Peace Heavy mk II

byyeee

7 years later and this shit still gets my panties wet omgomgomgomg

Those titles are a mix of "We're not Versailles (but we so are )" and like....ViViD.

I'm determined to spark a shitstorm with my opinions sooner or later.

BABYMETAL isn't the spawn of Satan
 
Sexism at it's finest, really. BABYMETAL has succeeded at doing what the visual kei scene has failed at repeatedly - juxtaposing music and appearance in such a way as to confuse the listener. It's unorthodox, it's original, it's exactly the same reason why plenty of people say they listen to visual kei...and yet they get lambasted for it over and over and over again.
 
BABYMETAL plays the same kind of music that's popular within the visual kei scene, which is deathcore mixed with pop hooks and a ton of electronic influence. I would expect the same people that like those kinds of bands to at least tolerate their existence, if not enjoy them as something familiar yet different. But once again the hivemind takes over. Since one person decided they didn't like it, everyone else hops on the bandwagon without listening for themselves.
 
Inevitably, I come across someone that says that they don't like their style of music, yet has in their collection plenty of bands that use the same formula. Oops. 

True facts right here, if Black Gene For The Next Scene or REALies covered メギツネ (which sounds exactly like what they've tried to do and have failed at for the last forever and a half), I would bet my bottom dollar nothing but praise would be lobbed at those bands for getting back in shape, improving their squeals and writing actual riffs. 

Disclaimer:  BABYMETAL isn't the greatest band to squeal into a breakdown or three. They just get a lot more hate than they deserve because people care too much about what other people think of their music taste and in the visual kei world it's easy to hate "pop music" or anything associated with it.
 

While listening to the single to write this review, I wrote down three words that jump out at me just based, just from listening to the music. I tried to not think about the context, any expectations, hype, nor previous accomplishments surrounding the music because they would only deter rather than accompany. The results were as follows: celebratory, majestic, and epic. Throughout many points of this song, I get a jubilous vibe from the main guitar melody--a triumphant return is the mental picture I had painted. There's something very 'congratulatory' about this piece, and I'm at a loss as to what it could be. It could be the theme of the song is just very celebratory, since I am assuming it deals with receiving a blessing going off the title alone, in general because it is a Hizaki power metal composition, or it could have a more pointed message--"we lost him." Hizaki has been composing A-sides for Versailles since their 2nd album and they all have the same sort of feel as "Blessing of the Future," but this particular example seems a lot more liberated. The melody seems less forced, the flow seems more natural, and it appears that there has been time dedicated to this song to give it the life that I felt "Philia," and to some extent "Rose," was missing.
 
Maybe the celebration lies within a rejuvenation. The music video for BOTF suggests this since the main story, hidden amidst glamor shots, side views of highly embroidered guitars, and rococo furniture, follows an elderly lady whom eventually becomes reborn as a younger version of herself. To draw clearer parallels, this song is not an example of much change of style--in fact,it very well could be dismissed as "Versailles with another vocalist"--but rather it is a similar style jump started to be exciting and...not new, but nostalgic. The woman in the video becomes 'reborn,' er, rather, de-aged(?): she didn't undergo metempsychosis, but rather she was recreated as herself in a new(er) state. I think this is the point of "Blessing of the Future" and why it sounds celebratory: it is the recreation of an old style in a new(er) representation without the burden of being decrepit and tired weighing it down. Conversely, the shedding of something old to be reborn into a more graceful version of oneself could also be and underlying theme elsewhere, in case there are other people seeing the shade in this single as well. Let's say the album art is a good place to start.
 
This spark is what prompted my other two descriptors: "majestic" and "epic." I'm assuming that if you've listened to this single, you've heard how Hizaki writes songs. That same sort of flashy writing is found here as well: sweeping arpeggios, flourished turns, and slight breaks in speed every so often to recollect and recompose itself as a remind that they are, in fact, still civil and poised metal musicians. "Epic" in this sense comes from the driving chorus, dueling guitar solo, and echoing vocals found in many other examples of power metal--"epic" in the sense of The Odyssey, The Iliad,  or tales of King Arthur, not "epic" like 2009 vomited all over my keyboard. Tales of knights and horses and vampire bdsm princes can still run through my head just as they had in the old band. The bombastic and highfalutin elements of passion that make power metal what it is are all found here.
 
As I listen to this song more, I find that it grows on me. Originally Zin didn't do a whole lot for me, but he's evolved from 'grating' to 'he has potential.' I still feel his voice is very similar to that of Akira from Mirage's, and his vibratto could use more control. The kid has some big shoes to fill, but I think he'll grow into them. I did notice a few Versailles-ism here and there, such as the mild parts in between the chorus and bridges and some of the guitar flourishes, but that is to be expected (and welcomed). There is also one small part in the song where the guitar and bass die down and it is just Zin and some orchestral support (around 4:40) that sounded very Symphony-X inspired (specifically "Masquerade") to me, so I'm glad that the influences are being expanded upon.
 
Overall, "Blessing of the Future," to me, did not change my life in the same way Versailles did, and it would be highly unfair of me to expect that it would. But the more I think about it, the more I kind of view this band like an old franchise. Take Pokemon, for example. That's been around for long enough that the original fandom now has kids who are old enough to enjoy it on their own. Do the parents love everything new that comes out and stay up late with their friends speculating what the 6th gen starters will evolve into? Probably not (much), but they still appreciate the mystery and excitement that might give their children as the show had once given them. In vkei standards, Versailles are fairly old, especially since they helped usher in a new standard for the visual-kei scene that demanded more technical skill and international availability and exposure. For me, that live changing experience isn't going to come again from these guys (whom are 3/5s of that original group), but for new fans to the scene they might find that excitement and passion here as I once did.
 
Moving on:
 
"Aria" is a much airier song in comparison, as it should have been. What I liked most about this song is that it still has some nice riffage while retaining it's melody and not being 200000 beats per minute. If you enjoyed "Desert Apple," chances are you'll also enjoy this song. It is interesting how the guitar parts really aren't all to neoclassical, but there still orchestra parts smattered here and there. It is apparent that this was a first attempt by Hizaki in changing style to be anything but power metal. I really like the guitar solo in this song: it is very spacious with high pitched glissando popping in and out accompanied by a nice bass melody. Very very short in comparison to "Blessing of the Future," so if you're only here for the shredding I'd suggest skipping this song and the next. Overall, I found "Aria" to be pretty tranquil and a very pleasant listen. I feel like this will definitely grow in me over the upcoming months, but if you've been avoiding this band because you're afraid it is all technical wank, then I'd suggest starting here. "Desert Apple" + "Prince" + "Illusion," and you pretty much have "Aria."
 
"Shout Your Desire" is the song I feared the most. With that title, it could not possibly be anything other than a neovisual pop-punk song that any no name, but relatively popular here, band put out. Fortunately, it wasn't. Unfortunately, it was worse. Something about this song just makes me cringe. It sounds like the conglomeration of Deluhi, Taking Back Sunday, and NEW BREED to me: all three of which, when mixed together, cause great intestine discomfort. This song was composed by Teru and this was undoubtedly him trying to write something that wasn't speed metal nor metalcore. Unfortunately, this experiment failed miserably I am hoping that the future blesses us with more genre experimentation that is a bit more fruitful.
 
Now, this song isn't -that bad-, alright? It is listenable, but it is awfully generic and, to me, the kind of song that leaves me feeling uninspired, bored, and wishing I were doing something else that wasn't listening to this. I'm really not sure about a lot of things with this song: why are Zin's vocals so strained at certain points when he "shouts his desire?" Why is the guitar solo so unnecessary? If you've read my blog before, you may recall me griping about unneeded guitar solos and shredding for the sake of "because I can." I feel visual-kei is full of them because it is a marketing tool to flaunt band members and "talent" in an effort to further solidify false identities. As a result, a lot of songs have guitar solos that don't fit in musically because they had to have one. D is the worst culprit when it comes to this. Without much more digression, "Shout Your Desire" has one of those obligasolos (obligatory + solo). They could have gotten away with a variation on the main guitar riff, or just left the first airy section in.
 
"STOP!"
 
All in all, Blessing of the Future was a good single. I only disliked one of the songs on it, which is pretty typical for single releases. Thankfully the upcoming album doesn't have all of these songs on it as filler.
 
Since people here like rating things in numbers and stars, here is mine:
 
Blessing of the Future:
Aria:
Shout Your Desire:
 
4+4+1.5 = 9.5 / 3 = 3.1666666 stars out of 5.

俺たちは友達じゃない。

"IT IS A TRAVESTY WHEN VKEI BANDS TONE DOWN THEIR VISUALS"
 
I had to use a fucking Gaia Online widget site to make that text, so you know I mean it. I honestly get really upset when I try out older, god-tier vkei bands and look at their old pictures and see how fetishy they looked at one point, and their most recent pictures are pretty much regular Japanese guys, maybe one with auburn colored hair and one having blond, in street clothing. One of my biggest appeals with visual-kei is the visuals: I live for frilly, neon hair, guys who can't paint, feathers, bloody bandages, useless face belts, hooker stockings, 8 inch Hot Topic boots, naziploitation, and unnatural eye colors. To an extent, I do feel that there is a lot of creativity that can go into stage costumes, and it is a damn shame that there isn't more effort put into visuals in an artistic sense, instead of "our frontman is blond and we have a trappy bassist so we are vkei ok." Obviously as the scene has become more streamlined, there are typical styles and ~*~visual shock~*~ approaches that are going to be repeated over and over, but that isn't to say that one day someone else will share my stance on it.
 
Take Malice Mizer, for example, They took visuals and theatrics to the extreme to accompany their music. Versailles, to a lesser extent, did as well. As did groups like Raphael, Lareine, Missa, and listenable Diru. However, groups like Penicillin, Pierrot, Luna Sea, Kuroyume, and Rentrer en Soi all mellowed out as time went on. I get that Hakuei no longer wearing having flowing red hair in a pvc g-string is going to appeal to a larger audience, but that doesn't mean I have to be fucking happy about it. Due Le'Quartz is the biggest offender here. Their outfits were stellar, and then they ended in 3 piece suits with cigars and sun glasses. MYV, put those bat wings back on and cut this shit out.
 
This all stems from my appreciation of androgyny. I do find being gender ??? to be artistic, not only in vkei but in other art forms as well, and find the elements of visual-kei costumes that shroud the band members' humanity to be fascinating. That's why I really don't care about finding pictures of Mana without makeup because I can already tell that home girl needs Adobe's help.

"IT IS A TRAVESTY WHEN VKEI BANDS TONE DOWN THEIR VISUALS"
 
I had to use a fucking Gaia Online widget site to make that text, so you know I mean it. I honestly get really upset when I try out older, god-tier vkei bands and look at their old pictures and see how fetishy they looked at one point, and their most recent pictures are pretty much regular Japanese guys, maybe one with auburn colored hair and one having blond, in street clothing. One of my biggest appeals with visual-kei is the visuals: I live for frilly, neon hair, guys who can't paint, feathers, bloody bandages, useless face belts, hooker stockings, 8 inch Hot Topic boots, naziploitation, and unnatural eye colors. To an extent, I do feel that there is a lot of creativity that can go into stage costumes, and it is a damn shame that there isn't more effort put into visuals in an artistic sense, instead of "our frontman is blond and we have a trappy bassist so we are vkei ok." Obviously as the scene has become more streamlined, there are typical styles and ~*~visual shock~*~ approaches that are going to be repeated over and over, but that isn't to say that one day someone else will share my stance on it.
 
Take Malice Mizer, for example, They took visuals and theatrics to the extreme to accompany their music. Versailles, to a lesser extent, did as well. As did groups like Raphael, Lareine, Missa, and listenable Diru. However, groups like Penicillin, Pierrot, Luna Sea, Kuroyume, and Rentrer en Soi all mellowed out as time went on. I get that Hakuei no longer wearing having flowing red hair in a pvc g-string is going to appeal to a larger audience, but that doesn't mean I have to be fucking happy about it. Due Le'Quartz is the biggest offender here. Their outfits were stellar, and then they ended in 3 piece suits with cigars and sun glasses. MYV, put those bat wings back on and cut this shit out.
 
This all stems from my appreciation of androgyny. I do find being gender ??? to be artistic, not only in vkei but in other art forms as well, and find the elements of visual-kei costumes that shroud the band members' humanity to be fascinating. That's why I really don't care about finding pictures of Mana without makeup because I can already tell that home girl needs Adobe's help.

"IT IS A TRAVESTY WHEN VKEI BANDS TONE DOWN THEIR VISUALS"
 
I had to use a fucking Gaia Online widget site to make that text, so you know I mean it. I honestly get really upset when I try out older, god-tier vkei bands and look at their old pictures and see how fetishy they looked at one point, and their most recent pictures are pretty much regular Japanese guys, maybe one with auburn colored hair and one having blond, in street clothing. One of my biggest appeals with visual-kei is the visuals: I live for frilly, neon hair, guys who can't paint, feathers, bloody bandages, useless face belts, hooker stockings, 8 inch Hot Topic boots, naziploitation, and unnatural eye colors. To an extent, I do feel that there is a lot of creativity that can go into stage costumes, and it is a damn shame that there isn't more effort put into visuals in an artistic sense, instead of "our frontman is blond and we have a trappy bassist so we are vkei ok." Obviously as the scene has become more streamlined, there are typical styles and ~*~visual shock~*~ approaches that are going to be repeated over and over, but that isn't to say that one day someone else will share my stance on it.
 
Take Malice Mizer, for example, They took visuals and theatrics to the extreme to accompany their music. Versailles, to a lesser extent, did as well. As did groups like Raphael, Lareine, Missa, and listenable Diru. However, groups like Penicillin, Pierrot, Luna Sea, Kuroyume, and Rentrer en Soi all mellowed out as time went on. I get that Hakuei no longer wearing having flowing red hair in a pvc g-string is going to appeal to a larger audience, but that doesn't mean I have to be fucking happy about it. Due Le'Quartz is the biggest offender here. Their outfits were stellar, and then they ended in 3 piece suits with cigars and sun glasses. MYV, put those bat wings back on and cut this shit out.
 
This all stems from my appreciation of androgyny. I do find being gender ??? to be artistic, not only in vkei but in other art forms as well, and find the elements of visual-kei costumes that shroud the band members' humanity to be fascinating. That's why I really don't care about finding pictures of Mana without makeup because I can already tell that home girl needs Adobe's help.

my unpopular opinions are
 
That the vk scene still produces good, interesting new bands & music.

And it's annoying when people who say they love oldschool vk only know about the low budget, low talent goof kotekote bands and act like well produced major label pop VK just didn't exist in the 90's at all despite it being the kind of stuff that was actually relevant and popular at the time. Every kote stan can list 500 bands off by heart who existed for three minutes and released an awful demotape or two, but there's an entire portion of 90's VK that was actually legitimately good but has been completely swept under the carpet in favor of grainy tapedeck recording, EINZ ZWEI DREI VIER and tappa tappa black metal drumming.

Not saying that stuff is bad but geez, it's like saying you like a certain kind of food but only if it's made with as little culinary skill as possible, and of the cheapest nastiest ingredients possible.

"IT IS A TRAVESTY WHEN VKEI BANDS TONE DOWN THEIR VISUALS"
 
I had to use a fucking Gaia Online widget site to make that text, so you know I mean it. I honestly get really upset when I try out older, god-tier vkei bands and look at their old pictures and see how fetishy they looked at one point, and their most recent pictures are pretty much regular Japanese guys, maybe one with auburn colored hair and one having blond, in street clothing. One of my biggest appeals with visual-kei is the visuals: I live for frilly, neon hair, guys who can't paint, feathers, bloody bandages, useless face belts, hooker stockings, 8 inch Hot Topic boots, naziploitation, and unnatural eye colors. To an extent, I do feel that there is a lot of creativity that can go into stage costumes, and it is a damn shame that there isn't more effort put into visuals in an artistic sense, instead of "our frontman is blond and we have a trappy bassist so we are vkei ok." Obviously as the scene has become more streamlined, there are typical styles and ~*~visual shock~*~ approaches that are going to be repeated over and over, but that isn't to say that one day someone else will share my stance on it.
 
Take Malice Mizer, for example, They took visuals and theatrics to the extreme to accompany their music. Versailles, to a lesser extent, did as well. As did groups like Raphael, Lareine, Missa, and listenable Diru. However, groups like Penicillin, Pierrot, Luna Sea, Kuroyume, and Rentrer en Soi all mellowed out as time went on. I get that Hakuei no longer wearing having flowing red hair in a pvc g-string is going to appeal to a larger audience, but that doesn't mean I have to be fucking happy about it. Due Le'Quartz is the biggest offender here. Their outfits were stellar, and then they ended in 3 piece suits with cigars and sun glasses. MYV, put those bat wings back on and cut this shit out.
 
This all stems from my appreciation of androgyny. I do find being gender ??? to be artistic, not only in vkei but in other art forms as well, and find the elements of visual-kei costumes that shroud the band members' humanity to be fascinating. That's why I really don't care about finding pictures of Mana without makeup because I can already tell that home girl needs Adobe's help.

"IT IS A TRAVESTY WHEN VKEI BANDS TONE DOWN THEIR VISUALS"
 
I had to use a fucking Gaia Online widget site to make that text, so you know I mean it. I honestly get really upset when I try out older, god-tier vkei bands and look at their old pictures and see how fetishy they looked at one point, and their most recent pictures are pretty much regular Japanese guys, maybe one with auburn colored hair and one having blond, in street clothing. One of my biggest appeals with visual-kei is the visuals: I live for frilly, neon hair, guys who can't paint, feathers, bloody bandages, useless face belts, hooker stockings, 8 inch Hot Topic boots, naziploitation, and unnatural eye colors. To an extent, I do feel that there is a lot of creativity that can go into stage costumes, and it is a damn shame that there isn't more effort put into visuals in an artistic sense, instead of "our frontman is blond and we have a trappy bassist so we are vkei ok." Obviously as the scene has become more streamlined, there are typical styles and ~*~visual shock~*~ approaches that are going to be repeated over and over, but that isn't to say that one day someone else will share my stance on it.
 
Take Malice Mizer, for example, They took visuals and theatrics to the extreme to accompany their music. Versailles, to a lesser extent, did as well. As did groups like Raphael, Lareine, Missa, and listenable Diru. However, groups like Penicillin, Pierrot, Luna Sea, Kuroyume, and Rentrer en Soi all mellowed out as time went on. I get that Hakuei no longer wearing having flowing red hair in a pvc g-string is going to appeal to a larger audience, but that doesn't mean I have to be fucking happy about it. Due Le'Quartz is the biggest offender here. Their outfits were stellar, and then they ended in 3 piece suits with cigars and sun glasses. MYV, put those bat wings back on and cut this shit out.
 
This all stems from my appreciation of androgyny. I do find being gender ??? to be artistic, not only in vkei but in other art forms as well, and find the elements of visual-kei costumes that shroud the band members' humanity to be fascinating. That's why I really don't care about finding pictures of Mana without makeup because I can already tell that home girl needs Adobe's help.

https://soundcloud.com/kamijo/louis
 
It's like Ascendead Master + Bel Air with teh most Lareine-ish vocals he's used in about 5 years.
 
Edit: oop, didn't see someone posted this first.

VK owns and has continued to own. 
 
But it seems like if it isn't ~heavy or ~dark then nobody will take an interest, even if the bands are great. Frustrating. 
 
PS: Metal fans smell like cabbage. 

"To the Chaos Inside" is one of my favorite Versailles songs. I really like rose-core ok

It really depends on my mood. If I'm frustrated while working, I tend to listen to angrier stuff with more screaming ("Kill your dog music," as a teacher once described it). Other times, I really like classical music while studying because it is easy to get lost in doing something while listening to that: it makes a very productive atmosphere for me. Most of the time, it really is whatever mood I'm in.
 
 
However, I try not to listen to new music while being productive. I find that when I do that, I spend more time trying to analyze the song and become familiar with it instead of actually, well, working.

"To the Chaos Inside" is one of my favorite Versailles songs. I really like rose-core ok

omg cat why you do dis to me
 
1. 9mm Parabellum Bullet
2. Vermillion-D Alice Syndrome
3. 黒夜葬
4. 女王蜂
5. TM Revolution (Not exactly a rock band though)
6. Polysics
7. Hystoic Vein
8. 星屑スキャット
9. YAMAGEN'S DEVILELIET
10. I really like 1 song by Concerto Moon, does that count? Else, Waterweed.

Will be buying the Zimmerman x K.C. Anthony collaboration dance single off of itunes.

I think Kaila from Aurora and gencha has a very nice voice. I have a weakness for deep, dramatic, vocals which most people here don't like, so here's the obligatory artistawhatever list: Kamijo, Juka (sometimes), Rita, and Asagi. I also have a fondness for Hakuei's voice as well as Ayame's from Dear Bitch and Misa.
TMR is what got me into J-music, so he's on here as well

I like how you posted 'etc.' at the end.

She could join Cell and give birth on stage
 
so kvlt

She could join Cell and give birth on stage
 
so kvlt

due le quartz revival pls
 
(Honestly, I haven't cared about Miyavi since 2008, but this song isn't that bad. Since this style is dramatically different from the last thing I recall listening to by him [whatever album he had the ugly dreads and did a song with Sugizo on], I'm sure in a year or two his music will have a stark contrast to this song / era)

Hoping it isn't an ignore North America tour.