Spectralion

Zeus-san expressed how I felt with the album above, I really was 'positively surprised.' I gave one of their albums a listen ages ago and was blown away. It was just unfortunate I'll stick to the first musicians I got into more. >< I can agree with the 'taking in very small doses' part with this particular band. But that I can only actually say for that first album of theirs in this double release. It's a lot to take in on a 1 hour listen, but as I already said, it was totally worth it in the end. I'll be going back to both albums soon, I'm sure. But I can't recommend their second album enough. It's a lot more easier to get into, in my opinion, since it's not a full on metal hour like the previous one sounded. But I'm going to stand up for them on that last part. I didn't find any track boring at all. Exhausting is a more appropriate word to me, if I was any other listener. And damn son, guitars and sound was weak in the album!? You listen to some flawless metal! ^^ And yay to being honest and giving your opinion. It's the first time on here opinions on one of the releases has been so split!

Doubt I'd get like... church married with a ceremony and everything. At most, it'd be going to a courthouse and then stopping for ice cream afterwards lol

on sale.


 
thanks kyotakumrau.

I've listened to Japanese trannies since the day I was born and will do it until the day I die :/

Artist: chouchou merged syrups. Mini: clepsydra Score: chouchou merged syrups. is back in the game and playing for keeps.
Having reigned the latter half of the 2000s as Japan's "go-to" female-fronted indie-rock band, MASS OF THE FERMENTING DREGS left a huge void in the scene when they disbanded back in 2012. Many acts have sprung up in an attempt to claim that abandoned spotlight, but few have managed to distinguish themselves. Bands like Tricot and MAMADRIVE, while competent, still suffer from forgettable songwriting, while other groups are still trying to find their sound (Cö shu Nie, THE★komesuduo), focusing their talents solely on pop efforts (negoto, akai-ko-en), or simply not consistent enough in output (itsue) or quality (uchuu conbini). One band that fell into the trap of inconsistency is chouchou merged syrups., but on their latest mini album "clepsydra", they've managed to patch up the holes in their sound and present themselves as a force to be reckoned with.

Formed in November of 2010 in Kyoto, the quartet quickly garnered interest by signing with the indie-powerhouse label Zankyo Records (cinema staff, People In The Box, mudy on the 昨晩, té, early 9mm Parabellum Bullet) and released their first track "針中察するに" on the label's 3rd compilation subtitled "-brightest hope-". This song alone was enough to grab the attention of indie-heads, as it introduced a refreshing take on the emo-rooted, indie-rock styles played to perfection by bands like 9mm parabellum bullet and Cinema Staff. The intrigue surrounding chouchou swelled into hype as it was announced that their first mini album "since" would be produced by none other than Cinema Staff's bassist, Souhei Mishima. Unfortunately, that hype quickly fizzled out with the mini album being an utter disappointment. "Since" sounded dull and soulless, as if the band were handed blueprints to unreleased cinema staff songs and forced to play them at gunpoint. Even vocalist Chiaki Kawato gave a timid, almost fearful-sounding performance - one that was further marred by her constant straining to hit notes that she either couldn't or shouldn't have attempted to; this is a common, but contemptuous trait amongst Japanese indie-rock vocalists. Because "since" didn't live up to it's expectations, prospective interest in the band diminished and the release of "clepsydra" nearly went unnoticed. Thankfully, chouchou took note of their defects and improved upon them in every aspect.

Contrasting "since" from the get-go, "clepsydra" opens with a 40-second instrumental titled "月光" - a guitar riff that's melancholic, menacing, and shrouded in atmosphere. This piece sets the tone for the first half of the mini album as chouchou delves into a darker, more emotionally-driven sound than they've done previously. The first 2 songs "斜陽" and "白昼夢は色彩の無い" not only showcase this new direction, but they also boast a vast improvement in the band's songwriting. There's plenty of intense, emo-inspired instrumentation to rock out to, but this time it's more precise and colorful. Chiaki's vocal melodies are more congruent with her skill level and there's more power behind her delivery. The gloomy pseudo-ballad "踊る、そして" slows things down to a post-rockish crawl, but fails to reach a substantial climax. This is perhaps my biggest grievance with "clepsydra" - they missed an opportunity to catapult this track into the stratosphere, and instead, ends up sounding like a 4 minute interlude. Subsequent tracks "Havfrue" and "風のように" move the album in a brighter direction and expand on those undeveloped post-rock tendencies by employing a fine balance of twinkly guitar interplay and emotive choral passages. "橙鳴る" brings the album to a brilliant finish. It's intense but delicate, melancholy yet uplifting - the perfect symbiosis of sounds represented in the first and latter halves of the album.

As a whole, "clepsydra" makes it clear that "since" was just a hiccup and the initial hype surrounding the band was warranted after all. With performances lined up at MINAMI WHEEL 2014 and Zankyo Matsuri's 10th Anniversary events, in addition to a brand new track featured on the latest Zankyo Record compilation, the future is looking bright. chouchou merged syrups. may very well solidify themselves as the next female-fronted "it" band of the Japanese indie-scene!

Fantastic album. RIP is like a religious experience for me and  都会の魔界 has some of the coolest basslines ever. Thank you Cat5 for showing me the light.
 
I do enjoy 88 from time to time, but this was their first album in which I could listen to the whole thing in one sitting. Typically, I have to split it up because there's so much going on that it gets tiring for me, but this record has the right balance of technicality and craziness for me.

Me listening to 88kasyo's new album
 

Artist: ヒトリエ
Album: WONDER and WONDER
Score:
 
Having an incredible musical allergy against all things Vocaloid-related, Hitorie shows that having Vocaloid roots does not always equal terrible taste. In fact, I'm going to be as bold as to say that Hitorie basically dropped the best indie-rock album of 2014.

WONDER and WONDER is the band's debut album, after their incredibly solid first single and mini-album. The bar for this album was thus set incredibly high, yet I was not worried that this album would disappoint me the second they dropped the music video and the previews. If you're not into Ling Toshite Sigure because of TK and the shrill noises, Hitorie is the band for you.

Hitorie's vocalist has a very pleasant voice. He's not the best vocalist but he's incredibly well in synch with the rest of his band. Hitorie's strength lies in their own sound. Despite being a very young band, they have thoroughly established their own sound, a sound that is similar to other bands but still has something quite unique about it that makes you say "this is Hitorie!". Their combination of diverse melodies and catchy hooks makes them one of the best newcomers of the year.

WONDER and WONDER is a showcase of everything Hitorie has to offer. The album is mostly made up of upbeat songs, but they differ a lot from eachother despite all executing the same signature sound. Hitorie found their formula, but isn't afraid to experiment within their formula instead of constantly churning out the same exact song as some other bands tend to do. From the incredibly well done ballad 癖 to the minimal なぜなぜ and the fun upbeat 我楽多遊び, this band shows a lot of different sides of itself. There was not a single song on this album that I did not like or  considered average. The second half of the album is better than the first half in my opinion, but in general the quality is good throughout the entire album.

What also makes this album so good is that it's fun. It makes you want to get out of your chair and dance along to the incredibly catchy tunes.

While this review might not be as in-depth as those of the Review squad, I do hope I've managed to make you at least a tiny bit interested in this album. It's just a fantastic album from start to finish and I can hardly find any flaws. I don't rate albums five starts often, but when I do, it's Hitorie.
 

Final verdict: - It's just that good.

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

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

Day 5 - 八十八ヶ所巡礼 - 攻撃的国民的音楽 (88kasyo junrei - kougeki teki kokumin teki ongaku)

Release Date: Date
Label: PPR
Genre: Progressive Rock/Psychedlic Rock
Impressions from @Original Saku

Impressions from @Jigsaw9

Impressions from @fitear1590:

Impressions from @CAT5

Sample song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D90AOhojK3M
Buy the album:
CDJapan | YesAsia

Artist: Sadie Album: GANGSTA Score:
The musical equivalent of the human centipede, where genres are held hostage and stitched together ass to mouth so shit flows in one end and out the other. Except one of the genres is emaciated, another is dressed in drag, and a third took five too many Xanax and huddles unconscious in the corner. Making heads or tails of what GANGSTA wants to be is fruitless. A convoluted mess of bad ideas, worse ideas, and terrible execution, the best thing about it is how little the name has to do with anything. If you like your clouds with silver lining, it's not the visual kei equivalent of Sasuke Uchiha's mixtape, but the turntable scratching and rapping still rears it's ugly head when Sadie is done violating all the other genres they think they can handle.
 
The beginning of the end of my expectations starts with MODE OF GANGSTA, which kickstarts this thirteen track tour de force of all the ways to not juxtapose genres. Evoking feelings of a coked out futuristic dystopian cyberpunk electro-rave punctuated with gang vocals, it's about as good as DEATHGAZE's Japanese Meliorism. And by that, I mean it's cool for eight measures and then it needs to stop. But by this point, you've already ventured into the ectosphere and are being pulled towards the gravitational singularity that is this album whether you like it or not, and the only question you should have is why.
 
One of the few constants within this album is how any attempts to extinguish the flaming wreckage only makes things worse. Lead single DEAD END's intro may give you hope - as a formulaic Sadie rock number they're in familiar territory - but even here there are signs that things are going to go wrong fast. Not only do I feel like I've heard this song before - probably because I have - but the song feels like a disjointed collage of half-executed ideas that don't play well together. There's some sugar, some spice, a funky guitar line or two, a chorus with complex delivery, token heavy sections, and harsh vocals that feel like an after thought, thrown about to take up eight measures worth of time. There's some good and some bad, but it's the most consistent track on here.
 
Differences in opinion over the first two tracks can be summed up into "at least they're trying!" and "diversity!", so I can't knock this band for having no ideas. But at the end of the day, the inability to execute a vision even with a multitude of ideas is not a matter of opinion. It's a fatal shortcoming that births tracks like WELCOME TO THE UNDERGROUND, which is the most clumsy jazz-kei attempt of the last decade. It also marks the point where the album crosses the event horizon and there's no coming back. They keep up their cabaret pretenses for three minutes before sliding back into their trademark metalcore sound so they don't feel too out of their comfort zone, but the awkward focus on English lyrics and inappropriate guitar tuning betrays the band's intentions. The left-field metalcore section sports harsh vocals poor even by Mao's standards, and the aggression displayed near the end is at odds with the rhythm in the beginning. If they had held consistent, it would have been an amusing LIPHLICH imitation at best. Instead, this is a muddled mess.
 
But it's not just WELCOME TO THE UNDERGROUND that sounds like a spiked cocktail of ill-executed concepts. The second constant of GANGSTA is that Sadie doesn't know what it wants to play. A puree of shit banded together by interludes forms whenever Sadie tries to coax ideas into places they don't fit, and a majority of the album falls into this category. Whenever they stumble onto an idea that might work, they suddenly switch gears before it can get going. It would be more prudent to highlight all the songs that stay the course - wherever that course may be headed - from beginning to end. For that, I give props to Tokyo Gypsy, MESSAGE FROM HERE, and the piano outro PHRASE OF LIFE. I would never say any of these three tracks are "good". Singling one out as the best song is deceptive; it's like comparing a turd to twelve less smelly turds. What we have here are three tracks that didn't elevate my blood pressure, and thus I'll take the road less traveled and talk about the few positive aspects of this album.
 
Tokyo Gypsy is a slower rock song, which in the hands of a different band could have worked a lot better. It's the first song on the album that isn't a total disaster, but the band refuses to let it's hair down and get into the groove. This creates unneeded apprehension in the atmosphere. Nothing about this song screams "Listen to me again!", but the greasy back alley male strip club vibe I get from listening to it gives it a place of distinction in my mind. MESSAGE FROM HERE is a six minute ballad driven by a piano where only the rightmost five keys work. There's a feeling of the piano sitting on top of the music instead of integrating itself to it, and feels at odds with the prominent bass line. It deserves brownie points because it doesn't have a section of asinine songwriting to ruin the flow, but it doesn't captivate me either. It's far too long for what little ideas they're toying with, and could have been four minutes and delivered the same impact. The fact that it follows another ballad and leads into a piano outro means that while the album takes a sonic detour into consistency near the end, it's sinks into obscurity in a sea of similarity.
 
I won't mention much of PHRASE OF LIFE, except it's a nod to Kisou and STACKED RUBBISH - a disjointed album ending on a pleasant note.
 
Once the piano from PHRASE OF LIFE twinkles it's way to an understated ending, my hopes are crushed. I've listened to the entire album but I don't know what the purpose was. How can GANGSTA be justified as the product of hard work and musical creativity, when corners were cut and questionable choices were made at every turn? When the band wants to play metalcore, I'm bombarded with rave synth, embarrassing gang vocals, bars of absolute shit songwriting, demented gerbil sounds that are supposed to pass for harsh vocals all held together with derivative pop hooks so recycled the logo is visible. How can one rectify the disparate influences that pull tracks apart rather than brings them together? Take bleach as a four minute excursion into all the things wrong with this album. There's prominent DJ scratching, more bad gang vocals, random unexplored changes in riffage, and melodic metalcore over a house beat held up by Sadie's favorite musical crutches. None of these things go together either on paper or in practice, but the band insists that they do. I can't find any redeeming qualities in this album, and additional listens of GANGSTA reveal more flaws and no hidden gems. If there are any in the music, it's hidden deeper than it's worth to find them.
 
There's trying, trying too hard, and then having no idea what you're doing anymore. Sadie has always been a straightforward metalcore band. The contention with their sound in the last few years is that they're using the same formula to come up with their tracks and they need a way to distinguish them. Thinking outside the box, gathering all of these ideas, and then leaving them outside the box defeats the purpose of gathering those ideas in the first place! If these ideas can't be used, they should be discarded. Instead, the box is as empty as it was before, the ideas are neglected like a child whose mother doesn't love them, the presentation is messy, and it's left to the listener to puzzle out what the band's true intentions were.
 
I'd rather vomit on tinfoil and eat it than listen to this again.

Artist: JUPITER Single: 氷の中の少女 Score: Bland power metal single take three.
氷の中の少女 is the newest single before their sophomore album THE HISTORY OF GENESIS, which will feature all six songs from their last three singles. While hyped at first because it was going to feature four members of theatrical power metal outfit Versailles, JUPITER has failed to deliver any release - let alone any song - that gives them their identity. I don't follow JUPITER religiously, choosing to check out a release of theirs now and again to see if their sound has changed. Since this, as well as ARCADIA, is indicative of the sound on their upcoming album, it's looking pretty weak right now.
氷の中の少女 is another run of the mill power metal track. It has Hizaki written all over it, and it's clear he's lost his touch. He's always used the same bag of tricks, but it's never felt so familiar and rehashed. The ambitious, grandiose tinge to the tone of the song, as well as the variety and inspiration from different eras of classical music are gone. It's been replaced with a more commercial, accessible, and unoffensive sound. Since it's been this way since the beginning of their career, it's a deliberate attempt to either distance themselves from previous bands or to compensate for Zin's peculiar singing style. Whatever the reason is, it's not working.
On one hand, I shouldn't be comparing this band to previous bands by these members. On the other hand, when all the complexity and camp is stripped from the music this is what's left. A part of me is bothered that four of the most talented musicians in modern visual kei are producing music of this caliber. Teru, Masashi, and Hizaki all have vastly different compositional styles, yet I don't sense a synthesis of their influences anywhere. Zin sings with clarity and control, but has no power or presence. He's at odds with the quick, demanding melody. Hizaki and Teru are more concerned with twin guitar riffing than with the overall direction of the song. The result is a song that while technically demanding, doesn't go anywhere. Those with a preference for guitar will adore this song; for the rest of us it goes in one ear and out the other.
The crucial ingredient of diversity, missing from 氷の中の少女, is present on SACRED ALTER. This sounds like a Teru creation, but I could always be wrong. JUPITER like to switch it up by producing a faux-thrash number, and most of the time it complements the usual bright and cheery affair well. It starts out with a spoken voice section over violin and electronic beat before going into riffs with some groove and body. Even the rhythm section feels invigorated and all the life missing from the first song is here. That's where all the praise ends. Zin can't growl, so he improvises with a combination of an awkward rasp, a falsetto that would make Asagi blush, and poor harsh vocals. He was able to get by on Darkness by just sticking with the rasp, but his need to be diverse does more harm than good. The falsetto in the chorus is the tipping point, as it doesn't harmonize with the sudden change in the melody. Overall, it was an experiment that didn't work so well this time. Jupiter need to either accommodate for Zin or do something else, because this type of music does not suit his voice.
What frustrates me most is that the song with the goofy vocals has all the drive and energy and their actual single feels so dead. 氷の中の少女 has a feel of "been there, done that" and models the previous single ARCADIA in both composition, construction, and mood. It fails to distinguish itself in any way. I must sound like a broken record by now, but there's an insurmountable wall between the band and I. There's a crucial element missing to their music and I can't put my finger on what it is. If we could take the energy from SACRED ALTAR and mold it to complement Zin's singing, we would be cooking with gas. But I don't understand why Hizaki and company decided to go with Zin as a vocalist if they weren't going to make music he could keep up with.
Time is ticking for this band. THE HISTORY OF GENESIS better have some killer tracks that define this band's modus operandi, or they will soon fall into obscurity.

Artist: TK from 凛として時雨 Single: Fantastic Magic Score: Fantastic Magic? You bet it is!
TK from 凛として時雨(Rin Toshite Shigure), male vocalist of said band, presents his second solo album titled Fantastic Magic. 凛として時雨 and TK’s solo works are indie rock and alternative, but both units also utilize the genre of shoegaze, making them incredibly interesting. As TK breaks away for a solo effort from his band formed way back in 2002, he successfully creates a wild and dramatic ride sure to please all our musical needs.

The album starts with “Fantastic Magic.” Our ears are exposed to thrashing drums and quick piano keys playing along to strumming of guitars along with TK’s whimsical vocals calling out to us between the pauses. As soon as the song’s in full flow, it’s a manic musical racecourse, building up to the chorus where we hear TK’s sincerest shouts we’ve been waiting for. The single “unravel,” featured as the opening for anime Tokyo Ghoul is up next, the song many listeners look for. It gets any listener pumped up for what’s coming next. Thanks to the cluster of violins, drums and guitars playing together, and the emotional drive of TK’s helpless tone, “unravel” is a gripping song. Along with the tuneful build up to the end, we’re hit by TK’s desperate shrieks after the first chorus. Not only is it fitting for the anime tie-in, it’s a perfect fit to TK’s signature musical style with the mixture of high and low vocalisation, creating a quick, pulse-racing track.

Being a more beat oriented track, “kalei de scope” builds up tension and the emotional chaos is slowed down. The tiny taps of piano with small segments of drum beats, guitar strings, and electric beats all mix into a mesmerizing piece of music. The abrupt end makes you want more. “an artist” contrasts with previous tracks, sounding far more hopeful. TK doesn’t raise much of his voice in the song and it’s is definitely the calming point of the album. With piano backing the band, its melody is enchanting. In small sections, the music may completely halt so we can only hear TK’s echoing, breathy vocals. This creates a haunting tone, never stopping in dragging the listener in.

TK’s tone in “tokio” is just as emotionally breath-taking as his shrieks. He captures us, being entrapped and torn by his vocal work. An impressive acoustic track, it shows us just how emotional his unique voice is. A piano is used throughout this song which continues into the upcoming track. The stunning ballad “Shinkiro” features the equally child-like, innocent sounding singer Chara. The track is distinctive because of the added vocals and emotions. The fluid sounds of acoustic guitar, drums and bass doesn’t make the song overbearing or sleep inducing. The imperfection of both vocalists’ voices creates a modest and honest song which is chilling to the bone. There’s a sense of gentleness and warmth with the duo of sweet sounding voices.

The album version of “Dramatic Slow Motion” now begins to refill the tank after the few resting tracks, which is a thrilling ride, effectively building up throughout by the instrumental involvement to create a dramatic and racing tune that delivers an electrical current until the end. “Spiral Parade” is instantly a toe tapping number. Catchy and addicting. This track welcomes you to dance while rocking out. TK keeps his unique tune as the violin playing within the chorus adds another layer of chaos below the electronic beats and taps. The louder the music gets, the more instruments become involved, including random piano keys playing and steady beats from a drum.

TK takes on another soothing song, entitled “fragile.” The track is just as atmospheric as the ballads beforehand. What can now be noticed is how strained TK’s voice can be when he sings in a lower tone. This may put many listeners off the acoustic/ballad sounding tracks due to how piercing it can be. However, that’s where the source of magic can be most noticed. The irregularity of TK’s vocals creates the much needed melancholic feeling. “contrast” mashes various pieces of instruments very smoothly to create a tuneful closing. Starting off with only the piano, it quickly becomes very pleasing to listen to. We’re given everything TK’s offered us throughout the album in this final track alone. It’s atmospheric in the verses and bridges then energetic as soon as the chorus hits us. And when it does, it’s stunning. The instruments play harmonically together into a dramatic finish and TK’s vocals never slip up. It’s very worthy of being the album closer.

In conclusion, what we have here is a gem. Listeners who haven’t given a shot at the genre should definitely give TK a listen. His individuality and uniqueness is expressed wonderfully and definitely deserving of more attention. Because of how the tracks are ordered, various songs contrast effectively with one another. While my personal preference disagrees with the placement of “fragile,” the ‘problem’ many may be turned off by is TK’s vocals in the slower songs. However, the tranquility of each and every song deserves recognition. It’s ‘Fantastic Magic.’

Day 3 - Girugamesh - Gravitation

Release Date: 2014-09-24
Label: Danger Crue
Genre: Rock/Metal
Impressions by @Ito

Impressions by

Sample song:

Buy the album:
CDJapan | YesAsia | iTunes

It's time to show my face... After years lurking here...
 

 
That photo taken in April 2014 and I just realize how rare I am taking picture of myself...

Vocalo Zanmai is one of the best surprises I've found in visual kei all year. Are we alone in thinking this?

Day 1 - 和楽器バンド - ボカロ三昧 (Wagakki Band - Vocalo Zanmai)

Release Date: 2014-04-23
Label: Avex
Genre: Rock/Folk/Visual Kei/Female Fronted
Impressions from :

Impressions from @Zeus:

Sample song:

Buy the album:
CDJapan | yesasia

It's time to show my face... After years lurking here...
 

 
That photo taken in April 2014 and I just realize how rare I am taking picture of myself...

My second package of Visual-Kei thing.

 
I just utterly curious with the instrumental version of LILIA and RISK_144000, so I buy it.
CODOMO DRAGON's VIper legit rip is never surfaced, so I but it too...

My first buy is Kiryu's Kyouka Suigetsu.

I feel like B.P.Record bitch right now, because I really want to buy CODOMO DRAGON's SODOM too :'|

It's time to show my face... After years lurking here...
 

 
That photo taken in April 2014 and I just realize how rare I am taking picture of myself...

Me trying to be professional and somehow ending up looking like a lawyer or something LOL

WHERE 
 
IS
 
THAT
 
FUCKING
 
ALBUM
 
UGH

Somebody PLEASE send Kon some psych meds and get him regular.