chemicalpictures

LOKA new single "SENSE OF CRISIS" will be released on 2017.01.20. PABLO (ex.PTP) will participate on the recording.
 
 

LOKA new single "SENSE OF CRISIS" will be released on 2017.01.20. PABLO (ex.PTP) will participate on the recording.
 
 

Oh well...
 
1 - I kinda know what this is about, and rules are indeed rules. News section are a section of the forum as any other, so ANYONE could and should post there. While I understand that it's kinda lame for people to manipulate timestamps, use older posts or alter shit just to appear to be the first post and stuff like that, I also think that says much more about the person who did it than it affects the community as a whole. That's why we have mods, I guess. To do what's necessary, even when that means hurting the form in some way;
2 - That being said, people should absolutely NOT dismiss the service @Trombedid for the community all those years. I'm here for I don't know long, and no one will be able to match him/her in news broadcasting EVER. MH is THE frontpage of western VK on the internet, and the news section is one of the big reasons for this. Trombe work was so good and fast that it spoiled us, to be honest. THANK YOU, Trombe;
3 - Him/her/it describing itself as a band is a joke guys, c'mon;
 
Wish you luck, Trombe. maybe bringing up your own news site/tumblr/twitter will provide you the control of the news you think it's necessary, or maybe your're back next week, since we old forum geezers apparently can't stay out for long, as someone said before. In any case, hope to see you again pal. Thanks again! cheers!

god damn @CAT5I'm in LOVE with 88kasyo! replaying nonstop. what a freaking good song! Any tips on album to start listening to them?
 
@benithe lights is really interesting aswell. kind of a raw gem, but definitely shows they are on the right path!

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Happy New Years, everyone! December was a super busy month for the ORZ crew, so we have a bite-sized selection of new tracks to recommend you guys this month, but rest assured, they're delectable as always!
 
Thanks to our guest contributors @Lestat and @Ada Suilen! As usual, we apologize if some videos aren't available due to region restrictions.
 
 
 
@CAT5's Picks
 
"紫光 (shikou)" by 八十八ヶ所巡礼 (88kasyo Junrei)

88kasyo Junrei have released an album every year, without fail, from 2009 all the way up through 2015, usually within the month of August. Having taken their prolificness for granted, most of us had assumed that a 2016 release would be given. Sadly, that wasn't the case, but Margaret and the crew must have sensed our yearnings, as they dropped this PV out of the blue shortly into December. And while no new album has been announced yet, what they've served us here is certainly appeasing! "shikou" is somewhat different for 88kasyo. These guys don't usually make a habit of restraining themselves - often taking every opportunity to noodle our faces off and pummel us with their cacophonous insanity - so it was a bit of a shock to hear how subdued this track was at first. But it came as an even bigger surprise that this track still manages to fucking rock! It's a slower tune for them, sure, but the band's musical acumen hasn't been diminished one bit because of it. Margaret employs a squeaky, rap-like flow while providing one of the band's most memorable basslines, Kenzoooooo's drumming is as coercive as ever, and Katzuya sprinkles just enough of his psychedelic guitar work in the mix to be potent. What I thought at first was 'restraint', was actually just the band exercising their instincts with a newfound control. "shikou" isn't just the 88kasyo taking it easy, it shows a mature step forward in the band's songwriting. I can't wait for what's next!
  "さよーならあなた (Sayounara Anata)" by カネコアヤノ (Kaneko Ayano) The Japanese Folk/Singer-Songwriter realm has been pretty uneventful for me this year. My personally appointed 'Celestial Goddess' of modern J-folk Ichiko Aoba proved to be mundane after all, with her humdrum follow-up to 2013's masterpiece 0. And the much less renown, but equally dear to me, mmm/me-my-mo made a brief appearance early in the year with her band Maria Hato, releasing a single titled "C.P.U" (that I wrote about in February's edition of RT), which was brilliant, but only managed to whet my appetite. Enter Kaneko Ayano. While not as quirky as mmm, and certainly nowhere near Aoba's ethereal genius, Kaneko's straightforward and simple sound has been a refreshing serving of the folky tunes I've been craving from 2016. She's released two EPs this year - hug back in April, and Sayounara Anata just recently. The title track diverges from her usual, barebones acoustic approach and includes a full band backing that really vitalizes her already emotive sound. It almost sounds like risette and ミラーボールズ (mirrorballs) were smoothly merged together - the end result is the perfect blend of carefree indie-pop and adorably earnest folk-rock.
 
"Youth" by Young Juvenile Youth

Young Juvenile Youth, YJY for short, consists of vocalist Yuki and producer/beatmaker Jemapur. Having formed in 2012 and only having released their debut EP in 2015, they're relatively new to the scene,  but have already carved out a bit of a niche for themselves. Their latest single "YOUTH" is a beacon of this musical alcove that they've built: sleek, minimal electronic music that you'd sooner hear out of London than Tokyo. Not exactly trip-hop, but certainly not electro-pop either, "Youth" sports a sound that would be difficult to find contemporaries for in Japan. The synths are meticulously layered and arranged, and the beat is just chill enough to garner a contemplative head-nod. There's also a certain accessibility to Yuki's vocals, but the songwriting feels really subtle in its pop aspects. "Youth" shows a lot of promise, and while YJY may not be topping the Oricon charts anytime soon, they do have the potential to expand on an international scale, while also being a singular force within Japan.
 
 
@beni's Pick

"The Lights" by FABLED NUMBER

Another month, another random gem found. This time it's FABLED NUMBER. The little known rock band reminds me of SILHOUETTE FROM THE SKYLIGHT, but with a pop/electronic edge. This makes for a very accessible sound, and the song's energy does not let up at any point. You'll want to continuously repeat the track in no time! They instantly caught my attention with this tune, and hopefully that's the same case for others. It's a real shame that these guys are so unknown compared to other, similar bands, as they show great potential in this latest single of theirs. Here's to hoping you also check out their debut album coming out in early February entitled ILLUMINATE!
 
 
@togz's Pick
 
"埋葬 (maisou)" by RAZOR 

I was a little worried as to where RAZOR's line-up would take them.  After their mini-album RED INVISIBLE dropped, all my worries went away. The release is a solid listen as a whole, which you can learn more about in @Zeus' review of it here. The track that really made me move was "埋葬 (maisou)".  It's upbeat from the start, but fairly heavy for a visual kei composition. Ryoga's fast paced speaking along with the guitars builds into a really fun environment when the instrumentals and vocals come together. The phrasing is predictable, but that makes it easier to anticipate where the song is going and, in my opinion, makes for a damn good live song. Nothing is more satisfying than seeing a band and hearing them for the first time while not having to worry about whether you can follow the crowd or not. It's a song you can simply feel and really rock out to. 
  @Zeus' Pick
 
"drifting litter" by DECAYS  

It's no secret DECAYS has redeemed themselves with their transformation, and I've extolled the virtues of Baby who wanders enough in my review. What I didn't mention in the review was my favorite track on the album, and that would be "drifting litter". This hypnotic, hazy ballad is at odds with the overall direction of the album, adopting a thick, dark tone. The melody is anchored in place by the thick bass and guitar and Nakamura commands the chorus completely. The pure rock guitar solo in the middle skyrockets the song to eleven. If Baby who wanders wasn't dark or heavy enough for you, then this is what you are looking for.
 
 
@Original Saku's Pick
 
"人魚の檻 (ningyo no ori)"  by 陰陽座 (Onmyo-za)

Onmyo-za is a band that comes and goes for me. In that, I mean that they're a group who I enjoy a great deal when they release something, but I don't keep up with specifically, so more often than not it's like a nice little present that soon fades till the next one. "人魚の檻" from the band's newest effort Karyoubinga is just one of those aforementioned 'presents'. While being a whopping seven minutes six seconds long, it comes in as the longest song on the album and does not suffer for it. The track begins calm and serene then Kuroneko chimes in with her beautiful soft vocal technique that can only be described as 'heavenly'. It soon flows into the backing guitar riffs that thunder and transform the song into something more chaotic but, still beautiful. Shortly after the guitars kick in, Matatabi gets his turn with his trademark deep, powerful vocals that eventually lead into dual vocal excellence between the two. The track progresses into the instrumental bit where Maneki and Karukan show off their prowess and melt my face off in the process. The last minute and a half takes on a very 'haunting' aesthetic that slows down the tempo and closes out wonderfully.
  Guest Recommendations:
 
 
@Lestat's Picks
 
"輪舞曲 (rondo)" by 藍-AI-

I wonder if I have traversed in to the mysterious universe of Konami's Castlevania, as "輪舞曲" promptly astonishes me with an enigmatic alliance of both a devout organ and a set of dungeon-crawling synthesizers. Whoever praises the unnatural and the unknown realms will likely appreciate this on short notice, as it is fully enclosed by the strange and the dark. While an engaging bass performs its own black magic and whirs away, the track sneaks along this very murky line, slowly approaching an evanescent moment of clarity; fog clears, and for a brief moment you open a dark cellar's trapdoors toward a more flitting, yet vigilant chorus, one where the opaque and ambiguous vocals of ex-DEATHGAZE's 藍-AI- take on a transparency in the wee hour's quickly fading light. 
 
"-SHAMBARA-" by R指定 (R-Shitei)

All the while, R指定 have proven themselves multifaceted goliaths, able to mutate or evolve at will. The immensely popular band does not discriminate between dawn and dusk, and waltzes among both pop rock and heavy metal in swiftly taken steps. Give this ingenuous and tireless group a sound, concept or genre, and they will shape and form it into their very own inherent creation. One of those consistent transformations takes place in "-SHAMBARA-", wherein マモ (Mamo) and his gang do not shy away from channeling the obscure Dir en grey through otherworldly sonant assemblies and distressing squalls from the deep. This is where R指定 release their inner demons and convey their ghastly messages through tuned down equipment, a swarm of screams and breakdowns, and a lone guitar's eerie-sounding strum.
 
 
@Ada Suilen's Picks
 
"The Buddha" by LM.C

The most freaking and colorful J-rock duo of the moment achieves the important score of ten years in the music industry, and for this occasion, they decided to make this year pretty interesting; starting from the colorful rocking "MONROEwalk" and then the nostalgic and soft dyed "Rainmaker". They released their fifth album Veda this month, where they maintained and improved their eccentric and beating sound in all the shades they know best. In this track, the duo brought something mature and innovative to their sound, along with an electro-exotic vibe which never hurts, for this is one of their best tracks for sure.
 
"Ai to ai so nokosazu (Baby who wanders ver.)" by DECAYS

When this band debuted with the song "Secret Mode", they didn't convince me at all, despite of the presence of Dir En Grey's Die and the famous singer Yusuke Kobayashi, two sure winners of the genre. With the mini-album Red or Maryam, my interest for them grew more, even if I felt that something lacked. And how, with the addition of the violinist Ayasa and the pop singer Ataru Nakamura (a pleasant discovery for me), the band found out what was lacking and this new take of the song shows it, with its energy, grace and sensuality, all filtered inside a wonderful rock theme. It's a track everyone should listen to and that is quite hard to forget. 
 
Thanks for checking out our recommendations this month! If you have any thoughts on our list or recommendations of your own, please feel free to comment below! If you're interested in being a guest contributor, contact either @CAT5 or @doombox
 
 
See you all next month! ^_~

NUNCA MAIS EU VOU DORMIR
 
 

NUNCA MAIS EU VOU DORMIR
 
 

Grafton Calling is such a BEAST of a song! And ELEMENTA ALCHEMICA is the only song that earned its right to exceed the 15minute mark.
 
On a personal note, I'd like to see more rap/mixture infused vk bands, like early baroque, xTRiPx and bis did masterfully in the past

O que vocês acharam de BE PROUD?
 
 
 

Develop One's Faculties PV DVD "Develop One's Faculties Vol.1" will be released on 2017/03/08.

The PV DVD will cost 3000 yens.
 
Tracklist :
フラスコを振ると天秤揺れた (MV) (frasco wo furu to tenbin yureta)
hope (MV) 
insert memory (MV) 
正常とは (MV) (seijou towa)
斑 (MV) (Mura)
メランコリィな生活 (MV) ( Melancholy na Seikatsu)
タイトル未定の新曲 (MV)  ( + new PV )
+ recording of a live at 新宿BLAZE.
 
 
 

ラミエル(ramiel) new single "with you" (4 songs, 1500 yen, limited 300) will be released on 2017/02/22.
 
 

yeah, it does sounds a bit messy. a bit too much is going on there. But I blame production, and apparently this is only a demo, so...

fuckin love it! SPECIALLY those woooooh ooooh, that everybody hated lol! it's always awesome in live performances
 
but the equalization/sound engineering could use some work. But probably there's some youtube fault in it

they certainly don't make it easy for us

Personally this song has a bit too much synth/effects for my taste, but overall I love it! Possibly just my Juri bias but whatever. <3 And I love the “whooa whooa” parts! Like, he sounds so good in them? haha Plus those parts are fun live! <33
 
 
 
Yeah the guitar is a bit much and a little distracting for me too. Maybe he just got a bit carried away lol but if @chemicalpictures is right and it’s just a demo, then it can only get better from here!
 
 
 
Wow. You’re going to base your entire opinion on the band from one song??
What’s “special” anyway? I’m pretty sure no band is really all that special or unique compared to any other band. Whatever bands you like are probably nothing special either. We all just like what we like regardless of it being special. But whatever.
“And that’s the only listen they’ll get from me.” As if your listen is all that important. It's fine if you're not really into the song, but really. Get over yourself.

fuckin love it! SPECIALLY those woooooh ooooh, that everybody hated lol! it's always awesome in live performances
 
but the equalization/sound engineering could use some work. But probably there's some youtube fault in it

to be honest I kinda expected it... they hit right on the spot with the white/regret love, but nothing before or after was as good as this release, and people didn't seem much interested in them

Alright guys. Here it is. My thoughts/experience of FoLLoW's last one-man. 
It's not really a live report cos I suck at writing those. Basically just random things I remember and feelings I felt. I've divided it so you can kind of skip to w/e you're more interested in lol
 
First of all, I want to thank @hiroki for introducing me to this band. If not for him I would never have fallen in love with Masashi and FoLLoW and would definitely not have experienced their last one-man. I'm so so so so so so so grateful!!!! <3333333333333
 
Disclaimer: all quotes are basically me translating my memory of their Japanese into the way that I would say things. Don't quote me as if they said these exact words ><
 
some words that might be helpful to know:
buppan - the tables where they sell goods/merchandise kamite - right side of the stage from the audience's POV, as in the side the lead guitarist usually stands shimote - left side of the stage from the audience's POV, as in the side where the 2nd guitarist and bassist usually stand satsueikai - photo session with the bandmen. Usually after you've bought a certain amount of merch or if you pull an atari cheki or something  
Alright, here we go. I wrote a shit ton so... prepare yourselves!!
(Also, I realize say "like" a lot. Deal with it. I can't help myself lol)
 
Before the live:
 
During the live:
 
Random instances/MCs:
 
Encore:
 
Also here's my post-live and satsueikai experience for those who are interested lol:
 
Surprisingly I'm not as sad as I thought I would be. I don't feel empty or devastated. If anything I feel really full and positive lately. It didn't feel like a last live. Masashi kept saying いつも通り and I think they really tried to keep things the way they always do it. I've only seen them a few times so I don't know if they really kept everything the same as usual, but I think they were able to. Of course we all cried, but not for very long. We all had a lot of fun and even though it was the last live, it felt more like a "until next time" and a "we'll meet again someday." I hope I really do get to meet them one day. Even if it's not as a band. I want to be able to tell Masashi that I'm living a happy life ♡ I really hope they all find their own happiness as well. I feel like they've changed something in me. I'm not sure if it's just cos the live is still so recent, but I hope this feeling and my new positivity can last a long, long time. I'm so glad I was able to meet Follow, even if it was at the end of their band activities. It's not how long you've known someone, it's the depth of the connection, the moments you share, and how they make you feel. I know Follow is a band that I'll never forget.
<33333333333333333333333333333
 

 
Also, here's the last "だ～れだ" video! (filmed by Axkey's Yuuki lol)
 
♡