Mr Bacon

I don't know how to feel about this. DEATHGAZE deserves a vacation because they've been going strong for ten years despite all the changes in member lineup. On the other hand, Ai is the reason why this band is still around. Even when things looked hopeless he never gave up faith in the band. Now that they're indefinitely going on hiatus, I don't know what this means for him. I hope his head is in a good place - last time I thought this was going to happen he seemed really depressed.

Took them long enough. It was terrible and didn't fit their pop sound at all.

new band "Develop One's Faculties" will hold their first presents live "gathering place #1" at Ikebukuro EDGE at 2014/12/20
 
"Develop One's Faculties" members:
Vo.&Gt.yuya (ex-Minerva(Vo.)-->Schwein(support Gt.)-->cocklobin(Gt.))
Gt.rui (ex-the Pumpkin Head-->ケミカルピクチャーズ(chemical pictures))
Ba.detto (ex.-Eve--->タイハイノソラ(taihai no sora)-->ネオン(neon)(support)-->Cherry-->江戸川パラドクス(edogawa paradox)(雷覇/raiha))
Dr.Johannes (ex-CROW-->苺69(ichigo69)-->メロウ☆ぴんきぃ(mellow pinky)-->ジャガー(jaguar)(support)-->meth.-->cocklobin(sora))
 
 
their new maxi single "フラスコを振ると天秤揺れた(frasco wo furu to tenbin yureta)" will be released through their official webshop and at their live since 2014/12/20 (2 TYPE, 1,260yen each)
 
[track list]
01.フラスコを振ると天秤揺れた(frasco wo furu to tenbin yureta)
02.ピエロ(pierrot) (included in live-limited edition)
02.結果論(kekkaron) (included in webshop-limited edition)
 

 
http://d-o-f.jp/

I do like Moran and I think they should stick together, but Sizna is one of the best guitarists VK has ever had and he's not using half of his talent, like he did on Sugar, in this band. I hope they make more complex songs so he can use all of his skills and also because they're getting repetitive or maybe Sizna should get a side project or w/e.

The thread kinda says it all, doesn't it? What's your prefered format and why?
 
As for me:
 
1. Vinyl
To me, vinyl sounds warmer than tapes and CDs, and there's something very magical about flipping it over after you've heard the A-side. It's a format for when you're gonna focus soly on the music an pay a little extra attention to the music. Get yourself a glass of your finest whisky/wine/beer and enjoy the huge artwork, read the lyrics (if it has that) and just enjoy the music to the fullest without fuckign around with your computer or phone or anything else. It's the format which makes listening to music a bit more special.
 
2. Tapes
A small, beautiful format which tts rough sound makes it perfect for demos and certain genres (black/death/thrash metal for instance), and it's a fantasticly charming format to me. It's a fun format, and a format that gives me a bit extra that the CDs lack. It's cheap too, which makes it possible to get three of these for the price of one CD.
 
On the minus side it's a format that will get damaged over time no matter how well you take care of it. Time will fuck 'em up, even if you don't, and that sucks. But it's worth it.
 
3. CDs
Sounds good, but gives me nothing more than the music, and for someone who pays for a lot more than just the music there's nothing to gain here really. Sounds good and is easy to deal with and take care of, but the artwork's small as fuck and there's nothing special about it. Nothing special at all, and a format I spend close to nowt on. I'll only spend money on CDs if it's something really special or a band I collect (Sigh). But that's it for me. Most of my CDs are laying in bags somewhere and I'm not using them other than in the car and whenever we're getting drunk.
 
 
And you?

The very same. Hopefully this CD will get a proper non-live-limited release, unlike their other releases.

No! Bad Furik! I read the thread title and I immediately thought, I have to post that ReS track as it is one of the best closers I have ever heard, and then you go and ruin it for me
I couldn't find Roach's Haru to Yume, eight's Yuganda Seishun, Werkmare's -13- or Tokyo Heroes' Fuyuuta on YT so these will have to do:
 

Still one of their best songs, and a great closer at that.
 

Technically this is from an EP, but still, man what a way to end that EP.

No! Bad Furik! I read the thread title and I immediately thought, I have to post that ReS track as it is one of the best closers I have ever heard, and then you go and ruin it for me
I couldn't find Roach's Haru to Yume, eight's Yuganda Seishun, Werkmare's -13- or Tokyo Heroes' Fuyuuta on YT so these will have to do:
 

Still one of their best songs, and a great closer at that.
 

Technically this is from an EP, but still, man what a way to end that EP.

YES. I used to skip this song but the first time I listened to it properly it blew my mind.
 
 
 
SUCH a good song. Easily one of their best for me

Gets me every time.

Oh man I forgot about Audience Killer Loop, that is definitely a great first song.
 
Also I can't seem to find a YT link, but Inori from Oto-Oni's full-length is an amazing opener as well.

Yesss Cat, that LTS track is definitely an amazing opener.

Here's some more:
kamomekamome - エクスキューズミー

This is such an epic start to this album. Starts with the a capella bit and then goes into a frenzy, and eventually end up in that beautiful chorus.
 
D'espairsRay - Infection

Does it get any better than this? Such an eerie beginning to this dark album, and the percussion adds so much to the atmosphere of the song. The chorus sets you up for what is to come after this.
 
And finally, one of my faves:
√eight - illational of the people

That opening riff is so powerful, and then that slapping bass after it just gets me so stoked. And it's pretty ballsy to start an album with a full song without a proper chorus, haha.
 

Yesss Cat, that LTS track is definitely an amazing opener.

Here's some more:
kamomekamome - エクスキューズミー

This is such an epic start to this album. Starts with the a capella bit and then goes into a frenzy, and eventually end up in that beautiful chorus.
 
D'espairsRay - Infection

Does it get any better than this? Such an eerie beginning to this dark album, and the percussion adds so much to the atmosphere of the song. The chorus sets you up for what is to come after this.
 
And finally, one of my faves:
√eight - illational of the people

That opening riff is so powerful, and then that slapping bass after it just gets me so stoked. And it's pretty ballsy to start an album with a full song without a proper chorus, haha.
 

I have used sport bras for almost two months. Tried normal ones for the first time in a while and wow, they're so bouncy <3333
 
I totally understand why boobs are loved

awww... well, they weren't too active anyway (at least counting their solitary post-hiatus single, lol).

Moshpits are fun depending on the audience. Those at J-concerts are not enjoyable. Sixteen year old, hormonal girls do not understand the concept of a moshpit when their eyes are fastened on their favourite bandman. It is not meant to be severely violent, yet during J-concerts there are always the girls deliberately pulling hair, throwing out elbows, kicking shins, etc. 
 
I've been attending extreme metal concerts since about 2007, and those are the most enjoyable. Everything is in good fun, regardless of how rough it looks. You'll never be trampled because the moment you fall, it only takes about a few seconds until there are at least five pairs of hands reaching for you. I think the heaviest one I've been in was this year during a live from Carcass — although I think I could somewhat compare it to the Pestilence gig I attended a few years ago. One time I've got my arm pierced by someone wearing an enormous spike gauntlet (not those silly ones you buy at H&M, but the actual black metal version). That's the only time I've bled so far.

【EVIDENCE OF EXISTENCE】
Here's the evidence that I could find of these bands being *real*:
-
https://twitter.com/KISAKI_OFFICIAL/status/297370748589338624
KISAKI played recorded versions of songs of Levia~LAYBIAL~SHËY≠DË at his 20th anniversary live. It's not really “proof” of anything, but this was a history live, so there should have been someone who was a fan of the bands that were ripped off (VICE∞RISK, 業, Levia[non-KISAKI]), and who would have noticed if KISAKI was playing those songs...
-
As someone else mentioned, on 2007-11-19 in his HOLIDAY blog, he mentioned meeting ex-Levia member 美憂, who is married and has a child.
-
https://twitter.com/KISAKI_OFFICIAL/status/154273353094537216
On 2012-01-04, he posted in his Ameba (now deleted) that he met Levia members again. Most of them married with children now. He also posted a pciture of 美憂's child this time (also on Twitter ↑), as well as a picture of that guy's shop. (Google/Tineye didn't return any results when I searched the images).
-
http://music3.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/visual/1066131643/
Earliest web mention of these bands that I can find is on 2ch in 2003. So at least we know his *canon* band history included these bands way before BEYOND THE KINGDOM.
-
Again, not proof of anything, but the canon lineup of SHËY≠DË features 紫緒, who was in HISKAREA. I automatically doubt that KISAKI would make up a fake band with a known musician in the lineup, if it weren't real...
-
松本 博, the owner of Wakayama livehouse OLD TIME at which Levia supposedly performed a lot of oneman lives, actually commented in BEYOND THE KINGDOM about seeing KISAKI's junior-high band Levia as regulars who were popular. So that seems to confirm a lot for me, unless they faked that comment (I already checked―the 松本 博 is real.)
---
【REALLY WEIRD STUFF】
This one is sort of reaching, but bear with me. Check out the cover of the Levia “滅びの序章” demotape again (which was copied from the Levia[non-KISAKI] “滅びの序章”, remember?).
Now check out this image by hyura again. The image on the left. I know it's near the LAYBIAL sign, but it's only 3 members (LAYBIAL had 4), and LAYBIAL didn't play a live on 1994-09-21... but Levia had 3 members and did play their first live on 1993-09-21. So could that picture be of KISAKI's Levia?
And if so... looking at that supposed Levia[non-KISAKI] scan, couldn't you see KISAKI on the left and the other two guys on the right (compare the eye-makeup, the hair, the chokers, the suit jackets)...?
-
I can't claim anything from this, but you have to admit that it sort of looks like Levia and Levia[non-KISAKI] are one in the same, at least from comparing those two pictures.
That would be the ultimate mind fuck if that were the case, because the Levia[non-KISAKI] demotape has 5 tracks which, as far as I know, aren't stolen from anything...
---
【CONCLUSIONS】
Personally, I think Levia~LAYBIAL~SHËY≠DË were *real*, since they've been mentioned for so long (at least since 2003), way before there was a book about KISAKI or he had some “legacy” of being a 15-year-old genius who was playing oneman shows. Also, I can't imagine KISAKI and FOOL'S MATE would be so bold as to fake a comment from the owner of a livehouse who knew Levia. And finally, I don't think KISAKI was lying when he posted about meeting ex-Levia members... but if he was, then he's been purposefully sprinking those things throughout his blog for 7 years which just seems to be way beyond his level of thinking IMO.
So like I said, I think the bands are *real*, but I'm not sure if the demotapes ever were... I see a couple of possible scenarios:
1. The *canon* demotapes were *real* but were also fake/stolen (even at the time of their release).
2. It's been so long that KISAKI has no clue what his early bands released, so he just made it up for BEYOND THE KINGDOM. In that case, there are *real* demotapes, but probably completely different from the *canon* ones.
3. There are *canon* demotapes are also *real*, but KISAKI's been seeding the net and auctions with fake copies, while he maniacally holds on to the only real copies that are left. In that case, the titles are still stolen from other releases... (This would fit in nicely with the crazy theory that Levia is the same as Levia[non-KISAKI]!)
-
So I guess my posts didn't really give any clear conlusion, but I hope you've gained some more evidence to make your own (or at least see that the situation is even weirder than some simple lying).

SIZNA should get Atsuto to join Moran asap. That's the only possible replacement for Soan.

aww I want to hear froppi's ver of thank you for my everyday, auuuu
i think it must be gooooood

I get where NB are coming from, and I kind of agree with the comments in the first post.
 
Let me first say that I used to download loads of music illegally, but since the advent of Spotify, that's become my main thing to listen to music. As for Jap music, I still mostly download. But... if I think  a certain band or release is good/epic, I will buy the original. I have about 300 CDs, and loads of vinyl, DVDs, and casettes.
 
I think that if you claim to be a fan of a band, you should support them in any way you can. Buy an album, buy a T-shirt, I don't care. If physical stuff isn't readily available, email them and you'll probably be able to work something out (I did this with Tokyo Heroes), or bring it to their attention that there's fans willing to buy their stuff in other countries as well. If not, platforms such as Itunes exist. You can't claim to be a diehard fan of a band but be unwilling to support them.
A non-Jap band I'm fan of released 3 singles, all for $1. I bought each of em for $3-5(Bandcamp), just because I love their music and sincerity and want to support them. Each time I got a personal email back saying "Thank you Bryan, this means more to us than you think!" They make music for their fans, and if their fans support them, they give their personal gratitude in return.
 
I agree with what Tokage said about music as a form of art. I have to add though, that many artists, and even mostly the smaller ones, also put time and creativity in the CD's artwork and packaging. If you just get the music, you only get 75% of the complete piece of art.
Then again, I also agree with his remark about originality, haha.
 
Oh and also, I'm pro-buying directly from the band, no intermediates. Tons of bands use bigcartel or bandcamp or their own webstore and sell CDs, downloads and merch through those channels. If you buy it from there, you'll know the money ends up where it belongs - in the hands of the artists.
 
TL;DR I think you should support bands financially when you claim to be a fan, in any small way you can. I have no problem with downloading music to try it out, but if you like it enough to call yourself a fan, fuck'n buy it and don't be a pretentious freeloader.

I get where NB are coming from, and I kind of agree with the comments in the first post.
 
Let me first say that I used to download loads of music illegally, but since the advent of Spotify, that's become my main thing to listen to music. As for Jap music, I still mostly download. But... if I think  a certain band or release is good/epic, I will buy the original. I have about 300 CDs, and loads of vinyl, DVDs, and casettes.
 
I think that if you claim to be a fan of a band, you should support them in any way you can. Buy an album, buy a T-shirt, I don't care. If physical stuff isn't readily available, email them and you'll probably be able to work something out (I did this with Tokyo Heroes), or bring it to their attention that there's fans willing to buy their stuff in other countries as well. If not, platforms such as Itunes exist. You can't claim to be a diehard fan of a band but be unwilling to support them.
A non-Jap band I'm fan of released 3 singles, all for $1. I bought each of em for $3-5(Bandcamp), just because I love their music and sincerity and want to support them. Each time I got a personal email back saying "Thank you Bryan, this means more to us than you think!" They make music for their fans, and if their fans support them, they give their personal gratitude in return.
 
I agree with what Tokage said about music as a form of art. I have to add though, that many artists, and even mostly the smaller ones, also put time and creativity in the CD's artwork and packaging. If you just get the music, you only get 75% of the complete piece of art.
Then again, I also agree with his remark about originality, haha.
 
Oh and also, I'm pro-buying directly from the band, no intermediates. Tons of bands use bigcartel or bandcamp or their own webstore and sell CDs, downloads and merch through those channels. If you buy it from there, you'll know the money ends up where it belongs - in the hands of the artists.
 
TL;DR I think you should support bands financially when you claim to be a fan, in any small way you can. I have no problem with downloading music to try it out, but if you like it enough to call yourself a fan, fuck'n buy it and don't be a pretentious freeloader.

I think what made Gazette stand out early on is that they started out as a crossover between oldschool VK and punk, and slowly started adding more influences to their music. Their releases from 2003-2006 are pretty versatile and have many influences, and the songs range from pop ballads to jumpy punk songs to stuff bordering on the progmetal. In short, because they didn't stick to one genre, they could gather fans from all kinds of rock genres. Those guys are(/can be) solid songwriters, like it or not.
 
Sadly, after 2007 their songwriting became a bit stale (to me at least, I know other people won't agree with me), even though I admit there's still some good efforts scattered throughout their releases.

I think what made Gazette stand out early on is that they started out as a crossover between oldschool VK and punk, and slowly started adding more influences to their music. Their releases from 2003-2006 are pretty versatile and have many influences, and the songs range from pop ballads to jumpy punk songs to stuff bordering on the progmetal. In short, because they didn't stick to one genre, they could gather fans from all kinds of rock genres. Those guys are(/can be) solid songwriters, like it or not.
 
Sadly, after 2007 their songwriting became a bit stale (to me at least, I know other people won't agree with me), even though I admit there's still some good efforts scattered throughout their releases.

Alt. important announcement: Official X-Japan Brand Chastity Belt.
 
Yoshiki quoted as saying: "With this tool, you too can experience our next album. No release!"

Cooking With Yoshiki book confirmed for release, featuring over 20 recipes inspired by each X-Japan member.