Wonrei

japan edition was released 20... 6 days ago
it's already out and no one noticed it? top lel

I like it. 
 
I'm not into the popular bashing of X's new music. At all. Some of their music I've found the most enjoyable has been out in the last couple of years. 
 
Which is why I'm so frustrated that the album has never actually surfaced or any really good quality leaks or anything. I'd really love to hear the new album even if it's the unpopular opinion.

Beneath The Skin
Born to be Free
Hero 
Scarlet Love song
Jade
Kiss The Sky
I.V
 
Did I forget any song? 

im not sure how to process this , 
and dont even know when and
how did tney manage to get yusuke .
and i dont even know how this is going to look like .
 
although...
 
LINK

KOBAYASHI?!
 

 
suddenly tied w/ that nagoya Cthulhu supergroup thing for most interesting shit of the year imo tbh

the two scenes from the uroko music video look actually decent, that's a first for dir en gay
 
edit:
it actually sucks
uroko
https://vk.com/video-558881_170956579?list=f8051640d9033204b5

[header]MERRY - NOnsenSe MARkeT[/header]
 


[header]Rating: | Who (or what) is MERRY? ... THIS is MERRY:[/header]






01. iNtO the mARkeT 08. Zombie Paradise ～地獄の舞踏曲～
02. NOnsenSe MARkeT 09. Carnival
03. 東京 10. Station 07
04. 自意識過剰型木偶人間 11. 千代田線デモクラシー
05. ZERO -ゼロ- 12. 梟
06. 暗闇にピンク 13. Unreachable Voice
07. Hide-and-seek 14. 群青




If anyone asked me about MERRY, I would show them “NOnsenSe MARkeT.” This is the definitive MERRY album! Not only is this album representative of MERRY as a whole, it pulls off quite a few things that don’t commonly work in Visual Kei. From the very first tracks, “iNtO the MARkeT” and “NOnsenSe MARkeT,” we have: an introduction that segues beautifully into the second track, beautiful acoustic guitars that don’t sound too poppy and in fact, add to the atmosphere (You’ll hear more in “Unreachable Voice”), and we get some fine-tuning and maturing of their previous sound from (the less than stellar received) “Beautiful Freaks.”
This album is full of throwbacks to their past styles, giving us some “現代ストイック” (Generation Stoic) vibes, a few “M.E.R.R.Y.” vibes, a little bit from “nuケミカルレトリック” (nu chemical rhetoric), and so on, while ultimately refining the sound of their previous effort. In Visual Kei, it’s not uncommon for a throwback or continuation to yield something stale, or perhaps “uninspired,” and perhaps that continued sound becomes another on the long list of (unwritten) definitions for that… “G” word (generic). But on this album, MERRY manages to show remnants of their past while keeping things fresh.
In Visual Kei, it also seems uncommon for bands to modify a recent sound for the better. If you didn’t like “Beautiful Freaks,” do not turn away from this album. The songs on this album are much more interesting and engaging, and the overall “package” is more cohesive.
One thing that contributes to the greatness of each song is the flow of the tracklist, and hearing each song in the midst of another. When I first heard “ZERO -ゼロ-” in late 2013, I completely dismissed it, despite instantly falling in love with the previous single “梟” (Owl), but hearing that song on this album made it a more enjoyable one. Although I will say, that pseudo-reggae break in the middle of the song had me cringing.
Let’s talk about Hide-and-Seek for a bit. It’s got a ‘surf-meets-’60’s jazz club’ kind of vibe, with emphasis on the jazz club, all the way down to the way all the instruments were equalised in production (just for this song); it sounds a bit like a live recording that took place at a jazz club. The song is also a rare example of how you can create one song, that can remind the listener of another (SID’s “妄想日記”), without it sounding like a carbon copy or ripoff.
Some more honourable mentions include the segment of the album from “暗闇にピンク” (Pink in the Dark) to “Carnival.” These are just damn fun songs, and overall give a similar kind of vibe. These songs are essentially the party of the album, especially “Zombie Paradise ～地獄の舞踏曲～” (Tango from Hell). After the party ends, you go to “Station 07” and take a train home… the rest of the album still has some energy, but it effectively winds down. And “千代田線デモクラシー” (Chiyoda Line Democracy) is just catchy as fuck, with the melody and that accordion.
I am about to eat my words about one song…
I thought that the album ending with “群青” (Aquamarine) was going to be bizarre, and leave the album unfinished. But when I read @*littlelamb’s comment about the song having a strong message to stay positive and hopeful, I kept an open mind. “群青” as an ending is not as bizarre as you may think. It does give you that sort of “to be continued…?” feeling, but it doesn’t feel wrong. It doesn’t leave you frustratingly thinking “where’s the last track??!!,” but instead, it leaves you anticipating MERRY’s next chapter. It’s saying, “this is where we’ll stop… for now. In the mean time, keep your head up!”
Every time I listen to the album, it doesn’t feel all that “experimental,” but in hindsight after listening, there are quite a few things that I can think of that would count as “experimental.” So maybe this album does have those moments, such as the Halloween dance track “Zombie Paradise ～地獄の舞踏曲～,” and the vintage sounding “Station 07” - “千代田線デモクラシー,” but the album isn’t scattered, or disjointed. The album is very cohesive and the tracklist flows quite nicely.
Honestly, I am highly impressed by this album, and am already considering it my favourite MERRY album. While I can’t say I’ve listened to a single album in their back catalogue as much as I have this one, I see this turning out to be their most memorable. If you want some material from a band that’s been around for awhile that can say “yeah, we still got it!,” listen to this album! If you’ve heard of MERRY, but haven’t really been engaged into their sound, listen to this album! If you’re new to Visual Kei, and wanna try out another cool band, listen to this album!
 

PENICILLIN cover album "Memories～Japanese Masterpieces～" will be released at 2015/03/18 (2 TYPE)
 
limited edition (4,104yen) will include CD+DVD, and regular edition (3,240yen) will include CD only
 
[CD track list]
01.天城越え(amagigoe) -PENICILLIN ver.- (石川さゆり/ishikawa sayuri)
02.北ウィング(kita wing) -PENICILLIN ver.- (中森明菜/nakamori akina)
03.桃色吐息(momoirotoiki) -PENICILLIN ver.- (高橋真梨子/takahashi mariko)
04.異邦人(ihoujin) -PENICILLIN ver.- (久保田早紀/kubota saki)
05.夢の途中～セーラー服と機関銃～(yume no tochuu～sailor fuku to kikanjuu～) -PENICILLIN ver.- (来生たかお/kisugi takao)/(薬師丸ひろ子/yakushimaru hiroko)
06.飾りじゃないのよ涙は(kazari janai no yo namida wa) -PENICILLIN ver.- (中森明菜/nakamori akina)
07.シルエットロマンス(silhouette romance) -PENICILLIN ver.- (大橋純子/oohashi junko)
08.1／2の神話(1／2 no shinwa) -PENICILLIN ver.- (中森明菜/nakamori akina)
09.プレイバックPart2(playback Part2) -PENICILLIN ver.- (山口百恵/yamaguchi momoe)
10.なごり雪(nagoriyuki) -PENICILLIN ver.- (イルカ/iruka)
11.愛のメモリー(ai no memory) -PENICILLIN ver.- (松崎しげる/matsuzaki shigeru) (included in regular edition)
 
[limited edition DVD track list]
01.天城越え(amagigoe) (PV)
02.SOL (PV)

Flyer (and possible artwork?) for the upcoming album:
 
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Se3-2_ovwAg/VLOBbAz9LAI/AAAAAAAAACc/N4hyiRA96a8/s1600/hfp_release.jpg

As i've stated before, I am absolutely in love with the album. To be completely honest in my own opinion, it's their best album since 2006's Peep Show. There's so much diversity. At times it harkens back to Gendai stoic (ZERO, Hide and Seek) and Modern garde (Carnival, Nonsense Market) and they try new stuff (Zombie Paradise). 
 
I had high hopes for the album - ever since ZERO was released as a single. I knew it was going to be great and a step up from Beautiful Freaks. The high energy and signature jazz/funk/punk was extremely present in the song. The album proves they were taking things a lot more seriously and digging into their back catalog for any sort of enlightenment. 
 
Every member is up to par. Especially Gara. His voice is incredible as ever and doesn't try to do that "Kyo growl" like on that one single from Beautiful Freaks.  
 
What makes the album even more special is the bonus acoustic CD. I knew they could pull off acoustic work but this really blew me away. In some tracks, especially Unreachable Voice, it almost seems like Gara tries to rap. 
 
I don't really know what else to say. I know so far a lot of people seem to find the release dull and boring but I do not. I feel it's an extremely pleasing release that redeemed them - for me anyway as their last few albums made me lose touch with them. In my opinion it's safe to say that I will be continuing to love them even more.
 
8/10

@X-Marc oop I had no idea. Well I suppose I'll just not have my hopes up for an XMSG DVD altho I would love to relive that night again and again.

@Wonrei yeah they actually shot a music video for it back in August or September and then played it at XMSG.

Artist: Boris Single: NOISE Score: NOISE? Don't take that as a negative on this one.
Experimental band Boris released their nineteenth album, fittingly entitled NOISE, earlier this year. Inspired by punk music at the start of their formation, they covered punk songs in early demos and were influenced by bands such as 'The Melvins,' but Boris have shown they excel in more than just this one genre. They certainly haven’t failed in showcasing their various musical approaches in NOISE. What’s brilliant about the album is that it includes many different styles and genres in one tiny package to showcase their progressive sound. While the album has only eight tracks, it's an appropriate fifty eight minutes long album, with the standout track being "Angel," the lengthy eighteen minutes song! Anyone can easily dive headfirst into this album even if it’s your first time listening to them. This is because of the experimental approach they took to widen their musical feats even more so to entice a much larger audience. There’s the expected rock elements, a healthy slice of hardcore and some sparkling shoegaze to name only a few most noticeable styles.

The opening, “黒猫メロディ” (kuroneko melody), welcomes the listener in for an exciting ride. It’s a smooth and easy listening track, yet upbeat and energetic. The sporadic inclusion of aggressive guitars, playful drum hits and quick piano taps creates a wild tune. And when the chorus hits, we hear all these sounds mixed beautifully into a juicy head banging mess. This is just the opening track!
All tracks utilise the rock genre Boris favours, while also including psychedelic melodies. Track two, “Vanilla” has a smooth sound to it. Like a grand opening, it’s got high energy right from the start, opening with different, heavy guitar playing from the left ear to the right, suddenly colliding together with powerful vocals. The next tracks “あの人たち” (Ano Hitotachi) and “雨” (Ame) makes effective usage of the shoegaze genre, both being my favourite tracks of the album. They’re atmospheric, dramatic and haunting, slowing down the pace of the album in preparation for the quicker and lengthier album pieces. “雨” is absolutely delightful in the way Waka’s weaker and breathier vocals are used instead of Atsuo or Takeshi’s stronger voices, making the tracks atmosphere even more intense. How Waka's gentler vocals contrast so well with the overall heavy sound of the piece makes this truly captivating.
With a neatly contrasting title next, the cheesy sounding jazz influenced “太陽のバカ” (Taiyō no baka) is a fun break from the heavy tunes beforehand. It’ll encourage you not to head bang, but to dance like we’re back in a 90’s party. Its sound is very reminiscent to such a time, with a repetition of beats and vocals. The layering effect of Atsuo and Takeshi’s voices create echoes and a very enjoyable break from their darker side we just heard.
This cheerful number leads into the album track masterpiece that is “Angel.” Don’t let it's length put you off - you’re missing out on a journey if you do! The song starts with a lone piano, then slowly building up alongside tribal percussion instruments. It’s varied and takes on many sounds, from black metal to psychedelic and shoegaze. As Atsuo’s voice is introduced into the track, guitars begin to become louder and choppier until we hit seven minutes when things finally explode. Shrieks from the guitar wails and drums thrash for minutes as Atsuo sings, all musical ingredients now bellowing out. The final few minutes is a lengthy, shoegaze finale, ending on a massive high. The gradual escalation makes this a dramatic and memorable piece. The only down side to this, as many might be expecting, is the length of the track. While beautifully created, those who already have to hover over the skip button for ballads may be quickly put off by this one.
Another favourite, “Quicksilver,” is exactly what you think when you read the track title. It’s extremely fast paced yet melodious at the same time, making it a very enjoyable and unforgettable piece of the album even after the magical “Angel.” The song has a harder sound overall and nicely contrasts with the journey we just experienced beforehand. And finally, "Siesta" (シエスタ) is a calm, instrumental track which waves us a mournful goodbye. It’s awfully haunting and melancholic sounding, making this end even more emotional.
As a whole, the album just keeps on giving, never slowing down and turning many corners when it comes to musical direction. And yet, it never disappoints. Not one track drags the album down, even if the track lengths all vary and it can appear daunting at first. You just can’t go wrong with Boris.

To those who don't know, the SIGH "Gallows Gallery" Special Edition double-disc is available at Name Your Own Price on our Bandcamp. This was remastered from the original mixes by us - and many people consider this the definitive release of this album.
 
https://blood-music.bandcamp.com/album/gallows-gallery-special-edition
 
 
This one sounds very different from the muddy original mix and the overproduced James Murphy mix. Recommended for fans of the band.
 
I will add that I do prefer the muddy original mix to this, though. But this one sounds excellent nonetheless.