Champ213

I buy CDs (or any other band merchanside) mostly for myself. Because I like to have it. Supporting the band, however little of it actually reaches them, is just an added bonus (and what they do with their money is really up to them - I'm not too much in the business of judging other people's lifestyle.)
 
 
And if the music of a band I used to like suddenly turned bad - well, I'll stop buying it. In this day and age nobody has to buy bad music anymore. There is usually more than one way, legal or illegal, to listen to something before buying, if you are unsure. 
 
 
I think it would have to be something REALLY serious for me to stop buying music I like (or any other band stuff) just to prevent the few cents of my purchase from reaching the artist - like, I dunno, them turning into completely fucked-up nazi assholes or child rapists or whatever. Then maybe I would think "Yeah.... maybe I'll just keep my money". But them spending "my" money on useless stuff? Hardly.
 
Suffice to say, that hasn't happened to me so far.

I buy CDs (or any other band merchanside) mostly for myself. Because I like to have it. Supporting the band, however little of it actually reaches them, is just an added bonus (and what they do with their money is really up to them - I'm not too much in the business of judging other people's lifestyle.)
 
 
And if the music of a band I used to like suddenly turned bad - well, I'll stop buying it. In this day and age nobody has to buy bad music anymore. There is usually more than one way, legal or illegal, to listen to something before buying, if you are unsure. 
 
 
I think it would have to be something REALLY serious for me to stop buying music I like (or any other band stuff) just to prevent the few cents of my purchase from reaching the artist - like, I dunno, them turning into completely fucked-up nazi assholes or child rapists or whatever. Then maybe I would think "Yeah.... maybe I'll just keep my money". But them spending "my" money on useless stuff? Hardly.
 
Suffice to say, that hasn't happened to me so far.

I have played this game more than I should have, lol. It's one of those "Just one more round and then I go to bed..... oh, hey, are those birds singing outside?"-type of games. XD
 
 
My favourite victory so far: bribe the city states into submission while conquering all other civilisations, except Alexander (I left Alexander because he has a high tolerance against warmongers and liked me even when I was a ravaging tyrant subjugating the entire world. Plus, he's a cutie.) Then, when it's only me and Alexander left, initiate a UN vote - and win for lack of other candidates. So cynical.

If I see any more personal attacks in this thread, may they be implied at one person or just aimed at a broad group of people, or any attempt to put down people's opinions by ad hominems, I will hand out warnings on the double. Get over yourself people, and accept that not everyone likes the same things you do.
 
My banhammer is yearning for some action after a long period of rest, so be careful.
 

I would welcome you to the site, but if you have been here for years I'll just say glad you decided to step out of the shadows! Hope you'll become more active and continue to have a good time here!
 
 
 
Yup, Trombe is pretty much the best member around here. XD

If I see any more personal attacks in this thread, may they be implied at one person or just aimed at a broad group of people, or any attempt to put down people's opinions by ad hominems, I will hand out warnings on the double. Get over yourself people, and accept that not everyone likes the same things you do.
 
My banhammer is yearning for some action after a long period of rest, so be careful.
 

Me too! XD
 
But yes, that's an interesting point. I guess it's true that sometimes it's just the nostalgia that lets us continue to enjoy some songs that we probably wouldn't take notice of if they were released today.
 
 
 
 
That's true. But I'm mostly baffled by the abruptness with which some people seem to exchange the things they love. My listening habits have changed a lot over the years as well, but I have to go back really far to get to some "lol, wth was I thinking?"-moment. And my answer would usually be "Well, I was 12 years old."
 
On the other hand, I have literally experienced people saying things like "Lol, I have just seen my last.fm charts from last year. I was such a weeaboo back then, totally embarrassing." Some people suggested that maybe they never loved the music to begin with, or loved it for the wrong reasons, but I think it may be the other way round, ie. they reject it now for the wrong reasons, like wanting to present a more "adult" taste, wanting to disassociate themselves from a fandom they grew to dislike etc.
 
 
I think music should be journey and you should keep exploring stuff, but a journey becomes kinda pointless if you vehemently try to forgot parts of your journey once you have moved on somewhere else. I do not listen to the same music I listened to 10 years ago, but I always try to bring the best bits and pieces of each stage of my musical journey as luggage into the next. Thus I can on rare occasions spin some old HIM or Marilyn Manson CDs, or some generic but fun vk song from 5 years ago, and be completely unashamed. XD

If I see any more personal attacks in this thread, may they be implied at one person or just aimed at a broad group of people, or any attempt to put down people's opinions by ad hominems, I will hand out warnings on the double. Get over yourself people, and accept that not everyone likes the same things you do.
 
My banhammer is yearning for some action after a long period of rest, so be careful.
 

If I see any more personal attacks in this thread, may they be implied at one person or just aimed at a broad group of people, or any attempt to put down people's opinions by ad hominems, I will hand out warnings on the double. Get over yourself people, and accept that not everyone likes the same things you do.
 
My banhammer is yearning for some action after a long period of rest, so be careful.
 

Let's just say, you don't often see charts that have Children of Bodom next to Morning Musume.

First of all, let me clarify what I mean by the title. In my 10+ years in the online jrock community I have more than once experienced how people drastically change their tastes in music within a very short time, often only a few months. And by "drastic" I don't necessarily mean that they start to listen to music that is completely different in style (quite often it's just one variety of rock/metal to another variety of it), but the way that they suddenly regard bands they once loved with nothing but disgust.
 
 
The most obvious example in jrock is that people listen to vk for a while, then suddenly change rather abruptly to something else, and subsequently start to hate all or at least many of their old favourites, feeling embarrassed for what they listened to just about a year ago.
 
 
I never really understood this kind of fickleness, and I don't recall when it last happened for me. It's one thing to keep expanding your musical horizons, but it seems odd to me to do such an 180° turn. That's not expansion, it's replacing one thing with another. 
I guess there's some stuff I listened to when I was 10-15 that I'm not exactly proud of, lol. But I can say with confidence that any band or any song I truly loved since about that age (15/16) is still dear to me in some way. I may not listen to them anymore, but I can usually still understand what I saw in those bands/songs at that time. And never has my love turned into hate or embarressment. As you could say, I'm completely at peace with my musical history of the past 15 years.
 
 
So I wonder....
 
Is it an age thing? Something that just may occur naturally when growing up, and may happen any time between 15 and, dunno, 22, but rarely after that? Basically, you just give up on music that was part of your childhood/teenage age in exchange for something that is perceived as more "adult"? Most people where I witnessed this change were probably between 20-22 at that time.
 
Is is something specifically about vk? Maybe something about the way that many binge-listen to vk for several years up to the point that they literally get sick of it? (And often listen to it very indiscriminately too.) Or maybe because vk is considered "immature" and has to be left behind when changing to a more "adult" taste? Or does this happen with other genres as well?
 
Has such drastic change ever happened to you, and why do you think you suddenly feel hate/embarrassment towards something you loved not too long ago?

The Japanese

 

 

 

 



 

Church of Misery - Thy Kingdom Scum

 

What is it?

The soft spot between doom metal, sludge and stoner metal. Although apparently they don't like to be called stoner metal.

 

Why do I like it?

It's immersive, brooding, dark and groovy at the same time. The songs are complex and yet "accessible" enough for a casual listener of this specific genre (like myself) to enjoy. There aren't really any songs that stand out in particular, but the album, that is all themed around famous serial killers, is best enjoyed as a whole. And as such it does a really good job. But if I had to pick a favourite song, it would probably be the faster-paced, blues-y "Lambs to the slaughter". But it's best just to spin the album as a whole and enjoy the powerful bass and psychedlic rythms.



 

 

 



 

Gauzes - 揺篭

 

 

What is it?

Visual kei, the old-school flavour. Highly influenced by bands like La'Mule.

 

Why do I like it?

When trimming down my list to 5 japanese picks, I had my top 4 figured out pretty quickly. The battle for 5th was hard, but eventually GAUZES won against Jupiter, amber gris and other stuff. Because you just don't hear stuff like this often anymore, and hearing it done well is even rarer. Obviously if you want originality, this isn't really the place to look. But like Grieva they manage to combine a nostalgic sound with modern influences, although I consider GAUZES more "conservative" in the way the emulate their idol's sound. I must also admit that their album only "clicked" at the second listen for me, but now I really love it.



 

 



 

グリーヴァ (Grieva) - 鬼ト影

 

What is it?

Visual kei, the old-school flavour. Highly influenced by bands like old Dir en grey.

 

Why do I like it?

I already wrote an extensive review on this in the joined staff list, so I'll keep it short. It seems the common consensus now is that you either hate this band for being a Dir en grey copycat, or that you love them for bringing back a long-lost sound. Yes, I could just go back and listen to some old DeG records, but I really like what these guys to with their influences, while still sounding fresh enough to be enjoyable.



 

 



 

実験台モルモット (Jikkendai Marmot) - 見開キ こころ❤断面図

 

What is it?

Jazzy pop-rock basically, with a unique vocalist.

 

Why do I like it?

Jikkendai Marmot always manage to deliver delightful, sweeping jazz-pop - and lovely vocal acrobatics. Which, I guess, are a matter of taste, but you can certainly hear that vocalist Tani Takuma is passionate about the music, especially in songs like 正しい心の殺し方.  He is accompanied by a violin, sometime cheery, sometimes melancholic and a playful piano. Most of the songs on this album are of an upbeat nature, while still maintaining their characteristic melancholic undertone. There are also some full ballads like 小さな虫 though.  If you liked their previous releases, you will also like this. If you don't like jazzy stuff and/or crazy high-pitched vocals, you probably should pass up on this.



 

 



 

なかの綾 (Nakano Aya) - へたなうそ

 

What is it?

Jazzy retro-pop with latin influences and a smooth, beautiful voice.

 

Why do I like it?

I absolutely loved her debut album "Zurui hito" from 2010, although it was basically just an album full of covers of old songs, mostly from the 60s and 70s. But it was just thorougly enjoyable and very coherent, despite containing all these songs from other people. Compared to that the new album "Hetana uso" falls a bit short - literally, as it's only 7 songs, one being a re-recording from the first album. But it still has all the things that made the debut shine: beautiful nostalgic songs, that make you think of old movies, rendered in Nakano's soft, yet powerful voice. I didn't actually check if "Hetana uso" has any original songs or ist just all covers again (it probably is), but it doesn't really minimize the enjoyment you get from this album.



 

 

Other things I liked (alphabetical):

amber gris - Around Children

青葉市子 - 0

Dear L'Novel - 愛と死

Jupiter - CLASSICAL ELEMENT

LUNA SEA - A will

メメント・モリ - 百花繚乱-好色狂女

Yeti - 賛成の反対

The Non-Japanese
 
 

 
Arbouretum - Coming Out of the Fog
 
What is it?
I have seen all sorts of genre labels put on this band. Folk rock, doom folk, psychedelic rock, stoner rock, indie rock, alternative country. Make your pick.
 
Why do I like it?
Having never heard of this band before, I just tried this album on a whim and was pleasantly surprised. It's a very laidback album full of melancholic atmosphere and expressive guitar riffs. Some songs are more on the doomier side, while "The Promise" in particular gives me an inexplicibly David-Bowie-feel, probably due the vocals. Absolutely worth mentioning is also the slow, folky and country-esque "Oceans Don't Sing", because it's simply beaitiful. Basically, if you like any or all of the genres mentioned above, you should give this a try.

 
 

 
Corde Oblique - Per le strade ripetute
 
What is it?
A (neo)folk project from Italy. "Ethereal" and "neoclassical" are also words used to describe them, and they call themselves "Progressive Ethereal Folk".
 
Why do I like it?
Because they simply make stunningly beautiful music. The main head behind the project is guitarist and composer Riccardo Prencipe, the vocals are female for the most part though and in usually in italian. The music is based on accoustic guitars, doleful violins and expressive vocals, sometimes accompanied by a piano. And some of their melodies are just heart-wrenchingly beautiful. I can specifically recommend "Averno", "Bambina d'oro" (for the amazing violins) and "Ali bianche" (nice "dramatic" drums).

 
 

 
Kauan - Pirut
 
What is it?
Started out as black metal band, then moved more into doom metal and finally became something of an ambient post-rock band. The new album something in between the latter two.
 
Why do I like it?
This was probably my most expected album of 2013, and boy, it did not disappoint. Although it almost didn't came to pass, because while main composer Anton Belov was working on the album in his hometown of Chelyabinsk, an asteroid exploded over the city, causing damage and delaying the production of the album, while also influencing parts of it (notice the cover art and the sound effect in the sample at 0:34). The whole album is written as one song (although divided on the CD for more convinient listening, but the seperate "songs" are just numbered I - VIII). Within this song of 39 Minutes the band explores some of their roots with harsh vocals and a strong doom metal feel, but also include their later, more ambient sound with accoustic guitars and beautiful violins and piano. So while it's technically one song, it never gets boring or repetetive. And yeah, they sing in finnish, although the band is actually from Russia and Ukraine.

 
 

 
The bianca Story - Digger
 
What is it?
Indie-rock band from Switzerland that incorporates fragments of post-rock mixed with portions of new-wave.
 
Why do I like it?
Another random discovery I made this year that turned out to be quite enjoyable. "Digger" is a catchy, playful album that incorporates a good amount of variety, from the slower post-rock-ish "Crescendo" to danceable songs like "Glück macht einsam", and everything inbetween. In particular I like the use of two vocalists, male and female. The deep, earthy vopcals of Elia Rediger mix very well with the sweet soft voice of Anna Gosteli. If this sounds like something you can enjoy, you can download their album  for free on their homepage. The production was financed via crowdfunding with the explicit intent to make the album availible for free.

 
 

 
Týr - Valkyrja
 
What is it?
Folk metal, broadly speaking. Týr use clean vocals only and they do not employ any "traditional" folk instruments like flutes or bagpipes. Depending on song and release the music can tend towards progressive, power or heavy metal, the folk influence mostly coming from incooperating traditional melodies.
 
Why do I like it?
Týr has yet to disappoint me. Granted, my favourite release is still their Ragnarok album from 2006, but this is probably favourite release since then - and the albums inbetween were definetely not bad at all! On "Valkyrja" they once again demonstrate their strongest feature: incredibly catchy melodies. Even months after the release I still find myself with bits and pieces of "Another Fallen Brother" or "Lady of the Slain" stuck in my head. Their songs can be extremely straightforward, like the opener "Blood of Heroes", or progressively playful like "Hel hath no fury" (which gets bonus points just for that title). They aren't exactly re-inventing themselves with this album, but they delivered what I expected from them: great, addicting metal. And I still giggle when Heri sings about his "flute" in "Mare of my Night".

 
 
Other things I liked (alphabetical):
Ancient VVisdom - Deathlike
Amon Amarth - Deceiver Of The Gods
Ereb Altor - Fire meets Ice
Layla Zoe - The Lily
 Lilly Dahab - Huellas
Månegarm - Legions of the North
Rotting Christ - Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy
The Monolith Deathcult - Tetragrammaton
Turisas - Turisas2013
Vali - Skogslandskap
Wardruna - Yggdrasil
Woodkid - The Golden Age

The Japanese

 

 

 

 



 

Church of Misery - Thy Kingdom Scum

 

What is it?

The soft spot between doom metal, sludge and stoner metal. Although apparently they don't like to be called stoner metal.

 

Why do I like it?

It's immersive, brooding, dark and groovy at the same time. The songs are complex and yet "accessible" enough for a casual listener of this specific genre (like myself) to enjoy. There aren't really any songs that stand out in particular, but the album, that is all themed around famous serial killers, is best enjoyed as a whole. And as such it does a really good job. But if I had to pick a favourite song, it would probably be the faster-paced, blues-y "Lambs to the slaughter". But it's best just to spin the album as a whole and enjoy the powerful bass and psychedlic rythms.



 

 

 



 

Gauzes - 揺篭

 

 

What is it?

Visual kei, the old-school flavour. Highly influenced by bands like La'Mule.

 

Why do I like it?

When trimming down my list to 5 japanese picks, I had my top 4 figured out pretty quickly. The battle for 5th was hard, but eventually GAUZES won against Jupiter, amber gris and other stuff. Because you just don't hear stuff like this often anymore, and hearing it done well is even rarer. Obviously if you want originality, this isn't really the place to look. But like Grieva they manage to combine a nostalgic sound with modern influences, although I consider GAUZES more "conservative" in the way the emulate their idol's sound. I must also admit that their album only "clicked" at the second listen for me, but now I really love it.



 

 



 

グリーヴァ (Grieva) - 鬼ト影

 

What is it?

Visual kei, the old-school flavour. Highly influenced by bands like old Dir en grey.

 

Why do I like it?

I already wrote an extensive review on this in the joined staff list, so I'll keep it short. It seems the common consensus now is that you either hate this band for being a Dir en grey copycat, or that you love them for bringing back a long-lost sound. Yes, I could just go back and listen to some old DeG records, but I really like what these guys to with their influences, while still sounding fresh enough to be enjoyable.



 

 



 

実験台モルモット (Jikkendai Marmot) - 見開キ こころ❤断面図

 

What is it?

Jazzy pop-rock basically, with a unique vocalist.

 

Why do I like it?

Jikkendai Marmot always manage to deliver delightful, sweeping jazz-pop - and lovely vocal acrobatics. Which, I guess, are a matter of taste, but you can certainly hear that vocalist Tani Takuma is passionate about the music, especially in songs like 正しい心の殺し方.  He is accompanied by a violin, sometime cheery, sometimes melancholic and a playful piano. Most of the songs on this album are of an upbeat nature, while still maintaining their characteristic melancholic undertone. There are also some full ballads like 小さな虫 though.  If you liked their previous releases, you will also like this. If you don't like jazzy stuff and/or crazy high-pitched vocals, you probably should pass up on this.



 

 



 

なかの綾 (Nakano Aya) - へたなうそ

 

What is it?

Jazzy retro-pop with latin influences and a smooth, beautiful voice.

 

Why do I like it?

I absolutely loved her debut album "Zurui hito" from 2010, although it was basically just an album full of covers of old songs, mostly from the 60s and 70s. But it was just thorougly enjoyable and very coherent, despite containing all these songs from other people. Compared to that the new album "Hetana uso" falls a bit short - literally, as it's only 7 songs, one being a re-recording from the first album. But it still has all the things that made the debut shine: beautiful nostalgic songs, that make you think of old movies, rendered in Nakano's soft, yet powerful voice. I didn't actually check if "Hetana uso" has any original songs or ist just all covers again (it probably is), but it doesn't really minimize the enjoyment you get from this album.



 

 

Other things I liked (alphabetical):

amber gris - Around Children

青葉市子 - 0

Dear L'Novel - 愛と死

Jupiter - CLASSICAL ELEMENT

LUNA SEA - A will

メメント・モリ - 百花繚乱-好色狂女

Yeti - 賛成の反対

The Non-Japanese
 
 

 
Arbouretum - Coming Out of the Fog
 
What is it?
I have seen all sorts of genre labels put on this band. Folk rock, doom folk, psychedelic rock, stoner rock, indie rock, alternative country. Make your pick.
 
Why do I like it?
Having never heard of this band before, I just tried this album on a whim and was pleasantly surprised. It's a very laidback album full of melancholic atmosphere and expressive guitar riffs. Some songs are more on the doomier side, while "The Promise" in particular gives me an inexplicibly David-Bowie-feel, probably due the vocals. Absolutely worth mentioning is also the slow, folky and country-esque "Oceans Don't Sing", because it's simply beaitiful. Basically, if you like any or all of the genres mentioned above, you should give this a try.

 
 

 
Corde Oblique - Per le strade ripetute
 
What is it?
A (neo)folk project from Italy. "Ethereal" and "neoclassical" are also words used to describe them, and they call themselves "Progressive Ethereal Folk".
 
Why do I like it?
Because they simply make stunningly beautiful music. The main head behind the project is guitarist and composer Riccardo Prencipe, the vocals are female for the most part though and in usually in italian. The music is based on accoustic guitars, doleful violins and expressive vocals, sometimes accompanied by a piano. And some of their melodies are just heart-wrenchingly beautiful. I can specifically recommend "Averno", "Bambina d'oro" (for the amazing violins) and "Ali bianche" (nice "dramatic" drums).

 
 

 
Kauan - Pirut
 
What is it?
Started out as black metal band, then moved more into doom metal and finally became something of an ambient post-rock band. The new album something in between the latter two.
 
Why do I like it?
This was probably my most expected album of 2013, and boy, it did not disappoint. Although it almost didn't came to pass, because while main composer Anton Belov was working on the album in his hometown of Chelyabinsk, an asteroid exploded over the city, causing damage and delaying the production of the album, while also influencing parts of it (notice the cover art and the sound effect in the sample at 0:34). The whole album is written as one song (although divided on the CD for more convinient listening, but the seperate "songs" are just numbered I - VIII). Within this song of 39 Minutes the band explores some of their roots with harsh vocals and a strong doom metal feel, but also include their later, more ambient sound with accoustic guitars and beautiful violins and piano. So while it's technically one song, it never gets boring or repetetive. And yeah, they sing in finnish, although the band is actually from Russia and Ukraine.

 
 

 
The bianca Story - Digger
 
What is it?
Indie-rock band from Switzerland that incorporates fragments of post-rock mixed with portions of new-wave.
 
Why do I like it?
Another random discovery I made this year that turned out to be quite enjoyable. "Digger" is a catchy, playful album that incorporates a good amount of variety, from the slower post-rock-ish "Crescendo" to danceable songs like "Glück macht einsam", and everything inbetween. In particular I like the use of two vocalists, male and female. The deep, earthy vopcals of Elia Rediger mix very well with the sweet soft voice of Anna Gosteli. If this sounds like something you can enjoy, you can download their album  for free on their homepage. The production was financed via crowdfunding with the explicit intent to make the album availible for free.

 
 

 
Týr - Valkyrja
 
What is it?
Folk metal, broadly speaking. Týr use clean vocals only and they do not employ any "traditional" folk instruments like flutes or bagpipes. Depending on song and release the music can tend towards progressive, power or heavy metal, the folk influence mostly coming from incooperating traditional melodies.
 
Why do I like it?
Týr has yet to disappoint me. Granted, my favourite release is still their Ragnarok album from 2006, but this is probably favourite release since then - and the albums inbetween were definetely not bad at all! On "Valkyrja" they once again demonstrate their strongest feature: incredibly catchy melodies. Even months after the release I still find myself with bits and pieces of "Another Fallen Brother" or "Lady of the Slain" stuck in my head. Their songs can be extremely straightforward, like the opener "Blood of Heroes", or progressively playful like "Hel hath no fury" (which gets bonus points just for that title). They aren't exactly re-inventing themselves with this album, but they delivered what I expected from them: great, addicting metal. And I still giggle when Heri sings about his "flute" in "Mare of my Night".

 
 
Other things I liked (alphabetical):
Ancient VVisdom - Deathlike
Amon Amarth - Deceiver Of The Gods
Ereb Altor - Fire meets Ice
Layla Zoe - The Lily
 Lilly Dahab - Huellas
Månegarm - Legions of the North
Rotting Christ - Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy
The Monolith Deathcult - Tetragrammaton
Turisas - Turisas2013
Vali - Skogslandskap
Wardruna - Yggdrasil
Woodkid - The Golden Age

The Japanese

 

 

 

 



 

Church of Misery - Thy Kingdom Scum

 

What is it?

The soft spot between doom metal, sludge and stoner metal. Although apparently they don't like to be called stoner metal.

 

Why do I like it?

It's immersive, brooding, dark and groovy at the same time. The songs are complex and yet "accessible" enough for a casual listener of this specific genre (like myself) to enjoy. There aren't really any songs that stand out in particular, but the album, that is all themed around famous serial killers, is best enjoyed as a whole. And as such it does a really good job. But if I had to pick a favourite song, it would probably be the faster-paced, blues-y "Lambs to the slaughter". But it's best just to spin the album as a whole and enjoy the powerful bass and psychedlic rythms.



 

 

 



 

Gauzes - 揺篭

 

 

What is it?

Visual kei, the old-school flavour. Highly influenced by bands like La'Mule.

 

Why do I like it?

When trimming down my list to 5 japanese picks, I had my top 4 figured out pretty quickly. The battle for 5th was hard, but eventually GAUZES won against Jupiter, amber gris and other stuff. Because you just don't hear stuff like this often anymore, and hearing it done well is even rarer. Obviously if you want originality, this isn't really the place to look. But like Grieva they manage to combine a nostalgic sound with modern influences, although I consider GAUZES more "conservative" in the way the emulate their idol's sound. I must also admit that their album only "clicked" at the second listen for me, but now I really love it.



 

 



 

グリーヴァ (Grieva) - 鬼ト影

 

What is it?

Visual kei, the old-school flavour. Highly influenced by bands like old Dir en grey.

 

Why do I like it?

I already wrote an extensive review on this in the joined staff list, so I'll keep it short. It seems the common consensus now is that you either hate this band for being a Dir en grey copycat, or that you love them for bringing back a long-lost sound. Yes, I could just go back and listen to some old DeG records, but I really like what these guys to with their influences, while still sounding fresh enough to be enjoyable.



 

 



 

実験台モルモット (Jikkendai Marmot) - 見開キ こころ❤断面図

 

What is it?

Jazzy pop-rock basically, with a unique vocalist.

 

Why do I like it?

Jikkendai Marmot always manage to deliver delightful, sweeping jazz-pop - and lovely vocal acrobatics. Which, I guess, are a matter of taste, but you can certainly hear that vocalist Tani Takuma is passionate about the music, especially in songs like 正しい心の殺し方.  He is accompanied by a violin, sometime cheery, sometimes melancholic and a playful piano. Most of the songs on this album are of an upbeat nature, while still maintaining their characteristic melancholic undertone. There are also some full ballads like 小さな虫 though.  If you liked their previous releases, you will also like this. If you don't like jazzy stuff and/or crazy high-pitched vocals, you probably should pass up on this.



 

 



 

なかの綾 (Nakano Aya) - へたなうそ

 

What is it?

Jazzy retro-pop with latin influences and a smooth, beautiful voice.

 

Why do I like it?

I absolutely loved her debut album "Zurui hito" from 2010, although it was basically just an album full of covers of old songs, mostly from the 60s and 70s. But it was just thorougly enjoyable and very coherent, despite containing all these songs from other people. Compared to that the new album "Hetana uso" falls a bit short - literally, as it's only 7 songs, one being a re-recording from the first album. But it still has all the things that made the debut shine: beautiful nostalgic songs, that make you think of old movies, rendered in Nakano's soft, yet powerful voice. I didn't actually check if "Hetana uso" has any original songs or ist just all covers again (it probably is), but it doesn't really minimize the enjoyment you get from this album.



 

 

Other things I liked (alphabetical):

amber gris - Around Children

青葉市子 - 0

Dear L'Novel - 愛と死

Jupiter - CLASSICAL ELEMENT

LUNA SEA - A will

メメント・モリ - 百花繚乱-好色狂女

Yeti - 賛成の反対

So yeah, here's my best-of-list for the year 2013. I like my lists more concise, so I set myself a limit of 10 releases (5 japanese, 5 non-japanese). I'm also notoriously slow when it comes to listen to new releases. Basically, I feel just about prepared enough to write my Best-of list for 2010. XD
 
So there's a lot of stuff I have missed and that may have made the list, if I had more time on my hands.
 
I still had to trim down my list to make it 10 releases. I tried to focus on stuff that hasn't been mentioned in other staff lists.
 
 
Lists will be posted in the next 2 posts. Order of the list is alphabetrical.

The names aren't that ambigious, but I think people are thrown off by the use of katakana where you normally would expect hiragana. XD
They may even have used crappy online translators or dictionaries, that didn't pick up the katakana as being a part of the kanji before it. But yes, it should be "norowareshi" and "kurui". "norowareshii" is proper adjective meaning "accursed". 
 
Can't really help you with the history, but that looks like some impressive biography you wrote there!

?
I never claimed anything different. Demos are exactly that. The cheapest and easiest way to show your stuff to people. A couple years ago the typical medium for that would be a tape, yes.
Today the typical medium would be a digital file, either homeburned to a cd or uploaded on the internet.
 
So a band to record a typical 90s vk demo today doesn't do it because it's the easiest way (like their idols did), they do it out of nostalgia even though a digital version would have been easier to edit and easier to spread. It's basically classicism.
 
----
I actually couldn't find any of my favorites on youtube unfortunately, but this video is dubbed with Syndromes 'vogue' demo which is one of their best songs. (imho)
 

Not sure if you would count Nakano Aya, but there you go:
 

 
 
Julee Karen might also be something you like:
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-EHskr1uls
 
 
And some Oonishi Yukari:
 

 
 
None of them are "groups" though, not sure if that's important?

Normally the studio versions, especially for stuff I haven't heard before. I do like to hear live versions of my favourite songs though. There are also a few cases where the live versions sound better than the studio versions. I could swear that Atsushi Sakurai sometimes sounds even more impressive live than on CD.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEJUReKHkpE
 

Wrapping up the last few days...
 
Boris - You can never go wrong with Boris
M-Koda - I loved Drawing Arrow Diagram. It's one of my fav electronic albums of 2013. Glad to see it made it on the list.
Nocturnal Bloodlust - Grimoire was great, even though I liked their other 2013 releases better. Still, Nocturnal Bloodlust is one of the only Japanese bands that does the core genre any justice. They have the creativity, technicality and brutality so many other wannabe core vk bands lack. 
Ling Tosite Sigure - Good to see I'mperfect didn't get overlooked either. Fantastic album. This should make an appearance on everyone's list.
 
Overall I highly enjoyed this 25 days of xmas music review stint. I have yet to check out all the bands but I already have discovered quite a few jems. I know lists can subjective for everyone, but I agree with 98% of the bands that were chosen for this. The staff reviews were also fun to read. So to everyone involved in this I will say good job.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Well, first of all, MH is really the only online music-related online community I frequent, so I can really only base my experiences on this.
 
So, do they complain more than they actually talk? As a whole, I don't think so. But I guess the complaing is more obvious? And, in individual cases it's certainly true.  In general, there's nothing wrong with disliking a band, being critical of a band, or even poking fun at something really bad - in good doses. But once you are more concerend with bands you hate than with bands you like - you should seriously reconsider your priorities.
 
 
Well, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they actually don't like the music. But they probably wouldn't express their dislike so much if it wasn't a popular band. Some people also might not give them a proper chance because they're famous.
 
 
Different standpoints/opinions are good. Without them discussions wouldn't happen. Outright negativity and hate is not good. It doesn't make for good or interesting discussions.

Well, first of all, MH is really the only online music-related online community I frequent, so I can really only base my experiences on this.
 
So, do they complain more than they actually talk? As a whole, I don't think so. But I guess the complaing is more obvious? And, in individual cases it's certainly true.  In general, there's nothing wrong with disliking a band, being critical of a band, or even poking fun at something really bad - in good doses. But once you are more concerend with bands you hate than with bands you like - you should seriously reconsider your priorities.
 
 
Well, I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they actually don't like the music. But they probably wouldn't express their dislike so much if it wasn't a popular band. Some people also might not give them a proper chance because they're famous.
 
 
Different standpoints/opinions are good. Without them discussions wouldn't happen. Outright negativity and hate is not good. It doesn't make for good or interesting discussions.

Japanese:
 
Grieva - Oni to kage
Already wrote extensively about it in the staff reviews. A nice nostalgic throw-back with a fresh spin on it.
 
GAUZES - Yurikago
Kinda like above, except they definetely can improve more. A good album, but could have needed more highlights.
 
Jupiter - Classical Element
I admit that I'm a secret Kamijo fangirl and I think that this album didn't reach Versailles' best moments, but it was a worthwhile album in any case.
 
Dear L'Novel  - Ai to Shi
I'm pretty sure I got cavaties after listening to this. But it's so Larein-ish, I just can't resist.
 
Nakano Aya - Hetana uso
Not as good as her previous album, but a good and relaxing listen nevertheless.
 
amber gris - Around Children
As written in my staff review. No masterpieve, but a very solid and plesant pop-rock album.
 
Church of Misery - Thy Kingdom Scum
Very atmospheric and intense, a good listen - if you are in the mood for that.
 
 
Non-Japanese:
 
Tyr - Valkyrja
Oh my god so many good melodies I can't
 
Amon Amarth - Deceiver of the Gods
I would put it here just for the epicness that is "Blood Eagle".
 
Turisas - Turisas2103
Is it really really cheesy? It sure is. Is it more poppy and less folky then previous stuff? I guess so. Is it ridicilously catchy and much fun to sing and shout along to? HELL YEAH!
 
Kauan - Pirut
My copy hasn't arrived so far, so I had to make do with the streamed version. But what can I say? A fucking masterpiece.
 
Vali - Skogslandskap
Really surprised to see this, almost 10 years after their first album. It's really hard to match up to "Forlatt" (and I think they didn't quite archive it), but it's still a really really really nice folk album.
 
The Monolith Deathcult - Tetragrammaton
Because RWAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!!!.... I guess.
 
Wardruna - Yggdrasil
Nice ambient tribal-y stuff.
 
Suede - Bloodsports
Suede are my undying teenage music love. Their post-reunion stuff isn't really as good as some of their 90s stuff, but they still manage tio shine every once in a while.
 
 
 
Also worth mentioning:
 
Ancient Wisdom - Deathlike
Manegarm - Legions of the North
Ereb Altor - Fire Meets Ice
Rotting Christ - Kata Ton Daimona Eaytoy