Pretsy

@hyura: http://www.visualtrap.co.jp/vt/home001.html here's a list of VISUAL TRAP's works, seems like they started in 1995-1996-ish? Oh and yes, Kuroyume http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ST-go57ut_0 (1994, btw) I dig this PV's style, autobiographic-like or so. Matches well with song's "unwilling" theme.

Lol I half-expected Kiyoharu and Hyde to appear there when I read the title. Ryuichi Kawamura should be there too tbqh, and Atsushi (considering they're friends, amirite, no?)

Kiyoharu without makeup (no surprises) and in his casual clothes + one of his daughters https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/945354_451258231632194_451496008_n.jpg (2005-ish I suppose) Kinda cute. Also: Kuroyume's ~first lineup~ a.k.a Hitoki, Kiyoharu and Shin backstage (during one of Kuroyume's comeback gigs, 6/2012) https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/577154_283796148378404_983437895_n.jpg I suppose fans have seen both of these

Seeing Rammstein's self-titled song makes me feel sort of nostalgic - although I stopped listening to them a long time ago, I still have certain nice memories about their "Herzeleid" -album. 1. T.M. Revolution - Private Storm 2. L'Arc~en~ciel - Perfect Blue 3. Tokyo Jihen - Himitsu 4. The Doors - Wild Child 5. Buck-Tick - Maboroshi no Miyako 6. Gackt - Jesus 7. L'Arc~en~ciel - Bless 8. Dead Or Alive - What I Want 9. the GazettE - Break Me 10. Mr. Bungle - Air-Conditioned Nightmare Too much Japanese stuff, unsurprisingly I have to go with "Perfect Blue" since I have a soft spot for Tropical/Bossa Nova-ish tracks. Perfect tune for relaxation

Much better and more promising than Jupiter sample - I am sorry but "good ol' Hizaki doodling" just sickens me. I suppose Teru and Kamijo were the ones who actually ~brought~ variety into Versailles' music? Also, sounding like Malize Mizer ain't bad at all - especially if it sounds like something off "Merveilles" (one of the best albums off 90s, real talk).

Continuing with more eye-candy stuff: Merry - Fukurou (2013) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1aCWplz2KI Fits well with song's theme Buck-Tick - Sabbat (1990) As with previous one, "gloomy castle/house and goth meetings"-theme and song go along pretty well Dir en grey - Akuro no Oka (1999) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9UCPliVQBw "The Hill of Acropolis" and scenes of band performing in Acropolis, sweet. (Correct me if I am wrong in terms of shooting place) Dir en grey - Ain't Afraid to Die (2001) Beautiful PV, beautiful theme Also, when it comes to Penicillin - as much as I despise their current "vk overuse of green screen effects" fad, I love some of their "'MURRIKAH" ventures back in the 90s (1997 to be exact, 1995 PVs are sort of...weird?) Penicillin - Ippasu Atero (1997) Basic 90s hip-hop "pimp" elements and VK aesthetics collide together = ??? Penicillin - Yoru wo Buttobase (1997) http://www.nicozon.net/watch/sm16738490 Low quality-ish but you get it either way

Before moving on with certain instances, I would like to say that I somewhat DESPISE overpowering green-screen effects in a new wave of VK /(perhaps)J-rock PVs (New DEG and Lin are perfect examples of this so-called "disaster"). Ever since I got introduced to visuals, I've always thought that PVs should "strengthen" the message of specific song or have somewhat related elements in them. In my case, "landscape /wandering PVs" are those I usually love/like. (listing below) L'arc~en~ciel - Kaze no Yukue (1994) http://vimeo.com/34684327 Luna Sea - Mother (1994) Luna Sea - I For You (1998) Guniw Tools - Itamanai Kumo (1998?) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0fBQVRAFC0 Also, travelling PVs inspire me alot (Guniw, Glay and Hyde/Kiyoharu in general have good "cruising" PVs or so) Doesn't mean I -would- mind "be-pretty-pretend-you're-playing" aesthetics, since that's "the thing" of music videos for decades...

@Jigsaw: lol same - Don't get me wrong tho, I'm a huge Kiyoharu stan but dear god Kuroyume's stuff is going downhill if Kiyoharu tries to dabble with "street cred" music. Interesting to see Hitokers contributing lyrics tho. @nekkichi: they will release a new album this autumn called "Kuro to kage" which MIGHT be their last (rumors)" so yeah probably a teaser... The main song's title is very Kiyoharu-like, btw

MIYAVI - S/T Back when I listened to Miyaviuta (sister album to MYV POPs?), I thought he was certainly -original- on some kind of level vk-wise... By comparing S/T and Miyaviuta in this case ( Kavki Boiz album is okay, WNM was plain bad while Samurai Sessions had WMN ideas done RIGHT), you could hear how big is the loss of Miyavi's original sound - compressing of guitar playing into plain, same-riff slapping and drowning it with "Pitbull"-pop /mediocre club music resulted in THIS...wow. Everything sounds like a huge mess of same slapping scattered throughout with cheesy dance BGM and lyrics by the courtesy of Dan Priddy (google him) - MYV, you shouldn't have really left concepts you dabbled with in Miyaviuta/MYV POPS and Kavki Boiz album. We know you really want to gather new audience by "expanding" your genre pool into the West. But lemme give you a tip: you cannot hide your dried-out guitar-slapping ideas with all this "catchy dance pop". It's not your thing, really. Even your "colleagues" (say, L'arc or Utada for instance) know better which western "novelties" they can utilize in their own music. AHEAD OF THE LIGHT was sort of a decent, passable track (okay, was in my top 10 of 2013 and everything but I couldn't come up with better stuff - it didn't ooze with "bad" pop tho)...and then "Secret" pops out. I am not surprised if MYV desperately hired Timbaland with his last collab pennies just to produce this exact piece of "something I could've heard in Justin Timberlake record" - and to repeat myself, same key guitar-slapping in a different tuning doesn't save MYV from the low levels of "generic" I sense in this gorgeous "ripoff". You can apply my views on his "new sound" to "Horizon" and other songs as well. All in all, listening to "MIYAVI" was such a pain in the butt, and I can't come up with any better statement about his music (nothing personal though, MYV fans): MYV, you are not the "Michael Jackson of guitar playing", but just another Pitbull-copycat...with a guitar. 4/10. Ouch.

Seconding. Also, Hyde from L'arc (despite his over-the-top performances these days), Mao from SID, Tatsurou (his "cracked" and "clean" performances are both fine to me), Atsushi Sakurai (pretty much "the father of good, interesting vk vocals"...and there's absolutely NOTHING bad about "Kimi no Vanilla's" sheep vox, they are in fact good) and Kyo from D'erlanger (VERY recognizable and listenable voice) You would expect me to blow out Kyo from DEG and Kiyoharu as well but they have their own, varying top-notch ( [1]] [2]) and low moments ( ][1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWfQXqCCP0Q][2]) which makes it quite hard to classify them as...say, BEST CLEAN VOCALS EVAH or anything.They are surely the most interesting vocals impression-wise / vocal evolutions I have ever heard. ps. what the heck did happen to linking option???

"Sports" and "Adult" are the best ones - the latter one is a big must for TJ newcomers. Also, I seem to spot certain mentions of Kuroyume, and recommendations in terms of them depend on listeners' taste: 1) Mayoeru Yuritachi -Romance of Scarlet- had its place in "top 10 old school vkei albums everyone tries first" and for plain reasons - the concept itself is very...say, visual kei (as in post-punk visual kei) and interesting. If you want to get familiar with old school, get this 2) If you are not really willing to clash with "old school extravaganza" and you want some casual vk (which is less "vk" than vk back then, sounds about right, huh?) a la SID, then try their poppiest record to date - Feminism. It has its vk sound compressed to more radio-friendlier, romantic version. PS. don't try the successor to Feminism though, it's sort of a "culture shock" to those who are trying to go with Kuroyume's notorious "vk sound"...nor should you not try any punk-related records (except if you become a stan)

adding to my list: GOOD (a.k.a decent ones included too) DEG - The Unraveling (idk) SID - Koi ni Oichite All Kyary's single tracks off her new Nandawhateveritwas-album (growers) Daft Punk - RAM Alice Nine - all latest singles Tyler the Creator - Wolf BAD (a.k.a boring ones) HIM... D'erlanger - #horriblename Cali-Gari - 1 (lol) Expecting: - Kiyoharu's mega-announcement stuff - Soil & "Pimp" Sessions' new recording - QOTSA's latest album to be good (or nooooooot...) - Fall Out Boy to flop hard - Vamps to flop hard with Engrish "debut" - Godzette - Something decent off Luna Sea FHS - Yoshiki to give up and retire for good - D's new "major re-debut" single - Ringo Shiina to do something... - etc.

@DogManX: It's an alter-ego act, sry to blow your bubble also: Buck-Tick - National Media Boys (1990) (post-solo part) Kuroyume - Autism -Jiheishou- (1994) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BK7A8QcrQ0g&t=2m35s (post-solo part) I guess variants of that part have been overused in many solos...

Is it really necessary to add same wubwub effect or unfitting "break" you dabbled with like xx quantity of songs earlier? Also, less generic chorus pls Edit.: what the heck is "Vadman" anyway? Poorly romanized Badman?

Fun fact: a guy behind Jedwards' cheesy prettyboy lyrics a la Lipstick did lyrics for "Horizon" , which explains very cheesy dance vibes I get. Oh you, Myv.

Fierce representation of "final war game" in the north...j/k j/k, I didn't sleep for 43 hours when I took this one though... Me @ Lapland (my tent tbe) about weeks ago

I wonder if "Wither wither wither wither wither" is a reference to um...DEG? Familiar engrish lines, I must say.

Diaura stays by far more original than Mejibray in any case, such as...say, Meji's latest attempts were already done by SADS/Gazette/Deluhi, right ? Diaura definitely, EVEN IF I don't listen to them. @miyuu: they also hopped on Because-ripoff bandwagon SADS - Because ---> the Gazette - Sludgy Cult --> (countless "tributes") + Mejibray - Chameleon Yummy also, Sadisgate is poppier Different Sense...questions?

Boogieman - New World In addition, D - Eden (chorus)

Seems like they really stuck close to the original in this one I like this more than Six Ugly version, nuff said. Also, are there any news about them playing Reiketsu Nariseba/Saku as in 7-string versions? I know that they are currently playing ASOM with A tuning : |

Phantasmagoria - Mikansei to Guilt = Laputa - Jakou the GazettE - Ruder = SADS - Liberation Dolly - Gothic Party = Pierrot - Neogrotesque the GazettE - Kanshoku = SID - Izon no Niwa SID - Alibi = L'arc-en-Ciel - Fourth Avenue Cafe Alice Nine - 4U = L'arc-en-Ciel - Fate Dir en grey - Increase Blue = Metallica - Dirty Window Ken - Deeper = Buck-Tick - JUPITER Dir en grey - GARDEN (solo) = Luna Sea - Moon = DEAD END - Good Morning Satellite (search for yourselves) Dir en grey - Mazohyst of Decadence (main riff) = Kuroyume - Yuri no Hanataba (main riff) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTRPFzsCCxY ps. edit: not gonna fuss with embed codes, yuck.

Feels so random atm. Especially songs to be covered by KIDDIE, Kiryu and Matenrou

the GazettE - Sludgy Cult <> SADS - Because the GazettE - Vermin <> X JAPAN - Scars the GazettE - Shiver <> Luna Sea - End of Sorrow the GazettE - Defective Tragedy <> Luna Sea - FEEL the GazettE - Before I Decay <> Slipknot - Before I Forget (do I have to go on this...?) the GazettE - DISTRESS AND COMA <> Zilch - Psyche the GazettE - Ogre <> various Slipknot riffs off Iowa Dir en grey - Reiketsu Nariseba <> Slipknot - People = Shit (Breakdown <> intro riff) Dir en grey - I'll <> Kuroyume - Miss Moonlight x D=SIRE - Nostalgia (?) Nightmare - Believe <> Luna Sea - Rosier Dir en grey - Akuro no Oka <> Luna Sea - Millennium (listen to choruses) Lycaon - Pierrot <> SADS - Finale Lynch. - Sleepy Flow <> Prodigy - Spitfire Lynch. - Shadowz <> Slipknot Before I Forget (...) Versailles - Revenant Choir <> X Japan - Silent Jealousy 12012 - Hesitation <> Limp Bizkit - Take A Look Around (some riffs) x Dir en grey - Repetition of Hatred D'espairsray - Love is Dead <> Dead or Alive - You Spin Me Right Round Kuroyume - Faster Beat <> some Dead Kennedys' song off their first album... Alice Nine - The Beautiful Name <> U2 - Where the Streets Have No Name L'arc-en-Ciel - In the Air (sans chorus) <> U2 - Where the Streets Have No Name Plastic Tree - Ruisen Kairo <> Asian Kung-Fu Generation - Blue Train Plastic Tree - Ghost <> Slipknot - Duality Plastic Tree - Thirteenth Friday <> My Bloody Valentine - Only Shallow Kuroyume - Love Song <> Luna Sea - Image (acoustic riffs) Luna Sea - G. <> X Japan - Miscast ...Basically most of D-major-based songs in highly pop/early vk-related bands' repertoire are similar in one way or another to U2's pre 1990-repertoire

Karasu's new tapping pattern/melody is defo reminiscent to Knight Rider, lol.

It better be something like "I." off GEMINI or something better You know when Saga is composing something = it's gonna be a definite bomb