Spectralion

I'm still waiting for another "Catharsis" epicness from Hizaki and Teru.

They're gonna need some ice after Kamijo's burn tbqh
 
Anyway, hope this turns out better than their previous efforts. I assume the album will follow after this single? It'll be the third single + they announced they had been working on a new album already, so I assume this will come after.

Everyone please wait until Saturday for my review. I need the rest of the week to process what I just heard.

Artist: girugamesh EP: Gravitation Score: After a few years of borderline radio-friendly stagnation, Girugamesh have hit back with quite possibly their best release yet.
After a few years of borderline radio-friendly stagnation, Girugamesh have hit back with quite possibly their best release yet. Last year's Monster symbolised a beacon of hope for both fans and the band. The aggression was back, the heaviness was back, Girugamesh was back. Although steeped in pop-sensibilities at times, the album took a 180 from pop to electronic metalcore, leaving the burning wrecks of Now and Go far behind.

It's been a year since their last full-length Monster, and Gravitation not only keeps this reclaimed heaviness in place but polishes it to perfection. Kicking off with their hardest song to date, 'Go Ahead' lures you in with gentle tones before ripping your head off. Satoshi's transition from gentle crooning to terrifying growls, for example, are nothing short of frisson worthy. Having the rawest vocals, the hardest breakdown, and the most memorable chorus, this song characterises the EP and spearheads their new sound. As a song that can only be described with superlatives, 'Go Ahead' highlights how Gravitation has led the band to a new level of heaviness. This permeates throughout the EP. While 'Reflection' displays a hard metalcore influence, for instance, 'Vortex' goes beyond that, opting for a thrashy deathcore vibe; a massive departure from Go in many respects.

I thought it would let up at some point but the whole EP is like this; every time a lull in the intensity is expected, it continues its bombardment of chunky riffs and pleasantly incessant drumming. This is exemplified best in 'Reflection' where Satoshi tries to do some severe damage to his throat...in the best possible way. They could have included a slower, gentler track to give the listener a breather, but instead they opted for five heavy songs varying in loudness and intensity. The infectious electronic elements and catchy vocals which have characterised their more recent efforts are used to full effect here, modernising their previous sound and making each track as memorable as the last. All of these elements culminate in 'Vortex' which, replete with screams, riff-heavy guitar work and double-bass pedaling, is the best way to end Gravitation: in the same loud and exciting way in which it started, exuding a confidence not found on their older material. This is the Girugamesh we wanted after Music and the band sure as hell knows it.
 
By cramming everything their fans love about them into one neat package, Girugamesh has created their best effort yet. Contrary to more recent releases, the intensity and loudness of their old sound is back and better than ever. While taking a new form reflective of some current "-core" genres, classic Girugamesh permeates to the point where they might win their older fanbase back.

Upon listening to Gravitation it's clear that Girugamesh are back and louder, heavier and better than ever!

girugamesh - gravitation
 
 
WRITE-UP:
 
 
The first mini-album from what can be seen as the `new` girugamesh that comes off as `solid` no matter which way I look at it, from the quality of the tracks, to the production, congruent sound, and tonality.
 
After what quickly became my favorite Girugamesh release, the album MONSTER, they took a slightly different approach with their LIVE BEST, and have now returned to put out a mini-album that would be redundant as an album, but feels perfect in it`s five track form.
 
What girugamesh seems to have done is perfect a sound. The tracks all play out with complete conviction, absolutely dialed transitions and compositions, and what must be the best production quality and mastering of their career to date. The perfect, seamless approach to their sound is what struck me the most in my initial listens, and defines this release to me. To get a taste for the sound, listen to the gravitation track, this would be the most new-user-friendly track. If you can stand to go a little harder than that, then you should hear out the rest of the album.  Unlike Monster which played with different elements in a looser way, this release sticks very closely to a familiar center, although it does employ new elements influenced contemporary sounds as well, though none of these define the songs; the main dish is always the giru-sound, it`s never someone else`s sound with giru sprinkled on top, which fans of their current key elements should be able to appreciate.
 
Overall, you are getting a masterclass in the core of modern girugamesh, executed beautifully, with five tracks of straightforward head-bangers that plays out seamlessly, and is very friendly to the repeat-button.
 
 
Track Count: 5
Listens: 15-20
Production Quality:  Absolutely blown away from the sound of this one, a heavier album, but without as much as a rough edge as MONSTER`s production. The sound-stage and depth of the lows as well as their placement is quite something.
 
 
Overall Rating:
 
 
Worth the Purchase?
 
At a price lower than what some bands charge for singles, and almost half of the cost of many of the other mini-albums in my collection, I would say if you like the title track, then yes, it definitely is more than worth the price.

Artist: KAMIJO
Album: Heart
Score:
 
The best Versailles album since Jubilee.
 
I basically stopped caring for Versailles after the mediocre album that was Holy Grail. Their next few releases weren't too impressive either and thus I found it no surprise they called it quits about a year later. While the other four moved on, recruited Zin and started Jupiter, Kamijo announced that he would be starting a solo project. My only thought at this time was "this solo project is going to be a fucking disaster". How wrong I was. I truly, really missed the musical efforts of "Japanese man pretending to be 16th century vampire from France singing in English". Actually, I'm daring to be as bold as to say that this is VK's best release so far this year.
 
Now before I go into the actual album review let's make clear what this album has that Jupiter sincerely lacks. It's character and charisma. Despite how ridiculous everything is, from the costumes to the incredibly bad PV intros, Kamijo knows how over the top it is but the best part of this is that it still brilliantly works. This was Versailles' charm before they started taking themselves seriously and I'm glad Kamijo never lost this touch for drama, it's what makes him stand out.
 
Kamijo was always my favourite Versailles member, mostly because all of my favourite Versailles songs were penned by him. Not to mention he wrote Versailles' best effort to date (God Palace -Method of Inheritance-). It's very clear Kamijo is a good songwriter, yet I was slightly worried how he would work out this solo without working together with say, Hizaki and Teru. Heart shows Kamijo does fine enough on his own.
 
Despite the fact that Kamijo chose to keep dabbling in power and symphonic metal, the songwriting on this album is far from stale. There are different influences in play here, both new ones and ones that can be recognized from his Lareine days. The synth use isn't always perfect, but it's done tastefully and moderately. Despite that it's clearly audible it isn't Versailles backing him up (though the lead guitar recordings were actually done by Hizaki!), their influence is still there. Death Parade is a song I can imagine that Teru could write.
 
The album switches up quite often, but never gets stale or boring. Despite it being a song not really fitting the rest of the album, Moulin Rouge is brilliantly placed after two more mellow songs and is the start of the album picking up pace again. Transitions are smooth despite all the different influences. There are a few filler tracks on the album that I had difficulty getting into, but in general almost each track offered something different, something that Versailles desperately lacked at the end. I wish some of the songs would've been more similar to stuff he did with SYMPHONY OF THE VAMPIRE, but it's quite possible that mini was so different because it consisted of stuff he had meant to write for Versailles.
 
For how shit he sounded at the end of Versailles, he really seems to have found a way to work his deep voice the best at this point. Tracks like Heart showcase a huge improval from Versailles' last releases, he hits the right notes at just the right time and it's just a huge pleasure to listen to.
 
At this moment I don't really know what else I could name. I mean of course I'm going to make you want to try this album when I say even Zeus enjoyed it. We have officially boarded the Kamijo hype train.
 
Never change Kamijo, never change. Stay classy.
 

 
Final score: and two big middle fingers towards jupiter, probably. good luck beating this hizaki, you're going to need it.

Artist: NoGoD Single: Make a New World Score: But what kind of new world is it?
Let's get straight to it. NoGoD has been a band that shows promise but hasn't yet delivered. Albums come and albums go and each time fans find something lacking preventing them from being anything other than "good". But there's always enough to keep people interested, as they've never delivered a "bad" album either. So now the question is: how good is NoGoD's latest effort?

Make a New World has good ideas sandwiched between a lot of fluff. When it gets good, it gets good. But it doesn't stay good for long, and likes to spend time dabbling in sounds and scapes that aren't as interesting as what they produce when they're in top form. In addition, it likes to move between these ideas every two tracks. So while this is an album that every fan of NoGoD can find something that they like in, it's not going to be much. Everyone comes away from this album expecting more from them in a specific department. I'll only speak for myself and request that NoGoD focus more on the progressive metal numbers and leave the ballads and pop songs to bands better at engaging a listener with those tools.

It's not that NoGoD is bad at pop or ballads because they aren't. There isn't an equal amount of attention and effort put into all of the tracks and it's the progressive, energy-filled rock tracks that get the polish and the pop and ballads that are left out to dry. Since the ratio is roughly one progressive effort per four ballads and pop tracks, it's becoming clear how things aren't adding up. Even the tracks that they spend time on feel cut from the same cloth. Very little separates World Ender from tracks like Kamikaze or STAND UP!!. A bit more work on distinguishing World Ender from other tracks in it's vein would have done a lot to improve the opening experience, as Follow follows it and eclipses it in terms of melody and passion. This happens over and over again in painful fashion, until the listener is content with taking only what they liked from the album and pretending the rest doesn't exist. Putting great songs after not so great songs doesn't elevate the former song to the level of the latter. That just makes one song good and one song forgettable.

Likewise, it's not enough for individual parts of songs to excel and others to be standard. Individually, the tracks have to be awesome as a whole. Taking the route of sticking an impressive solo in an otherwise uninspiring song doesn't elevate the whole song to the solo's level. NoGoD does this a lot on this album by luring in the listener with an attractive solo after two boring minutes of whatever genre of the week they're sampling. This is apparent on pendulum which I remember because the first half of the track wasn't interesting to me but the song started picking up at the apex of the solo.

In a way, this isn't just them. They lack some of the fire and passion that they had when I first found them six years ago, but I've also come to expect more of a band that from time to time produces something completely mindblowing. Looking back at it, I'm pretty sure the combination of Ⅰ-回顧, II-懐柔, III-実存, and IV-他者　Philosophia together is more impressive than 85% of the post-Gokusaishiki output. The ordering of the tracks and the constantly switching atmosphere has always been a problem, even since Kanna Fukyou, but now it's parts that are okay and parts that are good and parts that are amazing. They've gotten better at the aggressive upbeat metal sound that likely drew in a lot of their fans, but everything else has plateaued at a middling average and it drags down their albums as a whole.

A year ago, when reviewing V I marked them with an average score and criticized the lack of variation and inspiration. They've patched up both problems but the result can be better. It can start by giving each track the love and detail they give to those awesome progressive numbers that show up once in a blue moon. Those should stay the focus of the album if they can only produce one a year, but the rest of the album should compliment it. If we can stay away from the things like the left-field thrash ender HATE THIS WOЯLD, or slickly disguised Motley Crue worship in EZ LIF3, or the meandering pop track 十人十色 and connect songs together in an order that maximizes strengths and minimizes weaknesses, the next album could be the one where NoGoD rediscovers the magic.

But for right now, I'm still waiting.

Artist: Jupiter Single: ARCADIA Score: A band haunted by it's ghosts tries their hand at an exorcism with mixed results.
Before I begin the review, I must note that there is a lot of bias in this review. The final score is a direct result of this bias. I will remain as neutral as I can in my assessment of the single, but I should explain where it comes from and why I ultimately can't get rid of it.

As you may have guessed, this is because of Versailles. I don't like everything they've done and I have some choice words to say about their last two albums, but I like enough of their music to call myself a fan. Their disbandment tore through my emotions like a chestburster from the Alien franchise ripping through some poor sap's chest. When I look at pictures of Jupiter I get irrationally upset. I'm looking at four of the five faces of Versailles wearing almost the same outfit scheme, yet I can't connect with their music. I know that they are two separate bands and should be treated as such, but this is one of those continuations (like school food punishment and la la larks) where the similarities are so numerous that I can't accept that. The way the band mobilized after the dissolution of Versailles, announced a new vocalist and started releasing music suggests to me that they jumped into this band with no intention of stopping activities or reconsidering their approach to music. They are in their own world, releasing their music, yet sometimes I don't know if they truly consider Jupiter to be it's own entity or a continuation of Versailles without Kamijo. This confusion bleeds into their music.

I first blamed my lack of enthusiasm on the new vocalist Zin, who has all of the makings of a good power metal vocalist but none of Kamijo's charisma. After listening to ARCADIA, I think it's something different. In order to become their own entity, Jupiter has to make music that shatters the ghost of Versailles. Right now, there's spark missing from Jupiter that was snuffed when Jasmine You was buried and extinguished when Versailles called it quits. Jupiter has tried very hard to recapture the magic with CLASSICAL ELEMENT, but lightning rarely strikes the same place twice. Even with all the boisterious riffs, regal pomp and technical dazzle that prove the members of the band haven't missed a beat, I don't even think I cared enough to finish the album. There was an element of inventiveness when Versailles attempted this first that Jupiter doesn't have now and it's a detrimental force that I don't see them working past easily. The title track ARCADIA takes some steps towards this, but ultimately it's not enough. It's another Hizaki styled power metal song that flows through the same tired canyons and grooves. There's a distinct Jupiter twist in it that is hard to put into words but easy to hear in the music, but that twist alone is not enough to differentiate this song. Combined with a vocalist unable to leave a lasting impression, this comes off as "just another power metal track" and the tunes will fade from your memory sooner rather than later. I can see this working well within an album but not as a single. Previous Jupiter fans will eat this up. For me, this is a continental breakfast.

And then there's Darkness, the example of "shattering conceptions" I alluded to earlier. As a track with entirely harsh vocals, the band moves in a direction they could have never executed well under Kamijo's direction. It's a good experiment with mixed results. Zin does well enough to get by but I do not think he sounds any more or less appealing whether he sings or growls. The clash between vocalist and music is what makes this track an interesting listen at first but once it loses it's novelty for being different there's little else to differentiate it from the wealth of other tracks Jupiter has made and will continue to make. This will disappear off of my radar even faster than Arcadia.

So once again Jupiter leaves me at a crossroads of doubt unable to puzzle out what I want from them. My score of average reflects how I feel about this band: great ideas, average execution. This band may have gotten all of the members, but Kamijo has all of the magic. Jupiter have made no moves to reveal their trump card. They can only ride on Versailles' coattails for so long before they fizzle out. To recapture the magic that they no longer seem to have, they have to take a look at themselves as a band and find out what inspires them and how they can channel these emotions differently. They're in a race against time to do so before my interest in them fades away.

We'll see what my opinion is when the second album is here.

SOUNDS LIKE A JAM. I'm into it
 
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x25yu2q_royz-supernova-pv_music

WRITE-UP:
 
Matenrou Opera returns with an album that tastes like a concept album, yet leaves the over-all decision on whether it is or isn`t up to your interpretation.
 
The term Avalon refers to a place in so-called Arthurian legend, where both the Excalibur was forged, and legendary knights as well as King Arthur himself was buried. Some speculate it to be an island off the coast of Scotland and Wales.
 
The album is laden with sounds reminiscent of Medieval times, and song titles refer to heaven or paradise, which Avalon is a gateway to; that is where the concept album feel plays in, yet the songs actually tell varied tales which can not always be played in to the album`s title, and the inclusion of the previous single A-Side Orb further leads us astray.
 
Concept album or not, this album is definitely not a collection of different tracks or hits thrown together. It plays more like a film cut into different parts, telling different stories, but almost always fitting a certain feel, and that is the experience you get from this album. It has a common title, but the experience is a unique one. The `Opera` touch of the delivery along with a unique vocalist matched with a hard band delivers a one-of-a-kind experience, and I think that is really what you are getting from this album. It`s not another rock album, not another VK album, it is something of its own, and you need to sample the singles from the album to see if you will enjoy this experience. One key thing to keep in consideration is if you like the vocalist and delivery, as this is a comon point of divergence amongst opinion.
 
To me, this more of a sit-down and listen album rather than something you can throw on, although tracks like Orb, 隣に座る太陽 and クロスカウンターを狙え are the tracks I would think you are likely to throw on as stand-alone listens. The album doesn`t use hooks or catches as much as you would expect from a modern album, if you want a comparison, I would say it is more like Versailles from a different era.
 
Track Count: 12
Listens: 15-20
Production Quality: Great sound, yet my personal preference is for a wider sound stage and more clarity in individual intruments, esp. more of the guitars.Though they seem to specifically like putting emphasis on the vocals.
 
Overall Rating: Great album, defined, unique experience, listening on the I will skip some tracks, but if I want to let it play out there are no skip-inducing tracks.
 
Worth the Purchase?
For me, this is definitely worth the purchase. Although it is not an album that will get the most rotation. It is something I will keep in my library and bring out on occasion.

Thought of making this, since I find it odd that no one ever discussed about their "favorite album openers" here, so yup:
 
Feel free to post your (some of your) favorite openers (max. 4 links and no order needed + doesn't matter if its studio or live) here...and a reminder:
 
Intros are not counted (the definition of "intro" is pretty vague - but I think you get my drift anyway - my excuse would be "just because", sorry!)
 
To start this thread, I will post some of mine (as an example/template if you will):
 
 
1. Tokyo Jihen - Ikiru
http://pann.nate.com/video/215614571
One of those songs I consider to be "the total bangers" of Shiina's repertoire - unusual ("Imogen Heap meets Queen-ish" ), sparsely arranged song ending up with good ol' TJ cast playing up to the max. I see this having a lot potential to surprise even those who are not necessarily fans of this kind of genre - which is why I recommend you to try out the link above (Ultra C live version - not for those who *dislike* Shiina's vocals).
 
2. Capsule - Soratobu Toshikeikaku

Someone might be already saying "but Perez, this is an interlude?!" - no, it's not an interlude. If you are even a bit familiar with house/electro music in general, you know pretty well that "lyricless" full-length songs can be openers as well as sole songs too. I see 'Soratobu' as Capsule's - no, Nakata's most brilliant and creative effort he has ever produced/done during his career. It's not a farce when people say that "good songs make you imagine things more vividly and even "live them" - and 'Soratobu' is worth being the showcase to those opposing the idea. No wonder that it even has a PV done by Ghibli staff (or Ghibli subsidiary staff, JIC)...
 
3. Luna Sea - Loveless

If we have to make a manual on "how to make a good opener", this has to end up there - talk about a way how to introduce the band carefully: the song progresses slowly by not having members appear at the same time but otherwise - and finally ends with all the elements combined together without making certain instruments "drown". Atmospheric, theme-setting number - and perhaps quite legendary too!
 
 

Chaotic Resistance | Sui Takin Me 2 Church - 
 
Finally getting around to writing a review.
 
Lin has been one of those bands that I've love / hated since they started. They're like that childhood friend you were super close with growing up that started doing stupid shit once they got to college--all you can do is really watch and hang out with them in small doses because there's not a whole lot of the friend you once knew left. After some fighting, nights up pondering over regrets, and self reflection, you decided to stop being upset and realize he now has his own life to lead and it is time to, for the most part, part ways while cherishing the good times that weren't tarnished.
 
But then he started to get his act together: his grades went up, he started to dress better, no more coming home at 6:45 am caked in his own vomit, he's been hanging out with less douche-y people, and he's even got some job prospects lined up for after graduation. That friend you once had is starting to come back and you no longer count the seconds during each interaction you have with him. In fact, you've even started to look forward to catching up with him. Everyone has some sort of hot mess phase, but maybe this guy managed to pull himself out...
 
This allegory is how I feel about "Chaotic Resistance." It's taken all of Lin's idiosyncrasies and wraps them up in new, shiny, paper and presents them as a gift to those who've stuck through their awkward, self discovery, period (Are we Phantasmagoria? Are we Laputa??? Synth Chariots?????). It is hard to ignore that this 2nd line up does in fact bring much more elaborate guitar work, shifts their genre more towards the cheesy gothic symphonic metal that Phantasmagoria was, and definitely ups the effort put into the synthesizer, but when comparing to their first period it really doesn't seem as different as I originally thought on first listen. For example, their first single "Sacred Xanadu" is actually very similar to their first period aside from the three shifts I mentioned earlier--they still have their Laputa-ish rockabilly  synth-rock twang to their songs, but that accent is further buried under Mizaly's prominent (and albeit overbearing) signature style.
 
To simply dismiss this single as more "Megaromania leftovers" shows a lack of attention and exposes an already jaded disposition because it completely glosses over how much the group has improved even in just the very very small span of just two singles. Take the title track, for example: there is fantastic use of different forms of phrasing throughout each part of the song and they all blend together well. Part of what makes a song that's less straightforward "good" is how each of the parts are phrased into each other. The acoustic guitar over the brisk drumming that leads into a pipe organ harmony, followed by a gut punchingly soulful chorus would not work had the transitions between the addition and removal of the parts not been carefully put together. On top of the phrasing and continuity, this song also has a well crafter guitar solo that ends uniquely, which is a big deal for vkei that tends to rely on playing it safe; I really dig the super exposed triplet pattern of the lead guitar at the end of solo before the last rehash of the chorus and outro melody. 
 
"Persecution Complex," or as I like to refer to as "Ode to Tumblr," was actually the low point of this single for me but only because I don't always like slower melancholy songs unless there's a phenomenal hook (spoilers, there isn't here). It is one of their "heavier" songs in the sense that the guitars are generally in a lower register and the bass is very prominent while the synthesizer is generally dystopian sounding. This atmosphere is then lost in the chorus, which returns to "~HOLD ME AS I SING IN THE RAIN~" sadness (think Mikansei to Guilt). Apart from being generally unremarkable, this song is still a prime example of how coherent song writing can stop Lin from having a discography that's 75% duds. 
 
The following song took me by surprise. "Schwarz Vrain" is Phantasmagoria-tier synth x100 with a simple melody that is the backbone for the entire tune, as it plays almost constantly throughout. The real surprise here is that the harsh vocals here make Sui sound almost exactly like Riku. Somewhere on MH is a thread that says that Vkei vocalists single with an accent and tone on purpose, so I am under the impression that this song shows what Sui sounds like without the eye liner. While this song is very repetitive, it holds its place well in the single and is my 2nd favorite on the CD. I like the aggression of the verses and how it transitions to more gentle, yet still firmly powerful, chorus. "Schwarz Vrain" has gotten mixed reactions thus far, but I can almost promise it was meant to be a killer live track which doesn't always translate well to a CD. Sorry Kamijo, but Lin outdid you in the "HEBI INDUSTRIAL B-SAIIIIIIIDO"  department this year.
 
The last song on the single, "Sincerely" is fairly safe for Lin, but still good. I do not agree with OP in classifying it as a ballad at all, however. I also do not agree that it is a "typical Megaromania song" either. Actually, out of the whole single, this song here is the most first period Lin song they've done so far! The verses, yes, are akin to later Megaromania softer rock songs (possibly off of their pirate-themed album), but the synthesizer here is definitely what early Lin was all about. What's cool though is that it sounds kind of like a modern rendition of a Sega Game Gear game sound track. The most interesting thing I found about "Sincerely" is that it is essentially a reimagination of Phantasmagoria's "幻想曲～Eternal Silence～." Instead of "I wish...heaven" the song starts off with "I wish fo-e-ba." The guitar solo even has a homage to ES'. With that being said, the tempo and mood of "Sincerely" is much more lively, but at least Kisaki is realizing what elements he's worked with in the past that have been well received by fans.
 
All in all, this is a sprint in the correct direction for Lin. Be as butthurt as you want that Riku is no longer in the band, but pretending like their ratio of 1 great to 7 trash songs was an appropriate expectation for quality is just wrong. Instead of resting on his laurels, Kisaki is now realizing that he can use what has worked well before and apply it in a modern context. Yes, there's a lot of elements being pulled back from Phantasmagoria going on here, but they're being used to create something new instead of just herding Megaromania's fanbase up for some quick cash. Basically, this is confirmation that Chariots was an awful idea. In just 6 songs, this band has become very cohesive, powerful, and hopefully vigilant to becoming stagnant. I also think the year or so break was a great way to start fresh for everyone involved--Yushi's drumming is less predictable, Kisaki's bass lines are actually audible and his synth is less tacky, Mizaly's weave is more natural and he is learning how to be a virtuoso without steam rolling over the rest of the group, and Sui's vocals have gotten so much cleaner--less modulation, less awkward trailing at the end of a phrase, and his harmonization adds to the song rather than acting like calamine lotion over an obvious blemish. 
 
As stated above, I'm giving this release 4.5 stars out of 5. Definitely one of my favorite releases of this year and was completely blown away by how much they've improved. Even if all of the songs on this CD had some flaws, I could forgive them in recognition to what happens when effort is actually applied to reinventing yourself.

http://youtu.be/VSBuWVvj9JI
 
自己言及パラドックス
Jikogenkyuu paradokkusu
Liar's paradox*

喋りたくない。嫌われるかも…
Shaberitakunai. Kirawareru kamo...
I don't wanna talk. You propably hate me...
不安と華が同時に咲いて
Fuan to hana ga douji ni saite
A flower blooming in unison with my anxiety
叶わないなら、それでもいい
Kanawanai nara, sore demo ii
If you can't bear it, that's fine with me
それは嫌だし、花びら千切る
Sore wa iya da shi, hanabira chigiru
Actually it's sickening, I tear up the petals
いい加減な頭で、じっくり考えたって仕方ないわ。
Iikagenna atama de, jikkuri kangaeta tte shikatanai wa.
With a sloppy mind like this, there was no use in careful deliberation
締め付ける血管と欠落。貴方を奪って。
Shimetsukeru kekkan to ketsuraku. Anata o ubatte.
Stifling veins and longing. Stealing you away.

好き　嫌い　好き　嫌い
Suki kirai suki kirai
I love you I hate you I love you I hate you
花びら堕ちて私みたい…
Hanabira ochite watashi mitai...
Dropping the petals sort of what you did with me...
眠れないから、逢いたいわ。
Nemurenai kara, aitai wa.
Since I can't sleep, I want to see you.
これ以上もう限界だから、何処かへいって！
Kore ijou mou genkai dakara, dokoka e itte!
Because you already pushed me to my limits, go away!
傷、振り向かせ赤く染まった、私の部屋
Kizu, furimukase akaku somatta, watashi no heya
A wound, to make you turn back, my room is stained in red
自己言及のパラドックス、頭の中は無限のループ
jikogenkyuu no paradokkusu, atama no naka wa mugen no ruupu
The liar's paradox, an infinite loop in my head

矛盾から私は生まれた
Mujun kara watashi wa umareta
I was born from contradiction


I was born by inconsistency.
It is an infinite loop.
I cannot die.
Therefore, you cannot die.
Sad reality.
The repeated law.

それが真実なのか相互排他的な結界
Sore ga shinjitsu nano ka sougo haitatekina kekkai
So, is this the truth? The barrier between mutually exclusive things
可能性があるのなら、本音が欲しい
Kanousei ga aru no nara, honne ga hoshii
If it's possible, tell me what you really think
成り立たない言葉も不毛な言及と矛盾
Naritatanai kotoba mo fumouna genkyuu to mujun
Words that aren't logical as well as sour reference and contradiction

I was born by inconsistency.
It is an infinite loop.
I cannot die.
Therefore, you cannot die.
Sad reality.
The repeated law.

I cannot die.
you cannot die.
 
---
 
 
 
*'The liar's paradox' is the name of the statement "This sentence is false" (or similar ones), an old logical/philosophical problem. Wikipedia
The japanese name 自己言及パラドックス translates to self-reference paradox.

I hope it does have enough new tracks though, since their last album they released 2 mini-albums and 6 singles (not counting about 3-4 live-limited ones). So yeah, hope it isn't like a 10-track album with about 2 new songs.

I did. He also told me they're gonna spend the hiatus debating whether to change their name to Alice Eight or Alice Ten.

The album that turned me into a big Royz fan.
 
When I got it, I honestly didn`t expect it would get as many plays as it has, even putting them in my Last.fm toplists, but I have learned to take my expectations and impressions lightly. Here is my late review.
 
Songs that hit me hardest and get the most play:
 
疾風迅雷 (Thunderclap Blast / Hurricane)
Has that attitude I love, and is a perfect song to roll out with and provide the soundtrack for you conquering the day.
 
囁姫遊女 (Not sure how to say this, like Whispering Whore Princess)
A guitar lick and synth melody that just drags you into a wild mood. Total ROCK feel.
 
REVELATION
Soft, tender vocals that charm and help tell a story with a rocking feel.
 
-----
 
There are some real stand-out tracks to me, but the whole album has a strong cohesive feel and signature that really impresses me. Royz definitely has a distinguished feel for this album, even if people didn`t get that impression in the first place.
The lyrics have a nice feel, while keeping a dark side, like Yin and Yang, there are bright patches and beautiful vocals, but also cockroaches lurking underneath.
 
Nice sound, strong instruments and vocals, that focus more on having a good, solid sound than being virtuosos or stealing the show.
 
You will notice that the album has a very similar feel as I mentioned, yet it doesn`t run into having too many similarities or feel repetitive, it is definitely something that flows nicely, gives each song emphasis, and can be played straight through without skipping, though in my opinion, you will probably be replaying certain tracks sure to be your favorite, and even just going right to those tracks over and over, I definitely did, and can enjoy every song yet give much more attention to three tracks over the rest which aren`t even lacking anything in my opinion.
 
Good quality production and disc print quality as well, obviously not a AAA album feel, but that`s not what it sets out to be, so one shouldn`t be looking for that, the sound is perfect for what it is, anything else may `overproduce` and take away from the feel.
 
Overall, I think this is a great album, worth the purchase if you sample REVELATION and 疾風迅雷 and enjoy them. Don`t let previous singles or sounds like LILIA define the band to you, as even with that track on the album, they have a lot to offer that you would miss out on if you were to judge them without trying the actual album.
 
OVERALL ALBUM SCORE FOR ME:
OVERALL ALBUM SCORE FOR WHAT IT IS AND HOW IT ACCOMPLISHES WHAT IT SEEMINGLY SETS OUT TO DO:
 
One of this year`s highlights personally, so far.

Frilly, out of tune, cross dresser shit recorded on a $15 budget by bandmen whom barely know how to play their instruments. The more chinchillas, feathers, && leathers, the better. Faux-french and / or clavichords are an added bonus.

Hey guys,
 
As the title inquires, if you didn`t have Japanese music (VK, Indie, Pop, Idol, Electronic, or whatever you like / love) what would you be listening to, and how would your life be different?
 
How much does Japanese music add to your life?
 
Would there be any benefits to not having it, like a heavier wallet or bigger bank account? Or is it just plain worth it?
 
Do you have irreplaceable friends you found through Japanese music?
 
Has it opened up your life more? Gave you an interest in Japanese culture? How would your interests change if you didn`t have this music?
 
 
-----
 
 
As for me, I would probably still be listening to Classic Rock a lot, maybe repeating the same songs I have listened to a million times without anything new coming my way. Maybe I would be more into Electronic music, maybe I would be going to raves all the time? Who knows. Maybe I would be more into Korean music as well.
 
I definitely would not have made some good friends that I have met along the way. I think I would also be missing something that only VK can give me, some kind of feeling in my heart, and some kind of attitude.
 
I think I would be a different person. My friends and people I have went out with definitely wouldn`t be as annoyed by the `music they can`t understand`constantly being played. And when in Japan I would be doing different things.
 
 
-----
 
 
Anyway, let us all know about yourself, and thanks for reading!

Okay, okay, I've got this covered as a pretty-long-time-fan of Kiryu. Like ever since 2009. Not meaning to sound like an elitist or anything, but I'm a fucking god in these circles (he he, hopefully someone get's my self-irony here and doesn't come bashing me for being egoistic )
 
To serious business then. Or as serious as I can be. Which isn't very serious. Read on with caution and sense of humour, babes.
 
First of all, I haven't seen too much of actual Kiryu hype. I've seen pretty embarrassing Hiyori (their fucking useless tranny bassist, if you didn't know already) hype though. Most of Kiryu fans tend to just... sleep under a rock while wearing headphones blasting their music. So there's that. That's my impression of the Western Kiryu fans including myself.
 
But they're filling a niche for marketing here. The fact is, there just aren't many neo-japanesque bands out there. From my head I can name three. Kagrra,; OROCHI and Kiryu. Kaggra, is fucking dead. OROCHI hasn't hit it big for some reason. Kiryu, on the other hand, releases stuff frequently, actually more frequently than most bands these days. They have a steady quality to their works which keeps old fans interested. They'll probably never be the next Kaggra,; just because their material is very, very solid. In the first quote @jduv86 said that their music sounds the same. That's true. That's what I refer to when I say "solid material". They don't "experiment". That's meant for MYDORA.
 
Regarding Mahiro's voice... what can I say? Some like it, some don't. That's all. To others he sounds annoying, to me he sounds impressively emotional. 
 
Also, jumping from point to another here but whatever, Kiryu is one of the very few bands in the history of VK or Japanese music at all that uses horror as an element to their music and videos. And not you know, halloween kinda horror which bands like Candy Spooky Theatre did/does. So fuck off if you're gonna mention that. Traditional Japanese horror. People, who like Japanese horror movies are bound to be interested in Kiryu's music videos as well, because they're majorly influential. I love Japanese horror, and Asian horror all together, and Kiryu, with their obscure sounds and sometimes intimidating tunes hits that soft spot for me. I'm sure it does it for others as well.
 
So that's my 2 cents of the topic. Now I'm waiting for someone to ask about Kameleo. Then it'll be a fucking rape of a text from this gal.

D - 7th Rose [2010]

 



 

fuck why am I doing this to myself

 

Okay so the first installation in this trainwreck series will be the one album I wasn't able to shut up about for approximately 2 years and I hereby want to apologize to all of you. I had to listen to this at nighttime and stay up until 4AM because it's goddamn hot outside and people are actually being hospitalized. I couldn't move a fucking muscle without sweating from all possible locations. FUCKING GLOBAL WARMING KIDS.

 

I'm listening to my own Lossless rip, fully formatted for the best torture listening experience. ANYWAY, HERE WE FUCKING GO. ALSO LOL WHAT IS FORMATTING.

 

1. 7th Rose ~Return to Zero~

Okay so basically just an interlude leading up to the actual title track of this album. Not sure if this is a build up to hype you up or to have the holy spirit protect you from the monstrosity following this interlude. Pope Francis/10

 

2. 7th Rose

Jesus fuck. Asagi's either suffering from sincere bronchitis or the main avex guy was ill and hired Maria Cross to do the retake on the harsh vocals, who probably just was like "well at least it sounds better than whatever I do" and gave it the thumbs up. The harsh vocals are atrocious and I have absolutely no idea why anyone in D thought this was a good idea. This entire fucking song is a mess because literally NOTHING adds up and everyone's just heavily ramming around on their instruments while Asagi sounds like he just shat a lego garage. The good thing about this song is that the chorus is actually good and it isn't poppy, which has been a trend lately. Then again this album was released before MEJIBRAY even formed so idfk. But whatever, I fucking love this song anyway. Holy shit why do I still like this, probably nostalgia/10

 

3. 花摘みの乙女 ～Rozova Dolina～

A wild studio formatted synth string appeared! Always love me some of those. D, you were major at this point in time, couldn't you hire a guy to do the actual recording of these strings I mean holy shit. Apart from that this song is actually pretty fucking cool. Asagi's dramatic vocals are actually placed really well, the accoustic work is perfectly executed and everything just sounds fantastic. If only it weren't for the synth strings/10

 

4. Tightrope

This song somehow relates to some other D or ASAGI solo song but all I remember from this was that PV that included dogs and Asagi being chained to a wall with ropes and singing about freedom.

 



 

Tightrope was actually the song I expected to really hate by now but fuck it's really catchy. Since I'm more of an individual song kind of person I'm sort of glad I gave this one a fair relisten. Everything else that somehow slightly sounds like this sucks. I actually really enjoy something for once/10

 

5. Crimson Fish

This is the song with the most individual plays according to iTunes. Then again, "according to iTunes" my most played track is a song that I haven't even played like 10 times so yeah iTunes fucking sucks. Apart from the fucking horrible synth strings and the misplaced echo-y intro, this song is actually still really good? Holy shit. This song still fucking rules/10

 



 

6. Independent Queen

Obligatory heavier middle song comes in right at the middle point of this album and it's really not that surprising. Welcome to fucking VK, kids. OBLIGATORY GUITAR SOLO RUINS EVERYTHING. Does D have a fucking contract that obliges them to put a fucking guitar solo in every song even if it doesn't need one. Obligatory Engrish as well, lovely. Eh this song is whatever, I can't even be bothered to make semi-decent comments about it. I'M INDEPENDENT QUEEN/10

 

7. 13月の夢見丘

The year doesn't have 13 months, that's fucking silly. What are they teaching kids in schools these days.

 



 

Folky song of the album that I actually really like because it's so overly fucking cheesy. The synth strings don't really sound that horrendous here so who fucking cares. My review, my opinion. Sort of want to skip through a field now/10

 

8. Day by Day

Day by Day is, I don't know what it is. It's an okay poppy song I guess but why the fuck is it on this album. It's placed at the worst fucking place too, right in the middle of where this album is starting to bloom. It's like someone finally being able to buy that car they always wanted and then accidently setting it on fire. This is leaving aside that Toki no Koe is going to fucking kill anything good going on until this part though. Why was this necessary/10

 

9. 絡繰り絵巻

Could've done without the heavy bits. Starts of good, then gets progressively worse. It's like eating a Subway sandwich when halfway through the lettuce starts to get gross and sulky because the fucktard who made your sandwich put three fucking bottles of ranch sauce on your sandwich. That's how this song feels to me. Overall it's still good, I just wish I could take some bits out. Subway needs to use less ranch sauce/10

 

10. 鬨の声

This is where I can unleash all my inner fury because this album was actually going really well up until this monstrosity. I HONESTLY THOUGHT THE ALBUM FLOW WAS GOING TO BE PICKED UP AGAIN AFTER DAY BY DAY AND THEN THIS FUCKING HAPPENS.

 



 

Who the fuck approved this. These 5 guys sat around a table and thought "well this sounds good enough to print on disc". Multiple avex guys could've fucking approved this. The harsh vocals are once again fucking atrocious. The instrumentals are awful, this song is too long for the kind of song it tries to be. The obligatory guitar solo is actually the best part here, for the rest it's as big a train wreck as this current review. Hope burned before my eyes/10

 



 

11. Sleeping Beautiful Beast

Thank fucking god for a decent ballad. This is what I'm talking about. Is there software that deletes certain tracks from discs because that's what I'd like to do to Toki no Koe. Sleeping Beautiful Beast would be even better placed after Karakuri Emaki (or whatever the fuck it's called). This review could've been called "Toki no Koe ruins everything". Pretty fucking good/10

 

12. 三日月揺籃歌

Outro sort of thing? Idk sounds pretty good to me though it would've been better to end with Sleeping Beautiful Beast because this sounds more of an intro than an outro to me. UNLESS IT'S LIKE AN INTRO TO 7TH ROSE. BUT DIDN'T THAT ONE ALREADY HAVE AN INTRO THOUGH.

 



 

Actually sort of yes. Depends on which version of the album you have. If you have type A and B it's pretty neat. If you have type C this one doesn't make any fucking sense. GOOD OLD VK STRIKES AGAIN. Depends on which version you have/10

 

13. 風がめくる頁

BONUS TRACK DESU. Okay this song is nice and it works as an outro but not this sort of outro. It's a goddamn single on an album that's nothing similar to it, why the fuck is it even on here. Like I know this one's at least optional but jesus. Liking it more when it's not a fucking closer/10

 

---------

 

FINAL VERDICT TIME

 

VERDICT OF 16-YEAR OLD ME:

VERDICT OF 21-YEAR OLD ME:

 

For the amount of hate this album gets by fans of the band, it's actually really good. I still consider it their best major album, because it really just is a good record. Toki no Koe is like the only thing that really makes you cringe on here, that's basically it.

 

DO I WANT TO PUNCH MY YOUNGER SELF IN THE THROAT FOR LOVING THIS?

 

NO

 

Alright, that's it I'm fucking done. I'll be keeping how many times i want to punch myself in the throat for liking what I did. So far that score's on zero, HA.

 



 

NEXT TIME ON BLAST FROM THE PAST [PROBABLY, IDK]:

 

NIGHTMARE - majestical parade

My take on DIV, didnt really want to post but I like them, so:
Defined signature sound, unique approach to electronic infused rock music, relevant themes in songs, one of the best lyricists, amazing clear voice with unique deepness, defined and fun guitar, defined personalities, great production quality, high release rate, well managed and the fanbase always knows what is going on. Etc...
I would say, along with others I know, that Zero One was one of the best albums of last year as well.
I guess it helps that Chisa is over with the fan girls as well...

Artist: ア​ルルカン Album: 墓穴 Score: Okay paradoxal, you win. Finally.
I could understand if someone glanced at Arlequin, sighed, and thought to themselves "yet more standard pretty boy metalcore". Snazzy looking bands with laughable musical ability are a dime a dozen in this scene, and they all sound the same - like recycled shit sprinkled with preservatives so you won't mind the stench or notice that you've already heard that riff five times this week. It's also understandable that due to the massive waves of shit that lap on the shore constantly that Arlequin flew under your radar. They certainly flew under mine. So, as I girded my loins for part two of really bland metalcore that people adore for reasons I do not understand, I was caught off guard. Imagine my face, then imagine how it would have looked when the first track was a righteous kick in the ass.

At one point I may have even thanked VK Jesus, but don't put me on record as having ever said that.

What sets Arlequin apart from the countless other bands that play this exact type of music are that they're good at it. Or, good enough to impress me. Arlequin is the one in a thousand band that can take electronics and metalcore and construct music that doesn't make me deaf. The last visual kei band capable of that feat was D.I.D., and they've left a void in the scene that Arlequin is both ready to and capable of filling. It's not the Holy Grail of visual kei but it's better than anything I've heard this scene fart out in a while. That in itself is revolutionary. It's also sad that decent has become good and good has become great in this small, inbred scene but this is not the time to bemoan the gradual manufacturing of this type of music. All the other basement-kei no1curr aggressive metalcore bands in Japan that spend more money on make-up and wigs than guitar lessons should pull up a chair and take some notes.

Boketsu is three tracks featuring decently good production, impressive riffs from guitarists intimate with their instruments, and a vocalist who can both growl and sing. The last part alone is what really puts this band on my radar. He can clean up on the technique and watch the inhales before he ruins his voice, but the lack of modulation and the remarkable consistency he displays on all three tracks is great. He reminds me of a Kyouki who is more in control of his voice but he definitely has his own style. He's also charismatic enough to make the aggressive verse - poppy chorus formula work to their favor. There's also enough power and energy in the breakdowns to put them a notch above obligatory, although I can do without them all the time. There's amazing bass presence on both the part of the bassist and the drummer and even the electronics are placed thoughtfully and not slathered all over the place like special sauce on Big Macs. This is solid but not amazing and it's clear where there's room for improvement. As these members make more music together, I expect them to become an even tighter unit.

Arlequin did not overplay their hand here. Halfway through the first track, I had to toss my hat up to them. For a bunch of nobodies, they wrote some solid tunes here. This is confirmation that at least SOMEONE over in the land of the rising sun is playing more than brainless metalcore. Even in 2014, there's room in visual kei for stodgy old heads like me. I look forward to seeing this band move up through the ranks and become semi-influential.

That is, if they don't pull the whole disbandment shuffle before then.

SET-LIST at 2014/07/29:
 
01.GARNET
02.DEATH POINT
03.DEVIL'S PARADE
04.MIRROR

Full PV:

 
Song is awesome!