Licio123

Artwork time!
Limited Edition:

Standard Edition:

credit: an R指定 member's official twitter account
Re-uploaded to imgur, because you can't embed twitter images in full resolution.

SCREW will perform in Anime Friends (Sao Paulo - Brazil) on July 10th 

They've pleased me the last couple albums so I'll check this out.

it is announced at MUCC one-man live "F#CK THE PAST F#CK THE FUTURE" at EX THEATER ROPPONGI at 2015/04/28 that their new mini album "T.R.E.N.D.Y. -Paradise from 1997-" will be released at 2015/06/24 (2 TYPE)
 
limited edition (3,240yen) will include CD+DVD, and regular edition (2,484yen) will include CD only

Do you care how accurately your last.fm depicts your music taste?
 
To submit a poll for the MH POLL OF THE WEEK, P.M. @CAT5 with your poll question, choices, and state whether it's multiple choice or not.

Considering she's a founding member and her brother is the guitarist, good luck with that. lol.

Artist: sukekiyo Album: VITIUM Score: The essence of sukekiyo, molded into perfection. sukekiyo has managed to slowly convert me from being a mildly disinterested bystander to a casual listener who's always on the lookout whenever something new pops up concerning the band. Their first full-length IMMORTALIS proved to be a slow-burning behemoth of many faces (and facets), and their latest offering VITIUM isn't too far off from that impression either. Kyo and co. don't seem to be in a hurry, as evidenced by the size of this new 'mini' album which is still longer than most bands' albums. Throughout these 37 minutes, they present their compositions in typical sukekiyo fashion: sprawling, mysterious, unpredictable. This time around, however, it seems they were able to craft a more unified sound for themselves (as if they weren't already unique enough), with a concentrated approach to boot. Each song sounds more coherent in and of itself, while still retaining the "expect the unexpected" avant-garde quality they've come to be known for.
VITIUM starts off powerfully and majestically with "leather field" – a dark flower blooming and branching out in sukekiyo's aural grotto. Hints of manic aggression and weirdness also rear their heads, prefiguring what's to come in the second track "dunes." This song introduces a demented vibe with its jittery guitars and drums, the band's interpretation of violent jazz-metal. Surprisingly, we are treated to an interlude next ("dot") that doesn't do much in itself but it serves as a fitting ambient intro to the following "foster mother." Kyo's deep croons drift onto a hypnotic beat complemented by beautiful guitar flourishes and keyboards that evoke an ambiguous atmosphere, on the edge of tranquility and uneasiness. One of the standout tracks for sure!
As VITIUM's centerpiece, "雨上がりの優詩 (Ameagari no yuushi)" pales in comparison to "foster mother," although it is a decent slower number complete with some fantastic textures and a soothing, airy outro. The atmosphere continues through "maniera," but it quickly turns into a quirky explosion of psychedelic metal tinged with calmer acoustic noodling. If DIR EN GREY drove out to the desert high on mescaline, this is what they would jam out. If "maniera" was the hallucinatory freak-out, the second interlude "白露 (Hakuro)" serves as a soundtrack to expulsion – not as fun but still necessary. All the more so, it heightens the magnificence of the follow-up, "celeste." Switching between tumbling piano sludge and schizophrenic episodes, it's a strong indicator of what sukekiyo is capable of. Naturally, after all of this there's no other way to go but softer, as "focus" closes the record with ethereal floaty melodies... or so it seems until the flamenco bit kicks in, segueing into one last creepy look into the abyss.
As you can tell, this mini album is quite a trip from start to finish. Whereas IMMORTALIS seemed overly long and drawn-out at times, VITIUM manages to capture the band's perfected essence, more powerful and twisted than ever. It is clear that sukekiyo has finally found its own voice. Let's just hope we'll get to hear that voice more in the future as well!

[header]MERRY - NOnsenSe MARkeT[/header]
 


[header]Rating: | Who (or what) is MERRY? ... THIS is MERRY:[/header]






01. iNtO the mARkeT 08. Zombie Paradise ～地獄の舞踏曲～
02. NOnsenSe MARkeT 09. Carnival
03. 東京 10. Station 07
04. 自意識過剰型木偶人間 11. 千代田線デモクラシー
05. ZERO -ゼロ- 12. 梟
06. 暗闇にピンク 13. Unreachable Voice
07. Hide-and-seek 14. 群青




If anyone asked me about MERRY, I would show them “NOnsenSe MARkeT.” This is the definitive MERRY album! Not only is this album representative of MERRY as a whole, it pulls off quite a few things that don’t commonly work in Visual Kei. From the very first tracks, “iNtO the MARkeT” and “NOnsenSe MARkeT,” we have: an introduction that segues beautifully into the second track, beautiful acoustic guitars that don’t sound too poppy and in fact, add to the atmosphere (You’ll hear more in “Unreachable Voice”), and we get some fine-tuning and maturing of their previous sound from (the less than stellar received) “Beautiful Freaks.”
This album is full of throwbacks to their past styles, giving us some “現代ストイック” (Generation Stoic) vibes, a few “M.E.R.R.Y.” vibes, a little bit from “nuケミカルレトリック” (nu chemical rhetoric), and so on, while ultimately refining the sound of their previous effort. In Visual Kei, it’s not uncommon for a throwback or continuation to yield something stale, or perhaps “uninspired,” and perhaps that continued sound becomes another on the long list of (unwritten) definitions for that… “G” word (generic). But on this album, MERRY manages to show remnants of their past while keeping things fresh.
In Visual Kei, it also seems uncommon for bands to modify a recent sound for the better. If you didn’t like “Beautiful Freaks,” do not turn away from this album. The songs on this album are much more interesting and engaging, and the overall “package” is more cohesive.
One thing that contributes to the greatness of each song is the flow of the tracklist, and hearing each song in the midst of another. When I first heard “ZERO -ゼロ-” in late 2013, I completely dismissed it, despite instantly falling in love with the previous single “梟” (Owl), but hearing that song on this album made it a more enjoyable one. Although I will say, that pseudo-reggae break in the middle of the song had me cringing.
Let’s talk about Hide-and-Seek for a bit. It’s got a ‘surf-meets-’60’s jazz club’ kind of vibe, with emphasis on the jazz club, all the way down to the way all the instruments were equalised in production (just for this song); it sounds a bit like a live recording that took place at a jazz club. The song is also a rare example of how you can create one song, that can remind the listener of another (SID’s “妄想日記”), without it sounding like a carbon copy or ripoff.
Some more honourable mentions include the segment of the album from “暗闇にピンク” (Pink in the Dark) to “Carnival.” These are just damn fun songs, and overall give a similar kind of vibe. These songs are essentially the party of the album, especially “Zombie Paradise ～地獄の舞踏曲～” (Tango from Hell). After the party ends, you go to “Station 07” and take a train home… the rest of the album still has some energy, but it effectively winds down. And “千代田線デモクラシー” (Chiyoda Line Democracy) is just catchy as fuck, with the melody and that accordion.
I am about to eat my words about one song…
I thought that the album ending with “群青” (Aquamarine) was going to be bizarre, and leave the album unfinished. But when I read @*littlelamb’s comment about the song having a strong message to stay positive and hopeful, I kept an open mind. “群青” as an ending is not as bizarre as you may think. It does give you that sort of “to be continued…?” feeling, but it doesn’t feel wrong. It doesn’t leave you frustratingly thinking “where’s the last track??!!,” but instead, it leaves you anticipating MERRY’s next chapter. It’s saying, “this is where we’ll stop… for now. In the mean time, keep your head up!”
Every time I listen to the album, it doesn’t feel all that “experimental,” but in hindsight after listening, there are quite a few things that I can think of that would count as “experimental.” So maybe this album does have those moments, such as the Halloween dance track “Zombie Paradise ～地獄の舞踏曲～,” and the vintage sounding “Station 07” - “千代田線デモクラシー,” but the album isn’t scattered, or disjointed. The album is very cohesive and the tracklist flows quite nicely.
Honestly, I am highly impressed by this album, and am already considering it my favourite MERRY album. While I can’t say I’ve listened to a single album in their back catalogue as much as I have this one, I see this turning out to be their most memorable. If you want some material from a band that’s been around for awhile that can say “yeah, we still got it!,” listen to this album! If you’ve heard of MERRY, but haven’t really been engaged into their sound, listen to this album! If you’re new to Visual Kei, and wanna try out another cool band, listen to this album!
 

Since a lot of people on here are quite keen on Last.fm, I thought it would be fun for everybody to post their weekly charts here once their seven-day timer on Last.fm ends. You could either post your top three or your top five as I think those will be most relevant to someone's charts. I use a nifty add-on on my Twitter that generates my top three every Sunday evening called Tweekly.fm and it's quite enjoyable to watch it pop-up every week. It's nice for a change for people who don't often check out their profiles to keep more track of their statistics too.
 
I'll start, this is the one from the ending of last week.
アヲイ (1044) WHITEBLACK (448) DEATHGAZE (343) 

Who's the genius behind this idea?
 
I thought Leda would be already satisfied after his BABYMETAL session cashing...

Is this supposed to get me excited or something? Because if so it failed. DELUHI's been gone for so long that their name doesn't hold weight anymore. How desperate do you have to be to re-release a lackluster best of?

I'm half naked in all of my selfies, too. I might be wearing a shirt on top, but....
 

Gaz's way of being "polite" is pretty shitty tbh. I appreciate the feedback but you don't have to be a prick about it. This guy literally goes around tagging my bands on last.fm as "bad vocalist" "poseur king"  etc. This guy doesn't know the meaning of "constructive criticism" he just knows insults. Like shit dude I know you don't like me but give it a break already. My makeup style is heavily influenced on old school visual kei. Our band is influenced on old school visual kei and so this is the style I was going for. 
 
Also in regards to the other question. I'm half naked because I don't really have a lot of cool clothes and I just so happened to be half naked there. Why is it a big deal? Not like you can see much except for my shoulders. 

Umm..okay so here's another self-portrait.
 
It was foggy last night so I thought I'd try something.
I call it "Monster of the fog"
 

 
 
I'm not positively happy about my pose but the lights went off before I could take any more shots. 
So, this is the best I got.

bleh

Still voted for WtD. ARCHE is a good album though.

This. Arche is very good bit can't top Merciless Cult, C, Saku and others on wtd

ARCHE did nothing to change my opinion from the previous poll. So voted wtd. again. 

Jigsaw's favorite non-Japanese releases 2014
 
The Necrotic Manifesto by Aborted   Following their impeccable album Global Flatline, Aborted's new sensory attack The Necrotic Manifesto provides more of the same razor-sharp death metal brutality laced with grindcore elements. Blastbeats, breakdowns and killer solos are executed precisely like clockwork, making this a formidable entry in modern extreme metal. Sample: The Extirpation Agenda / Coffin Upon Coffin   Hellish by Apey & the Pea   Although their name is kind of ridiculous, Apey & the Pea are no laughing matter. In their latest full-length Hellish, this stoner/doom power trio drops gargantuan riffs and sweet grooves one after the other like it's nobody's business. If you crave some metallic heaviness tinged with grungy vocals, this should soothe your appetite. Sample: Abraham / Reverend Green   Broke with Expensive Taste by Azealia Banks   The self-proclaimed queen of "witch hop" (whatever that might be) finally serves up her first album, and it comes with a bang! Broke with Expensive Taste is a colorful playground of cool samples, versatile beats, dance-pop bangers, plus a machine-gun rap or two. Perfect music to (get drunk and) shake your ass to. Sample: Chasing Time / Heavy Metal and Reflective   The Flesh Prevails by Fallujah   The evolution of Fallujah is quite impressive, considering they started out as an unremarkable deathcore quintet that have now become a progressive tech-death force to be reckoned with. Continuing where they left off on their previous EP, The Flesh Prevails is a gorgeous powerhouse of crushing brutality and ethereal grace, so perfectly illustrated by the cover art. Fallujah has prevailed! Sample: Starlit Path / Sapphire   Commune by Goat   The band name might conjure up images of occult retro-metal clichés but Goat is an entirely different beast. Their music sounds somewhat nostalgic and timeless at the same time, blurring together krautrock minimalism, pulsating afrobeat and freaky but gentle psychedelic rock tendencies into an exotic mixture. This is one commune I'd gladly join any time! Sample: Hide from the Sun / Words   At the Idyll's End by Gustave Tiger   Gustave Tiger immediately won my heart with this charmingly kooky and hectic art-punk attack somewhere on the crossroads of White Lung and the Pixies. In a handful of short bursts they go from calm to manic while weaving a grungy wall of noise into the mix and not forgetting about catchy hooks either. One of the more intriguing sounding bands I had the pleasure of listening to this past year. Sample: Gourgandine Simaitha / Lady Into Fox   Spectre by Laibach   Martial industrial/EBM masters Laibach cooked up one of their most accessible albums to date, and they did it quite effectively. With some of the tracks bordering on tame synth pop but still retaining their signature darkness (plus cynicism and deadpan humor), Spectre seems like a good introduction for newcomers and a nice change for hardened old-time listeners too. Sample: The Whistleblowers / Eurovision   Elddop by Martyrdöd   The title of Martyrdöd's latest translates as "baptism of fire" and it sure is a fiery blaze in our ear canals. Blackened crustcore is the name of the game, and the guys are in top shape to deliver some well-deserved kicks in the balls. Sweeping, aggressive but also melodious. A rock-solid entry in the band's crusty catalogue. Sample: En jobbig jävel / Elddop   Gay Dog Food by Mykki Blanco   Always one to shock people, Mykki Blanco's new mixtape is a colorful mish-mash of styles and influences ranging from trippy hip-hop to noisy industrial sounds and lo-fi electro-minimalism. Despite the initial quirkiness and weirdness of the tracks (not to mention the hilarious interludes), it's a fun and addictive musical journey if you have a thing for unconventional and out-of-the-box rappers. Sample: Fulani / Moshin in the Front   Hanyatlás by PETOFI   Relative newcomers PETOFI knocked me off my feet with their debut EP. With a venomous cocktail of anguished screamo and breakneck melodic hardcore, these guys know how to make one hell of an entrance! Their hectic style is elevated by poetic lyrics that add extra pathos and fury to PETOFI's brand of hardcore. Sample: Holttestemen át / Süket füledre talál a vallomásom   I Cannot See For Miles & Piresian Beach/Matthias von Stumberger by Piresian Beach   The Hungarian queen of lo-fi pop has been quite active as always, delivering a new stand-alone EP and another bundle of songs in collaboration with fellow Slovenian noise-maker Matthias von Stumberger. Both releases are jam-packed with good ol' overdriven guitar noise and '60s inspired garage/psych-rock licks, complemented by excellent crooning female vocals. Sample: Blood in the Gutter / Digging for Gold   St. Vincent by St. Vincent   I have completely fallen in love with the self-titled album of art-rock princess Annie Clark, a.k.a. St. Vincent. It's a record with a peculiar vibe. It sounds as artificial as it is organic, and this strange duality is further strengthened by the overall variety of the songs. From danceable tunes to melancholic meditations, this release has it all! Sample: Birth in Reverse / Digital Witness   To Be Kind by Swans   Swans' latest output is a gigantic double album clocking just over two hours. Noisy, experimental and completely heavy in atmosphere, this strange post-rock monolith perfectly encompasses what current Swans is all about. It's a menacing aural trip with repetitive, tribal (and outright primal) stylings that shouldn't be missed. Sample: Oxygen / To Be Kind (live)   Melana Chasmata by Triptykon   Melana Chasmata, "deep black chasms" is one towering behemoth of a record! Tom Warrior (of Celtic Frost fame) and his partners in crime sculpted a beautiful ebony-black slab of avant-garde metal with doomy and extreme overtones. The result is so breathtaking that this just might be my absolute favorite metal album of the year. Tortured and beautiful, highly recommended! Sample: Tree of Suffocating Souls / Aurorae

摩天楼オペラ - 致命傷
 
Now, what would a good old self-respecting major VK-band be without releasing an anime-opening track? Most likely nothing, and it's surprising that 摩天楼オペラ hasn't done this until now. Although their sound perhaps isn't the most commercial of major visual key -bands, their songs contain great hooks that do suit an opening. And, in my opinion, 致命傷 is a good, solid anime opening containing those hooks, but not only that, it is actually a very good 摩天楼オペラ song too. My favorit aspects of this song is by far Sono's astonising vocals. Although he doesn't present any huge new tricks, this track showcases how great of vocalist he actually is. Altogether, the sound is very 摩天楼オペラ if you listen to the instrumental too, and the overall composition of the track is solid. There is something missing to make this a genuinely awesome 摩天楼オペラ track though. Something that most likely contribute to this feeling is the fact that the release is a one-coin single, aimed only to promote the anime-series, not 摩天楼オペラ at all, which is very sad. Also, the release was weirdly timed, 摩天楼オペラ had just come out with their great new album, AVALON, when they announced 致命傷, which makes it kinda weird and the single itself feels like it doesn't belong anywhere, which is bizarre by 摩天楼オペラ. It contributes to the feeling that the single was perhaps wrapped in a hurry to promote the series. Who knows.
 

Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas.

I've been very fond of this song ever since I first heard it. Hadn't given the lyrics a look before so thank you for putting it up.

QFT! The girl seems to be an hell of an ass, I didn't like one bit of what she did to you, RPGRiser....

I would highly recommend doing everything Zeus mentioned above, ALL OF IT !