Seimeisen

Welcome to the official tutorial to create a Japanese iTunes account!
 
Before you get started, make sure you have all of the following:
✅ An E-mail Address That Is Not Registered To An iTunes Account
Something like Gmail, Yahoo, etc. I would not recommend that you attempt to use your iCloud e-mail address (if you have one).
✅ A Valid Japanese Billing Address
From what I’ve read around, iTunes requires a valid Japanese billing address and they have a system that will check. While it’s probably against Apple’s terms of service, you can use public/business addresses. One user used J-list’s business address, for another account of mine, I used my Tenso mailbox. You could probably even use a Japanese Apple Store location.
✅ A Japanese Phone Number
Requirement is debatable. Some people have claimed that they have used their own (non-Japanese) phone numbers, others have claimed to use a random string of numbers, or a 01 2345 6789 sequence… do whatever works!
✅ Japanese iTunes Gift Card
I highly recommend that you use Japan Codes, because their cards are the cheapest, and they have a wide selection of cards for other stores, such as レコチョク. I also recommend OffGamers.com if you have multiple iTunes store accounts from many different countries. I use OffGamers to get cards for my UK iTunes account.
 
One thing to keep in mind about gift code shops:
Every single one of these shops claim to send out gift codes immediately. Some shops live up to this promise... sometimes. It really depends. Sometimes one shop will send out codes instantly, other times that same shop may make you wait a few days.
 
Now that you have everything on that checklist, let’s get started…
 
Open up iTunes and go to iTunes Store. If you’re logged into an iTunes account already, then log out.
Then, scroll all the way down to the store homepage, and click on the flag in the bottom corner. It will take you to the region select page.
When you're on the region select page, look for the Japanese flag and click it.
Now you’re in the Japanese iTunes store.
 
Some computers may display the store in Japanese.
If that’s the case, then...
続ける = continue
キャンセル = cancel
戻る = back
同意する = agree
 
Click the Sign In button, then click the Create Apple ID button.
You’ll get some Welcome to iTunes screen. Click Continue.
Then there will be a Terms and Conditions page, check the box at the bottom, and click the agree button.
 
Now, let’s enter some basic account information:
 
Here’s where we begin to have some fun! Many people have trouble with this part.

Don’t worry, you actually can skip the Payment Type part with all the credit cards, and just enter your gift card code below that.
Enter the Billing address. I used From Japan’s headquarters in the picture above, and you could probably get away with using it, too.
Click Create Apple ID and buy some Japanese music!
 
Feel free to PM me with any questions or feedback.

Welcome to the official tutorial to create a Japanese iTunes account!
 
Before you get started, make sure you have all of the following:
✅ An E-mail Address That Is Not Registered To An iTunes Account
Something like Gmail, Yahoo, etc. I would not recommend that you attempt to use your iCloud e-mail address (if you have one).
✅ A Valid Japanese Billing Address
From what I’ve read around, iTunes requires a valid Japanese billing address and they have a system that will check. While it’s probably against Apple’s terms of service, you can use public/business addresses. One user used J-list’s business address, for another account of mine, I used my Tenso mailbox. You could probably even use a Japanese Apple Store location.
✅ A Japanese Phone Number
Requirement is debatable. Some people have claimed that they have used their own (non-Japanese) phone numbers, others have claimed to use a random string of numbers, or a 01 2345 6789 sequence… do whatever works!
✅ Japanese iTunes Gift Card
I highly recommend that you use Japan Codes, because their cards are the cheapest, and they have a wide selection of cards for other stores, such as レコチョク. I also recommend OffGamers.com if you have multiple iTunes store accounts from many different countries. I use OffGamers to get cards for my UK iTunes account.
 
One thing to keep in mind about gift code shops:
Every single one of these shops claim to send out gift codes immediately. Some shops live up to this promise... sometimes. It really depends. Sometimes one shop will send out codes instantly, other times that same shop may make you wait a few days.
 
Now that you have everything on that checklist, let’s get started…
 
Open up iTunes and go to iTunes Store. If you’re logged into an iTunes account already, then log out.
Then, scroll all the way down to the store homepage, and click on the flag in the bottom corner. It will take you to the region select page.
When you're on the region select page, look for the Japanese flag and click it.
Now you’re in the Japanese iTunes store.
 
Some computers may display the store in Japanese.
If that’s the case, then...
続ける = continue
キャンセル = cancel
戻る = back
同意する = agree
 
Click the Sign In button, then click the Create Apple ID button.
You’ll get some Welcome to iTunes screen. Click Continue.
Then there will be a Terms and Conditions page, check the box at the bottom, and click the agree button.
 
Now, let’s enter some basic account information:
 
Here’s where we begin to have some fun! Many people have trouble with this part.

Don’t worry, you actually can skip the Payment Type part with all the credit cards, and just enter your gift card code below that.
Enter the Billing address. I used From Japan’s headquarters in the picture above, and you could probably get away with using it, too.
Click Create Apple ID and buy some Japanese music!
 
Feel free to PM me with any questions or feedback.

Welcome to the official tutorial to create a Japanese iTunes account!
 
Before you get started, make sure you have all of the following:
✅ An E-mail Address That Is Not Registered To An iTunes Account
Something like Gmail, Yahoo, etc. I would not recommend that you attempt to use your iCloud e-mail address (if you have one).
✅ A Valid Japanese Billing Address
From what I’ve read around, iTunes requires a valid Japanese billing address and they have a system that will check. While it’s probably against Apple’s terms of service, you can use public/business addresses. One user used J-list’s business address, for another account of mine, I used my Tenso mailbox. You could probably even use a Japanese Apple Store location.
✅ A Japanese Phone Number
Requirement is debatable. Some people have claimed that they have used their own (non-Japanese) phone numbers, others have claimed to use a random string of numbers, or a 01 2345 6789 sequence… do whatever works!
✅ Japanese iTunes Gift Card
I highly recommend that you use Japan Codes, because their cards are the cheapest, and they have a wide selection of cards for other stores, such as レコチョク. I also recommend OffGamers.com if you have multiple iTunes store accounts from many different countries. I use OffGamers to get cards for my UK iTunes account.
 
One thing to keep in mind about gift code shops:
Every single one of these shops claim to send out gift codes immediately. Some shops live up to this promise... sometimes. It really depends. Sometimes one shop will send out codes instantly, other times that same shop may make you wait a few days.
 
Now that you have everything on that checklist, let’s get started…
 
Open up iTunes and go to iTunes Store. If you’re logged into an iTunes account already, then log out.
Then, scroll all the way down to the store homepage, and click on the flag in the bottom corner. It will take you to the region select page.
When you're on the region select page, look for the Japanese flag and click it.
Now you’re in the Japanese iTunes store.
 
Some computers may display the store in Japanese.
If that’s the case, then...
続ける = continue
キャンセル = cancel
戻る = back
同意する = agree
 
Click the Sign In button, then click the Create Apple ID button.
You’ll get some Welcome to iTunes screen. Click Continue.
Then there will be a Terms and Conditions page, check the box at the bottom, and click the agree button.
 
Now, let’s enter some basic account information:
 
Here’s where we begin to have some fun! Many people have trouble with this part.

Don’t worry, you actually can skip the Payment Type part with all the credit cards, and just enter your gift card code below that.
Enter the Billing address. I used From Japan’s headquarters in the picture above, and you could probably get away with using it, too.
Click Create Apple ID and buy some Japanese music!
 
Feel free to PM me with any questions or feedback.

Artist: MEJIBRAY Album: The "420" THEATRICAL ROSES Score: A step-up but still not quite there yet!
Finally, it's here. MEJIBRAY's 2nd full-length after 2.5 years, which might sound like a long time in 'J-rock years' but Tsuzuku & co are not ones to slack off. After releasing countless singles and a mini album, they've kept plowing on with varying degrees of success. That's one thing about MEJIBRAY: they have an air of uncertainty about them. The problem is, this atmosphere is generated not by their image but the inconsistency of their songwriting – something that should be expected if you churn out song after song like a reverse-Yoshiki on crack. Accordingly, I was looking forward to their 2nd album with a mixture of hope and anxiety. The fact that their 1st album (after my initial excitement died down) turned out to be mediocre and lackluster at best when counting the actual new tracks didn't bode well for the hilariously titled THE"420"THEATRICAL ROSES either.

I must say, however, that I'm truly impressed this time around! I really feel that they managed to construct a better vision of what an ideal MEJIBRAY album should sound and feel like. Gone are the stilted, almost demo-like compositions that so often plagued their previous full-length. Instead, these songs are clearly fleshed-out and arranged rather well. The band adds lots of small details that make the tracks much more interesting and enjoyable to listen to – a flourish of synth, piano or even an exotic instrument here and there. MiA once said in an interview how, at one time, he wanted to give up playing guitar and just be a producer/arranger for bands. This shows here wonderfully, and proves to be an effective 'secret weapon' in the MEJI' repertoire.

The expansion of sound also opens up new doors for experimentation, as evidenced by tracks like the light, poppy "瞬間のアイディアル" or the extremely powerful and dramatic closing monolith that is "鳥は泳ぎ方を知らず溺れ亡骸" (complete with haunting traditional flute melodies). Those who like their MEJIBRAY a bit more direct and fast as a cannonball will be glad to know that the 2nd half of the album packs some strong numbers, such as the infectiously driving "BOWWOW" or the ominously titled "SUICIDAL WORD GAME" that features the cheekiest punky riff of the band's career. It's interesting to hear how they managed to spice up these compositions despite their apparent simplicity, with unexpected acoustic rhythm guitar in the former and some wicked death growls in the latter one. Also, just before we get to the dramatic finale we're treated to the excellent "Cristate" that competes for the title of catchiest song on here. A nice way to lead the listener into the grand closing track.

That said, the album is not all moonlight and roses (see what I did there?). While most of the tracks manage to capture the listener's attention, some of them are just too long-winded and fall into the trap of being a bit too makeshift. A good example for the yawn-inducing type is "Echo", the song they curiously chose as the music video to represent the album. Honestly, who wants to hear another 6.5 minute-long fluffy ballad when such songs often miss the mark even in the hands of the most skilled craftsmen? I believe that if the band had weeded out a track or two this would almost be a 5-star release but instead they went with including everything they could, so that there would be a better chance for everyone to find something to their own liking. Which doesn't sound like an inherently bad thing, but brings me to my final gripe: the album is just too damn long. It could've been tighter with 10 minutes or so chopped off.

All in all, I think MEJIBRAY were able to convey their vision and sound a lot better with this album, compared to Emotional【KARMA】. There is a great variety present here and most of the slight experimentation they implemented into their tunes comes across effectively. As someone who has been following the band from their very first releases, even I was surprised at some of the decisions they made with a couple of songs on THE"420"THEATRICAL ROSES. It's a commendable effort that is well worth listening to if you are a fan of the band – and especially a fan of their releases from the past year or so. I'd gladly recommend the album to those, too, who haven't had their taste of MEJI' before, since it showcases some impressive tracks despite the obvious flaws and shortcomings. However, if you haven't found enjoyment in MEJIBRAY's work so far (or you just liked their first few records) then you can gladly skip this one.

Well... uh, I'll see if I can find a santa hat that I can photoshop onto Daria lol...

these KPOP-crossed-jrock siggies though

Also: someone posted the list of original composers (based on their song-by-song analysis in niconico stream)
 
1. Un deux -  薫
2. 咀嚼 Soshaku - 薫
3. 鱗 Uroko - 薫
4. Phenomenon 薫
5. Cause of Fickleness - Shinya
6. 濤声 Tousei - Die
7. 輪郭 Rinkaku - 薫
8. Chain Repulsion  - 薫
9. Midwife - Toshiya
10. 禍夜想 Magayasou - Dir en grey
11. 懐春 Kaishun - Dir en grey
12. Behind a Vacant Image - Dir en grey
13. Sustain the Untruth - Dir en grey
14. 空谷の跫音 Kuukoku no Kyouon - 薫
15. The Inferno - 薫
16. Revelation of Mankind - Dir en grey
and Zero - 薫
てふてふ Tefutefu: - Die
 
* "Dir en grey" = composing roles of the said song were not discussed in detail during the stream (even though chat room swarmers are speculating that "Kaishun" is Die's song too...)
(*薫 = Kaoru)
 
Kaoru dominating that songwriting (He should be ashamed for writing "The Inferno" though)

I figured I might as well start this thread. ARCHE leaked yesterday and I think peeps have had enough time to get a few listens in.
Here's my review straight from my FB status:
Its a pretty kickass album for what it is. I second Dakota in saying that it is not a favorite. I already have my batch of favorite tracks but the other songs don't really really resonate with me at this point in time. This could be due to the fact that I really didn't like a lot of the tracks that give off the vibe of the way older albums. I have key songs that i like in the pre MOAB era but for the most part, a lot of those songs are a snooze fest. With that said, I do dig that this album is very tame, simple, and very easy to get into. It took awhile for me to really get situated with URO and DSS so this was a nice change. I look forward to seeing how the new songs are placed in setlists for future live DVD's. I feel like placed perfectly, they will blend so well with the bands previous material and the sets will shine.
Great Job.
Highlights: Un Deux, 咀嚼 ,鱗, Cause of Fickleness, 濤 ;Behind a vacant image, Revelation of mankind. Rinkaku remastered.

I haven't heard the album in full yet, but a few notes:
- While other people are getting a 鬼葬 vibe, I'm sort of getting a "Withering to death. songwriting meets UROBOROS production."
- I'm expecting "The inferno" and "Revelation of mankind" to feel like bonus tracks. Again, while I haven't heard all of "空谷の跫音," something tells me that it would have been more of an appropriate ender.
- I agree that "Sustain the untruth" remaster BLOWS! It doesn't even 'match' the production/mastering of the other songs (if that makes sense, I'm not sure how to describe it)
- I'm not sure what everyone thinks is sooo much better about the 輪郭 remaster, but I guess I'll know when I hear it...

Well, after having listened to the full album, I can safely say that I'm gonna be skipping The Inferno on subsequent plays and replacing StU with the single version. Other than that, the album is pretty damn groovin'. I don't quite understand all the hate for Phenomenon either. I expected it to be COMPLETELY different based on the preview (it was my favorite out of all of them), but in the end I'm still happy with the full song just because it sounds so unlike the 'usual' Dir en grey.
 
Getting some major old school vibes from some of the guitar parts in Cause of Fickleness too, good.

Day 9 - chouchou merged syrups. - clepsydra

Release Date: 2014-06-25
Label: Zankyou
Genre: Rock/Indie/Female Fronted
Impressions by @Ito

Impressions by @Original Saku

Impressions by @CAT5

Sample song:

Buy the album:
CDJapan | Amazon | iTunes

LINE members-only contents
 

 
Sequel to KODOU. Craziest video ever.

Don't worry, it'll leak. Not immediately, but someday.

I'm assuming this the source?

Artist: DEZERT Album: 「タイトルなし」 Score: Sometimes, you just want some DEZERT before dinner.  
 
DEZERT fall under the umbrella of “up-and-coming” visual-kei bands influenced by earlier acts— “homage-kei,” if you will—with “friend bands” Grieva and AvelCain. Grieva is on the far left of the spectrum, providing the most old-school-meets-modern-day sound; DEZERT is on the far right, as they are the heaviest of the three and mix later influences, such as Merry, Lynch., and D’espairsRay with nü-metal; AvelCain is in the middle, drawing on influences from turn of the century~mid 2000’s bands while remaining as a happy medium between the two styles of the other groups in question. All three have similarities, such as dark themed music and resounding feelings of angst, which provide a modern twist on the visual stylings of days past. In addition, these bands appear to tour with each other quite often and have even participated in some beautiful photo collaborations. Of this trinity, DEZERT is actually the least discussed aspect on MH, even though they are actually the oldest (and last to release a full LP). So, how does 「タイトルなし」 hold up to other visual-kei releases of this year?
Originally, titled “嘔吐ニ関スル勅語(outo ni kansuru chokugo)”, an abrupt name change to「タイトルなし」 ("Untitled"), generated a bit of anxiety amongst fans. As this band has released a handful of singles and 2 mini-albums before now, I was fairly concerned that an uninspired album title would pave the way for an album taking a page out of 朱’s (Suzaku) book—in case you’ve gotten, they had a whole album with only 4 new songs, 1 of which was a short intro. Thankfully, this album did not fall for the enticing, lowly hung, fruit and pulled a lynch. by releasing an album made of entirely new material out of nowhere. From the get-go, it dishes out hard-hitting tunes in their Sunday best nü-metal style, presented in a way that is 3~4 steps above the quality of their previous releases. As someone who didn’t care for their two previous works, 精神科医(拒食症)のスナッフフィルム集 (Seishinkai(Kyoshokushou)no SNUFF FILM Shuu) and 特製・脳味噌絶倫スープ〜生クリーム仕立て〜 (Tokusei・Noumiso Zetsurin SOUP～Nama CREAM Shitate～), and somehow always found something preventing me from really digging these guys, I went into this album rather aloof. With the start of “----,“ I immediately lost my jaded / faded disposition. Finally, this had done it for me.
One of my immediate thoughts while listening to this album was that fans of early Mucc will probably dig this. The first two songs, “----“ and “「嘔吐」“ (Outo) are both short, but heavy, numbers with a ton of emphasis on bass. It’s nice to hear a visual-kei song, let alone two songs, with this dynamic—usually there is a lot of guitar wankery and soloing for the sake of soloing. Here, SaZ steals the show, while キラ-Kira- supports this bass-driven melody with brooding guitar harmonies. In terms of vocals, those lovely aesthetical vocals from “「眩暈」” (Memai) are back, but quickly turn turbulent at the start of “「嘔吐」,” which I suppose is where 千秋-Chiaki- vomits his feelings, aptly happening in song who’s name translates to “vomiting.” What works really well here is that after guttural part, the melody of the song returns to the original theme, showing that these songs are of the same idea.
A good chunk of this album is in the band’s typical style—still in the realm of nü-metal, mixed with a bit of –core and angsty “ZETSuBOu!!!” delirium we’ve all come to know and love from the early 2000’s. If bands like Mucc, Kagerou, and Vidoll—groups that often used heavy verses and a poppy chorus, sometimes paired with mumbling or frantic breathing—spark some feelings of nostalgia, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. “「殺意」,” (Satsui) the promo track for this album, falls into aforementioned category, is typical DEZERT in a slightly more disjointed form. One strength here is that “「殺意」” has quotable lyrics. However, the flow of how he says "satsui" eight consecutive times is awkward: with a 4/4 time signature over a chorus in a different tempo and key, it sounds disjointed. Since the pv showed up, I was not into this song for whatever reason. Listening to it in the context of the album, I do like it a bit better, but it is far from the best track on here.
“Infection”, “「教育」,” (Kyouiku) “脳姦少年,” (Noukan Shounen) “doze.,” fall into this category as well, ordered from least preferred to most. “Infection” felt like a filler track to me; “「教育」” is more of the same heavy verses with poppy chorus –core song that I’ve heard before that is almost redeemed with some neat riffage; “脳姦少年” has some interesting Merry-like guitar work going on, albeit the chorus is really weak; and “doze.” sounded like something off of –OZ-‘s Versus, which was cool. I would also like to note that “doze.” has the frantic mumbling motif going on during one of the breakdowns. Nothing like a breakdown in your breakdown |D
DEZERT also threw in some lighter songs here as well, which is fairly new for them. I personally did not care for them myself, but, if those are your cup of tea, be sure to check out “さぁミルクを飲みましょう。” (Saa MILK wo Nomiamshou) (a more melancholy ballad about drinking milk), “「軽蔑」” (Keibetsu) (fairly straightforward indie / ojisan rock song), and “-26時の冷凍庫-” (26ji no Reitouko) (which is a decent piano outro). Without these tracks to break up the flow, this album would have undoubtedly been exhausting to listen to.
In addition to the first two songs, there were a few songs that I did really enjoy. The first is “胃潰瘍とルソーの錯覚” (Ikaiyou to ROUSSEAU no Sakkaku) : where did this Matina-styled riffage come from? From the get-go, this song has a mesmerizing draw. What’s interesting here is that this isn’t just an old-school revival song, it actually mixes a few different genres around in a way that I haven’t often come across before, especially in visual indie bands. Somehow “胃潰瘍とルソーの錯覚” sounds like a mix of Madeth Gray’ll and 鴉 (Karasu) and it works, gawddamit. I enjoyed the airy and wistful chorus, as well as how this song played on some new ideas that are not just dissident chugging. “「擬死」” (Gishi) is another powerful track. This song is one of their slower ~ mid-tempo’d numbers that brings back what DEZERT does best: creepy atmospheres that build into an angry mash-up of rage and smeared eye shadow. My favorite part is the guitar riff paired with a vocal melody that gently progresses upward in pitch as the tension in the song swells – phrasing like this is something visual-kei is in dire need of. Every so often, “「擬死」” gets quiet and then explodes into a break down with千秋-Chiaki- freaking the fuck out. Not to be shady, but Kaya could not.
Overall, this album is a decent debut for DEZERT, especially as a band who isn’t actually new and has quite a few releases prior to this. On the plus side, none of their earlier material is featured on here. On the down side, there isn’t enough of a change in style amongst the songs presented here that I never felt like “yeah, I’ve heard something like this before.” In comparison to the rest of their discography, the maturity they’ve shown here is enough to not feel like this was more of the same, but I would have been far more impressed had I not heard their earlier works before. With that being said, this is one of the best visual-kei albums I’ve heard this year. If you’re in the mood to feel your angst-kei oats, give this one a spin.

In regards to VK styles, here are the "accepted" styles. These were taken from a book about VK that I own which was written in 2013, so I presume it's pretty up to date. Funny that you mention "cosplay kei" as a joke when it's actually an accepted term in the VK scene XD
 

Well, these are the ones it has listed... I'll try my best to translate their descriptions a bit(some of the names are changed around a little):
 
kote-kei: Short for kotekote visual-kei. Visually characterized by gorgeous clothes and thick makeup. Musically, there are beautiful melodies and profound performances. There's often a member who disguises themselves as a woman and is called the oyama(female impersonator).
 
osare-kei: Derived from the word "oshare", meaning "fashionable". Visually characterized by bright/glittering makeup and colorful clothes. The style is heavy with poppy, danceable music.
 
soft visual(sofuvi): Abbreviated term, meaning "soft visual-kei". Though it looks like osare-kei, it's closer to street fashion. They use natural makeup and wear brand clothes. Vocal melody is highly valued in the music.
 
missitsu-kei/basement-kei: This term comes from cali≠gari's label "Missitsu Neurosis". It's a sort of generic term for bands with a similar atmosphere which played alongside cali≠gari. A defining feature of these bands are their surreal performances.
 
kuro-kei: Generally speaking... BLACK! BLACK! BLACK! Enamel, rivets, and leather all over. Most of the bands intensely perform loud metal music.
 
cosplay-kei: They wear clothes that look like they've leapt straight out of anime and games. Whether by armor, kigurumi(animal/mascot costumes) or any sort of uniform, they are always excessively decorated.
 
shironuri-kei: White grease paint and makeup like the work of an artist is used. Traditional Japanese clothes and Showa-era clothing are often worn. It has a very distinctive atmosphere.

ALBUM PREVIEW!!!!

 
omfg I'm so excited omg ♥♥♥
so far, Unreachable Voice sounds like a possible fave...

Day 4 - アルカラ - CAO (Arukara - CAO)

Release Date: 2014-09-24
Label: Victor Entertainment
Genre: Rock/Indie
Impressions by @Original Saku

Impressions by @CAT5

Sample song:

Buy the album:
CDJapan | YesAsia

^ Oh, that was linked here a few weeks ago, actually.
I wouldn't count it as a leak, since it's on the band's official YouTube channel.

Just an update for anyone that cares:
I will be making the tutorial after finals are done, so I'm expecting it to be up during the weekend before Christmas.

That is definitely an unpopular opinion here, and he doesn't seem to agree with it. Anyway, back on topic, I actually really like Theatrical Blue-black, I was totally psyched for that song when the video was first posted, I even enjoyed the apathetic BI"name"JIKA to an extent, but was not fond of HATE.
I also LOVE RAVEN, I think Echo is a pretty nice song, and those previews posted were pretty cool. I'm not expecting this album to be groundbreaking, at the very least I am expecting this album to be decent, if not really cool! Though I'm not expecting ground to be broken, I am still very much looking forward to this album because I think MEJIBRAY is long overdue for a second album. They've released enough singles since 2012 for a double album (b-sides included), and as someone who is not really into singles, that annoyed me! Even just the singles since MESSIAH.bat alone could have been a full album.
And for the sake of comparing this album release to GANGSTA: As mentioned, MEJIBRAY has been due for a new full-length album for quite some time. Sadie, on the other hand, should take a break from releasing full-length albums.

Their previous Album was alright but this one, this just has me like...
 

I wish I could like this but I'm all out lol.