Zeus

2 hours ago, Carmelzors said:

Interesting to see NUMBER GIRL in the midst of disbandments that took place during TW/MH's existence (since I can imagine e.g. folks from JMR or Jrocknyc's angelfire era being still saddened about it but our current MH peeps? Hmm).

 

Seeing @Zeus, Bonsai (who doesn't seem to appear here every now and then) or any Ringo enthusiast NOT mentioning Tokyo Jihen's disbandment sorta surprises me in rather odd ways - I mean, even in the wake of new Ringo solo era and its inevitable suckage, which Ringo fan wouldn't miss all the chemistry and fun TJ had during their short-lived era? Not every band was capable of conveying strong nuances and interesting chemistry together and individually, I tell you. I still tear up a little bit when I rewatch their Bon Voyage DVD during occasional TJ binges...helluva consistent live band!

 

However, in terms of vk -  I was much more saddened about Deluhi's disbandment than what happened to Despa due to Hizumi's throat fuckups and other factors. Whereas Deluhi had a lot of promising stuff ahead (as some sort of "rookie act"), Despa had some signs of expected kaisanization even during early promos for REDEEMER and whatnot.

There will be more to come in this series soon!

AvelCain

Years Active: 2012-2016

On 6/15/2016 at 3:54 PM, Shir0 said:

Everyone has this one Band, whose songs have a special meaning to them; mine is definitely AvelCain!

 

AvelCain's variety of songs practically offers something to everyone, ranging from bizarre songs like PSYCHO, melancholic ones up to beautiful ballads such as BELIEVE. Their songs are mainly focused on love, jealousy, a one-sided love to sum it up expressing their love in different ways (good examples are Jiseki and Kataomoi).

 

Despite a difficult start due to the loss of 2 members (which is mostly already a death sentence for VK bands) and being pretty much underground in the beginning these guys have shown a great rise after their debut Album "AvelCain-アベルカイン- "(Eve's contribution as a support drummer should not be left unmentioned here) Yet the reason for their disbandment is still unknown: some people speculate AvelCain has reached its limit since they're not writing their songs themselves? Whatever it may have been, these guys made up their mind. I remember talking to a friend of mine about this great loss (although we all know that unexpected disbandments are not unusual in the VK scene); she then told me that she noticed Karma has been acting weird recently but in a positive way! He seemed much more cheerful and also started to laugh more, she's sure that among other things (like I said the reason is still unclear, we don't know if this was even a reason at all) this was Karma's own decision! Keeping up a depressed character, whether he was really depressed or not, didn't seem to work anymore and this is in all honesty okay with me. No matter how much it has saddened me in the beginning, how can I be unhappy to hear that one of my favorite vocalists has become more cheerful?

 

A disbandment is not always the end these guys are still young and I hope to see all of them continue with new projects and wishing Kaede good luck for his future, the announcement that AvelCain will be his last band was definitely a shock at first, but whatever he plans on doing he was a great guitarist! I enjoyed every second when I saw how he played hanaichimonme on stage (yes I demand you to watch it on Youtube NOW)!

@Shir0

 

DELUHI

Years Active: 2008-2011

On 6/5/2016 at 1:30 PM, doombox said:

Talk about a band that split way too early. It still angers me to know their break up was because a member wanted to retire from the stage, that ended up not retiring at all. You could say I'm still a little bitter. Make that very bitter. In 2008 their arrival was a breath of fresh air, every member was a beast on their instruments, and they shared the presence equally even though it could have easily been Leda's show to steal. They complimented each other and made a simple four-piece unit feel absolutely massive! Their brand of metal seems to have undeniable influence on the new generation of visual bands for only having a three-year lifespan. I think that speaks volumes, and to only imagine what they could have accomplished if they kept it together. I'm not sure I'll ever be over it, to be honest. 

@doombox

D'espairsRay

Years Active: 1999-2011

On 5/22/2016 at 11:26 AM, Zeus said:

Discussing D'espairsRay hurts because all I think about is how they were robbed of an opportunity to reach greater heights. And yes, I'm talking about HIZUMI's throat condition. It did the obvious in forcing the band to disband and robbed the scene of a talented vocalist, but what it also did was put pressure on the band in various ways ever since MIRRORS. They admitted as much in an interview shortly after their disbandment. Had he never contracted that illness, REDEEMER would have been a very different album. Supposedly, HIZUMI is running a fashion business and producing new visual kei bands while he's waiting to recover. The other members are involved in other bands, but none of them are my cup of tea. In terms of currently active bands, DEZERT comes closest to this band both emotionally and stylistically. If you go back to their indie days (pre Recreation eve) exist†trace is another guilty pleasure influenced by them, even if it's a bit simple at times. Hope for a reunion is not impossible, but a full restart of band activities is unlikely.

@Zeus

Quote

Oh what is there to say about them that hasn't already been said around here? I think they might be the band this site collectively misses the most from what I've read and it's easy to understand why. I think for many of us they were a pillar of the dark side of visual kei. When they announced their hiatus, and later disbandment, I know I wasn't the only one to feel the shock and then inevitable huge void they left in their wake. Many bands have tried to fill it but none have come close. It's not easy to balance the multi-facets they explored in their music from headbangers to heart-stopping ballads, as well as their ghostly and mysterious stage personas. And yet, to have such amiable personalities behind it all helped them acquire and keep a fiercely loyal fanbase. The band just made it extremely easy to admire them on many levels and their legacy still has a lot to offer new fans and young bands alike. 

@doombox

On 5/23/2016 at 3:14 AM, emmny said:

 

I got into the visual kei/j-rock fandom years after D'espairsRay disbanded, but the burn still feels fresh for me. Oftentimes the reason behind a visual kei band breaking up is much more complicated than the kaisan statement, but assuming D'espairsRay were telling the truth--I don't think they ever really wanted to part. It started with a hiatus, giving Hizumi time to recover from a rare throat condition he was receiving treatment for. Several months later, the played what would be their last live before disbanding due to Hizumi's condition. No last live, no goodbye tour. Seeing Hizumi try as hard as he did during their final live given his condition was especially touching; that's probably the tragic aspect about D'espairsRay which resonates so deeply with me. Another aspect that made their disbandment such a tough pill to swallow was how genuine the guys seemed, both on-stage and off-stage. D'espairsRay's music was a dark, emotive void of alt-metal and gothic rock, but the musicians behind it seemed to be genuinely nice people. Even now, Hizumi frequently tweets directly to fans and takes time to answer their questions and just talk with them, Tsukasa tweets happy birthday messages to foreign fans whenever they ask. It's kind of a big deal to be on that level of fame (especially in visual-kei) and still be down to earth, especially considering how cold other bandmen are. Watching the comment videos and off-shoots also shows the cute lil' bond the members had with each other. So yes, it still burns; they were one of a kind--both as people and as musicians. It's not really fair that they were forced to end the way they did, but as cliche as it may be, they will be cherished and remembered for a long time.

@emmny

NUMBER GIRL

Years Active: 1995-2002

On 6/17/2016 at 1:43 AM, Original Saku said:

Number Girl to me is that one group in the indie rock scene that I believe to be the single biggest influence among indie rock bands of the past decade, and the one band that most fans in the scene unequivocally respect and adore. They were a four piece from Fukuoka, Japan and started activities in August 1995, released a total of four albums and a handful of live albums and singles throughout their career. They gained quite a following throughout the years with their own brand of Distorted melodic guitar rock that at the time showcased a very raw sound that that was extremely fresh and captivating to the masses who were going through a period of stagnation economically and musically at the time, a period that would be later labeled as the "lost decade". The initial member lineup did not stick until later on when guitarist and vocalist Shutoku Mukai reached out to other musicians in Fukuoka and finally found the other members; guitarist Hisako Tabuchi, bassist Kentaro Nakao, and drummer Ahito Inazawa. The four drew inspiration from the western 1980's American indie scene including Hüsker Dü and Pixies among others and incorporated nods to these inspirations in songs throughout their catalog. With the newly established lineup they kicked off their indie debut with the album School Girl Bye Bye in 1997. Towards the turn of the century is when they experienced their highest popularity and gained a cult following among fans of the scene, signing on to EMI MUSIC JAPAN in 1998 and releasing their first major album School Girl Distortional Addict in 1999 and their second major album Sappukei in 2000 followed by a year of touring in both the USA and Japan. In their last year of activity we saw their third major album Num-Heavymetallic released and they embarked on their biggest tour yet with over thirty shows dated to promote the new album, to say the least they were on the up and up. In September 2002, seven years after forming they announced their disbandment in what could be considered their peak, both popularity wise and music wise, nothing was ever explained on why the break up happened, at least publicly. It is known that the bassist Kentaro decided to leave the band and that's why they decided to call it quits, but nothing is known on the reason why he left, It is still a mystery to this day. The members went their separate ways and participated in a multitude of great projects, including; Spiral Chord, Sloth Love Chunks, Bloodthirsty Butchers, Lama, Toddle, Zazen Boys, and more. While their disbandment was unfortunate and sudden it's hard not to think that it might of been for the best when you see all the great projects and music that came out of it in the end. One thing is for sure though, Number Girl charmed an entire generation of fans and even influenced some of the biggest bands in the current scene, without Number Girl's efforts the current indie rock scene would not be what it is today, they are truly a paramount band in Japanese rock and new fans and old fans alike should check them out despite their untimely demise.

@Original Saku

PAY MONEY TO MY PAIN

Years Active: 2005-2013

Quote

 

Oftentimes, listening to bands that have since called it quits leaves me melancholy when their music comes on, but Pay money To my Pain may be the one that hurts me the most. Not only were they the Japanese rock band that brought me out of the insular bubble of visual kei fandom, but K's lyrics were relate-able on a level you just don't find that often. They especially shed light on themes of depression, regret, and soul searching. For me it was the first time a band had felt so real about these problems and talked about them from such an honest place. Tsuyoshi, Zax, and Pablo are not musical slouches by any means, they backed up K with aggressive and emotive compositions that were universally approachable no matter what country you come from and it warms my heart to see them continue with other projects since K's untimely passing. But the magic they made together as four is impossible to replicate. 

@doombox

 

school food punishment

Years Active: 2004-2012

On 5/22/2016 at 2:25 PM, beni said:

 

This should not be an unfamiliar name to any indie/rock listeners, and even the majority of MH with how often these guys have been brought up. And that's for good reason. 

 

The band decided to go on indefinite hiatus after their vocalist, guitarist and lyricist left the band back in 2012. The hole they left ever since then has been undoubtedly massive, with other artists covering their greatest hits (yanaginagi singing Light Prayer), and the closest band similarities being Yumi Uchimura's own band creation of la la larks, known as the successor to SFP, and other similar sounding groups, such as Spangle call Lilli line, a major influence of the band, and the newly formed siraph who has SFP's keyboardist Masayuki Hasuo in it. The disbandment was simply devastating. With not even a massive discography as a remembrance to their brilliance, with two albums, three mini albums, and seven singles, they have been sorely missed and will continue to be no matter what.

 

Their major breakthrough was aided by their debuted single "futuristic imagination", which was used as the ending theme to the thriller mystery anime Higashi no Eden, in which they further worked with for its trailers, movies, and even other anime series, such as UN-GO , C: The Money of Soul and Possibility Control and Last Exile, the latter even showing their wonderful collaborating with fellow, famous anison singer Maaya Sakamoto ("Buddy"), leaving their presence not only permanently in the indie scene, but also within the more widely known anime works. This was where I first noticed SFP, and they've never left my attention since.

 

While the band is rock/pop, the electronic and ambient influence made them stand out from the crowd, with instantly catchy and memorable songs across all boards, from B-sides to album tracks that made their own impressions every single time. From soothing to down right trippy, to even jazzy lounge styled, and totally rocking thanks to the piano and drums, SFP have become a staple band, and you really can't be surprised how or why. Yumi's clear, soothing and mature yet strong vocals proves an outstanding feature instantly, together with the overall effortless impact the music with her singing and songwriting really does leave something to be in awe of.

@beni

Quote

If you were into the indie scene at any time during the turn of the decade, you will have undoubtedly heard school food punishment in some fashion. Their eclectic mix of post-rock, pop, and electronic influences was groundbreaking at the time. And much like any indie band with promise, they got snatched up by a major label and lost everything that made them special. Both full-length albums felt similarly conflicted, as if the band was stuck between who they once were and who they were being pushed to be. The actual cause for disbandment is still shrouded in mystery. There are some hints at conflict between band members and other hints at pressures from their label molding their sound a certain way. All we know for sure is that lead vocalist Yumi departed the band with a vague message and a farewell and the rest of the band decided they couldn't continue without her. She goes on to create la la larks, which sounds exactly like school food punishment, so the loss is more confusing than disheartening. The other members eventually surfaced in a new band called siraph, another promising band which was covered in the May RT thread. We got two great bands out of the break-up, and Yumi seems to be in a better place making the music she wants to make, but one has to wonder where school food punishment could have ended up had they worked out their issues.

@Zeus

On 2/13/2016 at 7:56 PM, emmny said:

i have no clue how i missed this DELICIOUS thread but it answers my "wtf is ains" question perfectly, thank you inartistic ^>^

i'd love to hear the financial side of this, i dont get how it saves him any money to do the constant mergers and dropping side labels and merging again etc; then again i dont have much info on how vk record execs make money outside of that one alleged exposee article that came out years ago LOL

Disclaimer: I'm talking out of my ass.

Remember it's all about rights. Labels make good money off of licensing deals. It's a useful way of avoiding the development costs associated with nurturing artists, and at the same time labels can earn royalties from sales and build catalog. Then there's also publishing deals, which is another fat bag of money. Most record labels have publishing companies that handle the day-to-day administration of publishing, who in turn will take a commission on earnings for services rendered. This is important.

This entire web of labels and sub labels are nothing but legal formalities designed to make it difficult to track what is going on. It's all about who owns what. It appears as if Yukika is using each label for a different leg of his operation. One could be a shell company to move funds. Another could focus entirely on the publishing and licensing aspects. A third could handle the legal aspects. It doesn't benefit Yukika to keep AINS a secret if the goal of AINS is to sign as many artists as possible. It makes more sense if AINS is the administrative branch and now Yamikakumei handles the music, even if AINS was the musical branch before and FIREBALL the administrative one.

On the other hand, I notice that every time a new band is signed they get their own "label". The first thing I thought is that he is physically separating bands from one another. Maybe this is so it's easier to secure and track funds for individual bands and see who is doing well and who isn't. There is something to this. A few years ago there was an upstart label called "Dear Dolce" that signed eight unheard of visual bands within the span of a few months. A few months later, funds fizzled out and all the bands got dropped like a hot potato. Only one of those bands, RELOAD, went on to do anything noteworthy (and became Grieva). DD had hell to pay when liquidating their assets to handle their bankruptcy. 

Yukika dodges this problem completely. Found a new band? Start a new label and front money out of pocket. If they are money makers, sell the rights to the band's recordings to a more successful label you own for 100 yen (or maybe to someone else for a whole lot more). If they aren't, drop them, close the label, transfer enough assets from one label to another to cover debts, wash, rinse, repeat. No matter what, you rake in the money from owning royalties across all the currently active labels (you can still be a shell company that owns rights and takes commission and if both companies take commission he effectively walks away with 2x the yen) These companies/bands don't last long enough to rack up any serious debt, and I'm also sure that they're transferring more than just liquid assets from one label to another to minimize costs (for example they probably use the same building for management offices, the same studios for recording, the same producer or two for all their music needs, etc.). @Uglymouth's note about all the labels sharing the same core personnel strengthens this.

There's a distinction between tax evasion and tax fraud. Tax evasion is when there's a difference in the amount of income gained versus the amount of income reported. Tax fraud is a little more general, which is any attempt at not paying taxes that are due. As long as all the companies involved pay their fair share of taxes, I'm not sure if this is tax evasion or clever legal gymnastics. I do know this is fishy as hell because it's a very similar process to hiding money in offshore tax havens by passing cash through so many shell companies it's difficult to trace backwards.

Good episode, but I feel like by rushing to the end of the season at this speed we missed opportunities for some good fights. This episode would have had a few. Nothing big but since they are all missing I feel like they're cutting corners. Hopefully this is so the last two episodes are where the action is at!

http://www.thterrortime.com/the-rings-sadako-and-the-grudges-kayako-play-baseball/

The Ring‘s Sadako and The Grudge‘s Kayako (including her son Toshio) recently opened a baseball game between the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters and the Yakult Swallows in Japan to promote their joint film Sadako vs. Kayako.

I hope they do too but I'll understand if they stop. They've been going for almost twenty years and haven't released a bad album. That's a pretty incredible legacy and they're looking to live up to it again.

Those instruments look interesting @Bear. Any idea where they plan to go with the sound?

http://www.vox.com/2016/6/1/11787262/blade-runner-neural-network-encoding

Awesome facts from this article:

 

Quote

• A grad student wrote a type of artificial intelligence called a neural network to see if he could teach an A.I. to reconstruct a movie
• Chose "A Scanner Darkly" and "Blade Runner" as his two movies.
• Started by feeding it stills from the movie as well as other images not from the movie to train the A.I. to identify the movie correctly
• Eventually A.I. watched the whole movie and recreated what it remembers seeing.
• Grad student uploads the A.I.'s interpretation of "Blade Runner" and it gets taken down for copyright infringement, because the A.I.'s creation is similar enough to the original so that it's difficult to distinguish between the two.
• No legal precedent exists for this type of creation.

It makes me wonder...if you can train A.I. to recognize video can you do the same for audio?

Can we have a serious talk about incest in anime? Why is it ever a plot device. I've watched enough budget anime to notice this disturbing trend. It started with Sword Art and the step sisters confession which was so awkward it ruined the tone of the rest of the episode. Testaments harem calls the man Big Brother while they grope each other and film it and shit. Magic High Schools protagonist has a sister that gets way too close and is really creepy and too perfect. Schwarzemarkens protagonist straight sleeps with his step sister. Now I'm watching Big Order and there's a scene where it's heavily implied the main character fucks and then showers with his sister. Stop with the incest it's not cool just because A Game of Thrones did it right.

Recommended Tracks: May 2016

Welcome back to our monthly digest of rockin' new tunes. Our review team has been hard at work trying to bring you the best of the best this month. We hope you enjoy! Now onto the picks!

Note that not all videos may be available in your area.

@doombox's picks:

"Dandadan" by HEY-SMITH

I couldn't help but to get swept up in the energy of this track. Even though the song is about ending a toxic relationship it's hard not to jump around and dance to this one. The video also drives the point home with the entire band attempting to woo a girl who in the end wasn't worth all the effort. The song is typical ska-punk fare those familiar with HEY-SMITH have come to expect through the band's 10 year career, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable. The band spits out consistently great tunes! The dual vocal call-back style chorus of "Let it go! Go away!" I find especially catchy. If you haven't given HEY-SMITH a spin yet, this is the perfect time!

"NOISE" by Beyond Her Words

It's exciting to see the metalcore and post-hardcore scenes in Japan continue to pick up steam. There are still a new crop of fresh faces showing up every year and  a lot of surprisingly good releases coming from them. Beyond Her Words got on my radar with their previous single earlier this year, but this time around "Noise" really showcases how solid they are. The clean vocals are a major plus since they don't need a second vocalist to handle them alongside the screams (like far far too many bands these days), and Taku's singing voice is on the deeper side in contrast to most of his peers.  On top of their high-octane djent-heavy style, this has put them on the fast track to popularity.

@beni's picks:

"あぶく(abuku)" by 辻林美穂 (Miho Tsujibayashi)

Tsujibayashi isn't just new to myself, but also to almost everyone else, surely. With only mentions/credits in her discography that goes to other artists' tracks in releases, such as Lovely Summer-Chan and Aoi Yuuki, Tsujibayashi comes out with her first full length album and what seems to be her only original source of material, "Clarté". It easily being one of my favourite albums of this year already, this spot was instantly taken just for her. The simplicity of the lullaby track, with splashes of synths to add a slight dreamy touch with the piano and orchestral interludes paints a beautifully tranquil scene, that similar to the almighty brilliance of the late, popular Ritsuko Okazaki and recent favourite from last year, Nasu Asaco. If you're also a fan of other soft, similar artists such as those I've stated, definitely be sure to check this delightful treat of a sweetheart out too to add to your collection!

"堂々巡リ(doudoujunri)" by イトヲカシ (Itowokashi)

This super exhilarating song is your typical Utaite dish, served to impress. It really is as it comprises of popular Utaite singer Itou Kashitarou, and his long time friend and well known Vocaloid producer LeftyMonster-P. Kashitarou already has plenty of brilliant covers and original songs/releases under his belt, but with this new collaboration between these two well established Vocaloid contributors, it's more than a welcome and deserving unity. On his own, Kashitarou has always provided a distinctive voice, with a quavering vibrato while LeftyMonster-P has given us original Vocaloid material from "START" and "さよならのかわりに ". Against the rocking quick pace of the song, it certainly ends all too soon and leaves you wanting more.  No need to worry on that though, since you can already purchase their first mini-album 捲土重来 for five other songs completely their own!

-Silver lining- by SWANKY OCEAN ACOUSTIX

I thought the name was familiar, and in fact, this band is a side project of SWANKY DANK, a pop punk/rock band who are already distinguished in the scene. SWANKY OCEAN ACOUSTIX has been around since only 2015, and from the brief listens I've given to SWANKY DANK in the past, SWANKY OCEAN ACOUSTIX's existence is greatly appreciated since I adore how clear and appropriate Koji sounds against the chilling tune instead of their more hard hitting material in SWANKY DANK. Their English lyrics flow effortlessly in "-Silver lining-", and the whole sound is a joyful vibe to treat your ears to again, and again, and again.

"woman's Rib" by 岩崎愛 (Ai Iwasaki) 

In just one play of "woman's Rib", the infectious tune continued to play in my head throughout the day. This little gem of a pleasantry is gifted to us by a rather little singer-songwriter herself, called Ai Iwasaki. The name is new to me but definitely not to our resident indie King @CAT5, who confirmed my suspicious of her being a long running obscurity; specifically  in the indie scene. She plays the acoustic guitar and her first album was released a good ten years ago, back in 2006. While this is definitely on the poppier side of her work, you can discover her previous music such as another recent song she released this year here. If this sounds like its up your alley, or if you're more of a simple acoustic lover, anything Iwasaki is sure to be worth your attention!

@fitear1590's picks:

"She'll Never Forgive To Be Insulted." by a crowd of rebellion

a crowd of rebellion are gearing up to release their latest album, Xanthium. If the "M1917" PV from March played it a bit too safe for you, "She'll Never Forgive to Be Insulted." brings back the crazy in full force. This song is a blazing mess, in the best way. As I've written in previous blurbs, there's something uncannily VK about acor's creative take on post-hardcore composition. In this track, they mix NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST levels of harsh vocal brutality with Kiryu-esque traditional Japanese kookiness. And somehow, it works! It's always neat to see bands with crossover potential and I think acor has what it takes to reach out to a certain sect of VK fans.

"夜を抜ければ (yoru wo nukereba)" by odol

Mellow indie rockers odol just released their second album YEARS. As much as I dig their music--their light piano style makes them sound surprisingly similar to ねごと (NEGOTO)--their vocalist occasionally has an annoying squawky delivery. I guess it only makes sense that I'm recommending quasi-instrumental closing track, "夜を抜ければ." Following a slow buildup, his vocals chime in near the halfway point of the song and actually, this is his best performance on the whole release! If you aren't so picky with j-indie vocals, then I highly recommend giving the rest of the album a spin as well.

@emmny's picks:

"おはよう(ohayo)" by DEZERT

Ah, DEZERT and their love of trolling with live-distributes. If DEZERT have demonstrated anything during the past year, it's their ability to morph their sound with ease, pulling off every style that they try. This isn't anything different with "Ohayou", as they don a heavy newer-Girugamesh and western metalcore influence, twisting it into their own perverted creation. The creepy children on backing vocals and the eerie chord progression keep the signature DEZERT sourness and tension intact. It's not much of a coincidence that they're dropping their most accessible and catchy track to date on June 5th, the night of their Zepp Tokyo Oneman, but there's nothing contrived about it; it's pure DEZERT crack from start to finish. DEZERT are pretty much the underground success story of the indies circuit, and if you've yet to join the bandwagon, take a look at the banner at the top of the page and take the hint \m/. 

"faraway" by …。【サイレンス】(Silence)

Silence isn't a new name in the scene, being around since 2011 as a side project of emmurée vocalist Sou, but they're still quite low-profile given the slow rate at which they release new material. Given the goth-rock pedigree of the members, that influence is still quite strong but Silence have lightened up considerably throughout the years, sharpening their older, more experimental sound to a more easily digestible and catchy alt/indie rock template with a thick gothic rock and nagoya kei leaning. psycho:lens, their first full-length album is a love letter to the 90's in that respect; think of shoegazey melodies and arrangements but with a bellowing vocalist and more shrill guitars. "faraway" represents Silence at the most hypnotic intersection of their sound; the rays of light piercing through blackened clouds, knowing full well it's for a brief second until the rain falls again.

"after the addle apple" by the god and death stars 

After tracking aie's work throughout the years, we've all come to expect a certain sound from the amazing guitarist and singer-songwriter. Cue after the addle apple, a track-for-track remake of the (fantastic) god and death stars' 2011 debut mini album addle apple. Since his work with deadman, aie's known to play a lot with the concept of a remake but with after the addle apple, the remakes are borderline unrecognizable from their predecessors. The arrangements are uncharacteristically lush and adventurous, especially in the case of the title track, taking on an oddly funky turn with the addition of synths over a rhythmic backing track. The verses contrast with a beautifully delicate chorus, and the rest of the track flows effortlessly, ending with the opening line of the original song--a sly gesture, considering that's the only nod to the original.

@Original Saku's picks:

"ダンボール彼女(danbouru kanojo)" by ぼくたちのいるところ。 (Bokutachi no Iru Tokoro.)

Great song by one of my newest loves, Bokutachi no Iru Tokoro. They play a really dirty indie rock style that just punches you in the gut from first listen, very enjoyable stuff for indie rock fans. The song "Danbooru Kanojo" starts off with some spoken words singing style from the vocalist Jinsei Dame Ko that I've fallen for hook, line, and sinker. Jinsei commands this song with her vocal style and she is the driving force throughout the song. I would also like to take a minute and talk about the production as a whole on this song and the rest of the album for that matter... It's good, like really fucking good. You may not be able to tell from the YouTube video below but the mixing and production is great here. It delivers a very explosive sound that doesn't lose any momentum from bad mixing and can be cranked up loud while just enjoying the tune. All in all a great song and a great album with lots of variety and catchiness from this up and coming indie group.

"DON'T WORRY BOYS" by Homecomings

Next up we calm down with the indie pop sounds of Homecomings and their song "DON'T WORRY BOYS"  from their new album SALE OF BROKEN DREAMS. This song is the definition of chill out feel good music that this band is known for, while this sound and type of music is a dime a dozen among the Japanese music scene, you won't find better execution of the genre anywhere else. At the core this song delivers a up-tempo progression with swift verses and delicious hooks. All in all the perfect song and album to just relax and let the good mood vibes flow into you.

"卒業(sotsugyou)" by My Hair is Bad

Okay now we'll go for a change from the last two songs and introduce the newly major debuted band My Hair is Bad who plays a alternative rock style that has really got me excited for what they have in store for the future. "Sotsugyou" is the ending song of their new single Jidaio Atsumete so it's a bit less in your face as the first three song on the single but it overall showcases the band's strengths. In particular the vocalist Shiinoki TomoHitoshi (椎木知仁) really impressed me with his range and ability to switch between spoken word vocalization seamlessly into the more traditional singing you might expect, I also just really dig his voice. The song has its fair share of low and high points throughout that really does a great job of closing the single out, I particularly enjoyed the acoustic guitar strumming sections of the song and it paired up quite nicely to the vocals for a almost folk-y atmosphere.

"勇気を持ってグッドバイ(yuuki wo motte goodbye)" by イロメガネ (Iromegane)

Now we come to another new discovery for me this month in Iromegane and their/her new album 37.2℃. In particular the opening song "Yuuki wo Motte Goodbye" captured me from the first moment I listened to the album. Immediately I was delighted by acoustic guitar strumming that lead into the wonderful and serene voice of Higashi Ayu. As the song progresses it ramps up and turns into a fun rock ballad that makes you want to dance with the tune, then starts to die back down at the end. Truly a fun and catchy song, which also like the rest of the album has some amazingly clear production and mixing. Speaking of, the album itself  is also just as praiseworthy and I would say has a really nice variation in styles and influences, I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the variety of different sounds used in the album.

"overground" by cinema staff

It's no secret that I'm a really big cinema staff fan, hell I've bought most of their albums and they are probably one of my most listened to bands. Eve is their 5th overall album and their 4th major album. Most indie fans would say this is the point where good bands lose their way, but surprisingly that has not applied to cinema staff and I've only grown to enjoy their music more with each release since their major debut, this album is no exception to that either. "Overground" is quite possibly one of my favorite songs from them in quite some time and has quickly infected me with its insanely catchy chorus and instrumentation, along with snappy verses that pound on your ear drums. It's worth mentioning that it is also the last song on the album and closes it out, and by god I couldn't think of a better way to end a album. cinema staff has delivered again with extreme precision and knocked away any doubts in my mind that they might be 'losing their way', here's to another five albums!

"時間は告ぐ(jikan wa tsugu)" by Siraph

Siraph is a band that seemingly came out of nowhere for me, but I'm sure glad they did. Consisting of members from School Food Punishment, ハイスイノナサ (Haisuinonasa), mop of head, and the delightful Annabel on vocals. Siraph took me by surprise this last week with their self titled debut EP and I've not been able to stop listening since. It's no big surprise honestly when you consider the members who make up the group. "Jikan wa Tsugu" is just one of the six tracks that make up the debut release but by far it is the one that most reminds me of SFP while also treading new ground and making it their own. Annabel on vocals is just sublime and really sets the song off on a one way track to my heart. Combine that with the great performance from Masayuki Hasuo on keyboard and Yoshimasa Terui on guitar and you can just tell something really special is happening here.

"atom" by jizue

The wait is over and we finally have another jizue album to sink our teeth into, fans of the instrumental piano driven group know all too well what a new album means and the delights that it brings along. It was a long wait this time around since they skipped 2015 as a whole but let me assure you that it was every bit worth the wait. If "atom" is any indication the band has delivered again that piano driven post rock sound that we all love; they are in top form in this track too. From the first second of the track the piano just explodes in a flurry of keys and you can really tell that Kie Katagi is really enjoying herself here. The song as a whole is just one wild piano driven ride that is backed up masterfully by the other instruments, all to come together at the end for a huge bang. The name of the album is Story and after listening to it in it's entirety I can say that it's one hell of a tale.

That's all for this month, see you next time!~

I'm always on. Always. It comes with the territory of doing what I do. I spend so much time on the computer I actually have "work computer time" and "fun computer time" as two distinct activities mentally.

OVERWATCH! OVERWATCH! I've leveled 15 times in 2 days and 9 hours of gameplay. I still suck tho

On 5/23/2016 at 7:40 PM, Flame-X said:

Wow, so they introduced time travel/manipulation into the show. I guess they kinda foreshadowed it in the previous eps in the Ned Stark sword fighting scene where Bran shouts out "dad!" and Ned turns around. I did feel bad for Hordar but after thinking about it, I found it kinda dumb from a writing standpoint because with time travel elements now in the game, that device can hack the plot however it wants and that detracts the emotional value of that scene. Now I have no idea where this show is going now. Every plausible fan theory is flushing down the drain.

We've never had any idea where the show was going, even the ones reading the books I have faith in D&D and GRRM to not take the time travel plot device and ruin it. GoT is all about subverting tropes and it would be refreshing for me to see someone use time travel effectively within a story. I agree with you overall the less he uses it the better. I know we will get more scenes because Bran will be important in communicating a lot of information we can't get otherwise, but as long as he's an observer and not actively interacting with his environment it should be okay right?

On 5/24/2016 at 8:28 PM, peffy said:

I've been reading a lot of discussion about that time travel thing. I can't wrap my head around it to explain properly, but people are saying something like Bran can only do things in the past that have "already" happened.  He caused Hodor to go Hodor in the past because it was something he'd already done in this timeline. He doesn't have the ability to go back and un-Hodor him, because that would change the timeline we're watching into a different one. So he can't go back and undo any past event.

So if this is true, I don't think there will be any "manipulation" of the timeline. That said, I'm not a fan of this at all, but it's preferable to a storyline where Bran can go back and change whatever he wants.

A causal loop right?

I'm experiencing this weird sense of time dilation where I believe I'm working on something for five minutes and only thirty seconds has passed. My mind is absorbing all of this information at faster and faster speeds I can feel myself slowly becoming a computer beepboopbeepboop

I am currently logged into the website both on my phone and on my computer. As far as I know there are no settings within the forum that does this.

Members are allowed to review what they want and there is no requirement for it to be freely available for download first. This has been the rule and this will continue to be the rule. Plenty of websites on the internet post reviews of releases without providing much more than a sample and they survive just fine. And the members there thank the reviewer for sharing his/her thoughts and look forward to hearing it for themselves instead of advising them to stay quiet until they can illegally download it. Be thankful @desparejo86 didn't write this review with a tone of superiority and honestly wants more members to support the scene.

Most music ever released will eventually find its way onto the internet. Be patient. Free downloads have spoiled you all.

Any more off-topic meta discussion will be deleted.

31 minutes ago, peffy said:

episode 5 thoughts. I have so many questions.

  Reveal hidden contents

 

- Jorah is a gross old man in love with a teenager (well, maybe she's early-20s in the show). I don't understand the shipping there. Hurry up and hack your own arm off, you simpering fool. (By the way, Shireen was proof that a 'cure' exists..)

 

- The forest ladies are the idiots who created the White Walkers? gg. Evidently the WW don't listen to them, why did they make them if they can't control them? Also, why didn't they have a giant stash of obsidian weapons? Did they even know about it? Why didn't they tell Meera to use the obisidan? She looked surprised when she shattered the WW. 

- Bran is an idiot who got everyone except Meera killed (RIP Summer..). Will be interesting to see how they escape. Disappointed we didn't see the Tower of Joy continuation.

- Why did he and the Raven go back to watching the past when they knew the WW were coming? Especially to a scene that seemed inconsequential (Brandon leaving Winterfell?). And why was it so hard/impossible to wake up Bran? Felt like a contrivance so we could get the Hodor origin story.

- I'm really bored by zombie hordes tho. Worst enemies/villains in any form of media.

 

- Good on Sansa for rejecting Littlefinger. Good scene, but was disappointed with his lack of answers for why he gave her to Ramsay. Knowing that Sansa never married Ramsay in the books, it kind of looked like the show's writers didn't have a good reason for Littlefinger's "mistake". Or he just didn't want to tell her that he needed a Bolton alliance, which in the end, didn't seem to do him much good??

- Lol @ Tormund & Brienne.

- Still waiting to see actual consequences for Jon's resurrection, aside from him being "brooding". Only using it as an excuse to get him away from the Wall seems... lacking.

 

- I liked the Greyjoy scenes. Theon regaining some backbone. Not sure how they managed to steal so many ships, or why so many soldiers would be willing to anger Euron by running away with Yara.

 

- So much unnecessary nudity in that play scene. Why was "Sansa" walking around topless backstage? Why did we need a close-up of that penis? Also, Arya's hairstyle looked terrible.

 

 

 

 

 

There's no way Lancel fathered any children with Cersei. He is much younger than her, as implied by the fact that he squired for Robert Baratheon (squires usually are young knights-in-training, plus, the actor is only 24 right now). He's probably only a few years older than Joffrey. I don't think there is supposed to be any doubt that Jaime fathered the kids. (but yes, it's possible Jaime wouldn't be sure)

I should clarify that it would be a show-only twist. In the books I know it was more of a trust and love thing.

I need to talk to someone now.

So hype for tonight it's unreal. I'm loving how brisk the pace is now. It doesn't feel like we're rushing to a conclusion but things are happening and that's fucking huge.

Welcome back Molly

Nick Menza, former drummer of Megadeth, passed away yesterday from heart failure while in the middle of a set in LA. He was 51. Menza recorded drums on four of MEGADETH‘s albums “Rust In Peace” (1990), “Countdown To Extinction” (1992), “Youthanasia” (1994), and “Cryptic Writings” (1997).

I would pay to hear lynch. cover RADICAL HYSTERIA.

5 hours ago, doombox said:

I'm happy for her, especially after hearing that she miscarried last time. She seems really excited. 

She miscarried? So was she pregnant two times or three times, because I know she has at least one child.

Also, that means we're not getting another MTH album for 2+ years

On 4/11/2016 at 10:25 PM, Zeus said:

Thoughts on the new season so far:

Really liking Boku no Hero Academia. I can always go for a started from the bottom feels trip.

Asterisk is alright. Seems to be starting stronger than last season at least.

Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress is dope. Interesting plot and story with incredible potential. Feels like Snowpiercer with zombies.

I have similar comments for Sousei no Onmyouji. Really liking the interesting art direction with this one.

Seisen Cerberus has potential to be interesting as well. I laughed at the synopsis and the name DAGAN ZOD but when it came to the animation it was much more mature and refined than I initially thought.

Joker Game is straight heat. A psychological spy thriller with an interesting twist.

I can grow to like Terraformars Revenge if they stick to the source material and hope the BDs are gory like season one.

Ace Attorney  and Beyblade: Burst looks like it's going to be fun. I hope Phoenix Wright stays a savage. The latter is purely nostalgia.

I'm still watching Pokemon XY&Z on the low. It's still for kids but the battle animations have stepped up a notch. Not quite as nice as the specials but much better than the dreck that was everything before X and Y. Low key Pokemon has better animation than 80% of anime currently airing that's how you know The Pokemon Company rakes in billions.

Is anyone watching Concrete Revolutio? Is it making sense or is it still a complete mess?

 

Overall I'm pretty pleased! Especially considering Attack on Titan was supposed to be here but isn't.

Mid-season update:

Boku no Hero Academia is still a yes from me.

Asterisk is getting better this season as this dumb tournament arc is finally coming to an end. Perhaps I'll finally see why they call this "The Asterisk War" since it's just a bunch of dumb high schoolers playing politics.

Kabaneri would be alright if the characters in the universe weren't their own worst enemies. Both human and kabaneri make some really stupid decisions.

I fell off on Sousei no Onmyouji. Too much of a standard shounen for me I'll try to pick it back up soon.

Seisen Cerberus is good, average fun for filling up time in my week.
Joker Game is still heat. I love how the story is developing.

I caught up on Bungou Stray Dogs. Looks to be pretty interesting IMO. Same can be said for Big Order TV, although I need to watch the last 3 episodes again.

I'm stomaching this season of Terraformars, but all the horror is gone and it's just straight action. Meh...

I stopped watching Beyblade entirely, but Phoenix is every bit as savage as I expected him to be in Ace Attorney.

Pokemon XY&Z is still good.

Unreleased song @ 5:25 is more convincing than what little I've heard by them, but I'm not dying from a studio version of this. Makes me wonder why they decided to release the songs they did.

He's a core part of their sound! I wonder if Sono can find anyone talented enough to fill his shoes. Any stated reason for departure?