doombox

http://www.greem-official.com/
 
月白[vocal]  | 帝[guitar]  | マチ[guitar]  | 螺琉[bass]  | 朋夜[drums]
 
1st Single「GreeM」配布盤
1. GreeM
2. despair's ray
2017.03.01 RELEASE / GMCD-001
 
They'll have their first oneman at Ikebukuro EDGE June 17th.



yes, it's basically MeteoroiD 2.0. 

Lynch and Gazette are boring me to death.

@Avex
 

I hope no other companies start doing this bs. LOOKING AT YOU SONY AND UMG.

*prayer circle around Mucc*

Wow, that's a hot mess.
 
I've participated in indiegogo campaigns for domestic indie bands I like and it's gone pretty well. One release did take like 6 months longer than planned but they made good on everything in the end. And I know there are bands that have patreon too and do all kinds of cool stuff for perks like putting supporters in their music videos or releasing monthly songs only the patreon supporters get to stream. It can be done well, but people need to use common sense and I wouldn't support any artist that doesn't have open communication about and during the entire project. For any band to do that outside of their domestic market is pretty difficult. And in no way should a fan be doing in the band's stead, that's just asking for trouble. 

A9 succeeded their crowdfunding campaigns they requested 5,000,000yen and they collected 11,685,998 yen

I can't think of very many projects that tried to include overseas fans or that used Western sites like Gofundme or Kickstarter, but I have definitely seen more rock and punk bands turning to Japanese crowdfunding sites for special projects recently.
 
https://camp-fire.jp/category/music/most_funded
https://eggs.mu/support_project/
http://www.j-wave.co.jp/jcm/project.php
 
I was actually shocked that a band like Yellow Studs managed to pull one off a few years ago, but they've been doing weekly streams with their fans for years, so I guess they built up enough trust to make it work.
 
I know RHEDORIC tried to do one just for overseas fans not that long ago, and it was a complete failure. Honestly, after looking at what they were offering as perks, I'm not surprised they didn't get any money. Even if I was a diehard fan I wouldn't be willing to pay $50~100 for some buttons and photos or whatever.

*prayer circle around Mucc*

Wow, that's a hot mess.
 
I've participated in indiegogo campaigns for domestic indie bands I like and it's gone pretty well. One release did take like 6 months longer than planned but they made good on everything in the end. And I know there are bands that have patreon too and do all kinds of cool stuff for perks like putting supporters in their music videos or releasing monthly songs only the patreon supporters get to stream. It can be done well, but people need to use common sense and I wouldn't support any artist that doesn't have open communication about and during the entire project. For any band to do that outside of their domestic market is pretty difficult. And in no way should a fan be doing in the band's stead, that's just asking for trouble. 

I wanted to keep things really straight forward this year - only 10 albums and keep my blurbs short. I know this is a bit on the late side, but I hope that some people can find some new music they enjoy out of it!
 
10) gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy - Fujouri Shugeki

 
Those of you who know me should already know that I am a sucker for nagoya kei. The formula for this band is a no brainer - vocalist from Merry Go Round, guitarist and bassist from the god and death stars, and the (original) drummer from L’Arc~en~Ciel all bring a long pedigree of talent. A brooding atmosphere that permeates through the album, leaving the album feeling bleak in the best way possible. Though different styles, gibkiy brings that same “unhinged” feeling that I enjoy so much in DEZERT’s work. The 14 minute closer is an avant garde piece constantly uncomfortable and on your toes, with long unusual pauses and strange guttural growls, wraps the album on a truly memorable note.
 
 
 
9) girugamesh - chimera

 
I’d be lying if I said that this being Girugamesh’s final album didn’t push this up a bit on my list. But I’ll be damned if Giru hasn’t been on of the most important band in my Jrock journey, and them hanging it up still feels like a huge deal to me. I’m just so happy that I can say that they exited on a high note, with chimera being a fasted paced and hard hitting album that does a great job of blending their electronic style from the and their energy from their earlier musical day into a more modern metalcore/djent package. It’s just sad that we don’t get any more out of this band as they were trending majorly upwards over their last few releases.
 
 
 
8 ) downy - dai roku sakuhinshū 『mudai』

 
I flat out did not like this album the first time around. Something about it just felt off and it took me a couple tries to completely make it through the album. Perhaps my brain just couldn’t comprehend the complexity of these tracks on the first time around. While there are still some parts that feel a bit off, and I find the nasally tone of the vocalist to be slightly off putting, I couldn’t help but fall in love with this albums odd blend of atmosphere and rhythms.
 
 
 
7) GoGo Penguin - Man Made Object

 
GoGo Penguin feels like it might be a sister band to Mouse on the Keys, with their exceedingly beautiful fusion of downbeat classical and jazz. The piano, bass, and drums seems to flutter across the album, landing gently and quickly at times just to quickly fly away again. It all just feels so light and airy...and just damn pretty.
 
 
 
6) Emma Ruth Rundle - Marked for Death

 
I find it hard to label the music on Marked for Death. It is like some amalgamation of post and gothic rock, with a hint of southern added for flavor. What I do know is that Emma has crafted a powerful album of mourning that managed to feel both sad and uplifting at the same time. Its been a long while since I felt like an album has served up a complete story that was worth telling, but Emma’s presentation of a doomed relationship feels relatable and heavy. Her voice brings nuances to the story, whether she is letting the words just lightly escaping from between her lips or soaring above. The wonderful production does the final piece in wrapping a bow around this solo album.
 
 
 
5) the god and death stars - after the addle apple

 
In 2011 the god and death stars put out their first release, addle apple, and with that fully solidified in my mind that aie was a master of his craft. Fast forward 5 years and we have the band's attempt to 'remake' that wonderful mini-album. While the song names are the same, sonically this transformation like that of when a caterpillar builds a cocoon and comes out of it a whole different creature. When you listen closely, you can pick out some of the riffs, textures, and lyrical homages to the original work, but other than those small bits this mini is something completely new. There is an air of complexity to the band's flavor of Nagoya Kei that gives me that same feeling of freshness that addle apple originally brought. It's a bold claim to say that this is the band's best release, as I feel that the god and death stars haven't ever put out any weak material, but I think that it might just edge out its way to the top of their discography.
 
 
4) Oathbreaker - Rheia

 
I don’t know that last time a song by a band I had never heard before has left such a striking impression on me. The way the chilling opening of the album falls away into a pit of rage left me stunned. This hardcore/black metal group balances that line of beautiful and brutal much in the same way as Deafheaven, though perhaps in a way that makes the lighter bits feel more haunting than gorgeous. The album is a ride and I often find myself feeling a little bit emotionally exhausted at its conclusion.
 
 
 
3) Russian Circles - Guidance

 
I am convinced that Russian Circles can do no wrong. Guidance is probably one of their worst albums, but here it is sitting near the top of my list. The band are masters of the instrumental metal genre, managing to evoke feelings in their tracks in ways that bands with vocals can only hope to do. Emotion is weaved through, spanning from mourning tinged in anger to reserved hope. I can’t help but feel like this feels just right to have been released in 2016.
 
 
 
2) Obscure Sphinx - Epitaphs

 
The middle ground between too disparate sounds and moods, that wonderful juxtaposition, brings some of the greatest joys music has to offer. The atmosphere of Epitaphs is downright crushing with how heavy it is, but yet the album is full of such beauty. The female fronted mashup of doom and post metal that is Obscure Sphinx seemingly came out of nowhere just to punch me in the gut.
 
 
 
1) Alcest - Kodama

 
The ethereal sound that Alcest has honed is down right breathtaking. I’ve always been a fan of the band, but I have never been as blown away by their work as I was with Kodama. Their black metal and shoegaze style manages to take some of the best elements of both and create a sound that just feels heavenly. Somehow the songs manage to feel both sad and hopeful at the same time - perhaps it's this duality that aids to the otherworldly feel of the album. All I can say is that Kodama is downright gorgeous.
 
 
 
 
 
Runner Ups
This is the stuff that just missed the cut
 
TAMTAM - NEWPOESY
The band feels like it has landed on the perfect combination of its jpop and dub stylings.
 
DEZERT - Saikou no Shokutaku
A throwback to the numetal phase of visual kei which feels equal parts fresh as it does historic.
 
Silence - psycho:lens.
This album would have made it if gibkiy hadn’t edged it out on the emotional Nagoya Kei front.
 
Saor - Guardians
Beautiful Celtic infused black metal. The only downfall is that it feels a little “same-y” over its hour long run time.
 
kokomo - Monochrome Noise
Emotional instrumental post metal - great stuff but it’s damn hard when you are going up against the masters of this genre in Russian Circles
 
M-Koda - Workings
If it weren’t for a few outlying tracks that feel a bit out of place, this ambient electronic album would have likely made its way on to the list. Easily my favorite album of the year to chill out to.
 
Boris - Pink
Since half of this album is a re-release, it felt like cheating to give it a full spot. That said, this is still one of Boris’ finest releases, and the new material doesn’t feel lacking at all
 
XAA-XAA - chuudoku shoujou
This band is carrying the mantle for modern visual kei. The album feels like a bit of a mixed bag, but it’s easy to see the promise they hold.
 
Siraph - siraph
This band picks up where School Food Punishment left off. The vocalist is the only factor holding them back.
 
JYOCHO - inori de wa todokanai kyori
Jpop fused with math rock and it’s glorious. I was sad to see Uchuu Konbini go, but now I am not so sure that was a bad thing.

What was once cool and new is destined to become uncool and old.
 
ANY movement is going to peak and then decline at some point.
 
It went from a huge movement/style down to a small niche thing in Japan. And like how there are still sleaze and hairmetal bands forming in Hollywood and playing the Whisky on Tuesday nights, just because there are new bands and an audience for it to a degree doesn't mean it isn't a dead genre. It said what it had to say.
 
Fans in the west were 5-10 years behind the times. We discovered Visual at the turn on the century, and spent the decade not only getting into the bands that were around, but all the cool VK bands from the previous two decades. Needless to say, there was a TON of great shit to discover.
 
But, eventually, the well ran dry. 
 
For most people I've met that were into the genre, VK was like Kiss: a gateway drug into music in general but for weaboo/nerdy kids. Some people got into goth stuff (guilty!), some got into screamo and numetal, some got into prog rock, whatever. But the common thread is that 99% of them left that shit (visual kei/kiss) behind once they discovered more music and refind their tastes.
 
What's left is us: the creepy Kiss fans still painting our faces and shit to come out and see Gene Simmon and Paul Stanley phone it in for the millionth time at our local casinos. Arguing about weather Kiss would have been better off to keep Ace around, speculating as to the whereabouts of Vinny Vincent, and debating what is truly the worst track on 'Hot in the Shade.' It's  the way things go. If you don't believe me, pop on over to the MetalSludge.TV message board and see old 80s rocker guys, now in their 50s, doing the same thing we're doing here.
 
I'm here because Visual Kei changed my fucking life, man. Defined who I was, what music I listen to (I own David Sylvian's Weatherbox FFS), how I dressed and wore my hair. Every smoking hot girlfriend, every cross country tour, damn near every good thing that happened to me can more or less be traced back to getting some shitty .asf and .rm files of Luna Sea, L'arc, and Malice Mizer music videos  back in 99 or 00. 
 
Look, we were there for it. Love it, accept it, talk about it, listen to the old albums that meant so much to you, maybe even find a cool new band or two (I like Xaa-Xaa), etc. but there is nothing sad about that graph. This thing, it was our thing. 
 
 
And that's all I have to say. Gotta get back to making fun of Yoshiki.
 

Yeah, this is not my favorite song on the album either, I don't blame him lol. But the video was cute. Kinda wish it would have shown them tracking down all 4 members because I'm kind of sick of OOR = Taka's face.  

not that familiar with OOR, but aren't they big enough to actually do something about the same fans hogging the front row? most vk bands ban shikiri once they start doing lives at the bigger venues anyway, so i'm surprised OOR still has this problem.
 
as for "crazy fans" in general: i draw the line at the point where a fan's display of affection for the band and/or its members intrudes upon other fans' ability to do the same. until that point, i wholeheartedly support fans who are comfortable with being as crazy as they want. yes i may have no idea what blackdoll is going on about 90% of the time, but it's her prerogative to say what she wants about Lycaon. if you love something/someone, just show it? tbh it bores the hell out of me to associate with people who are constantly hedging and checking themselves to make sure that they don't lapse into their 'fangirl' mode because that's somehow inappropriate.
 
but really, for vk at least, many people can't seem to accept that music is only one part of the lived experience of a bangya, especially so if you happen to live in japan. i'm still astonished every time someone claims that only when you're level-headed enough to extricate yourself from the 'craziness' of the scene and be able to discuss the band's cadences and progressions (not even lyrics, mind you) in the same way a bunch of paleontologists examine fossil records with measured excitement can you finally be crowned a card-carrying Mature Fan. clearly the irony isn't lost on people who quite fearlessly denigrate other sections of the fanbase for their supposed 'elitism'.
 

This is cool but I want a new Crossfaith album!

Maybe not the most beautiful to other people, but they are certainly my favorite.
 

Yeah, this is not my favorite song on the album either, I don't blame him lol. But the video was cute. Kinda wish it would have shown them tracking down all 4 members because I'm kind of sick of OOR = Taka's face.  

@CAT5 I've been playing Suchmos on dub/plug for a long time now.
Also shame melacholic-sharaku releases aren't on any easy to buy sites.

I'd never listened to them before, but I really enjoyed that track! It vaguely reminded me of this D'Angelo song. 
 
And thank you so much! Your approval means a lot!!
 

Holy smokes @fitear1590that Ailiph Doepa band are on some next level Maximum the Hormone drugs. I like it. And I totally missed the news Akuta was working with Soan. It's definitely a sound I wasn't really expecting. 
 
@beni Sad that Bokuriri video doesn't work for me but I will go get the album sound unheard because I know it's gonna be great tbh. I loved his last release!
 
@emmny That Scapegoat track is giving me so many old school vibes.  I 'm kind of biased as hell with them already, but I agree with everything you said in the blurb. They're one of the bands I'm really on board with the crazy style changes in the same song because they know how to make it work. 
 
100% agreement on that Suchmos song being a bop. I didn't even know they had a new release out. Thanks for this @CAT5.  The changes you made to the post style look great too, btw. 

Holy smokes @fitear1590that Ailiph Doepa band are on some next level Maximum the Hormone drugs. I like it. And I totally missed the news Akuta was working with Soan. It's definitely a sound I wasn't really expecting. 
 
@beni Sad that Bokuriri video doesn't work for me but I will go get the album sound unheard because I know it's gonna be great tbh. I loved his last release!
 
@emmny That Scapegoat track is giving me so many old school vibes.  I 'm kind of biased as hell with them already, but I agree with everything you said in the blurb. They're one of the bands I'm really on board with the crazy style changes in the same song because they know how to make it work. 
 
100% agreement on that Suchmos song being a bop. I didn't even know they had a new release out. Thanks for this @CAT5.  The changes you made to the post style look great too, btw. 

Holy smokes @fitear1590that Ailiph Doepa band are on some next level Maximum the Hormone drugs. I like it. And I totally missed the news Akuta was working with Soan. It's definitely a sound I wasn't really expecting. 
 
@beni Sad that Bokuriri video doesn't work for me but I will go get the album sound unheard because I know it's gonna be great tbh. I loved his last release!
 
@emmny That Scapegoat track is giving me so many old school vibes.  I 'm kind of biased as hell with them already, but I agree with everything you said in the blurb. They're one of the bands I'm really on board with the crazy style changes in the same song because they know how to make it work. 
 
100% agreement on that Suchmos song being a bop. I didn't even know they had a new release out. Thanks for this @CAT5.  The changes you made to the post style look great too, btw. 

stan talent, stan bokuriri
(i haven't listened to a lot of new music this year yet please dont disown me guys)

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