The Reverend

Someone had to.

Alright another (awesome) example comes from this Madeth gray'll song. (shoutout to @hyura's amazing Madeth gray'll lyrics thread... without which I never would have noticed this. And obviously where I stole the lyrics transliteration from.)
 
At the 1:45 mark of this song Hisui sings:
剥き出しの愛し×××
Muki dashi no aishi xxx
 
There's no censored beep, there's no silence... he literally says XXX ("ecks, ecks, ecks!"). That's next-level.

while Unsraw just wrote something like "artist intentionally didn't publish lyrics" or so ...
 

 
they actually published the lyrics as Core The Child ... kind of.
 

I actually REALLY like censor beeps in songs for some reason and I don't know why.  But when a song has one it becomes significantly more interesting to me and I enjoy it a lot more. 
I think my favorite example of a censor beep is the one at the 2:40 mark in Takadanobaba Ailen by Kuroyuri to Kage.  The placement of it is just perfect; it doesn't cut off any words when it starts or ends.  It sounds like there could literally be nothing that the censor is covering, and that intrigues me so much lol

SAVAGE's 虚言癖Bの思考回路 has these bleeps but every one of their releases have the Parental Advisory label too
 
Also so does Skull's Black Riot at the very end

They are holding a second revival show on January 11th along with Lucifer's Underground, umbrella, DARRELL, a Jakura session, and a Puppet Mammy session.
 
 
 

At first I thought 'wow, the song isn't halfway over and I've heard the chorus 3 times'
 
Then I realized these MFers made a music video that is 40.2% credits. 

I don't even recognize Danny Brown without that big gap in his teeth.
 
Good track either way. Looking forward to that album (produced by Q-tip!)

HEROINE
nigu solo project 
1st Single 2019.09.21
CD
1. Last will (nigu) 
2.Voice of autumn (Ryo & nigu) 

ryo HOLLOWGRAM / KEEL / TAG / DALLE
 
Too 2nd press 1st album「夏秋」(Natsuaki) same day
 
 
 

http://heroine.s2.weblife.me

This is amazing.
 
(How do you even *get* food at McDonald's without paying?? Don't you pay first? Sad to see someone deported because they asked for a water then filled their cup with Coke haha)
 
Edit: @anadentone are on the same wavelength here

This is amazing.
 
(How do you even *get* food at McDonald's without paying?? Don't you pay first? Sad to see someone deported because they asked for a water then filled their cup with Coke haha)
 
Edit: @anadentone are on the same wavelength here

Their singer デイブ(Dave) was arrested because he did not pay for his meal at McDonald's. He is suspended indefinitely. As a result, the band will go on hiatus. Both lives on 09/16 and 10/14 are cancelled.  
 
However, I still have trouble with this sentence : 本国に強制送還されました
 
 

when your McNugget urge is strong. How the hell do you get fired/deported for not paying for your meal? How the hell do you even get your meal without paying?

!!!!!

This was announced a month or so ago at mixi but I haven't seen a topic here so I figured I'd make on. Phobia will have a one night revival on 5th of July 2019 at Shinjuku ruido k4. 
 
 

New Nagoya band シキ-siki- will hold their first live at 3Star Imaike on 7/12
 
members:
Vo. akt (ex.HATED → meth.(シキ→akito) → 404NOTFOUND(陽斗-akito-)、MARCH’S Dusk Cafe → Sevenlize → 1/f no yuragi)
Gu. 純 (ex.404NOTFOUND)
Gu. mnR (ex.ぶらちちとか)
Ba. ナイカ
Dr. 将治
 
their first demo can be downloaded free from here 
 
 

 
https://twitter.com/_siki_band/status/1134806853009850374?s=21
 

Great live report! Sounds like a good show and a good time!
Haha.
 
What would you say the ratio of boys/girls in the crowd was for this show? I imagine it would be more than the ~5% boys I've seen at some VK shows.

Wanted to write this up sooner, but better late than never!
 
Spent the end of April/beginning of May in Japan - during this time I got to attend two live events, this was the first of those. I've been a die-hard Aie fan since deadman so I absolutely couldn't pass up an opportunity to see him (and Kazu, too!!) play live.  I quite enjoy most of the god and death stars output and had heard many good things about eStrial so I ventured out to Ikebukuro on a rainy evening to see them do their thing.
 
It was one of my first nights in Tokyo and I am a bit, uh, directionally challenged without the aid of a map in larger city settings, so despite leaving quite early I missed my first train changeover and ended up turning a 15 minute trek into a 45 minute anxious train ride, landing me at the show 15 minutes late and a few songs into eStrial's set.
 
I descended the staircase into RUIDO K3 and emerged into the long, narrow live hall, quickly moving to the back of the rather full crowd. eStrial played a set of jazzy, upbeat tunes that had half the crowd participating in some light furi. Vocalist/guitarist Yumeji slid effortlessly through every manner of funky lick, matched in skill and precision by bassist Mina Takahara and drummer Atsuto (who was looking a fair bit more casual here than his time in Sugar - ten years ago at this point???). 
 
I wish I knew more of their songs as I found them to be a ton of fun, bassist Mina being a particular standout as she really knew how to keep energy levels high. She was sporting a huge grin almost the entire set and kept the entire crowd engaged. Much of the band banter made me wish I had a far better grasp of Japanese than I do (read: somewhere between almost none and not being a total know-nothing ass 😶) as Atsuto had the crowd chuckling quite a bit between songs. 
 
Being that this was one of a few two-man dates these bands had booked, it seemed clear that there was a really strong camaraderie between everyone in both bands! There was a lot of commentary that I picked up regarding Aie himself and the crowd no doubt seemed excited by his presence and the god and death stars' forthcoming set.
 
eStrial played for maybe a total of 45 minutes before the curtains closed, sending the crowd back to the bar in the corner to turn in their drink tickets. After a few moments passed, dedicated fans lined up right against the stage and I took this opportunity to grab a more ideal spot closer to the middle of the crowd. 
 
We could see band members shuffling past the entryway and behind the stage curtain and surely enough it wasn't long until a dramatic, orchestral track started playing over the PA. The crowd directed their full attention to the stage and as soon as the curtains were drawn, we were greeted by the god and death stars + Yumeji of eStrial! I found myself wondering if we were going to see Yumeji providing some secondary guitar for their set, but the ensemble jumped into a track that I didn't recognize at all, a poppy number that had Aie and Yumeji vocalizing in a goofy sort of way. The song lasted only a few minutes before the curtains closed once again, the audience left chuckling and eager. 
 
Luckily, we didn't have to wait too long, as the god and death stars proper were revealed as the curtains drew back again. Aie looked just as "cool casual" as I could have anticipated, wearing a thin t-shirt and fedora (perhaps the only person this hat looks properly good on in this day and age?) Kazu was dressed in black from head to toe, sporting a blazer that gave him a sort of "funereal" look alongside his long, slick hair. I must say, Kazu is a rather...imposing looking fellow on stage. Maybe it's because he is next to Aie, who is quite small in stature, but I found him to be quite striking in person in an almost intimidating way. Guest drummer Seiji Matsumoto (of the telephones and a number of bands that I need to take the time to check out) rounded out the trio, taking place of Otaka Jun who is away for health-related reasons (get well soon!!)
 
I will interject here and state that I can't recall their exact set due to time passing and just being...way too enamored with everything to take the time to write the songs down, so I apologize in advance for not being able to post that!
 
The band wasted no time getting into their set. Aie's signature guitar tone pulled me in immediately - that special twang reminded me of where I was and who I was watching. They played a selection of tracks from their newest album, funky ghost hollywood (most of the set was pulled from this album, understandably), to start things off. Watching them was a treat not only from the standpoint of someone who has loved their respective individual discographies (from one iconic band to the next), but simply as very clearly experienced musicians. That should go without saying, but these guys really, really know their stuff. They played each song effortlessly (my god, they really are a wonder at their instruments - I mean seriously, they're so stylistically committed and developed that it's a spectacle seeing them play the way they do).
 
Their set was fun and entirely un-theatric, perhaps the antithesis of the visual kei bands they came up in. Being that they were playing with a guest drummer, it was quite endearing to see them give him visual cues as the songs progressed (he was knocking it out of the park, no doubt, but it was nice seeing them interact in that "power trio" sort of way) The crowd was clearly having fun as they blasted through song after song and, more importantly, the guys in the band looked like they were having a ton of fun themselves. The air over the entire night felt casual and friendly, as if they were "just some guys getting together to play songs." 
 
There was some fun banter with the crowd near the middle of the set which really maintained that same "casual air" and in the end, they were done before I knew it. They got quite a few songs in (I wasn't kidding when I said they were just "blasting through them") for only playing maybe an hour-long set. I can't comment on the exact order, but the songs below are the ones I remember them playing off the top of my head. Nothing older than after the addle apple as far as I can recall. I was really pleased to hear "elephant in the room," "Good Night My Love," and "ママイズジャム" as those are some of my recent favorites.
 
薄荷
サニーゴーサニー
Good Night My Love
ママイズジャム
Life Is Beautiful
cannabis
damned
夜を歩く葡萄
濾過
elephant in the room
 
I hung around the venue for a little while since it was still very early (and there was a little part of me hoping I could shake Aie's hand, but that was wishful thinking, haha). As I watched the crowd wander back out into the rain little by little, it was obvious how varied their fanbase is, from age to personal style. Just a testament to these guys and their time/experience in the scene. 
 
Thanks for reading! Don't miss an opportunity to catch either of these bands if you can - it was a really special evening that I won't soon forget.
 
I'll have one more live report up soon for the event I attended at 高田馬場AREA on 5/6! (DIMLIM, gulu gulu, more)

I actually really like the chorus in the first song (and their name obviously).... one to keep an eye on.

Tonight, I would like to introduce you to a new band, with possibly the greatest name today - ダミットランド (Dammitland).
 
The band has formed on April 16 and will commence activities at their first live on June 27.
 
[lineup]
Vo.9助 (9suke (kyuusuke)) (ex-三毛猫ドクロック (Mikeneko Dokurock) --> スナフキン (SNUFKIN) (on Gt.))
Gt.P (りん (Rin)) (ex-NYXIS)
Gt.魔嗚呼 (maa)
Ba.KAZUKI (LA★69, THE LEX (support))
 
OHP
Twitter
 
 
 
 

Setlist:
1. 99.999
2. Falling
3. Ninth Odd Smell
4. Gush
5. Vortex
6. Venomous Spider's Web
-SE-
7. The Mortal
8. その声は脆く
9. DOGMA
-SE-
10. The Suicide Circus
11. Incubus
12. UGLY
13. Two Of a Kind
14. Filth in the Beauty

Encore:
15. INSIDE BEAST
16. COCKROACH
17. TOMORROW NEVER DIES

 
I'm in need of facial reconstructive surgery after this experience, because my jaw was on the floor the entire time.

I have been waiting for years for the GazettE to visit North America on their World Tour. Last time that I remember making plans to go, the band had elected to skip North America, and then the time after that I had prior commitments and couldn't make the show. I was hellbent on making sure I attended this one, and I made sure to bring my friend Jet with me. We were listening to the GazettE in high school during the peak of visual kei, so he's that one friend I can talk to J-Rock about in real life. He's been waiting for this experience as long as I have.

After smashing plates of chicken katsu, bulgogi, and rice, and braving our way across town through weather that threatened to pour (but didn't), the two of us arrived at Playstation Theater and was overwhelmed with the disorganization. There were a lot of fans, many lines for various purposes, and no signs to shepherd people into their place. @YuyoDrift, having bought a VIP ticket, was already in the thick of it by the time that I had arrived, and I was unable to find him. After asking around, we discovered that the line we wanted to be on was down the block and around the corner, and that line itself stretched down the block and around another corner. Organization was easily the weak point of this concert, since it seemed like the staff of the theater hadn't planned on so many people showing up. Joke's on you guys; when a visual kei band shows up in America the scene rolls out!

@YuyoDrift had reported some issues and drama near the front of the line concerning miscommunication between VIP members and heresy fan club members on who got to enter first, but all I can talk about was how the other half of the line was progressively pushed back further and further until we were about a block and a half away. While I was in line, no less than five groups of people came up to me to ask why we were all standing here. One of them offered to sell me weed and some papers. None of them knew who the GazettE were, but a couple seemed more than interested in the colorful garments of some of the more hardcore fans in line.

I need to take a moment to discuss the people that showed up. What a generational gap! There were easily 800 to 1000 people between all of the lines, and this is just what I saw. The youngest fan I saw on line was 12 or 13. The oldest fan I saw on line was in their 40s, and that person didn't look like they were escorting a relative. Some of the older people on line most definitely were parents. The most common age range was actually 18-25. There were people dressed relatively normally like myself, possibly sporting a band shirt or hoodie from a previous tour. There were some scene and emo kids wearing dark pastels and heavy make up. There were some fans who came in sporting colored hair and face paint, really pulling off the visual kei look. The most striking outfit I saw was a man in his 30s wearing a studded vest where the studs were easily several inches long, who came along with an equally as colorful entourage that could have been easily mistaken for Naruto cosplay. The stereotype about the average visual kei fan was thus dispelled and confirmed simultaneously, and I now have a deeper appreciation for just how many different types of fans there are.

I was stuck in line for an agonizingly long time listening to the people around me front their knowledge of the band, which was honestly rather painful. One person claimed that the GazettE formed five years ago, to which Jet and I exchanged glances and laughed really hard. We both were listening to the GazettE ten years ago, so clearly they were mistaken. Another person had asked when the band had actually formed, and it took them several minutes to find out it was 2002. Someone behind me in line claimed that the GazettE were K-Pop. I tried not to talk to many people in line because of this, but when you're outside for 90 minutes it eventually happens. I didn't meet anyone too outrageous and after a long time the line suddenly lurched forward and began feeding into the theater. The doors had opened.
 
Jet and I breezed through security, popped in our earplugs, and made our way downstairs to the venue. The line for merchandise was gigantic by the time we got there, and both of us made the decision to get good seats rather than stand in line. That turned out to be the wise move, because most of the merchandise was gone before the show even began, but not before both of us got a shirt later that night. There was a few cool shirts and hoodies that they ran out of before the show even began. Never underestimate the deep pockets of devoted fans. We were standing towards the middle of the floor at first, but we eventually decided to grab some seats shortly before the show began because we had already been standing for hours by that point. That was also a great idea, because parts of the crowd got really wild and it would have been hard to see over four rows of jumping and screaming fans. The earplugs were also a good move, because this concert was really loud. Limiting the sound to a max of 80 decibels spared my hearing a gory torture session and I was more clearly able to make out the instruments. 
 
Eventually the lights went dim and the crowd went insane as "99.999" started playing and the band members walked out to front stage. They played the first four cuts off of NINTH before the first pause, and I gotta say that hearing it live has made me enjoy these songs even more. I have a new appreciation for Reita and just how much his bass adds to the music. Heavy isn't the word for it; the bass itself sinks into the floor and pounds into your chest. He swapped bass a few times over the course of the concert as well, always slightly changing the feel of his bass depending on what songs were coming up next. "VORTEX" is the first curve ball that the GazettE threw the crowd, and then that was followed up with "Venomous Spider's Web", and I think both songs sound way better live than on the record. They fit naturally into the set and shows how much NINTH is a refinement over TOXIC. I wasn't expecting them to reach that far back. 

One of the standout moments of the show was definitely the combination of "The Mortal" and "その声は脆く". The first cut in really heavy after a second, shorter break and the first live-only interlude, which got the crowd really energized.  "その声は脆く" stole the show. This was the first proper ballad of the show, and the contrast on the guitars really changed the atmosphere of the venue for those few minutes. Ruki went all out on the performance here, adding some emotional screams to the end which made this a treat to experience. This entire show was recorded, so I'm really hoping that this exact performance of  "その声は脆く" ends up on the DVD. It needs to.

After that song was done, the lights fade and sound effects wash over the audience again before the opening riff to "DOGMA" began, and it's at this point where the crowd goes ballistic. No one was expecting this. The energy was insane, but this is one of those songs that I think sounds better in the studio than live. That's not to take away from the performance of this song, which was incredibly stellar, but more to comment on just how dense of a song "DOGMA" is. There was a bit of aural whiplash as the band transitioned into a live-only SE followed by "The Suicide Circus" next, but that set the tone for where the rest of the night was headed. Ruki addresses the crowd briefly before "Incubus" kicks in, followed up quickly by "UGLY". "UGLY" was absolutely dominant and by the end of the song the whole crowd was clapping together as the next song immediately kicked in. "Two of a Kind" was also a really powerful and driving song live, if a bit abbreviated. They went from one song to the next without enough time for the cheering to subside. I think Reita makes one more bass switch before this all begins as well. No matter what, the GazettE made sure those in the front were having the absolute time of their lives.

Ninety minutes had passed in a flash, and all too soon Ruki announced that they were playing their last song before cracking a small smile. The opening licks and background vocals of "Filth in the beauty" start up and then the crowd cheers harder than ever, and then Ruki's smile gets even bigger before he begins singing. This was the second curve ball we were thrown, and I'm really glad I got to hear one of their classics live. At this point, I looked to Jet who was already looking back at me, and he just shot me a huge thumbs up. "Filth in the beauty" was the song that got him into the band, so to end on that note was extra special for us.

The band took a ten minute break at this point and we got merchandise while the crowd was chanting for an encore. We went separately but got the same shirt for $35 (gotta support the boys) and Jet came back just in time for Kai to come back out. He picks up the mic for the first time, entertains the crowd as the rest of the band comes back, and gives the mic to Ruki for a few more words, some "I LOVE NEW YORK!!!", and then the beginning of "INSIDE BEAST" begins. At this point, we were glad they came back out at all and figured that we had one or two more songs left before the true end of the show, but I was seriously not expecting to get "COCKROACH" during the encore. This was the song that separated the old fans from the new fans, because the old fans were over the moon for getting such a throw back, and the new fans looked a bit confused over what song it was, but didn't really care because it banged so hard. This was the oldest song we got all night, and it was equally as compelling live as it is in the studio. I hope future tour dates get a crack at hearing "COCKROACH" live too. The show ended with "TOMORROW NEVER DIES", which was okay I guess, but I would have preferred "Unfinished". 

All good things must come to an end, but in this case that end was also good. All members of the band retired from the stage rather quickly; Kai took a picture with the crowd before departing too. Both of us had a train to catch, so we slipped out fast as hell after the show ended, but I heard afterwards there was a meet and greet for VIP. I wasn't on that line, so I can't report much on that. Considering how we've missed some bands that we'll never get to see live and how infrequently the GazettE are in town, Jet and I are both glad we went. We'll definitely be in line for the next visual kei concert to hit New York. If you're on the fence about buying tickets to go see the band, I would say go. If you have even a passing interest in visual kei, seeing one of the biggest visual kei bands of all time live is something words can only partially describe. If you really like the GazettE, you owe it to yourself to go.

Just keep in mind that they're going to be playing mostly their new material, so don't hold your breath expecting old classics like "Katherine in the trunk" or "Crucify Sorrow" to show up.

Welcome to the 3rd annual most notable VK looks presented by yours truly, The Reverend.
 
As usual, we're here to celebrate the 'Visual' in Visual Kei. Suggest your favorite or least favorite or weirdest looks from the past year in the comments below!
 
Thanks to the ORZ team for helping out and contributing, and especially @platy for making like five banners for me and letting me choose which one I liked best.
 
マーブルヘッド (Marblehead)
 
 
ユメリープ (Yumeleep)
 
 
キズ (Kizu)
 
 
lynch.
 
 
BRATBAX
 
 
the Raid. vocalist 星七 (Sena)
 
 
SHiSHi guitarist お花 (Ohana)
 
 
MEIDARA
 
 
Virge
 
 
Dillinger
 
 

Can we talk about that 麗麗(reirei)'s look ?