Mr Bacon

You did know that Iwan's now in Sel'm right? He was only briefly in Jinkaku Radio after leaving Tokyo Heroes. He still does his awesome guitar stuff...but I'd rather have him in Tokyo Heroes haha. And yea in Jinkaku Radio he was just a support member so I don't think he had much input on the riffs or anything haha. Yea I know what you mean. Though they're still better than most VK bands overall!

This. I don't think I'll even bother listening to the EP, I haven't liked anything they did after BotS. And it's not bad or anything, just another band sounding like all the others. Mind of the Sun actually had a very distinct sound.

Old Tokyo Heroes, with Iwan/John as lead guitarist, had some amazing solos (絶望記念日, 6月の雨 for example). But Rinda did some kickass solos as well (破滅ノ音鳴リ響ク時, Memories). And I wholeheartedly agree with what Pho3nyx said about The Gazette.

Lol the lyrics are horrible. Musically it's pretty good though, but still power metal.

As for beer, I love Belgian(-style) beers. My favourites are Tripel Karmeliet, Pauwel Kwak and La Chouffe. My favourite Dutch beer is La Trappe Tripel. I'm not much of a pilsner drinker, it just tastes so bland after having tried so many good strong beers. Whisky-wise, I usually drink Scottish whisky. I'd like to try a Japanese whisky, as they're rumored to be like Scottish ones but even better haha. And yes mead, I agree with mead. Mead. The nectar of the gods, if you get good mead at last.

I still don't understand how his vocals have only worsened over time - In Core The Child he was pretty good, in UnsraW he was decent, but now...

Yea I know what you mean. Rinda's riffs are pretty cool, and I though his solo in Memories was actually really good. But if you listen to Iwan in Zetsubou Kinenbi or Fuyuuta... that's just unbeatable. But it's also apparent on the re-recordings. I mean, Rinda transforms the solos into something less technical but still cool and fitting, but they're just not on the same levels as the older solos. And I get that, it's become a bit stale. I would like them to do some more heavy angura stuff, or more like Humanity. They never did a song like that again but I loved it.

No he's not at all unskilled, his solos have improved so much since he stopped being the vocalist. But Iwan was just in a completely different league, so yea. Yea, they have to haha. They're one of the few bands left in the scene. And they've been at it for almost 10 years as well! And well yea but it's Rinda and Masayoshi who write the music, so it's up to them haha! I do think Gokimi is the leader though, so I get where you're coming from.

That session has a pretty cool lineup. I mean, it has Iwan and Sujk, that's more than enough.

Yes you do haha! I wasn't too impressed with their previous single but I'm confident they'll make quality music again. I do think they should get a second (lead) guitarist again. I mean Rinda is a great composer, good (backing) vocalist, but only a decent guitarist. The new songs miss those awesome solos Iwan used to pull.

What.

Oooh man I miss these guys. Hope they will reform (but probably not). Trombe do you know if Asuto did anything after G.O.Z VII?

How does kazu survive that lol.

This actually sounds really good. Thank god for Wataru's singing lessons.

It's actually a collection of their live-distributed and VA songs, plus one new song... so Engrish, but it makes sense. The hard to obtain songs, plus a new one. Band name that comes to mind is WERKMARE though, haha. Album name: A counterfeit heart and my true intentions MOSQUITO by MaveRick.

Protest the Hero Pain of Salvation (their current stuff is more 70s prog-like, their older stuff is more metal) Opeth Ayreon (not a band but a project, with many guest artists from the prog and metal scene) Savatage

This sounds pretty good actually. And sounds like the singer took some singing lessons after thee sheeps.

I actually like this song more than the other recent stuff. Looking forward to the album.

Let's start a petition to get tosinn back. With Iori as second guitarist, optionally.

I actually do like the first release(s) of many bands. Note the -s, its not always the first release, but often the first releases. I actually think the reason behind that is that bands have all the time in the world to write/work out their debut- but only 2 months to write the follow-up. Or whatever, their third or fourth, when they get signed. Don't get me wrong as this isn't always the case, but there's so many bands of which I prefer the earlier stuff to the later stuff. That's not because I want to be a hipster or vndergrovnd, but because that's the sound I fell in love with, and sometimes bands change their sounds to something I personally don't like at all, sadly(here's to Mucc and all those others).

Fucking live-limited all the time. But ah well, it's music.

Haha cool! Masashi is a better vocalist than Tomoro though haha...

This. They never topped their MaveRick stuff, but they were still decent.

Wow those pics look horrible. And if Wataru just stops trying to scream, this band would have some potential again. Has the new guitarist been in any previous bands?

Bleh fuck the live distributed and live limited shit and just release a full album. Or even an EP, I'd be content with that.