meat

Sadly true. But fuck them, Garden is awesome. They really made up something very genuine with one of the most cliché formula of the 90s scene.

-I'll- was:
(the message clips have never been released before, btw)

Changing the topic a bit, why are their mixes always so bad? I think Gauze might be their best-sounding album in terms of production. Macabre sounds fairly good too (even though I'm not really a fan of the music per se), but then everything between Kisou and Marrow sounds so thin and weak! I actually like the messy sound of the original Uroboros album but I agree it's not everyone's cup of tea. Dum Spiro Spero sounds fairly good, even though the music doesn't have much "depth", but then all of their post-Rinkaku releases  sound so mechanical, specially the drums, which sound too triggered.
 
Also, I still think all those "From Depression to" DVDs were absolutely pointless and all that touring didn't did anything other than delay the release of the album for a long time. I know they were aiming for something big for the 20th anniversary, but I think it would be much better if they remastered their earlier albums. There's so  many great songs, it's a pity their production isn't always the best. Thankfully Vestige of Scratches corrected that issue for a couple of tracks, but a lot of my favorite songs from earlier relases weren't touched.

@nekkichi is correct, and it is also important to consider the culture of the boards as well. Even in the English-speaking world, a report of rape or murder or suicide will be presented in a much different way on Twitter or Tumblr than on say, 4chan or Encyclopedia Dramatica. Tanuki/2ch are extremely blase and candid about sordid topics and sounding "self-pitying" (for lack of better words) would be extremely frowned upon given the board's culture. It is not a nice place. People mock suicide victims and eagerly discuss their desire to commit child abuse. While I understand the reports are just as unverifiable as anything else on Tanuki, it seems irresponsible to make judgments on what a woman's report on this type of thing "should sound like", especially for those who are not familiar with the posting culture & for those who haven't experienced or witnessed the societal and scene-specific issues mentioned in the post above.

I don't know why so many of you youngsters are trashing their look. I see nothing wrong with their latest look/ outfits. It must be a generational gap thing.
 
I'm a middle aged MUCC grandma who is similar in age and music taste to the MUCC boys. They are a few years older than me and have been good guides to my own fashion choices in the past. And just like Yukke and Miya, I expect to be dressed in black (as I do now) but with loads of colourful warning tapes over my jacket and have heavy black bags under my eyes in a few years time to show off how rebellious and relevant I still am in my 40s. This is how all middle aged people should dress

This basically. And the scene is very different from any other scene in the west.
 
Also the pressure these guys have by the japanese society/elders/family etc, I can imagine it must be tough and I can definitely see why a lot of people give up "early" (five years is not early for a vk band tbh).  (I think that) unless these guys make it big very early on they usually quit because they realize it's not a viable career path. 
 
On the other hand you have guys like Yuuga and Kyouka who simply don't give a fuck. But not giving a fuck is harder in the japanese society than most western countries. 

Apart from all those mentioned above, surely cali≠gari deserves a mention too

Apart from all those mentioned above, surely cali≠gari deserves a mention too

I'm absolutely certain YUKIYA leads a secret cult because there's no reason as to why JILS used to pack livehouses years ago and still go so under the radar all the time.

I translated a bit from a talk between Die, Gara and Boo here: https://www.monochrome-heaven.com/topic/115-merry-fka-メリー/?do=findComment&comment=606026
 
Gara mentions about the hardcore drinking sessions DEG does and he had to go along with it, whilst Die mutters that it's Kaoru who forces shots on people. What I didn't translate was a large section in the video where Die and Gara talked about some of the senpai/ kouhai bullshit they have had to put up with. It's been a while since I watched that vid for a while now so don't quote me on this. But I seem to recall Die saying that him and Kaoru were expecting to clean Yoshiki's toilet upon arriving at his LA home and was told (by someone from Luna Sea or X Japan, can't remember) that it's alright and they should drink some Dom Perignon and chill. Die told it as a positive senpai story
 
If bandomen can be so awful to each other, I wouldn't be surprised at the horrors gyas have to put up with. When especially considering the conventional way for Japanese people to get to know each other, or just to have fun, means copious amount of alcohol.  Mixing that with gyas and kouhais who want to impress, I wouldn't be surprised if 100% of those tanuki posts actually happened.

I 've always thought Gackt sacrificed Kami to the lords below for a successful solo career, who knows

imo (contrary to what he said in his book) gackt left because his ego was too big for malice mizer, but then again basically everything surrounding malice mizer is mostly gossip--no one will ever know why gackt left, why kami died, where klaha is, when they'll come back--if ever--unless the members themselves address it.
i find their whole fiasco fascinating, its probably worth it to make a separate rumours thread to spill the tea on this expired but nonetheless interesting drama.

I think it's supposed to be ハード (Hard, like hardcore?) + コンパ (Konpa = mixer), similar to ヤリコン (fuck+mixer, basically a party for hookups). But no one seems to know the origin of the name for sure.
 
I'm not really sure what to say about it. On one hand, it seems like the roadie system had its benefits and the relationship could be very important to both parties. I was watching the last lynch. blu-ray that came out with the commentary on, where the roadie system came up in conversation. They talked about Ai from DARRELL/DEATHGAZE's previous band, Otogi, and Hazuki mentioned that Otogi had literally a dozen roadies onstage at their disbandment live all crying hysterically because they genuinely cared about the band. Reo (who is older than the other members of lynch. and has a lot more connections in the '98-'04 era VK world) mentioned that he thought that the roadie system allowed for a lot of learning experiences, however it also made a lot of bitter memories when it was basically a glorified way of hazing and abusing people. He implied that he didn't want to cause any of his kouhai to have the bitter memories many people seemed to have from the roadie system. (I should relisten to the commentary later since this is just from memory.)

I also think the near-elimination of the system means fewer talented people being railroaded or turned off of the genre just because a senpai doesn't like them, or because they can't "handle" being treated like a whipping boy, or because they may not otherwise fit in. These girls could be right that it means that even shittier people aren't being weeded out though, or that the barrier for entry is too low for bandmen with no ambitions aside from mitsu money and fuckbuddies... Especially if you do consider that there is more an emphasis on selling yourself as available directly to fans than there used to be. (Imagine any of the bands from this era doing "hug sessions".)

I think the internet would have mostly killed the band vertical hierarchy anyway even if visual kei hadn't started adopting more and more "idol-ish" tactics (i.e. selling personal rapport or the illusion thereof to fans) -- it's happening everywhere now, people are able to just create and distribute music from their homes without much budget or equipment and enter a niche without outside help or an "in". It's still not totally gone though... just look at Tsuzuki/Genki and Koichi's blacklisting from venues.

I translated a bit from a talk between Die, Gara and Boo here: https://www.monochrome-heaven.com/topic/115-merry-fka-メリー/?do=findComment&comment=606026
 
Gara mentions about the hardcore drinking sessions DEG does and he had to go along with it, whilst Die mutters that it's Kaoru who forces shots on people. What I didn't translate was a large section in the video where Die and Gara talked about some of the senpai/ kouhai bullshit they have had to put up with. It's been a while since I watched that vid for a while now so don't quote me on this. But I seem to recall Die saying that him and Kaoru were expecting to clean Yoshiki's toilet upon arriving at his LA home and was told (by someone from Luna Sea or X Japan, can't remember) that it's alright and they should drink some Dom Perignon and chill. Die told it as a positive senpai story
 
If bandomen can be so awful to each other, I wouldn't be surprised at the horrors gyas have to put up with. When especially considering the conventional way for Japanese people to get to know each other, or just to have fun, means copious amount of alcohol.  Mixing that with gyas and kouhais who want to impress, I wouldn't be surprised if 100% of those tanuki posts actually happened.

Hopefully the Hyde collab will just be exclusive for the anime and the album version will have Toshi.
If not, I'm afraid the next X Japan album's going to look like a typical rap album where every track has someone as a guest and you barely hear just the artist themselves:

1. Last Song feat. Will.i.am
2. Kurenai (English Version) feat. spoken word by David Lynch
3. Kiss the Sky feat. Way too many audience members who wasted too many minutes of their lives while the band took a break on stage
4. I.V. feat hide and Taiji during the solo and also the sound of a can of Yoshikirin being opened right on top of them in the mix, because oi$hii !
5. Rock Star feat. Marilyn Manson who tries to cover hide's Drain gremlin voice
6. Beneath The Skin feat. S.K.I.N.
7. Red Swan feat. Hyde
8. Angel feat. a duet with a Violet UK starlet that was sold a dream of fame and glory but who now realizes she spent too many years on the project
9. La Venus feat. Toshi but not Pata, Heath, and Sugizo
10. Art of Life (Last Refrain) feat. Oprah reading some inspirational passage written by Yoshiki about overcoming hardships in life and somehow struggling on

Limited Edition 1st Press Bonus Disc:
Yoshiki featuring Lady's X
1. Without You
2. Born to be Free
3. Scarlet Love Song
4. Jade
5. Hero

Yeah, I'm thinking the actual CD might be a collection of the demo songs and maybe a couple more tracks... so hopefully at least a mini album!
 
edit: Just found a pic of the 'demos'... yep, they're literally just cards, lmao. And someone's already selling this set for ¥8000 on Yahoo, damnnn.
 

 
btw today's the tour final at Shinjuku LOFT, so let's hope they'll announce the CD soon afterwards~

So Yuu is writing lyrics now...:O
 
 
 

Tracklist, album art and new band look has been revealed (cool band pic btw).
 
CD
01. 廿奇譚AHEAD
02. 血空
03. 不安の殿堂
04. 回游論
05. 素晴らしい世界
06. 主人公ルート
07. 夜空に舞う花弁
08. 我が為に鳴くパンドラ
09. 孤独氏
10. おやすみ世界
11. 弊帚トリムルティ
 
 
CD+DVD edition bonus DVD:
弊帚トリムルティ [Music Video]
血空 [Music Video]
メトーク (special 'talk programme' commemorating their 20th anniversary, runtime is 101 mins)
+ mini photobook and special box packaging
 
 
2CD edition bonus CD: re-recording best album
01. 誤sick
02. 不機嫌なアンドロイド
03. ΦD-SANSKRIT
04. 魔法
05. 薔薇と紅蓮
06. 僕が僕の為に僕を辞める僕
07. ねじ式
08. カフカフ
09. 先生
10. MATSURI
11. PSYCHO-ENEMY
12. 三つ数えろ
13. デリート
14. アクアリウム
15. 青い鳥
 
 
Cover art (CD+DVD limited ed., 2CD limited ed., regular ed.)
 

 

 

 
 

It’s a pleasure to be able to share MERRY-ness with others! I just hope it is alright to translate and put my spin on so much stuff, as I am sure there’s loads more people whose Japanese is better than mine and would disagree with my interpretation.
 
If it’s alright, I did  just a little write up on a recent web TV interview with Gara.
https://freshlive.tv/bar_boo_friends/185971
My understanding is that Boo wanted to interview Die only but Die requested for Gara to join as well. I’m not going to go into too much details of what Die and Boo said because they are mainly DEG, X Japan, Ladies Room related. In general, Gara’s role on this show is being Die’s kouhai and reminiscent some stories from his roadie days.
 
 

It would be pretty sweet if they would do a MUCC style year of re-releases for their 20th anniversary 

Know what would be cool? If they remastered (though re-recording might be better) Peep Show, M.E.R.R.Y, and Underworld. I call that Merry’s “tin can era”.

Trinity Blood OP || BUCK-TICK - ドレス 

Can't forget this one. Great song (obviously), and one of the greatest anime too.

oh yeah that's definitely her. the shop is called yellow house and last time i went in the granny told me something along the lines of 'i don't go to yoshiki, he comes to me'. 

Most folks have already covered the major issues. Just to add a few things:
 
1) I don't think most bands want it. They can have a good career in Japan, making it in America and Europe would require a major effort that they don't want. And why bother? Japan is the size of California and most of the shows are around Tokyo. Why live out of a tour bus for 5-6 months when you can do a tour in 3 weeks and go home most nights?
 
2) I wonder if the lack of English is an issue. Look at Rammstein. They tour arenas in the US and they are singing in German. So a non-English band can make it. But in general the lack of English probably hurts.
 
That's why Lovebites have gained so much momentum and blown past Mary's Blood to be the top girl metal band. They all speak English, their lyrics are in English, and they openly say they want to play the US and Europe. They said they wanted to play Wacken, the biggest metal festival in the world. And they are on the bill this year. I know Dir En Grey played WOA and one or two other bands have been on as well but I've seen no such ambition out of Aldious, who are supposed to be the leaders of the girls metal movement.
 
3) The labels are no help. Sony and Victor block their videos outside of Japan. You can get around it if you use the Opera browser with its built-in VPN turned on but that's a headache.  Add to it the lack of promotional material in English, and you really have to make an effort to be a fan of JRock. And I'll tell you one of the biggest pissers to the guys on the Japanese Metal Forum: multiple versions of live DVDs. I've seen it several times. The basic DVD comes with X number of songs. Then there's the deluxe one, some times twice the price, with about a half dozen more songs. That's fucking greedy and no western band pulls that.
 
4) Japan's public image. Japan has a well-earned reputation for utter nutttiness. I think it was pro wrestling commentator Bobby Heenan who said of Japan "Either we bombed them too much or not enough." So then casual fans see a random VK band, or Babymetal, roll their eyes and think there's Japan being Japan. Channeled in the right direction and goofiness works. Maximum the Hormone have proved that.  Gacharic Spin are sorta gaining traction as well and they are fucking nuts.
 
5) I hate to say it but I suspect that racial ignorance plays a part. The fact is this is a white, English-speaking country and it's not very good at accepting foreigners, especially non-Europeans. Look at the trouble KPop artists have, and they WANT to make it here. SNSD, Psy, HyunA and 2NE1 all tried. BTS are running into all kinds of headwinds. It's not just music. Look at all the Asian actors who tried their luck in Hollywood and returned to China. Hate to say it but America just isn't very Asian-friendly.
 
6) I can't claim to understand the VK scene very well but I do know that in the metal scene, the anti-image tends to dominate. Just plain looking guys in tees and jeans. VK emphasizes the visual when that's the area of least emphasized element of metal today