Pretsy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sr5RB1xdNGs Obvious choice.

The OHP layout changed, along with some info about their future lives on May: http://sukekiyo-official.jp/ (includes a close-up of Kyo's new look) as I kinda assumed, some Vulgar era worship there (well, some Shuuji too...)

Isn't first Psychonnect-tour basically their first oneman ever? (since it happened in the end of July in 1999...and I really doubt they had tours as big as that one) If that's so, then it makes sense for possible "15th anniversary celebration" also venues/dates for that tour

New look + album covers (thx Wonrei!) Looks like Kyo kinda got his Obscure-look back...ish? (judging by his looks there)

For what kind of reason? Unlike in Kiev atm, there is no apparent risk in them being taken down by "mob law" in both Russian cities (for eg. MYV will play in 3 cities there, THREE! He sure knows where money "grows" well)

DSS Budokan gig, the 1st day's setlist : 狂骨の鳴り THE BLOSSOMING BEELZEBUB DIFFERENT SENSE OBSCURE LOTUS (Symphonic Ver.) Unknown.Despair.Lost AMON (Symphonic Ver.) -INWARD SCREAM- 蜜と唾 (Tsumi to Batsu) 滴る朦朧 (Shitataru Mourou) dead tree -INWARD SCREAM- 鴉 (Karasu) VINUSHKA 霧と繭 (Kiri to Mayu) 暁 (Akatsuki) THE FINAL -Encore- VANITAS SUSTAIN THE UNTRUTH 蒼い月 (Aoi tsuki) THE IIID EMPIRE C 残 (Zan) Aoi Tsuki? Wonder if it's any different from goddamn long Blitz version?

But they will still perform in both Moscow and St. Petersburg So that makes them witty enough to realize the real situation (involving neo-fascists) in Kiev (just saying, US)

Didn't they have a song called "INTRODUCTION" already? As confusing as in Giru's s/t "Intro" and MONSTER "Intro" case. I really doubt they would pull 12012s now that they are major tho...

Umm I might be pretty picky about things like that, but I hoped for...idk, Japanese title for that album? Fits them better tbqh

This isn't vk nor rock either but I felt like posting this: - Silent Hill Homecoming - Wintery Mist (Akira Yamaoka) (2008) - Spyro 2 - Winter Tundra (Stewart Copeland) (1999) And now, for the mix of those two! Decide for yourselves... The thing is, that by playing a lil bit with Audacity, you will find out that "Wintery Mist" is just a slowed down version of "Winter Tundra" with lower pitch.

My top 5 - and I am gonna exclude ex-Vk-ers (Kyo, Ryuichi, Kiyoharu etc.) out of the list - and before I post my list, I would like to pinpoint one element that usually makes vocalists sound great - recognizable voice (you will see why I mentioned this): 1. Tatsurou (MUCC) - easily recognizable voice, which is quite hard to imitate. Haters' "Drunken hobo vocals"-comments aside, I have grown fond of his vocal style in such records as Houmura Uta (intense, fittingly dramatic vocals), Kuchiki no Tou/Houyoku (mainly "non-rampant" songs, like Akatsukiyami or Kagayaku Sekai) and Shangri-La (where I felt like he had his most varied role vocals-wise). This guy is STILL able to convey different kinds of emotions, which is pretty much the real gift/talent of good vocalists. 2. Gara (MERRY) - most of you don't really stand his vocals, I know. BUT what I admire in him is that his frail, "overemotional" vocals are very easy to get into (you could even "feel" the melody) and that he's able to switch from such performance to totally overdramatic sequences (like in Gekisei for eg.). 3. Ryo (9GBO, HOLLOWGRAM) - easily recognizable, serene voice - would pretty much call him "the vk falsetto/crooning master" here (handles them much better than Satsuki or Kyo, I think). Even though he *is not* able to growl, it's still not necessary - his vocal style creates some sort of post music-like feeling, which I really adore 4. Shuuji Ishii (Cali-gari, goatbed, XA-VAT) - Out of all vk baritone vocalists, I am able to recognize him in an instant. Despite his needs for doing occasionally those excessive vibratos, he found his own way of doing some "vk realness" vocal-wise - also, "retro realness", heh. 5. Hizumi (D'espairsRay) - I think Flame-X summed it up pretty well My "favorite examples" are in links above.

I think his "Japanese Red Kool-Aid guy" look was the worst one ever - cannot say anything good about his looks afterwards either.

Also: Kamijo's HUGE difference in his vocals between Lareine and Versailles (as Champ pointed it out earlier, "Revenant Choir" was the last song where he used his ""natural"" vocals) + Hyde's weird vocal /singing style development throughout his career (baritone/dramatic (1991-1994) -> "normal" (1995) -> normal/dramatic (1996-2001) -> baritone (2002-2008) -> overdramatic (2009-)) I also get a lot of saying from people that vocals in vk are usually "too nasal" - I think it's kinda true tho (you guys can pinpoint some good examples by yourselves, like say...Old school Kyo?)

Yusa should sing "-I'll-" with his own voice instead of trying to emulate Kyo's Gauze-era ultra-nasal vocals

Hakuei AND Cruel Angel's Thesis? LMAO what a combo. Also: Yuugiri and MiA better not ruin ゆずれない願い (one of my favorite retro anime themes, hands down)

Ultimate Velocity leftover much? Oh wait...

Seems like Ruki used the leftovers of Aoi's hair dye (also, those SHINY glitter gloves) lol (but no really, I kinda dig that dresscode thing they have going on)

That name change is one hell of a nightmare for a dedicated Last.fm tagger (read: not really) like me Either way, looking forward to this

They rerecorded Rakushi Unmei? YASSS. A good (hopefully "last") finale for their career.

http://www.direngrey.co.jp/english/e-band.html New look Shinya looks so weird here, idk.

ALSDEAD - Gips original: Ringo Shiina - Gips (Vevo link btw, won't work for US citizens) It stays pretty faithful to original song, kinda digging it I kinda remember seeing some tereko rips off SID's Ringo Shiina covers (considering *almost* all of them are Ringo fanboys) PS. I wonder if there are more RS covers by vk bands? Heh.

^I see, my bad. (I might just go and assume that some of those tracks are just Kisou-like SEs as well) It's also quite interesting to see "vk's golden era marketing rivals" doing a possible song together (even if Kyo's crooning doesn't really contrast with Kirito's vocals that well)

The order reminds me: isn't "destrudo" going to be an interlude? (considering that COUNTDOWN folks posted it as "SE" (?)), it would be kinda weird to place some full-length song like "elisabeth addict" before it :<

^I think "Yokan"' bridge is basically one of those typical/"necessary" pop hooks used for decades in Japanese music: for instance, this video showcases some of " most typical melodies (parts of melody)" for Japanese pop(-ish) music. (my example: apply the first melody to Shazna's "Tokyo Ballet Reprise" (which might be an open cover...?)) You could apply some of those to western pop music as well ))) Update: I checked Embryo- single's scans - and I didn't see any credits for the original writers of that remix melody (yet still, most Japanese listeners acknowledge the source already), shame on you DEG!

As others said already, basically most of it sounds cool (especially that riffage + piano section in intro/post-chorus part) but WITHOUT Yomi. So that makes him pretty much the weakest link of NIGHTMARE - hope he will hire a vocal coach or other members will find a better band to dabble with.