Pretsy

Wow, Kuroyume has breakdowns now? ...

Certainly DEG's Rinkaku and its Jrpg solo http://youtu.be/CxwnlqQ2DiQ?t=2m27s Penicillin's Chaos and its uber-cool old school solo (Chisato has superior solos in vk scene tbqh) http://youtu.be/b_0K8C0jw9k?t=2m2s

Pretty much starts my every morning (also, a ringtone as well)

also adding to your DEG post: Rinkaku had a nod/reference to KR Cube ("Onisan kochira..."-part in the end) and no one whined about "lack of lyrical originality" I mean, I don't get the negative fuss about "nod" to older songs - especially if you are making a nod to GOOD songs (CALM ENVY, that is, very underrated btw)

Suicidal songs as animu songs? NO. When it comes to Gazette though Typical Shounen anime opening Ending also, another good song for Shounen openings (obvious one from me though):

At least it's better than SHINE-album in general Lunacy for instance was pretty much making up for certain "change mistakes" they have encountered (a.k.a. "do you know how to make good pop?")

http://youtu.be/Zwn0MefXCK8?t=1m55s Malice Mizer - Illuminati http://youtu.be/jbV7-6Giy5I?t=2m30s X Japan - Love Replica Both have orgy/BDSM-ish themes in PVs, also the way those "naked" people gather around Gackt is similar to those of Hide's

...so it's Kannivalism now? What the heck is happening?

Would be your typical shoujo anime opening: ending:

That Digimon cover is gonna blow. Another useless collection

insomniac soldier derp (old picture note: try to run around with 25kg of weight in 30 celsius degrees for like over 47 hours avec dangerous dose of caffeine pills and you will feel the same as I did here) (I am the one with crooked -face)

@Shaolan: why would it contain new PVs if their music videos are usually compiled in "Average" series (Average Fury, Average Psycho, Average Blasphemy...) ? Just wait until they have enough PVs to release a new collection.

At least it's not as awkward as *cough* ASSaulter (no seriously, why would you emphasize "ASS", it'll just make you look idiotic)

Although vk itself is gonna die soon and will be replaced with "visual" scene (note: "visual" has a little do with "visual kei" - you'd say it's basically Japan's emulation of emo/pop boyband looks) There are some active acts to mention: 1) the GazettE (downhill or not, idc) 2) Alice Nine 3) Merry 4) D 5) Creature Creature 6) 9Goats Black Out (disbanded but w/e) 7) SID Acid Black Cherry 9) CaliGari 10) Grieva Note: I don't take "bands that WERE vk" into account due to the most obvious fact: okay, yes, they will still have a "vk" tag due to "tag reasons" whatsoever (DEG, BT...Penicillin) But they have matured to the point where you could say they are just ~stylish~ these days (definitely looking forward to your definitions/explanations to "WHY LUNA SEA IS STILL BEING CALLED VK NOW?" There's a huge difference in between "IS" and "WAS", folks. MFW Shine and Lunacy are suddenly "vk albums", hahahahalol. Just wait for a few years and I will take Merry, SID and ABC out of the list - "maturing", you know.

http://cdn.buzznet.com/assets/users16/totalizzyness/default/msg-121330369715.jpg http://24.media.tumblr.com/c4396cc81c55653a9549009fcddb9413/tumblr_mol5unHfI21r02eijo1_500.jpg http://penningtonunderground.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/ruki___red_by_chank1-d2yl115.jpg http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/24400000/Yuuki-Lycaon-jrock-24451150-493-700.jpg "Glamplosion of Monroe looks and glitter/shiny jackets + jewelry" aka "not again, Kiyoharu!!! part IV"

"VK music is going way too far from its roots" - first of all, VK music in general is not stemming solely from (glam) metal scene - plus some say X Japan "was the sole creator of vk style", which is truly false. Yes, X Japan was perhaps "the first" act to be "the vk powerhouse in music markets" with their special looks, which later became a palatable factor for future MAINSTREAM vk acts - you'd have to look wild, cool, colorful and beautiful. But they had a little to do with music (other than Hide's psychedelic creations). Who's the main "IT" behind music then? As it was said years ago in a topic I cannot remember, there are other 3 bands in "the big four of visual kei" - COLOR, D'erlanger and Buck-Tick. COLOR's probably included due to Dynamite Tommy, who would later become pretty much a "big godfather of VK music marketing" with Free-Will/Firewall Div. policy etc. Only D'erlanger and BT remain - both acts are tied to their pasts with sympathy towards post-punk/"goth-ish" music, which later granted those familiar "gloomy instrumentals and emotion-ridden vocals" you hear all the time in vk. OF COURSE, acts after them such as say, SADS (which might have invented "fashion kei" that Lycaon/Gazette cherish) or Baroque (which "invented" the signature elements of oshare kei music/looks) that had a little or nothing at all to do with post-punk fandom, BUT if you would exclude heavy post-punk influences out of VK roots, all you would get is a mixmash of power / nu metal /core and happily-ever-after-Canon rock, NOT "ultradeep dark music" most of you like. Back to the topic - as I mentioned "the mixmash", it seems to have completely taken VK out of post-punk rails and "killed" the past sound, which unfortunately took our lovely scene to ultra-"American alternative" stanning - which after many thoughts, SICKENS ME. Yes, I might be accused of "sympathizing" towards these acts who actually sound like "American alternative" I talked about but hey - as long as it stays in LOW percentages of "alternative", I will be fine. Gazette for instance STILL has certain Luna Sea vibes to balance with cheesy Linkin Park/Slipknot riffage. Passable choice, briefly put. You can get what I am saying just by comparing instrumentals. I would rather stand diminished chord raping than drop C chugging, which I have heard for like 1000x times. ALSO: if you don't know how to growl (looking at you, many neo-vk acts), then DON'T DO IT. Just sing FFS, and don't recycle chorus melodies from other bands!!!

Axl Rose-like look (aka bandanna with long hair aside + jewelry/crosses/bracelets + shirtless) appreciation post: (since I can't look for certain pics I will post videos AND pics through which you can check these looks) Hiroshi Kyono (The Mad Capsule Markets) - 1993/1994-ish http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVpC6KLq8Q Kiyoharu Mori (Kuroyume) - 1997 Hakuei (Penicillin) - 1998 (almost close, he did perform without that sleeveless jacket though) Gara (Merry) - 2009 (sort of close to looks above) If you have more similar looks like that (especially from 2000 and so on), then go ahead and reply

Something in that new look says to me that they will go back to their 90s sound even further. I mean, Ink itself had some "Old School Pura"-ish tracks, right?

Black Butler Gosick Welcome to the NHK (those were watched ones) Currently side-eyeing on stuff about "Attack on Titan" and "Dangan Ronpa"

Pete Burns appreciation post...3...2...1...GO! http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lcptzdZxrT1qae2lfo1_500.jpg Morrie (Dead End) http://blog-imgs-38.fc2.com/p/r/o/providence0708x0520/200912102219541ce.jpg Ryuichi (Luna Sea) http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lt30imd7Mj1qlf9g8o1_500.png Shuuji Ishii (Cali-gari) http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/21959879/HAKUEI.jpg Hakuei (Penicillin) Though we might safely assume that both Shuuji and Hakuei are inspired by Pete Burns' latest efforts...which you can google-image search by yourselves (warning: you might get horrified) @hyura: I think Das:Vasser's vocalist had same-ish look, if I remember correctly :/

CLEVER MONKEY...FORBIDDEN BEAVER... Ruki, are you even translating those titles? Unless it's a pussy song, then dunno - MIGHT be a good Gazette song idea.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkk6Dl-GT14 PV preview MEH.

By taking a note of this releasing pace, I am pretty sure they were sneak-peeking at Rinkaku and The Unraveling, oh my...

@Ikna: They were always watching his father's lives (or so he claims) so I don't think they are somewhat "surprised/confused" about Kiyo's fanservice tendencies Also, when it comes to on-topic things, is it me or is ICE MY LIFE pv referencing to meth (or the song in general) ? Blowing bubbles, vivid blue colors everywhere, white costumes and "freezer, Kiyo going nuts in the mirror room etc. Have to say that symbolism is certainly unique in many vk PVs - there are such PVs as Dir's "Ain't Afraid to Die" or Gazette's "Guren" where you get song's message easily across by interpreting elements used in videos. Never forgiving VISUAL TRAP for Different Sense PV though - live-action tentacle rape, tentacle hentai, cheap-o green screen...yeah I said it, CHEAP.