Himeaimichu

Isn't Ruki the biggest and most obvious copycat in VK though? Fangirls and their biased hypocrisy... 

the single is live-limited and is titled 「吽」(un). don't know if it's released yet tho.
the second track is 赤い靴(akai kutsu).
 
some of the instrumentals sound alright but the vocals need work. and i agree that they sound kinda like memento mori. it's a good start for them i guess but i'm curious to see how they'll grow from here with hopefully some better production in the future too.

"Dogma is such a heavy album!!"
Sorry, I had to xD. I just absolutely had to. 
"I love 90's vkei! I can name all the bands! X, Luna Sea, Dir En Grey, Luna Sea, X, The GazettE!"
"Wait, what do you mean The GazettE wasn't a 90's band? They wore black lipstick though!"
(I know this one isn't specifically Vkei, but the band in question has been lumped into Vkei so much.) "Wagakki band is the only true Japanese folk metal band and these vocal-sh*toids are copying Yuko's amazing work! In my bed, Yuko!"
(In the comments of a Kuroyume video) "Omg, these guys are totally copying Dir En Grey"
"Ah... that chick is so hot. I want her to- wait, its a guy?"
(This may not be exactly n00b Vkei fan, but it definitely is n00b Diru fan since Diru has this new American metalhead fanbase) "Wait, this can't be Dir En Grey! They look like f*gs and are playing pseudo-Metal!"
 
Ironically though, I've seen a lot of experienced fans say these. Welp, that's enough triggering the community for today

Mu n00b phase was L'Arc en Ciel. I didn't ship until Way later though.
 
what? What do you mean I can't use my waifu's last name? XDDD
 
"That guy totally sounds like/is ripping off Ruki"
 
No, bitch, they all just have the same generic voice type and range, just like most female singers have the same type of voice.

As you already mention Kiyoharu, it's was probably Kuroyume who started it all. I am sure someone more well-versed with VK history can even state an earlier example of the Macabre/Eroguro imagery usage. But in the end most of 90s VK bands ripped off old Kuroyume in some form. With Dir en grey it's confirmed, as well as Laputa or any other Nagoya band whose bandmembers where Roadies for Kuroyume or played in cover session bands.
 
But it's true that La'mule were far more influential and important for the late 90s scene as they are remembered. At least most oldschool VK loving japanese people I have come across have a very high opinion of the band. 
 
Wasn't the company that did La'Mule's PV the same that did PVs for other very important groups of that time (including Dir en grey)? That might explain the influence on modern bands' PVs.
 
Also I feel it's a shame that their revival didn't last long and that CELL too disbanded before they even released a proper album. .___.

who approved of this lmao

So I know this is pretty much a dead thread, but I've been getting into La'Mule a LOT recently. Everyone credits Dir En Grey for influencing the modern Vkei scene, but I personally think La'Mule is just as important. After all, they were one of the first to go with the macabre imagery. And Kon was known for his stage acts, including pretending to hang himself (Not unlike how Kiyoharu used to crucify himself on stage).
Also, their second PV for Curse pretty much started the floating calligraphy and random pop ups of Feng Shui charts among AnguraKei bands like in Kiryu's "Tsuki No Hime" PV xD. 
Also, it's worth mentioning that even though their first popular release was in 1998, they were very well known among the indie scene already by then. Back then, in the 90's, releases didn't make you popular. It was live performances. 
La'Mule was a little bit of everything. You had Metal pieces like Sterilization, catchy Alt Rock pieces like Curse, and drenchy gothic rock songs like Wing. And they're one of the few bands I would actually call "Gothic Metal", as songs like Mirror Mirror actually mixed Gothic Rock and Metal

Track previews are up on their OHP.

Enogumamire (noumiso miso ♫)
 
 

Yeah they're LONG overdue for a full album. Though, if it means new songs, I'm ok with even an EP. I need my Kuroyuri fix xD.
Also, I'd love to see them preform at Zepp Tokyo. But if I were to go to a concert myself, I'd prefer to go to one in a smaller venue, so I'd be up close

somehow i'm very hyped for a full album at august/october
also,i want to see they performing at bigger places like zipp tokyo...their atmosphere on stage is as strong as dezert/gazette/mejibray/direngrey

Yup. They mainly focus on live performances, rather than making PVs. 

they claim themselves as a live band

They look like they're so much fun live~ ;w;

BENJO  ( o-man-ko!! ♫ )
 
 

they're officially looking for a drummer now
 
 

hell yeah,i was waiting for that
(find a drummer more charismatic than mutsuki,please)

So here is something I've speculated about Kuroyuri to Kage. My hypothesis is perhaps that while Yamikakumei is technically owned by Kuroyuri, the production and distribution and such is handled by Ains. Now why would it be like this? Well, probably because it's way better than leaving them up completely to their own devices. Yukika can still make whatever money he can off them, but doesn't have to deal with the tax stuff, whereas Kuroyuri can do it's own thing, but still have help from Ains. In this case, both parties benefit. In basic terms, Yamikakumei is both it's own label, and a secret sublabel. IDK, this hypothesis needs a lot of work and has a LOT of holes in it. But perhaps someone who knows more can expand on this possibility. Kuroyuri was always the black sheep of the Ains bands, treating themselves like an indie band. I mean, GossiP still acts as if they were indie in terms of release schemes, but they obviously take advantage of the fact they're on a label. 
 
Now, here is another hypothesis that has less holes, and involves Shimizuya records. So we all know how truly EVIL Shimizuya are, right? Just ask Lycaon and AvelCain. 
Anyways, their most successful band atm, Sibilebashir, is really close to Kuroyuri. AvelCain is also somwhat close to Kuroyuri, in that they did a collaborative concert together once, but that doesn't make them like best friends, but still an amount to consider. Lycaon so far is the only band to successfully escape Shimizuya and still continue. And let's face the truth, Sibilebashir is going to disband soon. It's inevitable. Knowing how close Sibile and Kuroyuri are though, and knowing how Lycaon set an example for other Shimizuya bands (All to Shimizuya's dismay), it's obvious if Sibilebashir does return from the evil that is Shimizuya, they will either sign to an Ains sublabel, or sign to Yamikakumei themselves. The chances of this are even more likely if AvelCain comes back, in which, knowing their style and all, I think it'd obvious they'd sign to an Ains label. There is a slight chance of them joining Yamikakumei, but it's not very likely. In fact, I think they're more likely to join Madwink. Now, if you notice, GossiP's new live-distro single, Rinne, looks very similar to AvelCain in terms of cover art and stuff. I think this could possibly be subtle hint dropping of what is in the works at the moment. (Also, AvelCain's last single had a song called Rinne Tensei/Tenshou? I've seen different romanisations.) Either that or the members of GossiP happen to really like AvelCain (It is worth mentioning the look they took on during the Tokyo Scandal single looked a lot like AvelCain's old look, back when they had a drummer and two guitarists). Now yes, Kaede from AvelCain is retired, though VKei history has shown that its not impossible for him to pull a Kisaki and come out of retirement. Though I wouldn't hold your breath on it. While waiting for a possible return and see what fate they have, let's focus on Karma and Zen, for their fate on whether they return or not, will help determine Sibilebashir's chances of coming back if they disband (Which they will. Like, I love them, but let's face it. Shimizuya is EVIL)

So I have a question. We all know Kuroyuri To Kage used to be an AnguraKei band signed to Dear Dolce called "Memento Mori", and Grieva was signed to Dear Dolce as Reload. But before forming Kuroyuri, Memento Mori was signed to a label called Aka-ON after Dear Dolce dissolved. During it's run in Dear Dolce, Memento Mori switched from a regular VisualKei band with AnguraKei influence, to a full on AnguraKei band with the release of their first album, and the release of "Sagamiya" on an omnibus I can't remember the name of. (The song was rereleased on the band's second mini album). They were going to release Haikei Haranbanjo Biyori on Dear Dolce, but it closed down before it could be released. Does anyone know what the deal was with Aka-ON, though? They had lower recording quality compared to Dear Dolce, and had a few former Dear Dolce bands. You can compare the recording quality in the original preview of Memento Mori's "Joroya" with the version of the song that was released. The version that was released had weird drum recording as the kick drum was barely audible, and a lot of reverb on the drums themselves. Was Aka-ON lower on funds? Or did they just have really bad sound engineers? Or did Memento Mori have a recording error, and they decided to just keep it the way it is, because they were rushed, and because they refused to resort to drum samples and wanted an authentic sound? (Refusing drum samples by the way is very bold for an amateur band).  Moreover, why did Memento Mori have to disband and reform as Kuroyuri To Kage? The only real difference is that Kuroyuri doesn't wear Kimono or use traditional instruments, but the songs still talk about a lot of the same topics. Were they forced to abandon the AnguraKei style and decided to settle on a mix of neo-90's Vkei and EroguroKei? Just so much that I wonder.
 
I do know this one thing though. While many may connect how Grieva is a cover band of Dir En Grey with the hate that Memento Mori got for apparently "copying Kiryu", I can assure you Memento Mori wasn't a copy of Kiryu. Kiryu had a mix of metalcore, post-hardcore/emotive hardcore, and Alternative Rock, meanwhile Memento Mori was mostly Metalcore, Alternative Metal, and Numetal. Also, Memento Mori formed around the same time as Kiryu's first album was released, and they weren't popular enough at the time to be copied. Also, Memento Mori had influences from Eroguro bands such as Inugami Circus Dan, while Kiryu seems to be influenced from Aicle's old stuff. 

same...
sometimes i think they left ains,bcuz they didn't want to follow their schedule of releases 
i'm really satisfied with gossip and grieva,but whenever i listen to kuroyuri i feel like i want new songs lol

Mao from SID?  XD

I miss Memento Mori too, but I love Kuroyuri just as equally. I think they progressed more as a band since Memento Mori, including more Mucc influence. Plus, Kuroyuri still keeps the Eroguro imagery that Memento Mori sometimes showed. In fact, they took it quite further. 
Their compositions though did get a bit more simple after Koyomi left, but they really seemed to have redeemed themselves with the Toshabutsu single. It was amazing compared to Zouki No Nozoki Ana, which was good, but could be better. 
I hope they release a full album this year. Not a mini album, not an EP, but a full album. I have Kuroyuri cravings that need to be satisfied! xD
I think it would be cool if Kuroyuri did go back to the traditional aesthetics for one single. Perhaps they could use a concept similar to Inugami Circus Dan. Either way, I'd like to see them experiment with different concepts and such, since a lot of the bands close to them experiment with different concepts at times, and it would provide some interesting content.  

the more i listen to kuroyuri,more i miss memento mori,because i know that Mei fits so damn well in tradicional japanese stuff
i miss that memento mori atmosphere,his days as Ai,that deep voice,like singing oishichi or fuyu shogun ...that was gold
them still my favorite band,but since koyomi left,they sound like a japanese horror version of Korn 

I found another old pic of Mei during "Arutema". 
I wonder what kind of band Arutema was like. It seems different from both Memento Mori and Kuroyuri. In fact, Yukiline was more similar to early Memento Mori (Like, during 2010-2011). I'm guessing Arutema may have sounded something like early Memento Mori, but less traditional Japanese influence. Maybe someone out there has a recording of an Arutema performance xD

I found another old pic of Mei during "Arutema". 
I wonder what kind of band Arutema was like. It seems different from both Memento Mori and Kuroyuri. In fact, Yukiline was more similar to early Memento Mori (Like, during 2010-2011). I'm guessing Arutema may have sounded something like early Memento Mori, but less traditional Japanese influence. Maybe someone out there has a recording of an Arutema performance xD