doombox

Happy to hear you enjoyed them! Anemone was what sold me on them too. As far as I know they only have the 2 singles available so I can't see what happens when they finally make a full album.

Weird, I could have sworn they were on a major labal already. Maybe it was just a tower records thing. Good for them though.

Satoshi had REDMAN which was a glorified solo project to me. But it's been silent for the last 2 years, that's not to say they couldn't pick it back up. He has such a great scream tho, I'd be sad to see him go 100% into the pop market.

I was having worries Jon would wake up as a Wight for a minute there. Because even though it felt like all signs led to his resurrection, GRRM isn't usually so kind. Ramsay's death is going to be one of the most satisfying, definitely. But I love to hate that guy so I hope it's not too soon. xD I think we will see some young Ned, but I feel like Bran's flashbacks will be mainly to tell Lyanna's story. I feel like everyone else has people that could share their story from the current time in some way but Lyanna needs the flashbacks and it works to explain Bran's magic as well. I also hope the Hodor nugget wasn't just filler, like Bran finding out what happened to him could drive the Lyanna plot in some way.

I am feelin' those previews.

BRB lighting everything on fire. They are one of my favorite bands this is too much to handle first thing in the morning.

Victor made the videos region sensitive too now. This is so annoying.

YESSSSS. I am always here for solo Hizaki work.

I'm missing them too.

I'd also say the language barrier is the bigger problem when I share japanese bands with friends. When I play Japanese bands that sing in English they usually go over quite well.

Recommended Tracks: April 2016 Welcome back to our monthly digest of rockin' new tunes. Our review team has been hard at work trying to bring you the best of the best this month. We hope you enjoy! And we'd also like to send a huge thank you to @CAT5 for doing such an excellent job posting the BNT and RT threads in the past, we'll do our very best to keep up with the standard of quality he set. Now onto the picks! @Seimeisen's picks: "UNDYING" by the GazettE As the GazettE head towards the end of PROJECT DARK AGE, they give us a song that serves as a prequel to DOGMA (which is fitting, as the artwork is the far left of the DARK AGE tapestry). I’m not gonna map out the entire song, but there’s quite a lot going on: tempo changes, key changes, soft and slow parts, fast and heavy parts. The band does a great job at arranging all of the different elements without making the song sound disjointed. We see the band getting heavier and softer in the same song. "UNDYING" beautifully captures the entire essence of PROJECT DARK AGE. "RUVISH" by THE BLACK SWAN A little background info: "RUVISH" is about "being raped and thrown away" and was inspired by the concept of rape trees (source). Maybe it's just knowing the lyrics' subject matter that makes the song so disturbing and creepy. You don't know the exact lyrics, but you feel the pain and torment in 儿's (JIN) whimpers and wails, the agony in his screams through the fastest parts, you sense danger during the quiet break with the creepy guitar line. It's not only sad, it's also discomforting. It's quite amazing how the band could take 樹's (ITSUKI) composition and make it so intense. "鬼ト邪吼 (oni to jakou)" by Royz If you like your Royz fast and heavy, then this is the track for you! This song is fast, aggressive, and triumphant. 智也 (Tomoya) really shines in this track with the constant fast-paced drumming that only slows down for a short guitar solo in the middle. 昴's (Subaru) harsh vocals have been greatly missed, and this track shows that he can still screech and growl, and the clean vocal melodies are great, though not as dramatic as a typical Royz song. Great soundtrack for evil rituals. @fitear1590's picks: "movie" by 吉澤嘉代子 (Kayoko Yoshizawa) Kayoko Yoshizawa started off as a brilliant fresh face in the Japanese pop scene in 2013. Unfortunately, due to a non-stop release schedule (mini-albums and full-albums every few months), her creativity slowly tapered off and her songs became a bit uninspired. "movie," the opening track off of her recently released second album 東京絶景 (tokyo zekkei), is a subtle, but gorgeous number with acoustic elements. It might not be the quirky retro Kayoko we started off with, but it's a step in a new direction that I'm very much enjoying. "ネバーエンド(never end)" by グリモア (GRIMOIRE) You can fight me, but one of the most underrated new bands in the visual scene is GRIMOIRE. In fact, do yourself a favor and just let them replace your ペンタゴン (pentagon) discography. Well-executed conceptual visuals and decently high PV production values are the perfect vehicles for the band's eerie graveyard-carnival sound (let's just establish that this is a real style). Perhaps the only thing holding them back is their nasal vocalist RyNK (ex-Diement.), but this is visual kei after all! I'm pretty sure we're used to these kinds of vocals by now! @Zeus's pick: "VAMPIRE" by NoGoD Talk about a surprise out of left field! NoGoD is finally able to break out of their stagnation with a banger. The album title Renovate hinted at long-overdue changes to their formula, but "VAMPIRE" is the first NoGoD promotional track that reminds me of the attitude and energy of their indie days. Equal parts catchy and engaging, with a sinister riff to kick things off and a rousing chorus, "VAMPIRE" is good fun. Vocalist Danchou is the center of attraction as usual, using his full range over the course of the song, but it's the guitar work between Shinno and Kyrie that elevates this above most of their other similar singles. It's good to see this band find their inspiration once again. @staegermeister's pick: "LAST DAY" by HER NAME IN BLOOD "Last Day" is the opening song to the band's newest EP Evolution from Apes, which was released on April 27th. The song is very upbeat, fast-paced, and offers a wide range of guitar work. It starts off with a quick and precise yet chaotic riff that would suit for a great live song. Normally we'd get a lot of screaming and growling from Ikepy but this song is a great example of the bands transition towards more melodic vocal phrases. Aside from the change in vocal direction, the production shows a new approach on their sound. If you're just checking the band out, I'd say "Last Day" is decent to start with. @emmny's picks: "白夜二燃ユル花(byakuya ni moyuru hana)" by Dio -distraught overlord- Yes, Dio, the queens of all things dramatic, heavy and cheesy from the late 2000's came back during the month of April for a series of revival lives, and with them brought a live-distribute single, 白夜二燃ユル花 . As much as Dio don't entirely need a description, I'll try to fill in the new fans or (god forbid) people who've never heard of Dio. I'd say they were split between good ol' melodic vk and a really primal nu-metal/metalcore hybrid. The result was a solid sense of heaviness and melody with a healthy dose of chaos and mess. Looking back at the era, they were some of the best composers of the period within their niche. The ease with which they wrote is still evident seven years later with "Byakuya", the conclusion to the Byakuya single trilogy. The 7-string guitars take on a riff closer to melodic death-metal than their usual metalcore before proceeding into the usual nu-metal crawl during the verses. It wouldn't be a Dio rocker without an anthemic chorus, and Mikaru kills it with his vocals--a marked improvement from when Dio were active. It's a shame that the last we'll ever likely hear of Dio proved to be so amazing; I'll be praying for these vampires (cue eye roll) to come back again one day. Guilty pleasure or not--visual kei is missing something without 'em. "Faizh" by JILUKA One of the biggest surprises of 2015 for me was JILUKA, who by all intents and purposes are to Deluhi what Grieva are to 90's Dir en grey; calling 'em a cover band is a little harsh--let's just say they're 'heavily inspired'. JILUKA deviate a little bit (thank god) from the Deluhi-centric sound by adding deathcore and djent influences here and there--going so far as to label themselves as having a djent sound. Just like Far East Dizain! Oh... no wonder. While they've basically done the same thing for the past half-year, there's something magnetic about their formula: blistering, thrashy riffage during verses, an obligatory breakdown somewhere, some Leda-wankery solo and a glittering chorus to cover up their sins. "Faizh" is all of the above, of course, and while it sounds predictable on paper, the instrumentalists are sharp enough to rise above the Deluhi comparisons sometime in the future. The future isn't anytime soon though, so let's mosh along to this hot mess. \m/ "流声、相剋の廃と(ryuusei, soukoku no hai to)" by THE BLACK SWAN Alas, the final form of OUSIA, THE BLACK SWAN's debut album rears its head. While the majority of the tracks debuted in earlier singles or on the prototype, OUSIA -dispersed-, "Ryuusei" was born in the sessions following their releases. There's a hypnotic and almost ritualistic quality that's been hinted at in TBS' live introduction which finds itself fully realized in "Ryuusei". The song melts in its own atmosphere during the first half before bringing out the strings, moody breakdown and tapping-solo towards the end. It's not without some rough moments, but of all the acts attempting this sound in the post-UROBOROS landscape, THE BLACK SWAN handle it with the most ease. It's especially rewarding to see Jin, who's been tackling this sound since NEGA's VANITAS, slowly pushing his ambitious atmospheric metalcore compositions closer and closer to a more polished, sharp and progressive direction. @nullmoon's pick: "BERSERKER" by Satsuki Until recently, I hadn't bothered with Satsuki's solo venture in years... as in since 'La Lune'. Everything was too slow and light and NOT Rentrer En Soi. For some unknown reason I decided to check out APOCALYPSE and ECLIPSE and I was shocked beyond belief. Satsuki absolutely nails it in these releases, covering a wide range of genres and vocal styles, all with a surprising earnestness and energy. Granted, this song is nowhere near RES-level brilliance, but hearing Satsuki growl his way through most of the song is incredible. This is especially the case considering how poor his harsh vocals were in RES (to those shouting blasphemy, take off those rose-tinted glasses). With newfound aggression, both vocally and in the music itself, this is one of the many songs from Satsuki's recent output that made me seriously interested in his work again. @tetsu_sama69's picks: "Dummy" by Neverland There really should have been a lot more hype for this album (and the band in general) honestly it was hard to chose my favorite because it's very strong release overall. But after a few listens and in addition the fact that I like the album as a whole I was really taken in by "Dummy". The bass is so strong and consistent that I just let it carry me through the entire song and it keeps bringing me back to it. The haunting and extremely catchy synth gives some darker taste to the song all around and it feels like a mix of heavy rock with some light gothic vibe. Also Rouyta's rough vocals (which are very addicting and enjoyable) come out more during this song and I like that he's able to showcase his singing talents through the album all together. "毘紐天 ‐vishnu- (bichuuten -vishnu-)" by Royz Royz has always been a pretty damn consistent and great band in my opinion, and always blow me away especially when it comes to their albums. S.I.V.A overall was a much heavier album but I think it's a step-up they needed to make. My favorite track from this album "毘紐天 ‐vishnu-" has a more 'cult' vibe to it and that's perhaps why I like it so much. I know Royz is capable of a rougher sound and this definitely brings it to the table. The trippy and chilling strings mingled in with the heavy instrumentals are only enhanced by the layered vocals of screams and amazing range. I didn't expect this kind of song from Royz and that's mostly what makes me enjoy this track so much. "Imperial City" by BLESSCODE BLESSCODE is a band that I've enjoyed from their first mini-album THE BEGINNING CODE (which is still available for free on their site) and since then they've evolved into stronger band with every release since then. "Imperial City" is only further proof of that and has already placed itself on my list of best songs of the year, seriously expect it when I post my list for 2016. The opening riff sent chills down my spine and when the vocals kicked in I couldn't help but be sucked into their new song from start to finish. The track itself almost reminded me of DuelJewel and their solid rock style. If BLESSCODE keeps up with music like this I'm sure they'll be more than capable of leaving their mark on the visual scene. "2度目の絶望とSucide ceremony (nidome no zetsubou to Suicide ceremony)" by VIVALET This song is such a mess and dear lord do I love it so much. VIVALET has always had some pretty chaotic music and that's why I like them. Something about them makes me think of older visual bands and perhaps it's their sporadic, heavy style that has their hooks sunk so deep in me. Much like BLESSCODE, VIVALET is another band that seem to be improving with every release. Mary's imperfect vocals take you on this insane roller coaster ride of fast, lovely chugging instrumentals and dark themed heavy rock. VIVALET is definitely a band coming into their own and I really hope they stay strong with their style of music especially if it's a wreck of awesome such as this track. "アスモデウスの槍(Asmodeus no yari)" by THE BLACK SWAN I cannot with all the space I have here explain why I love THE BLACK SWAN so much but I would use OUSIA as a great example to present to those who haven't give them a try yet. I got a great early taste of the album via OUSIA -dispersed- and I was anticipating this every single day up until it finally surfaced. The waiting was worth it because not only did it include the remastered/re-recorded versions of their single tracks it also came with a few unheard songs thrown in the mix. My favorite of the new songs is definitely "アスモデウスの槍" as it's a chaotic, heavy, insane, blast to the face of what their sound is as a whole. The ever varied raw vocals with instrumentals that pack a punch of pure metalcore along with a bass line that stayed in my head so strongly that I had to put the song on repeat a number of times. I'm sure you'll have a similar experience with this track if you're a fan of them. @doombox's picks: "WIDE EYED (The Ghost Inside cover)" by CRYSTAL LAKE I don't think this pick will be a surprise, but it's really important to me to recommend it this month because it's about more than just a song. Crystal Lake get a lot of comparisons to The Ghost Inside ever since their change in vocalists. This song is a strong confirmation of that, not only with the music, but the heartfelt personal message left for TGI in the bridge. All the profits from "WIDE EYED" will be donated to TGI to aid in recovering from their horrendous bus accident late last year. The cover itself is fairly straightforward until the second half when the distortion takes a back seat in favor for a cleaner, acoustic vibe. Yosh (Survive Said The Prophet) shows up for clean vocal duty in place of Jason Butler's feature on the original version and positively crushes it. That is saying something considering I love Jason's vocals with a serious bias. So if you're a fan of Crystal Lake, SSTP, or TGI, you will have no regrets scrounging for spare change in your couch cushions and buying this song. "Hopeless" by LAST CALIX I have to thank @beni, first and foremost, for recommending these guys previously and succeeding in getting me hooked on their brand of emotional and melodic metal. The guitar riffs steal the show at first but with a key element of restraint they stop short of making the track all about them, which is wonderful because the song continues to grow from simply cool and catchy to a delicately calculated tidal wave of intensity that this band looks considerably young to be quite that good at. So good in fact, it's one of my favorite tracks so far this year. "絶望論。(zetsubouron.)" by コドモドラゴン (Codomo Dragon) This is one of those songs that has multiple addictive elements layered over each other from the clap-along inciting drumbeat to the brain-burrowing "yannacchata yannacchatanaa" chorus, and a headbang inducing post-chorus. All of them compete for which segment is the catchiest. This composition is a great direction for Codomo Dragon proving things don't always have to be overly technical or extremely heavy to be memorable in the current visual scene. That's all for this month, see you next time!~

Dammit. T_T

That awkward moment when SMTOWN posts videos from that progressive metal band you like.

They are killing me. >:( Give us a real preview.

Better late than never! Welcome back. I also have seen your username around going through some threads, so it's nice to see you've returned.

Preorders for May. So excited~ Issues - Headspace (Aqua Blue in Ultra Clear Vinyl) Dance Gavin Dance - Tree City Sessions (Double LP Half Oxblood/Half Beer Vinyl)

Well of the bands you listed I'd really only consider BatAAr and (old) Dir en grey visual. The rest are just j-metal. But I'm also a huge coldrain fan and I like Babymetal a lot. Great choices! Some of the popular bands Dir en grey fans like are lynch. and girugamesh. For coldrain style I'd say Crossfaith and SiM. They aren't exactly the same but they have western influence and sing in English too. Since you like Babymetal maybe check out NoGoD and Nocturnal Bloodlust. If you have trouble looking any of them up I can supply youtube links.

Welcome! Hope we can help you with your musical journey. What are some of your favorite vk artists?

I understand these are an issue mostly for visual bands who make their living off of their visuals as much as their music so they view their image as part of the product you should be paying for. But I agree with the idea that if you play in a foreign country you adhere to what is customary there, if that is a photo friendly concert experience, then you allow pictures. It should be that simple.

Aw man.... I just got into them. What's going on?

They are so cult-y but I kinda love them for it. I really loved 懺悔 when they played it so I'm hoping to get this.

I believe so! I can't wait.