Pikachu

Mix Speaker's,Inc.×ペンタゴン(pentagon) will hold their halloween 2-man live at Takadanobaba AREA at 2015/10/31
 

Artist: Foxpill Cult Album: 邪宗門 (Jashumon) Score: When the voices in your head provide backing vocals
Better late than never! Back in January, Foxpill Cult released their latest album 邪宗門 (Jashumon – Heretic Religion, a term used to describe non-Shinto religions). Like their previous efforts, this album reaches deep into Foxpill’s bag of tricks and manages to come up with an album that is deeply varied, yet cohesive. While the variety is there, a more critical examination from someone familiar with their previous releases might yield that they are still relying on the same kinds of tricks, but the overall presentation has enough innovation and charisma to make that observation seem nitpicky. What works really well for 邪宗門 is the recurring theme of multiple presences—be it in a schizophrenic kind of way, or in a supernatural sense. Throughout the album there are interludes and outros of static noise and a very distorted girl’s laughter. In addition, many songs feature multiple layers of vocal harmonies from what sounds like people who are not the actual vocalist. Could I be reading into this too deeply? Possibly. But if this ~sing along with the voices in your head~ motif is what they really were going for, then I would say they were successful. If you’re completely new to this band, the most succinct way of describing them is basically Liphlich’s punk cabaret meets all the weird shit Buck-Tick has done (see also).

邪宗門 opens with a strong number, “サイコキャンディー" (PSYCHO CANDY), which for our intents and purposes is the “Moura” of this album in the sense that it is a playful gothic, yet new wave-inspired, song that also received a music video. This is definitely the most accessible track on the album, as well as one of the catchiest. However, it is solid enough to hold it’s own while still sounding like it belongs with the rest of the songs in the album—all to often I hear albums with strong or weak singles that end up being rather out of place when put into the context of everything else (take D’s “Tightrope,” for example). During the middle of the song there is a bad acid trip and a bit of 女王蜂 falsettos going on, which plays on my interpretation that this album is about some sort of super natural phenomenon. “サイコキャンディー” ties in well with the next song, "米を与えど、子は聞かず" (Kome wo Atae do, Ko wa Kikazu) as it is very similar in nature but with a more rock’n’roll approach. I don’t have too much to comment on with that song, but it is a “if you like one, you’ll like the other” sort of deal.
Track 4, "ファウストと異邦人" (FAUST to Kotokunibito) is the second instance of strange laughter and a mysterious woman’s voice, which is used as an introduction snippet. The song itself is much less creepy, and its main theme is quite playful. This song uses a lot of distorted guitar, bongo-sounding drums, and frantic time changes between 4/4 and 6/8. What I find fascinating here is that there are a ton of influences going on all at once: at times the drum structure sounds like a march while the vocalist yells over very pretty guitar work and bizarre keyboard samples. This sort of treatment is used quite often throughout the album as well—while most of their music is technically intensive, there are many many layers of different ideas happening all at once, but somehow they all come together in way that’s enjoyable and fun.

"秋霖ヒソム▲神隠し" (Shuurin HISOMU ▲ Kamigakushi(?)) s song that caught my attention at first listen: each of FOXPILL’s albums have some sort of dark-wave track and this one is it. ▲ also throws in noise, a bit of folk, and ties it together with a staticy sounding drum loop. While this song does come of as being deceptively heavy or dark based on the first few seconds, it ends up being pretty simple and sweet up until the end. The last few seconds they turn up the creep and add in the sounds of something being drilled, followed by a much more distorted and warped sound of the same woman’s laughter that has been used throughout. What I enjoyed about this song is the mix of both harsh electronic elements and the very gentle sounding chorus. Ultimately ▲ alls into middle for me: there’s enough good here to attract me back to the song, but it isn’t the pinnacle track on this album.

"僕は宗教" (Boku wa Shuukyou) is the sleeper track on this album for me—a near perfect fusion of cali=/=gari and XA-VAT if both were going through a mall goth phase, FOXPILL CULT combines a lot of new wave synthesizer with female vocals backing the chorus and quirky vocals commandeering the bridges. There’s much less synth going on here than XA-VAT used, but the 80’s throw-back sound is definitely there. It is also interesting that they recycle the gang vocal melody from the album’s opening track, "鎖国した一寸法師" (Sakoku Shita Issunboushi). This song, "サイコキャンディー" and "ファウストと異邦人" would be the three songs I would recommend trying first if you are new to FOXPILL CULT.

For the sake of brevity, the last song I’m going to expand upon is "啓蒙されぬ" (Keimousa Renu). This is one of the more electronic-heavy songs, but what is really interesting is that the chorus is like a gothic sea chantey (to be more than honest, I never thought that was even a possible mix of genres, but here we are… think Moi Dix Mois covering and you wouldn’t be too far off.). Quirky and innovative, "啓蒙されぬ" plays a lot to FOXPILL’s strengths and shows that even if their bag of tricks is finite, they know how to get the most out of it by mixing what they know with influences that would otherwise seem out of place.this song

While not every track on this album is fantastic, overall I thought FOXPILL CULT really delivered with this album and it shows that they are well seasoned in what they do. The filler in this album is minimal and their influences range from new wave, to dark wave, to rock’n’roll, to even funk. While I prefer their more new-wave tracks, which they proclaimed their last album was focused most on, I liked a greater amount of tracks here. 邪宗門 was a like at first listen, but it was also a grower. I am still unsure if this is the top contender of album-of-the-year for me quite yet, which is why I am rating it 4 stars out of 5.

ERIZA members new band "DOAK" will hold their first live at 2015/06/14, and their new single "揚羽-ageha-" will be released at 2015/07/01 (2 TYPE, 1,620yen each)
 
"DOAK" members:
Vo.勇企(yuuki) (ex-COЯE THE CHILD-->UnsraW)
Gt.暁(satoshi) (ex-フィズ(fizz)-->レトルト(retort)-->Para:noir-->D.I.D.)
Ba.IORI (ex-オルガ(ORGE), Créateur(support))
Dr.和春(kazuharu) (ex-Sephiro-->MiD DERACINE-->AMARANYX, PSYCHE-プシュケ-, now UNLIMITED RULEBOOK(support))
 

 
http://www.doak-official.com/

limited-period unit "Call Me" will change to new formal band "ペンタゴン(pentagon)" after their one-man live "没" at Ikebukuro EDGE at 2014/12/13, at which support Gt.拓-taku- & Dr.篤輝-atsuki- will officially join
 
"ペンタゴン(pentagon)" members:
Vo.千吊-chizuru- (ex-モノドール(monodole)-->DewmeL-->レガリア(regalia)(mizuki)-->Call Me)
Gt.ゆとり-yutori- (ex-う゛ぁんきっしゅ(vanquish)-->エリス(eris)(support)(はるを/haruwo)-->METEOROID)
Gt.拓-taku- (ex-Mustema†Dorcheme-->LucaRia-->Call Me(support))
Ba.眠花-minpha- (ex-F@NNY-->レガリア(regalia)(鈴-rin-)-->Call Me)
Dr.篤輝-atsuki- (ex-VARED(support)-->Call Me(support))
 

 
 
their new album "CALL ME…" will be released at 2015/02/18 (1,620yen)
 
[CD track list]
01.Call me…
02.Fatima
03.オムカエ(omukae)
04.新世界(shinsekai)
05.17
06.アカペラ(a cappella)
07.蝿(hae)
08.人喰テディベア(hitokui teddy bear)
09.没(botsu)
 

 
 
btw they will hold their first live at Ikebukuro CYBER at 2015/01/12 and their one-man live "密室(misshitsu)" at TSUTAYA O-West at 2015/05/30
 
http://pentagon-official.com/

their live-limited mini album "dadaism#1" will be released at their live since Ikebukuro EDGE at 2015/02/21 (2,000yen)
 
[track list]
01.SE
02.「溺れる魚」(oboreru sakana)
03.MONEY
04.モルヒネ#1(morphine #1)
05.SEX!
06.モルヒネ#2(morphine #2)
07.ベルカとストレルカ(belka to strelka)
 

new continual session band "ノーム(gnome)" has held their first live at Osaka LIVE HOUSE D' at 2014/11/30
 
"ノーム(gnome)" members:
Vo.ライチ(litchi)
Gt.皐月(satsuki) (ex-嘩族(kazoku))
Ba.雪華(yukika)
Dr.空良(sora) (ex-ルミカ。(lumica))

it is announced at 己龍(kiryu) one-man live tour "暁歌水月(gyoukasuigetsu)" tour final at TOKYO DOME CITY HALL at 2014/09/07 that their new maxi single "天照(amaterasu)" will be released at 2014/11/19 (4 TYPE)
 
limited edition TYPE A (1,944yen) will include CD (2 songs)+DVD (including "天照(amaterasu)" PV & off-shot), limited edition TYPE B (1,944yen) will include CD (2 songs)+DVD (including "天照(amaterasu)" all-member multi-angle PV), and regular edition TYPE C & D (1,620yen each) will include CD (3 songs with different track 3 & corr. 3 karaoke) only
 
 
btw they will hold their one-man live tour "雅神天照(gashin amaterasu)" since Hamamatsu Hama HALL at 2014/11/28 and up to Nakano SUN PLAZA at 2015/01/16 (300th one-man live)
 
 
magazine SHOXX Vol.262 (to be released at 2014/10/21) will enclose special LIVE DVD, which will include scene of their one-man live "赤香蘭凜(sekkaranrin)" at Zepp DiverCity Tokyo at 2014/01/18

new band "GALLMAZZO" has held their first live at Shinsaibashi soma at 2013/08/30, since which their live-distributed single "激情のヤンデレラ(gekijou no yanderella) / 下克上(gekokujou) / 罪悪天使(zaiakutenshi) / 夏夜に咲く華(kaya ni saku hana)" has been released
 
GALLMAZZO members:
Vo.蒼空咲 大介(sorasaki daisuke) (我為愛神殿～GAIASHINDEN～)
Dr.慎-shin- (ex-CIED)
support Gt.瞑-mei- (Delia)
 

 

 

 

 

 
http://18.xmbs.jp/gavotte/

ex-UnsraW Vo.勇企(yuuki) session "-273.15℃" (pronounced as "絶対零度(zettaireido)") live-limited single "THE PROOF" will be released at ベルベット(VelBet) PRESENTS PREMIUM GANG NIGHT "BLOODY [R] BIRTHDAY Vol.3" at Takadanobaba AREA at 2013/09/04
 
"-273.15℃" members:
Vo.勇企(yuuki) (ex-UnsraW)
Gt.暁(satoshi) (D.I.D.)
Gt.沙瑛(sae) (AUBE)
Ba.猟平(ryouhei) (ベルベット(VelBet))
Dr.哲也(tetsuya) (ex-SKULL)

Ru:natic new mini album "memory" will be released through Tower Records, HMV, TSUTAYA etc. at 2013/09/04 (2,100yen)
 
[track list]
01.桜 さくら(sakura)
02.Blue & Sky
03.～キセキ～夏の思い出(～kiseki～natsu no omoide)
04.真夜中ノ日傘少女(mayonaka no higasashoujo)
05.White Merry Christmas
06.黒薔薇族ノ招待状 鏖(kurobarazoku no shoutaijou minagoroshi)
 
 
btw product code of that new mini album is "PSYCHO-001"...

it is announced at 己龍(kiryu) one-man live at NHK HALL at 2013/03/20 that their new maxi single "愛怨忌焔(aienkien)" will be released at 2013/05/29 (4 TYPE)
 
limited edition TYPE A (1,890yen) will include CD+DVD (including "愛怨忌焔(aienkien)" PV & off-shot), limited edition TYPE B (1,890yen) will include CD+DVD (including "愛怨忌焔(aienkien)" all-member multi-angle PV), and regular edition TYPE C & D (1,575yen each) will include CD only
 
[CD track list]
01.愛怨忌焔(aienkien)
02.嗚呼(aa)
03.達磨(daruma) (included in regular edition TYPE C)
03.子守唄(komoriuta) (included in regular edition TYPE D)
04.愛怨忌焔(aienkien)(karaoke) (included in regular edition TYPE C & D)
05.嗚呼(aa)(karaoke) (included in regular edition TYPE C & D)
06.達磨(daruma)(karaoke) (included in regular edition TYPE C)
06.子守唄(komoriuta)(karaoke) (included in regular edition TYPE D)
 
 
their alter-ego band "マイドラゴン(my dragon)" live-limited one-coin single (title not yet finalized) will be released at 己龍(kiryu) one-man live tour "愛怨忌焔(aienkien)" since Zepp Tokyo at 2013/06/02 (500yen)
 
 
btw they will hold their one-man live "黒崎眞弥生誕祭(kurosaki mahiro seitansai)" at Fukuoka DRUM LOGOS at 2013/10/19 and their another one-man live "一色日和生誕祭(isshiki hiyori seitansai)" at OSAKA MUSE at 2013/11/01
 
 
SET-LIST at 2013/03/20:
 
01.独法師
02.花魁譚
03.残月
04.雨夜ニ笑エバ
05.白絹ノ女
06.朱花艶閃
07.花一匁
08.手鞠童女
09.紅椿
10.悦ト鬱
11.鎮具破具
12.夢幻鳳影
13.逃避行
14.鬼遊戯
15.凩
 
～マイドラゴン～
01.男と女のタクティクス
02.二次元コンプレックス
 
EN1
01.桜絡ミ
02.白濁セシ蝶
03.空蝉