DeithX252

Can't wait for official date release

Yonige, anyone? Been into this girls lately after getting their second demo last year. Bought their first mini album, Coming Spring that been release last week and been spinning it non-stop.
 

new album「ghost is dead」
2015.11.11.
PECF-1128 felicity cap-241
¥2,916(include tax)
01. azure
02. echoes of S
03. ghost in a closet
04. escort & landing
05. feel uneasy
06. dawn draw near
07. iris
08. evoke
09. anthology of time
10. constellation
11. sogna
 
Source

TK 'bout to be TKO'd when he reads that last line

Artist: 凛として時雨 (ling tosite sigure) Album: es or s 1. SOSOS 2. Mirror Frustration 3. Karma Siren 4. Tornado Mystery 5. end roll fiction
Rating: | SOSOS send ling some help!
 
Ling tosite sigure (凛として時雨) albums have always been a spectacle. Rewind back to 2007 - their second full album Inspiration is DEAD was just released and for me, listening to it was like being unwittingly thrust into a pool of chilly water. I hated it at first, but the longer I immersed myself in it, the more comfortable I became and I eventually began enjoying it. There was something irresistibly charming about an indie-rock band that sounded like angsty chipmunks, yet brandished the kind of instrumental prowess found in extreme metal. As much as I wanted to shun it, I kept coming back.

The following year, they dropped their first single and I was completely sold. Every release after that was a complete thrill to sink your teeth into; you never knew what crazy riff TK would come up with, if Miyoko would sing more, or how the band would push their sound to new heights. The only thing certain was that Ling's new material would end up somewhere on your list at the end of the year.

Fast-forward to the present - the band has just released their latest EP es or s, and the endless wonder promised by the Ling's previous efforts is all but gone. From start to finish, the EP sounds like one big trip deja vu trip. The refrain in "mirror frustration" literally mirrors the chorus of "Beautiful Circus”, "end roll fiction" borrows moments from “secret cm”, and “Karma Siren” sounds like a limp combination of “Can you kill a secret?” and “Telecastic fake show”. It’s almost as if TK has taken Ling’s discography and thrown it into a blender, as you can almost dissect every moment on “es or s” and trace it back to an earlier creation. The problem isn’t that it’s derivative, though. Ling has always been adept at maintaining their sound while moving forward, but the band hasn’t broken any significant ground since 2010’s “still a Sigure virgin?”. Even their last full length, 2013's i’mperfect, generally considered as a creative brick wall for Ling, managed to deliver the band’s core strengths in an effective manner. On the other hand, this EP doesn’t even manage to refine their sound, let alone innovate. At most, there’s a cool, but exceedingly brief solo in “Mirror Frustration” and a pretty snazzy riff in “Tornado Mystery”, but those are hardly worth a mention when the rest of the EP is drowning in overused Ling tropes and suffering from some of TK's most drab songwriting yet.

On the bright side, the band is still as instrumentally proficient as they've always been, TK's vocals are at their most tolerant, and the production is sound. If you've just gotten into Ling or just haven't heard much of their back catalog, then there's a better chance that you'll receive this EP well and my criticism won't hold up. After all, there's nothing here that would constitute as 'bad' or unlistenable - it's all very well done. But if you're a long-time fan and have had a chance to live with their older works, then "es or s" might be a more difficult pill to swallow. You might even wonder what brought the band to this point. Each member now has their own side-projects; TK has released two solo albums, Miyoko has also released two with geek sleep sheep, and Pierre has his Chaotic Vibes Orchestra. One could easily assume that Ling is no longer their primary focus. Not to mention the anime themes that the band has been pumping out since 2012. "abnormalize" is their highest grossing single, so perhaps they've found a formula that sells and are sticking to it? It's hard to tell, and even more difficult to believe, but es or s truly legitimizes the notions that either TK's been hoarding all of his 'Fantastic Magic' for solo endeavors, or it's true that his 'Inspiration is DEAD'.


Support the band! "es or s" on Amazon
"es or s" on iTunes US
"es or s" on CDjapan

Artist: toe Album: HEAR YOU 1. Premonition (Beginning Of A Desert Of Human) 2. A Desert Of Human 3. Commit Ballad feat. CHARA 4. . The World According To 5. My Little Wish 6. Song Silly feat. Olivia Burrell 7. Boyo 8. Time Goes feat. 5lack 9. オトトタイミングキミト (oto to timing kimi to) feat. Kimura Kaela 10. G.O.O.D.L.U.C.K feat. U-zhaan / Kumi Maya Ayaya 11. Because I Hear You
Rating: | a fractured toe that can still stand somewhat firm
 
If you've ever ventured into the realm of Japanese instrumental rock, then you've undoubtedly heard of toe, as they're perhaps the most prominent name to emerge out of Japan's sprawling sea of post/math-rock bands. The band has been around since 2000, and they've literally had ten 'toe's deep in the music industry since then - working with tons of musicians from all sides of the business.

In fact, it's almost become a trend in their releases to feature renown and respected J-pop figures like Asako Toki (cymbals), ACO, Ikuko Harada (clammbon) and so on. Though despite the band's clout and reputation (and the fact that they've been around for 15 years now), HEAR YOU is only toe's third album. Arriving a whopping six years after their previous LP, this album attempts to sate the apetites of long-time toe fans as well as push the band in new directions.

One look at the tracklist and, assuming you're familiar with the featured musicians, you'd think the band has already accomplished those two feats. There's the obligatory J-pop vocal features - "Commit Ballad" with the iconic CHARA, and "オトトタイミングキミト (oto to timing kimi to)" with the popular Kaela Kimura. Both tracks are nods to toe's past, as CHARA gives a fully fleshed vocal performance like ACO in 2012's "月、欠け (tsuki kake)", and Kaela's voice is used more like a hip hop sample, the same as Ikuko Harada in 2009's "After Image".

There's also " Time Goes" featuring the underground rapper 5lack, "Song Silly" with backup vocalist Olivia Burrel, and " G.O.O.D.L.U.C.K " with the prolific percussionist U-zhaan, who's worked with almost everyone from Miyavi to Yoko Kanno. These three tracks are probably the most blatant attempts of toe experimenting with their sound. Although even with these features, the outcomes are less appealing than they seem on paper.

"song silly" features a rather dull electronic drum beat with some appropriately? goofy sounding Engrish vocals from guitarist Mino. You don't even hear Olivia Burrell until the end of the song, and even then, it's just a few minor "doo doo's", that don't add much to the song. A kind gesture naming her as a feature, but it hardly justifies itself in the song. "time goes" is equally awkward for toe. It's not a full song, but more like an interlude that leads into the next track. Still, 5lack's short verse on it is sloppy and upholds the Japanese rap standard of failing to stay on beat. "オトトタイミングキミト ト (oto to timing kimi to)" is basically the continuation of "time goes" and has a fittingly hip-hoppish bop to it. It's a pleasant track , but to quote a pal - 'It just sounds like Nujabes'. Thankfully there's no rapping in it, though. On the other features, U-zhaan performs just about as good as can be expected and CHARA's singing is surprisingly smooth, compared to her usually shrill offerings. But even these feature tracks are plagued by a larger problem that envelopes the entire album.

Takashi Kashikura's dynamic drumming is mostly M.I.A. throughout HEAR YOU, as his performance is noticeably restrained to clear-cut, minimal beats. The only song where his skills really shine and hearken back vintage toe is "My Little Wish". For long-time toe fans, you can't help but feel the dearth of energy Kashikura's subdued drumming leaves. Guitarists Mino and Yamazaki still have impeccable interplay, but their songwriting is missing that factor that made past toe songs so riveting. Tracks like "A Desert Human" and the previously mentioned "commit ballad" are enjoyable enough to bob your head along to, but the songs offer you much incentive to want to revisit. Even the album closer "Because I Hear You" is severely anticlimactic and just kind of plods along without any real purpose. "The World According To" and "Boyo" are probably the only tracks that come close to anything emotionally gripping.

HEAR YOU is still a good effort despite the album's shortcomings. The flow of the album in almost seamless and almost plays like one big narrative, with each track progressing the story. Even tracks like 'Song Silly', which individually doesn't even sound like a traditional toe song, manages to fit into the context of the album. But more importantly than cohesiveness, toe proves that they are incapable of writing poor music. As lackluster as this album is, it's still "good" on many accounts, because what toe does naturally, other bands can only hope to replicate. HEAR YOU will certainly not eclipse toe's previous work, and it likely won't please long time fans either, but it at least makes for some really great background music.


Support the band! "HEAR YOU" on bandcamp
"HEAR YOU" on iTunes US
"HEAR YOU" on CDjapan

Stupid:
 
My Eggplant Died Yesterday (WTF man, your cock died yesterday??? XD)
THE ORAL CIGARETTES (is there anal cigarette or something? lol)

Yo, I have looked your tumblr, your music taste is so cool!
 
welcome again then

hi! i was told it'd be best if i just made a re-introduction after being on and off for so long so. yeah
 
i'm Erin. i used to be active on this forum like four years ago but i really don't wanna remember that because i was beyond salvation back then. i also had a shit music tasted. i liked SuG unironically?? god?? i remember liking lycaon and regretting at some point
 
anyway. nowadays i listen to more japanese music in general. i'm a generic shibuya kei stan, but i tend to listen to most of everything! i'm trying to be more knowledgeable of more indie acts lately, and i'm always hunting for recs because i am awful at using jpopsuki or last.fm. or stalking people's libraries. i'll probably be leeching off a lot of recs here
 
i also have this tumblr music blog where i reblog and ocasionally post things i enjoy? give it a try if you have free time
 
i hope i get along with everyone again 

oh I didn't see this, WELCOME!

*shreek*

I think I am the only one who like Sakura Fujiwara, My playlist can't getting off from her songs LOL
 

 

 

I remember you

Maybe not the best, but the list are my fave:
 
- Gaku Taura (additional drummer Crystal Lake and other band)

 

 
- 凛として時雨's Pierre Nakano
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6iXQwiZr9o
 
- Uchu Konbini's Drummer Yuto Sakai

 
-aquarifa's drummer Rintarou

Tracklist:
1. Flight
2. 満ちていく体温
3. Flash
4. Statelessness
5. You Would Not Understand
6. You’ll Find You’re Loved
7. Planet
8. 木と空
9. 通り道
10. Lark
 
CD (2015/8/19)
ディスク枚数: 1
レーベル: SILHOUETTE RECORDS / VAA
 

 

have read the news, can't wait

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVMKAdQ7Gbc

DIEA new song closer, it's pretty great! I've multiple watching the video just for listening to the music lol XD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVMKAdQ7Gbc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVMKAdQ7Gbc

DIEA new song closer, it's pretty great! I've multiple watching the video just for listening to the music lol XD

I am not too familiar with bear's suggested band, but these are my favorite japanese metal bands
 
Hone Your Sense

A mixed of melodic death metal and metalcore, also deathcore
 
Shatter Silence

Oldschool melodic death metal
 
Thousand Eyes

melodic death metal
 
Ghost Cries

Another female fronted symphonic death metal. yet indefinite hiatus
 
No Limited Spiral

symphonic melodic death metal
 
A Ghost of flare

A metalcore band that have sharp rhythm and technically good.
 
Last Day Dream

Deathcore with 3 guitarists