sai

Well no shit Piko's death was widely reported on many Japanese and vk news sites. It's only obvious that there would be a sudden surge of people willing to give them a listen and of course some of those people were bound to like what they heard. There is no difference in discovering them this way than any other way imo
 
I hate this "I knew them first than you did!" shaming that a lot of (indie) music fans do.

Tbqh I don't like it at all. I've heard this type of song so many times before, I prefer their more "hip hop-like" stuff like Nili mambo, Nanlina and Halo (it's also what I associate Block B with). The MV is just really tacky and way too over the top. You can leave that to GD, guys.

Show yourself again ( and again )

pls love me
 
nah
 
but srlsy guys
 

 
i curled my hair

I'm not even a GazettE fan but are we really going to blame GazettE for the fact that MEJIBRAY's previews are only 18 seconds long? What's next, we're going to blame GazettE because they release the full PV only after the release of the CD? There are plenty of bands who do this, so why blame "Gayzette" again (which I find a rather immature term to begin with).
 
apologies for the off-topic, but I'm starting to get a bit tired of this whole "let's blame GazettE for everything"-attitude.

I'm not even a GazettE fan but are we really going to blame GazettE for the fact that MEJIBRAY's previews are only 18 seconds long? What's next, we're going to blame GazettE because they release the full PV only after the release of the CD? There are plenty of bands who do this, so why blame "Gayzette" again (which I find a rather immature term to begin with).
 
apologies for the off-topic, but I'm starting to get a bit tired of this whole "let's blame GazettE for everything"-attitude.

This whole "BUT HE/SHE DID IT FIRST"-argument is irrelevant. Threads usually go off-topic, there's nothing you nor the staff can do to prevent it. However, if a user goes a little off-topic once in a while there's nothing the staff will do to intervene, because if we're going to have to punish EVERYONE who goes a tiny bit off-topic in a thread, that would just kill the discussions all-together. However, with you both I and the other staff members have noticed a pattern. The fact you go on about how old visual kei is better than new VK is most of the time not just a little but COMPLETELY unrelated to the initial meaning of the thread and almost always ensues into arguments or people getting offended. If you're going to complain about it, at least do it in the appropriate thread, that's all I'm asking of you.
 
Also, if you've read the MH guidelines you know that mod decisions are final and that you should not argue with them. I'm leaving it with a verbal warning this time because in this thread everyone ignored it/moved on, but should you feel like commenting on my decision again I will take more serious actions.

This I find particularly annoying. As recently is also happening with Korean music, record companies blocking videos on YouTube for people outside of Japan/Korea is something that really bugs me. I know foreigners aren't their targeted audience, but actually giving your bands exposure so that foreigners will buy your stuff isn't THAT bad, is it?
 
I don't have the cash to buy every single release from all my favourite artists, but I try to chip in when I can. I also like having a physical copy in my hands, especially when they have fancy packaging.

This I find particularly annoying. As recently is also happening with Korean music, record companies blocking videos on YouTube for people outside of Japan/Korea is something that really bugs me. I know foreigners aren't their targeted audience, but actually giving your bands exposure so that foreigners will buy your stuff isn't THAT bad, is it?
 
I don't have the cash to buy every single release from all my favourite artists, but I try to chip in when I can. I also like having a physical copy in my hands, especially when they have fancy packaging.

I think “HIZAKI wanted to try something new” automatically categorizes that rumor as false...

THEY MIGHT HAVE HEALTH CARE BUT AT LEAST WE HAVE NETFLIX

"People won't go to our shows if you share our live distributed stuff!!!"
 
No, actually, people just dont' go to your shows.
 

Agreeing with Saku, tbqh I don't hear what you guys are all complaining about. You act like this stuff was recorded with a toilet but apart from the guitars being a bit muddled in the mix I don't think it's really THAT bad. I've heard way worse mixing with bands that had an even higher budget, so this is hardly unlistenable.
 
Overall I didn't really like this EP. I'm going to explain why but you probably won't be able to follow my logic but gomen i only slept 3 hours lol.
 
lynch.' main problem is that they don't know what direction they want to go in. Or perhaps they do know, but they aren't pulling it off properly yet. Inferiority Complex and EXODUS are both releases that showed the more "metal-like" direction of lynch., in comparison to I BELIEVE IN ME, LIGHTNING and BALLAD. The main problem of EXODUS is that they're trying to advance from Inferiority Complex, yet the poppy hooks they incorporate in their music are ALWAYS there. I doubt they keep them in for the sake of commercialism (seeing how EXODUS as a whole is not commercial at all), but the feeling I get is that lynch. doesn't know or understand yet how they can take the step to a full metal band. Not sure if that's what they want themselves or if it's the direction King Records is pushing them in, but they haven't mastered it yet and that's why I didn't like EXODUS.
 
The main problem is how disjointed the songs sound. I'm going to take ASHES as an example. ASHES starts with a really melodic, light intro that reminds me of their BALLAD single, then progresses into heavier sections with lots of metal elements. The chorus is more sped up, yet is too poppy to really fit in with the rest of the metal elements. However, in the middle of the song the light melodic riffs come back followed by the chorus once again, and in an instant the chorus sounds so much better when mixed with these lighter parts! It's like listening to two separate songs that don't flow well together.
 
You can hate on BE STRONG, but it's the only song on the EP that has one tempo and no aggressive parts, which actually makes it one of the better songs on the EP (not that I really like it THAT much, but I enjoyed listening to it more than the other songs). NIGHT is the song where lynch. does it right. The metal-like parts and the poppy hooks flow into eachother nicely and it's a track I would've seen on I BELIEVE IN ME. NIGHT therefore is the only track on this EP that I really enjoy.
 
Imo lynch. is at their best when it comes to songs like NIGHT, MIRRORS, I BELIEVE IN ME, BALLAD etc. I can understand people want to see them go a more metal-direction, but I'd prefer them not to, because they obviously haven't mastered it yet (and I don't like those songs anyway so I have no objections against another I BELIEVE IN ME).
 

Making a new list (I'm too lazy to write down the releases I enjoyed for threads like these, lol).
 
Alice Nine - DAYBREAK
Alice Nine - SHADOWPLAY
AI - Voice
Boris - Präparat
EXO - The 1st Album 'XOXO' (Repackage)
f(x) - Pink Tape (Vol. 2)
LAGITAGIDA - TUTELA!!
LUNA SEA - Thoughts
lynch. - Ballad
M-Koda - Generating Arrow Diagram
MERRY - 梟
THE NOVEMBERS - Fourth Wall
ONE OK ROCK - 人生x僕=
SHINee - BOYS MEET U
SHINee -Dream Girl - The misconceptions of you
凛として時雨 - i'mperfect
雅-MIYAVI- - MIYAVI
9GOATS BLACK OUT - Archives (it counts in my book ok)

Considering that this has been a rather big issue within the online VK community, both on forums as on other websites like livejournal, tumblr etc. I thought it would be interesting to try and get some opinions on the matter. If you decide to share VK music online, this usually gets reposted on a lot of visual kei blogspots. Now my question is, would you rather have it that blogspots repost your links and credit you/don't credit you (the way it mostly goes now), reupload your files and credit you/don't credit you, or would you prefer that they just keep their hands off?
 
I personally have never really shared anything I got (slow shipping times, lol), but if it came to it, I guess I'd prefer reuploading over reposting. You can't really stop the blogs from taking "your stuff" (though that is a entirely other debate) anyway, it comes with the territory if you put it on the net. Reuploading at least keeps the links alive. What I dislike about reposting links (especially with bigger artists that get deleted quicker) is that when the file gets removed for violation (like what happened with GazettE's DIVISION) the file is nowhere left to be found because everyone just blatantly reposted the link. Reuploading keeps the files alive and easier to access. Plenty of uploaders request for their files to be reuploaded instead of reposted, though I don't get why blogs (I'm looking at you edohsama and visual scandal) don't take 5 extra minutes to reupload the file if the uploader wishes so. Credits I don't care about at all, like you'd want your name all over the net being associated with sharing stuff online anyway.
 
So what is your opinion on the matter? Also, feel free to discuss the opinions of others!

Agreeing with Saku, tbqh I don't hear what you guys are all complaining about. You act like this stuff was recorded with a toilet but apart from the guitars being a bit muddled in the mix I don't think it's really THAT bad. I've heard way worse mixing with bands that had an even higher budget, so this is hardly unlistenable.
 
Overall I didn't really like this EP. I'm going to explain why but you probably won't be able to follow my logic but gomen i only slept 3 hours lol.
 
lynch.' main problem is that they don't know what direction they want to go in. Or perhaps they do know, but they aren't pulling it off properly yet. Inferiority Complex and EXODUS are both releases that showed the more "metal-like" direction of lynch., in comparison to I BELIEVE IN ME, LIGHTNING and BALLAD. The main problem of EXODUS is that they're trying to advance from Inferiority Complex, yet the poppy hooks they incorporate in their music are ALWAYS there. I doubt they keep them in for the sake of commercialism (seeing how EXODUS as a whole is not commercial at all), but the feeling I get is that lynch. doesn't know or understand yet how they can take the step to a full metal band. Not sure if that's what they want themselves or if it's the direction King Records is pushing them in, but they haven't mastered it yet and that's why I didn't like EXODUS.
 
The main problem is how disjointed the songs sound. I'm going to take ASHES as an example. ASHES starts with a really melodic, light intro that reminds me of their BALLAD single, then progresses into heavier sections with lots of metal elements. The chorus is more sped up, yet is too poppy to really fit in with the rest of the metal elements. However, in the middle of the song the light melodic riffs come back followed by the chorus once again, and in an instant the chorus sounds so much better when mixed with these lighter parts! It's like listening to two separate songs that don't flow well together.
 
You can hate on BE STRONG, but it's the only song on the EP that has one tempo and no aggressive parts, which actually makes it one of the better songs on the EP (not that I really like it THAT much, but I enjoyed listening to it more than the other songs). NIGHT is the song where lynch. does it right. The metal-like parts and the poppy hooks flow into eachother nicely and it's a track I would've seen on I BELIEVE IN ME. NIGHT therefore is the only track on this EP that I really enjoy.
 
Imo lynch. is at their best when it comes to songs like NIGHT, MIRRORS, I BELIEVE IN ME, BALLAD etc. I can understand people want to see them go a more metal-direction, but I'd prefer them not to, because they obviously haven't mastered it yet (and I don't like those songs anyway so I have no objections against another I BELIEVE IN ME).
 

In other words "we know the single sucks but we'll just say that we didn't even try so that we can trick people into thinking we aren't completely burned up yet (and this is all we can still do) and that they'll buy BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY anyway".
 
Also tbqh I don't think Aoi should compose any more than he's doing already because out of all the songs Aoi's songs are usually the ones I find the dullest. Also is Reita ever going to compose anything again?

i love kagrra's album art.
 
from their shiki album.

 
 
hyakkikenran album

 
Yotogi Banashi release

This single is going to take a massive, steaming, curly dump all over Jupiter's entire album.

Imo there's nothing wrong with someone asking you to share a specific release, however, the fault can be at two sides. I've seen cases where the purchaser acts like an elitist dick, and I've seen cases where the purchaser nicely said that they didn't want to share, which resulted in over-dramatic reactions from the requesters.
 
Imo everyone has the right to request a rip of a CD, but that doesn't mean you're automatically entitled to it. As long as nobody acts like a dick/elitist snob interaction should be just fine.

As someone else touched on and I'm not positive it's unpopular, but it might be... I don't consider "illegal downloading" theft.  Theft is the deprivation of something from its original owner with no intent to return it.  IN this case, nothing is being stolen because someone bought the item in the first place and is simply sharing it with others...albeit a lot of others.
 
Downloading music on the internet is exactly the same concept (just a lot easier) as going to the library, checking out a CD and then ripping it and keeping it or re-burning it.  Or, back in the day, using a double cassette recorder to copy one cassette to a blank one.  The only difference now is it's a LOT easier to do this type of copying, sharing, etc.  
 
It's a giant myth perpetuated by governments and record labels, stepping on our rights and no one should be buying into it.  If I buy something, pay MY hard-earned money for it, no one, NO ONE, should be able to tell me what to do with it.  If I want to share it with one person or dozens of persons, that's my right dammit.

The irony here is simply astounding. Saying that you don't believe in illegal downloading is silly. You believe in it whether you choose to admit it or not. Without illegal downloading, neither this forum nor the vast majority of the VK/J-rock/Japanese music fanbase would exist overseas. Whether you choose to purchase music or not is your own perogative, but keep the following in mind:
1) Purchasing music doesn't make you any more or less than a fan.
2) If you know beforehand how people are going to react to you talking/gloating about what releases you've bought, why talk about them in the first place? If you're going to get angry at people for requesting releases from you, then you can solve that problem by simply ceasing to talk/post about those releases. That's like waving a steak in front of a lion and acting surprised when it attacks you. Regardless of your intentions, what you're essentially doing is teasing.
3) If you're an overseas fan that purchases Japanese music, there's a damn good chance that your purchase won't do much to "support" whatever band you're buying from. This is ESPECIALLY true if you're purchasing music released through major labels. Hell, most bands make their real money from performing live, not CD sales. I know you want to feel special like you've done some kind of good deed for buying music instead of downloading it illegally, but I'm sorry, you don't get a cookie for spending your hard-earned cash on ridiculously overpriced Japanese CDs. To be honest with you, you'd probably be supporting these bands more by distributing their music digitally.

lol no it's not. you don't have to share if you don't want to, but smh @ this elitism. you can be a fan of any artist/band without having bought their music, merch, etc.

Not everyone really has money to buy the music and I very much believe in sharing the wealth but also as juka was saying, attitude makes all the difference.
maybe im too nice a person, but the reason i stepped out of the jrock/vkei scene was because of snotty elitist prats being all high and mighty about what they owned and refused to share...
 
idk thats just me tho.

Supernova, the only way one can 'steal' music is when they either steal a physical copy of a cd or vinyl record OR when they claim a certain composition as their own creation when it's in fact someone else's. The first could be discribed as plain old theft of physical goods and the second as plagiarism. Downloading (thus only copying) music is NEITHER of those.
 
An artist should be glad that people are enjoying his creations. The internet is the greatest medium in the history of mankind that allows the sharing of art and knowledge. Let's just use it to the fullest and stop worrying about money so much. When art is liked, the artist is bound to get money anyway. It's a natural process. People are willing to give money to those who make things they enjoy.
 
Even if we assume that an artist loses out on money due to free downloads (this will always remain impossible to measure, because the free publicity might be worth a lot more to them), then it's still no use for that artist to start complaining about that because that'll not only mean the loss of money, but also the loss of their artistic value (which could in turn backfire and lead to the loss of even more money!).
 
Also, try to use paragraphs to prevent a so-called "wall of text".