Spectralion

Jeeeeeesus christ.
What the fuck is wrong with you. People don't like you, either take a good long look in the mirror or live with it ( I don't have too many fans and I get by just fine ). Applies to every single turd who writes this passive aggressive garbage here on the regular.

That recollection of phoenix instrumental CD!

Whoa. It's over...
I've been checking almost every release in this review trains and it's feel great.
Half of the list become my favorite albums now...
Thank you for your hard works y'all.
Still LOL'ed at Royz's though...

Whoa. It's over...
I've been checking almost every release in this review trains and it's feel great.
Half of the list become my favorite albums now...
Thank you for your hard works y'all.
Still LOL'ed at Royz's though...

Whoa. It's over...
I've been checking almost every release in this review trains and it's feel great.
Half of the list become my favorite albums now...
Thank you for your hard works y'all.
Still LOL'ed at Royz's though...

Whoa. It's over...
I've been checking almost every release in this review trains and it's feel great.
Half of the list become my favorite albums now...
Thank you for your hard works y'all.
Still LOL'ed at Royz's though...

Whoa. It's over...
I've been checking almost every release in this review trains and it's feel great.
Half of the list become my favorite albums now...
Thank you for your hard works y'all.
Still LOL'ed at Royz's though...

Charisma.com is nothing like idol-culture (pretty sure MC Itsuka would have your head if she heard you say this lmao). If there's anything they don't like, it IS idol-culture. And it's not household problems they rap about, it's about issues that plague Japanese society as a whole. I wouldn't judge this book by its cover, because you'll be pleasantly surprised.

pls share your opinions on the slayestest visual kei album of the year, this IS the appropriate thread to do so and let your worshipping run wild
 
 
- in which ways do YOU think exactly kaya's creative genius currently outshines everyone else in the scene?
 
 
- five reasons why cocklobin should have disbanded 3 years ago?
 
 
- your top 16 favest tracks off arcana?
 
 
- on a scale of 2004 phanstasmagoria to 1999 dir en grey, how impactful do you think femme fatale's reinvention of visual kei has became by now?
 
 
- optional: write YOUR own essay on kamijo and kaya's contributions to the death of asagi
 
 
merry christmas, y'all
 
 
 

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.

Man, it always has to be with DEG, huh... what a magical band.
 
(don't mind me XD)

Idk why I can't enjoy Gundam Build Fighter TRY as I enjoy the prequel
...and SAO 2 was just a HUGE pile of shit period

Day 22 - sukekiyo - IMMORTALIS
 

 
Release Date: 2014-05-01
Label: Firewall Div.
Genre: Visual Kei/Experimental
 
 
Impressions from @Jigsaw9:

  Impressions from @Peace Heavy mk II:

  Impressions from :

  Impressions from @Zeus:

  Sample song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnH29YO_h5w
 
Buy the album:
CDJapan | Amazon | iTunes

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: Dir en grey Album: ARCHE Score: Diru's ARCHE has two of everything.
It's not at Uroboros levels of good, but ARCHE can go toe to toe with Withering to death. for third best Dir en grey album.

Dir en grey learned a very important lesson with Dum Spiro Spero, which is that sometimes less is more. Nuance and Dum Spiro Spero went together like an axe to the face. Dir en grey have been a constantly evolving band ever since their formation in 1997, but 2011's Dum Spiro Spero was an almost clean break from everything they've done up to that point. While it was an interesting experiment, listening to the band buckle under the weight of their own creative ambitions was an overbearing, unrelenting, suffocating experience. It's a positive sign that Dir en grey have stopped trying so hard to mix progressive metal with deathcore while retaining an ethereal atmosphere and complementing it with well-thought out melodies (for the most part), because the result is pretty damn pleasant to listen to.

ARCHE is their most focused effort in years. It may not be as unrestrained as Dum Spiro Spero, but it is an infinitely more listenable experience. By not trying as hard to replicate the progressive atmosphere they farted out with Uroboros in 2008, they nailed it again and perpetuated their cycle of good album/bad album. ARCHE has hints of the atmosphere explored by Kyo's side project sukekiyo with nods to styles from previous albums now and again. It's no easier to take in all at once, but I can see how Diru's interpretation goes down better with some than the abstract and sometimes plain strange vibes of sukekiyo. Songs like "phenomenon", "懐春"(kaishun) and "禍夜想" (magayasou) are great examples of when the band excels at this sound, being amongst the top tracks on the album.

It wouldn't be a Dir en grey opening without an engaging opener, and "un deux" is exactly that. It's not the tribal acoustic source field intros of previous albums but I find the more direct approach refreshing. With ARCHE clocking in at 68 minutes, unnecessary pretentious intros are not needed. The first four tracks are pretty damn good, remaining consistent in quality and mood while watching Dir en grey alternate between experimentation and straightforward melodies. It's a sound we always knew they were capable of, but only surfaced once in a blue moon with songs like "腐海" (fukai) and "蜷局" (toguro). If the album stayed this course, it would have been one killer record.

But it isn't a true Dir en grey album without some tracks that should have never made it onto the album. The first is "cause of fickleness", which tried to combine the 90's visual kei mental instability antics with the nu-sukekiyo atmosphere and failed. The result is a lame chorus, uninteresting guitar melody and a total departure from the atmosphere that was built up by the first four tracks. To make it worse, the song that follows, "濤声"(tousei), picks up right where "phenomenon" left off, which makes me question why "cause of fickleness" is here. It's the kind of basic error that should not be made after eighteen years of making music. They repeat this mistake later with "The inferno" sandwiched between promotional ballad "空谷の跫音" (kuukoku no kyouon) and album ender "Revelation of Mankind". "The inferno" is junk not worthy of further elaboration but the ballad is a nice melodic break after all the metal. It wasn't the best choice to get people excited for the album though - "Un deux", "咀嚼" (soshaku), or "鱗" (uroko) would have been better choices. "Revelation of mankind" feels like a re-interpration of Dum Spiro Spero's "流転の塔" (ruten no tou). It doesn't get quite as good as "流転の塔", but it's a solid song and ends the album on a high note.

ARCHE's biggest issue is that after two years "輪郭" (rinkaku) is still the best song, even though several contend for second place. "Sustain the untruth" slides unnoticed into the latter half of the album, remaining the most straightforward metal song on the album. It also doesn't fit in all that well but the second half of ARCHE is an identity crisis anyway. All consistency goes out the window as Diru can't decide if they want to be mysterious, straightforward, reserved, or aggressive. It hurts more than it helps and with long albums consistency is important. The silver lining in all of this is that there is no progressive behemoth like Vinushka or Diabolos to inflate the running time further and make ARCHE unbearable to sit through.

The ideas don't work as well if the execution isn't top notch, and with the removal of some tracks and rearrangement of the rest ARCHE could have been in the same league as magnum opuses Uroboros or Macabre. But for a band that's been continuously reinventing themselves for the better part of a decade to be taken as a legitimate metal band, seeing them finally embrace melody and compose without pressure to conform to "metal ideals" is great. All aspects of Dir en grey that fans adore are still here, just devoid of the sprawling, unfocused attempts of albums past.

In the future, I could see ARCHE mentioned in the same breath as VULGAR and Withering to death. as generally good Dir en grey albums, and it is definitely an album I will find myself revisiting again and again. It's just something that could have been a legendary release with a bit more time and care.

I DID NOT EXPECT NICK OF ALL CHANNELS TO GO WITH THIS BUT I'M SO GLAD THAT THEY DID

I also found this and it was too good to not share.

Not one to shy away from releasing albums, it's been really unusual to not have heard a full LP from D in over three years. The years have seen a staggering nine singles, three best albums, and two EPs from the boys which is quite the achievement. Being that there were so many singles, when Kingdom was announced I became worried that the album would be primarily pre-released singles. I was very pleasantly surprised when only four singles made the album and D gave us a whopping 11 brand new tracks. 
 
In a world where bands begin albums with 30-second instrumental introductions, D starts their 7th studio album with "Blood Moon," a visual kei spectacular. This song really captures the overall theme of the album and sets the tone for what to expect throughout: big choruses and big melodies. The song uses a liberal amount of a synth that sounds like it's trying to be a violin, but doesn't sound bad. In fact, this aspect of the song is what proves it's overall 'Visual Kei'-ness, if you will.  "Dark Wings," admittedly, was not my favorite song released prior to Kingdom but in the context of the album it makes sense. While the intro to the song lacks anything special, the chorus is huge and leads into a second verse that makes you forget about the lackluster intro. Possibly the most interesting song on the album is "Mother Doll" which has some of the best guitar work in D's career and one of Asagi's best vocal performances in recent years. The song begins with some pretty intricate metal guitar riffs and works its way through deep verses leading up to a catchy and powerful chorus.    "Tsuki no Sakazuki" was my personal favorite single released for Kingdom. It was the total package, from the catchy German hook to the chorus which really reminded me of older D songs (and how good were those b-sides, though, I mean really). "Tsuki no Sakazuki" gives way, however, to another one of my favorite songs: "Chi ni Nureta Ikkaku," which shows in 4 minutes and 41 seconds exactly why Hiroki is one of the best drummers around. What we've seen so far on Kingdom primarily is Asagi's supreme vocal ability and how well he works with the band as a whole. "Chi ni Nureta Ikkaku" is really driven by the drums in particular which is pretty atypical of D's usual style which focuses on big band compositions rather than focusing on one instrument over another. The third single choice for Kingdom is "Danzai no Juushi (Gunner)," a song that was lackluster on it's very own  release a la "Dark Wings," but comes into it's own in the context of the full album. In fact, it actually ends up standing out quite well with it's extremely-catchy chorus and harsh vocals which, when used as sparingly as on this song, are a real asset instead of a detriment.    "Secret Hangar" is the heaviest song on the album. Using a lot of rhythm in both guitar and drums instead of focusing on big guitar solos and powerful choruses. It's a nice change from the general pace of the album being so dramatic to change direction and now have a song that's really made for cutting loose and losing yourself in a song. "Anökumene" is an interesting anomaly in and of the fact it's less than three minutes in length and entirely instrumental. The song's overall purpose is apparently to break up different segments of the album, but doesn't exactly stand up as it's own number. Nothing about the song is particularly impressive, and I mean that not out of a sense of negativity, but just in the fact it left no impression on me. "En'ou no Koshikake" is definitely on the heavier side and sticks out in my mind in particular because of it's Arabic influence. One of the things I've learned about D after being a fan of them for so, so long is that they never shy away from using musical styles of other cultures in their songs and their continuous use of the Arabic style is one of their most unique characteristics and "En'ou no Koshikake" really drives that point home.    Following in the same vein as it's predecessor, "Kaze ni Totsuita Bailaora" is very influenced by another country. This time, that country is Spain. The song certainly has a nice beat and melody, but fails to stand out as it's own song. The best part, in fact, is the Spanish guitar in the beginning. "Binetsu ~Ame no Fantasia~" is a song on which D made some interesting production choices. It begins with the sound of rain and Asagi singing through a vocal filter of some kind. As the song progresses, it becomes heavier and utilizes harsh vocals more and more before switching gears completely mid-song for the chorus and then returning to the heaviness and harsh vocals. Overall the song feels like the song was initially supposed to be a few other songs and they picked the best parts of those songs to turn into one full song and they called it "Binetsu ~Ame no Fantasia~." This is then followed up with the other instrumental song, "Another Kingdom" which I'm fairly certain is just "Anökumene" with a different title if I'm being totally honest. Again, the song leaves no lasting impression on me.   The absolute climax of the album comes in on "Kurobara no Kishi", which brings us back to the style of song on the first segment of the album. Once again, D shows us how to effectively use the pseudo-choir as a bridge and properly scream a hook. The song goes on for 5 minutes and 15 seconds without losing intensity or interest. The fourth single choice for Kingdom is "Rosenstrauss", a song that is really more pop/rock than anything. After the acoustic piano intro, the song kicks up the pace in a big way creating an extremely exciting environment. Finally, the album closes out with the absolutely massive power ballad "Shuuen ~Sora he no Kaiki~." Not only does this song sufficiently some up the story of Kingdom but it feels like it's the goodbye D fans deserve after such a long and magnificent career. Additionally, the music video for this song is epic in every sense of the word. They spared no expense on the production value and costumes, that's for certain. This particular song inspires a sense of hope rather than finality. As we know, D is going on a hiatus for a while rather than disbanding altogether. The message of "Shuuen" overall, I think, is hope and promise for the future.   Overall, I would highly recommend D's "farewell" album Kingdom.  If there's one thing D does better than any visual rock band, it's putting together a cohesive theme album. Every song on Kingdom makes sense in the overall context without getting boring or repetitive. In fact, I may even dare to say this is their best album to date.     
Please support this artist by buying the album here from our friends over at CDJapan   This was my review published over on VKH, you can view the original article here: http://www.visualkeiheaven.us/2014/12/review-d-kingdom.html#more t

That's why you have friends. All of the people I listed above have drastically different music tastes. @CAT5 is the indie king. @sai likes music with catchy hooks and great melodies. @paradoxal likes visual kei. @leafwork is all over the map and listens to a lot of different stuff. @Bear and @Disposable like the less explored areas of metal. @Linh-san is the multifaceted moderator that listens to visual kei and everything else in almost equal amounts and is knowledgeable about a lot of stuff. I have a great resource of friends that I can approach and ask for recommendations whenever I'm in the mood for something new. Because I have them, I don't need to do much exploring myself. I trust those guys to wade through all the crap and let me know what I need to become familiar with and what I need to avoid. I probably do the same for a lot of other people.
 
For me, that combines (ii) and (iii). So if you find that you don't have enough time to listen to what you like and find new things at the same time, drop by the chat when anybody is in there and ask for recommendations. Anyone in there would be more than willing to help you out.

As a matter of fact, yesterday I was in the shoutbox with @Sakura Seven and and I got Sakura's take on DaizyStripper despite never being familiar with them. People like that are invaluable in filling in the holes I'm going to have no matter how many artists I listen to. The goal is not to listen to everything but to be familiar with many things.

This isn't an alien concept. People new to visual kei (or returning to the scene) know that there's an adjustment period in getting familiar with who's who in the scene and they go out and make friends who put them on to new things. So I guess what I'm getting at is....everyone needs to make more friends?

THE"420"THEATRICAL ROSES is the first thing by Mejibray that I have listened to that wasn't their cover of Dir en grey's "Cage." I figured that if their cover of Cage was so good, this album would be pretty good too. I was sincerely hoping I'd love the hell out of 420. Sad to say I was disappointed instead. The amount of Dir en fanboyism in pretty much every track was a letdown for me as I was hoping for something that would set Mejibray as its own entity in my mind instead of "that band that covered Cage." I got the feeling of a band that was still trying to find their footing but couldn't quite get the traction they were looking for. 
 
My experience with 420 was a game of "do not push the next button, you need to listen to all of it." Each song seemed to bleed into the next, only letting me know the track was even switching with a small bit of silence between them. It went on forever and it definitely wasn't in a good way. Saying I had to force myself to give it a re-listen is a bit of an understatement. When I would think it was time to start the album over I'd look at iTunes and there would still be 10 tracks left. I don't feel like this band has enough in them yet for a 17-track album to not be completely exhausting for the listener. Based solely on 420, I don't feel like Mejibray is a good match-up with ballads, at least in terms of vocals. They were the worst part and only managed to make the album feel even longer.
 
I can tell this band has so much potential to be something awesome, it's right there at their fingertips. They just failed to fully reach out and grasp it with this album. I will say that this is going to be a band I will keep my eyes on in the future with hope that one day they'll surprise me.  "hatred × tangle red × hunger red" was the one track I did enjoy and would recommend to others. Rating this one is really hard for me as I didn't outright hate it but I wasn't in love either. It wasn't horrific but it's not an album I'd tell people they needed to listen to.
 

MEJIBRAY had originally caught my attention because of their eccentric and attractive Visual Kei image. I feel their second album captures their style almost to a t. Being one of many indie Visual Kei bands on the scene with such massive adoration from a healthy fanbase, the anticipated album doesn’t fail in delivering the juicy goodness of MEJIBRAY’s sound we all know and love. Compared to their first album, it flows a lot better, with a preferred track placement this time. Chocked full of brilliant singles and new songs, the album is a thrilling ride right from the get-go.
 
The opener, “IDEA,” has a futuristic and eerie feel to it, thanks to an electro current going high and low in pitch. It’s a quick and fitting welcome to THE “420” THEATRICAL ROSES, and this is again delivered by the suitable, instrumental closing track “COPERNICUS.” We get right into the flow of the album with their newest released single “シアトリカル・ブルーブラック AI Ver.” which further offers a new sound to the album, making this release even more refreshing as these ‘AI Ver.’s are altered ever so slightly. “シアトリカル・ブルーブラック” was already a personal favourite of mine when it was released. The song, much like any Visual Kei single, follows an expected pattern. This can obviously be an issue for long time Visual Kei fans, but MEJIBRAY hits the nail on the head with this particular track. The chunky guitar and crazy drumming is super energetic and addicting. Tsuzuku’s vocals offer us what we’ve always received from him; a mix of clear singing, screeches, growls and screams. And let’s not forget how well MiA really works that guitar of his in his solo parts!
 
“DiefiL” is up next and is a very enjoyable track even after such a excellent single backing it up beforehand. Like track three, “Hungry Psychopath” doesn’t slow down the energy, actually sounding more melodious than previous songs. Its repeated guitar chunking after the chorus is highlighted wonderfully before leading into the chorus which is ever so harmonious due to the swift change in tune. Tsuzuku’s higher pitched vocalisation is something to treasure in this track.
The album seems to keep stepping up after every track for now, next with “Mr.レインは死んだふり.” The song falls and then rises to intense heights as Tsuzuku’s vocals alone accompanied by piano which continues to play along with the band into the chorus. Another ‘AI Ver.’ follows, this time of ‘RAVEN.’ Nothing can beat MEJIBRAY’s singles in my book and ‘RAVEN’ certainly doesn’t miss the mark. Dramatic and smooth, the chorus is even more pleasing to the ear compared to the highly enjoyable “DiefiL.” The steady and gripping pace of this single definitely shouldn’t be overlooked.
 
Following tracks “埋葬虫” and “Contagion” continue to deliver the punches without exhausting the album. I particularly enjoyed “Contagion,” which takes on a slower tempo against the first load of rough tracks but still keeps Tsuzuku’s signature vocalisations in. It’s actually quite pleasant. Following in the ‘pleasant’ description, ballad “Echo” comes next. It’s unfortunate this album promoted track is the one ballad in the album, but already a problem might be spotted by a few listeners. At over six minutes long, it’s a lengthy track in an already packed album. But even if it looks unappealing, you better give it a chance. My view on MEJIBRAY’s ballads is that it’s the best produced songs of theirs. Tsuzuku’s voice is fitting to such a song and the instrumentals definitely compliment and drive this along, making it an emotional and smoothly delivered performance.
 
Now, after nine tracks in, the album seems to exhaust considerably due to its big running time. This becomes increasingly obvious after this song as every other tune follows a similar formula to all the other previous, first half high energy songs, no longer sounding individual. As a massive fan, it’s disappointing to admit. Even though we've waited a while for a full-length album, it may be a bit too much. So, while every track packs a punch, the album itself may fail keeping listeners gripped from start to end, not managing to impress newcomers or even long time listeners. But this album is a definite step up from their first. I look forward to the band progressing further and finding their place and sound in the scene before being seen as unoriginal or uninspiring. With an eye catching album cover and beautiful detail to attire and music delivery, you've gotta give these guys some credit at least. Step up lads and prove to us all your worth!
 

it is announced at D live tour final one-man live at Maihama Amphitheater at 2014/12/13 that their LIVE DVD (title not yet finalized) will be released, which will include complete scene of that one-man live at 2014/12/13
 
 
SET-LIST at 2014/12/13:
 
01.月の杯
02.Der könig der Dunkelheit
03.Another Kingdom
04.無垢なる薔薇の祈り
05.In the name of justice
06.DARK WINGS
07.Mother Doll
08.メテオ～夢寐の刻～
09.鬨の声
10.Night-ship"D"
11.Bon Voyage!
12.血に濡れた一角
13.断罪の銃士
14.SECRET HANGAR
アネクネメ～drums solo～rhythm session
15.猿王の腰掛け
16.風に嫁いだバイラオーラ
17.夜の眼と吟遊詩人
18.Dragon Princess
19.微熱～雨の幻想曲～
20.黒薔薇の騎士
21.Blood Moon
22.Dearest you
23.EDEN
24.Rosenstrauss
25.終焉～宇宙への回帰～

Day 14 - 夜の本気ダンス  - DANCE STEP (honki dance - DANCE STEP)



Release Date: 2014-03-05
Label: actwise/Streetwise
Genre: Rock/Indie


Impressions from
 
Impressions from @Original Saku
 
 


 
CDJapan | HMV | iTunes (Japan)

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 had to get fancy (and buy a dress) to do family things so naturally this means picture time.