raw and punk-sounding album yet, so having this polished, limp-wristed pop ballad closing things off feels totally out of character. But most importantly.. the track comes right after "激声 (Gekisei)", MERRY’s 15 minute long epic. "Gekisei" would’ve been the perfect closing track, as it basically cycles through all the different styles in the band’s repertoire before building up to an emotional climax, but nope. Instead we were stuck with unnecessary Christmas songs in February. Ho, ho, ho everybody. Just skip this one.
@Tokage
 
"aquarium" by a crowd of rebellion
Release: Calendula
Soft, emotional ballads aren't exactly what a crowd of rebellion are known for, or rather weren't before the release of their first full album Calendula. The band's previous releases all spliced high flying, melodious choruses with djent-y post-hardcore and insane breakdowns to create a unique blend of controlled chaos that became known as their signature. Even their most melodic songs still broke down into some kind of distorted, metallic riffs coupled with screams at some point throughout. But "aquarium" showcased the band in an entirely new light. While the bridge does explode into an emotional crashing wave of raw, aggressive vocals, it is the most restrained the band has ever been to that point. Last year's Daphne attempted to repeat the effort with "Iris no hana", but still managed to keep things much more upbeat and less atmospheric than its predecessor. Maybe "aquarium" is a little less 'WTF' and a little more 'Who knew they had this in them?' Either way, it remains as the most eyebrow raising surprise in the band's catalog. 
@doombox
 
"Ritual (feat. Juka)" by HIZAKI grace project
Release: Dignity of Crest
HIZAKI grace project was an important band for me, as they ushered in the second wind of my VK fandom, which is still kickin' today. I was delighted to see an old face, Juka (ex-Moi dix Mois), combined with some great neoclassical guitarwork. I still consider Dignity of Crest a hell of an album to this day, but one track stands out as Juka's first misstep: "Ritual". I suppose it's all about how high your threshold is for uniquely cheesy VK vocal shenanigans, but I do draw a line here at 'pseudo-operatic notes you can't really hit' (see 2:31 and on). I almost prefer fu-ki's (ex-BLOOD) strained and whiny, but non-operatic original version of the song. Almost. Sadly, it went downhill for me from there and I stopped tolerating Juka's--I mean, Shaura's--crap in VII-SENSE altogether.
@fitear1590

"ボーナストラック (Bonus Track)" by DEViL KiTTY
Release:  鬼愛 (Kiai)
 I wrote up a big long post about Yuuga's career and how um...environmentally friendly he is from all that recycling, but that's just the tip of the iceberg of why I find him so interesting. On DEViL KiTTY's first mini-album, 鬼愛, there was an additional track added simply called "Bonus Track." How exciting! Everyone loves free bonuses, including vkei fans who buy 8 types of maxi-singles to make sure they can hear all of a band's output. Undoubtedly Yuuga knew this, because his music since DEViL KiTTY formed has more or less just been commentary on the scene itself with this track being no exception. So, what is this "Bonus Track"? It's literally just Yuuga speaking into the mic to say "Bonus....track..." and then laughs. 16 seconds of him laughing at you for thinking you dun get a free rare track for buying his album, but no, you, the listener, were actually the joke here.
@Peace Heavy mk II
 
"consent." by Plastic Tree
Release: ドナドナ (Donna Donna)
Despite having a gradual evolution in terms of sound and style, Plastic Tree never really changed their sound all that drastically over the years. Many of their earliest releases were quite blatant The Cure/Radiohead/The Smashing Pumpkins worship. Later releases saw the Britpop/alt rock sound gradually adapting more dreampop and shoegaze elements, while their most recent output seems to be more like the band trying to emulate the sound of a skipping record. Overall they never really strayed all that far from these particular sounds, at least until the ドナドナ-era. Not only did that album feature their first foray into instrumental post-rock, it also featured this particular track. Now, this song to me proves that these “What the hell were they thinking?”-moments don’t always necessarily have to be BAD. With this song Pura takes us in an almost electropop-ish direction that sounds more like something you’d expect from the likes of Proxyon or ADAPTER。. Yes, it does stand out like a sore thumb among all the other tracks on the album, but I feel like they actually do pull off the style quite well, and although I may be COMPLETELY off here, I also feel like the song probably at least partially inspired the addition of more electronic elements to later songs like "ピアノブラック(Piano Black)". To be perfectly honest, I would really like to see them do something like this again, if only due to the fact that almost all of their recent singles have basically sounded like the same track with swapped lyrics..  Oh, and don’t forget to check out the PV for this one, it’s gold.
@Tokage
 
"僕は死にました (Boku wa Shinimashita)" by 白黒キネマ  (Monokuro Kinema)
Release: 白黒映畫  (Monokuro Eiga)
Monokuro Kinema was another one of those angura kei bands with a retro-aesthetic that I’ve got a huge weakness for. Sound-wise I feel like they’re somewhat in line with bands like ハッピーサッド (Happysad), ホタル (Hotaru), MERRY’s more kayokyoku-influenced tracks and on their later material there’s also some similarities to pre-是空 (Zekuu) era MUCC. On their first (and sadly also their only) full-length album their sound definitely had more in common with those first three bands, though. While the album definitely does have its fair share of at least somewhat uptempo rock songs, it doesn’t really go completely crazy and let loose all that much. Well, with the exception of this particular track. Here in the middle of an album filled with melancholic ballads and slightly less melancholic rock songs the listener’s suddenly slapped in the face with this headbanger that’s also finished before the listener even knows what hit him. It just comes out of nowhere, doesn’t fit very well within the context of the album, and, hell, it doesn’t even fit all that much within the context of their entire discography. I mean, it’s not really an awful track, it just has “token headbang song” written all over it. Oh, and it may just be me, but I feel like the band got 'inspired' by MUCC’s "大嫌い (Daikirai) a little bit TOO much here..  There’s definitely some similarities there.
@Tokage
 
"shiranai hito" by cinema staff
Release: Drums,Bass,2(to)Guitars
While I'm not a big enough cinema staff expert to discuss their entire discography as I fell into them around the time they came into popularity from Shingeki no Kyojin (aka Attack on Titan) using their song, I can say I was a big fan of their Drums,Bass,2(to)Guitars album. Most of the songs are indie pop 'bops' that balance smooth vocals and catchy guitarwork. A track like "shiranai hito" stopped me right in my tracks. What was this grungey rock tune that sounded straight out of the 90s doing on my cinema staff album? Now don't get me wrong, "shiranai hito" still incorporates a lot of what I know to be classic cinema staff sound, but the chorus comes in and rips everything to shreds and boy does it leave an impression! I was not ready. I was nowhere near ready. 
@doombox
 
"首輪 (kubiwa" by 愛狂います。 (Aicle)
Release: 心臓。(Shinzou)
Aicle pulled a pretty ballsy stunt when they released their first album 心臓。(Shinzou), going against the grain by not including any previously released material. We got some of the band's craziest work, but also some sprinklings of poppy tunes that really hold their own. Unfortunately, however, all that momentum sputters out on the insipid final track,"kubiwa". Sure, I guess the lyrics are kind of quirky (life as told from the perspective of a pet cat), but the song is just a letdown and certainly no way to close an otherwise great album.  'Saving the best for last' was a concept lost on the band here.
@fitear1590
 
"UB YOURSELF" by Je*Reviens
Release: Romantic Jewel
Je*Reviens are currently most known for being one of the early bands of Asagi (from D) before he was famous. At the time of their activity, two other members of this band were quite famous in the indies scene as they were ex-Deshabillz. Their lead guitarist, Shi-no, was responsible for Deshabillz signature gothic compositions and their drummer, KAZUKI, later left the band to form what would become the incredibly popular Due'le Quartz. Because of this background, Je*Reviens' music, especially their first album Ne'Phesh, sounded fairly similar to what one might expect from an ex-Deshabillz members band--frilly, over-dramatic, and airy gothic rock with the occasional examples of more straight forward rock numbers. Then you get to "UB YOURSELF." Out of no where, they made a ska song, and not like the random ska-ish breakdowns vkei has been doing for decades, either. Like, if you wanted to know what Asagi would have sounded like if he was featured on a Less Than Jake song, here's your chance. Chocked full of syncopated horns, melancholic swing bass, and random backup vocals interjecting between phrases in the chorus, this song is by far one of the most out of place additions to a band's discography that I can think of. Now, my reaction to this song isn't because of the chosen genre, but more so from how unexpected it is compared to everything any of the band's members have ever done. I cannot tell if I should applaud them for their willingness to take a risk and try something out of left field, or laugh. I usually just laugh.
@Peace Heavy mk II
 
"Destrudo" by sukekiyo
Release: IMMORTALIS
Honestly... I don’t think there’s very much left to say about this one that hasn’t already been said in the review thread for IMMORTALIS, ‘cause to be quite frank, it’s just not a very interesting track in the first place. IMMORTALIS already suffered from a severe case of bloatedness, and this song doesn’t really help. Also.. why’d it have to be track 2 anyway? It really pulls me right out of the atmosphere "elisabeth addict" creates, it doesn’t flow all that well into the third track, it just simply adds nothing. There’s not even any crazy ghost yodeling or cat sounds from Kyo to shake things up a bit. Just skip this one if you still somehow happen to feel like listening to IMMORTALIS in 2016, I don’t think anyone will judge you for it.
@Tokage
 
"Paper Planes" by ONE OK ROCK
Release: 35xxxv
It's not a secret that since expanding their gaze to the global market with 35xxxv ONE OK ROCK's music has been having heavier pop leanings, but maybe none quite to the level of "Paper Planes" featuring Kellin Quinn of Sleeping With Sirens. This is the type of song that divides a fanbase. While some can forgive catchy synths and a featured singer claiming the largest slice of the song for himself, others were left wondering who was this band and what had they done with the emotional rock dynamo with angelic vocals they'd come to know and love?! And in their defense, "Paper Planes" really does come off as more of a Sleeping With Sirens song featuring ONE OK ROCK. Though, it wasn't the biggest surprise after learning both bands used the same producer for their most recent work.
@doombox
 
 
 
Thank you for venturing through this wtfery with us, and please let us know what you thought below!
Do you know any other songs that just make you stop and think WTF???? when they come on? lol

See ya next time!