Ikna

^ @seikun well, there was this:

 

 

According to their youtube channel they seem to have reformed (or at least played a few lives in the last years). Make of it what you will.

 

It seems there were a lot of mexican or latina american "kote" bands, but I forgot all their names, because they truly weren't that remarkable, let alone relevant.

 

Also this attempt at early 00s VK:

 

 

But we actually had a thread about crappy foreign VK bands on here. It featured glorious shit like this atrocity:

 

 

And this I feel is exactly what swede "kei" bands apparantly want to come back. 

Maybe it's just me, but imo  that whole sleaze rock and love"metal" thing was kinda lukewarm and suffered from the exact same symptoms as gaijin bands (lulzy make up, lame outfits and repetitive music). Funnily enough, a band who parodies that stuff as well as hair metal , Steel panther, is very enjoyable. Also Crashdiet were (or are? No longer following their activities, tbh) okay. I am however glad that that fad has already died out. 

 

When it comes to glam (and its relations to old VK), stuff á la Lou Reed, David Bowie, The Sweet, Roxy Music, T.Rex, Hanoi Rocks or (especially) the New York Dolls come to my mind. But that shite's already way too old and most people do not care about 60/70ss pre-punk glitter rock. People want their  modern pop rock hooks (see sleaze rock) or metulcore (see contemporary VK). There is a reason why Bowie jumped the glam ship in the late 70s and why there are no true, classic glam bands around these days. It died out like many other styles of music.

 

VK is rooted there, but imo it has evolved beyond being just "japanese glam". Especially considering how many other, different scenes have influenced it, such as New Wave, hardrock, (Hardcore) Punk, etc. The fault of most of these swede kei bands is actually that they look and sound more like Lovex & Co. or like mid 00s Myspace scene bands rather than VK bands.

 

Moving is so annoying. Especially when you have no car, don't want to use an expensive moving service and have to do it all on your own. In the last two weeks I was moving so many kilos of stuff I got muscle pain. Why do I have to have so many CDs and clothes… will take forever to get it all into my flat.

 

At least I have my own place to live and I am finally all by myself. No longer weird stares when my mum peaks into my room while I dance to my shitty trash music or dress up

 

 

2 hours ago, Biopanda said:

 

 

Also this:

 

 

It's basically western (old) X Japan. 

And I didn't mean to indicate that you have said they are the same. I am sorry if that came over as such. I was just trying to illustrate a possible reason for the lack of "heavy" bands in goth, especially in the current scene which is far more focused on recycling the 80s than 90s (which def had a few heavier bands, see Rosetta Stone, Catherines Cathedral, Angina Pectoris and even the Nephilim).

 

Heavy isn't really what most people in the self proclaimed "trad goth" scene listen to and that is reflected by the playlists you see on the net and the styles of music new bands play. 

 

Was not stating it as a fact, that Samhain aren't a deathrock band, I said I FEEL they are more punk, which is my subjective opinion. Deathrock they are indeed, but they also mix a lot of other influences. They aren't a "pure" deathrock (as in that they only play straight deathrock) band in my own book, hence they also sound so different than any other bands of the genre. And that may be why you would likely not find something that truly compares to them.

 

I also have to add that I am not very well versed with their disco (as well as the Misfits' and Danzig in general) and most of the people in my local goth and deathrock circle seem to prefer other bands, such Christian Death (very cliché, but what can you do since Rozz has reached icon status in the scene), the Screaming Dead, Burning Image and most of those "deathrock revival" bands (funnily enough, they all love Rudimentary Peni for some reason). My knowledge about Samhain may thus be limited, but you are always free to correct me (I did for example never listen completely to that album you posted). 

 

But all of that again reflects how much goffs don't curr about heavy stuff (and are rather stuck in the 80s). And my guess is, that you will likely find more bands of that style when you focus more on the metal and hardcore end of the music spectrum. Alaric for example I stumbled upon by mere accident, they were not supported or advertised by people I follow (who mostly listen to Joy Division clones), but by metal blogs.

 

Do you people know the CVLT nation website? They write mostly about dark music, no matter the genre, inclding sections dedicated to deathrock, metal, post-punk, etc. In my experience their deathrock section features a whole lot more of these style cross-over bands. 

 

Such as these groups:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also maybe you don't know this yet; this album of the band is often labeled as Hardcore/deathrock.

 

 

 

 

Not sure if these have already been mentioned in this thread:

 

Pinkish Black, Anasazi, Rakta, Secta, Deathcharge, Deth Crux, Death Index

 

^These are all of the punkier and heavier bands I know the top of my head.

 

Since I have already mentioned Alaric, there is also a band called Atriarch and they play doom metal mixed with deathrock influences.

 

Also I recommend to check out bands from the blackened shoegaze/Blackgaze scene. There seems to be a recent trend there to combine blackgaze with doom metal and add hardcore (and deathrock) elements.

 

Maybe this helps

 

 

 

interesting how in this discussion about gaijins imitatiing trve VKei no one has mentioned this guy before (who seems to split people's opinions just as much):

 

 

Tbh, his look come a lot more closer to actual VK than most of the swede kei bands

^well, no wonder since goth rock and deathrock are not the same or as strongly affilated to hardrock or hardcore and historically most wavers and goths hated anything heavy or metal-ish. I also always felt that Samhain was more of a Horror Punk band that also happens to draw influence from deathrock, but isn't necessarily a pure deathrock band itself.

 

Most of the current wave of post-punk groups are also imitating the more psychedelic and classic early 80s stuff. The heavier goth stuff was a product of the 90s, but maybe a 90s revival happens soon, who knows.

 

You might however be lucky if you search for some goth inspired metal acts, such as groups similar to Lock Howl, Wailin Storms or Alaric. Jigsaw also posted a few suggestions and these are really the ones that come the closest to "goth and heavy". 

 

 

A few new songs:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tss, these posers will NEVER be as cool as the trve Azalea:

 

 

 

^look at the date

H Y P E D

^hopefully fixed. No idea, why it stopped working.

 

 

 

This shit right here. Under Syndrome's Sleaver PV. A band using the manji/swastika because of religious reasons is understandable and nothing to debate about. But you really have to be a fool to overlook the obvious Nazi imagery when it's a friggin' swastika on a Nazi armbinder, which is even attached to a SS style unifrom/dress. 

And yeah, I am aware that bands did in fact use this as a way to shock. Doesn't excuse to say "It's certainly not having to do with Nazis at all!!!"

 

^reminds me a lot of

"I understand Kyo better than he understands himself; also I am the only one in this world who truly understands his feelings and sufferings!!!!"

 

*cough* Kareki *cough*

 

and all the other "KYO SAMA IS MINE" people.

 

And shit I have said too, since I am self-aware of being a snobby elitist ass and won't hide my distaste for untrve modern visual bleepcore  ┐(︶▽︶)┌

On 14.3.2017 at 11:06 PM, AimiGen7 said:

So I know this is pretty much a dead thread, but I've been getting into La'Mule a LOT recently. Everyone credits Dir En Grey for influencing the modern Vkei scene, but I personally think La'Mule is just as important. After all, they were one of the first to go with the macabre imagery. And Kon was known for his stage acts, including pretending to hang himself (Not unlike how Kiyoharu used to crucify himself on stage).

 

As you already mention Kiyoharu, it's was probably Kuroyume who started it all. I am sure someone more well-versed with VK history can even state an earlier example of the Macabre/Eroguro imagery usage. But in the end most of 90s VK bands ripped off old Kuroyume in some form. With Dir en grey it's confirmed, as well as Laputa or any other Nagoya band whose bandmembers where Roadies for Kuroyume or played in cover session bands.

 

But it's true that La'mule were far more influential and important for the late 90s scene as they are remembered. At least most oldschool VK loving japanese people I have come across have a very high opinion of the band. 

 

Wasn't the company that did La'Mule's PV the same that did PVs for other very important groups of that time (including Dir en grey)? That might explain the influence on modern bands' PVs.

 

Also I feel it's a shame that their revival didn't last long and that CELL too disbanded before they even released a proper album. .___.

On 7.3.2017 at 6:44 PM, Tokage said:

Whispering Sons are a bretty gud Belgian post-punk unit

 

Agree, they are very cool!

 

Some more old and obscurer stuff (and slightly more punk/deathrock:

 

 

Arch Criminals - In the Shadow of a tree

 

 

Brain Damage and Death - Jesus Christ

 

 

Burning Image - Time is Running Out

 

 

 

Actifed - Innocent

 

 

Gloria Mundi - Glory of the World

 

 

The Naked and the Dead - Taboo

 

20 min sketch of our edgelord and saviour, Hisui. Semi inspired by this awesome artist.

1 hour ago, ShTon said:

With those mysterious bands you don't even know if you should get hyped or not. I mean, it's nice to see new bands forming but that "mysterious new band" thing has ben overdone at this point.

 

I agree… but knowing this is VK it's sadly going to stick, just how the "quadrillion types of one single instead of a full album" and the "we will disband unless xxx people show up at our lives!" bullshit has stuck.

On 14.3.2017 at 6:59 PM, Shaolan974 said:

and a 2-man tour with THE GALLO !

 

 

 

Coincidence or homage?

Eye practice gone history of Visual kei's eye make-up:

 

 

Top left is late 80s, bottom right is most recent. Not sure if I nailed it. I think I can only draw the old make up the best (because of my oldskewl bias)

 

 

Then there is this dude:

 

 

And two gay goffs

 

 

 

so, I uploaded the photoset from their thrid album here: https://goo.gl/photos/W86MpMvsfrG3rert9

 

Tell me if it doesn't work

after work I'll try to look if I still have the pics on my computers. Didn't know that dumblr deleted them all (don't even get why)

Also new deathrock band:

 

 

So the bands won't see not even a cent of this, right?

Bloody Kisaki, when will he stop with his shady businesses, first the fake demotape sales and now this shit to rip off his customers. Even after all that drama he stirred up with his shitty attitude he still continues to be an asshole.

 

I wish there was more darkwave in modern VK. We seriously lack our SchwarzSteins, Malice Mizers (Moi dix Mois are no replacement and take forever to release anything new, let alone interesting) and Velvet Edens (def a new band with that sound must form, for Dada is an absolute Drama queen and to busy whining on twitter).

 

Also I wish more contemporary bands would be legit dark and gloomy. Not just play uber-br000tal -core and call that "dark". That stuff might come off as angsty and angry at most, but lacks all atmosphere to come off as really sinister or mysterious. Malice Mizer have certainly perfected this in their last era, which makes me even more mad that they are still not back. Also yes, early D'espairsRay's sound was really cool too. Would like to have more of that as well. But probably unlikely, just as VK bands rediscovering goff music.

 

Chances are higher we could get more witchhouse. But somehow VK is extremely out of touch with newer fads, so that might not happen either. Metalcore is already out and old hat. Most people are now either into Djent and yet most VK bands are still stuck imitating  Bring me the Horizon and those other -core bands. It laggs really behind. Where's Dark Ambient kei? Witchhouse? Synthwave? Vaporwave? I am surprised no one in VK (except DALLE) have jumped on the hipster "goth" music stuff, considering how they love to ape and appropriate the style (see the Gazette's last look). 

tbh, VK has already hit that all time low in the 90s. It's popularity in Japan is debatable. As many others have noted, VK isn't totally obscure there (though I guess it has a bad rep, so many people wouldn't ever admit to like it) but not really as popular as it was. And no, I don't think Visual kei was always as niche as it is now in Japan. Back in the old times when VK wasn't such a widely used label bands of that caliber used to fill stadiums and had regular TV and radio exposure. There's a reason why some describe the early 90s as the band explosion era, particularity in regards to the Nagoya rock music scene.

 

But yeah, those days are long gone. hell, most of us gaijin folks have no real clue about it, since the time we got introduced to Vk it was already old hat in Japan. You had to be there for yourself in the early 90s to really see and feel it – but how many foreigners, save for a few, had the privilege and luck? When bands like Luna Sea started to kick off and Malice Mizer rose to fame I was in friggin' kindergarten. Sure, I like to diss the modern scene a lot (because I simply don't like the type of music the bands are playing now), but even I know that I am not a special snowflake and a "trvuer" fan.

 

But to get back to the core of the thread: it's true that in the west VK has lost attention and Fans. people in this thread have offered enough explanations and hypotheses for it's fade in popularity. I am just here to give my two cents on the extinction of the local VK scene in my country (if you can even call it that way):

 

As with others, it all started in the early 00s with the Manga and Anime boom. I really doubt any one in Austria and Germany could have known about VK without either moving to Japan, getting introduced to it via websites and communities specializing in Glam- or Japanese rock or Anime/Manga. Most of us peeps were too young and too poor to go to Japan and most of us had no internet at home. So that leaves us with Manga and Anime. I remember I used to buy these Anime magazines of which there were plenty on the market and many of these papers tried to market japanese culture to us impressionable youths. So they had lots of articles about japanese food, society and of course music. 

 

And some might also remember that Neo Tokyo's (a japanese Manga store in Germany) founded their music publishing label (?) Gan-Shin, which brought to us some of Dir en grey's discography. Only shortly after (or before? I don't remember that well) they started playing in Germany. And as stated before in this thread, due to the Anime fad being so closely related to the J-Pop and VK boom many Manga/Anime Conventions went a great deal to get some bands, including bloody the Gazette, to play at their conventions. And it was a self fullfilling cycle that simply worked: people got to japanese music via Anime and Japan culture based media, they participated in local communities; these were lured to leave their money at the conventions and these in turn invited bands to play to bring in the fans.

 

Then there were online communities like Animexx, where we weebs gathered en masse and talked about our bandomen all day and night, spent all our time drawing and writing shitty slash fanfics and Mangas. It was like paradise. But yeah, around 2009 the German and Austrian scene started to crumble like an old ruin. Suddenly all the people crazy about Moi dix Mois (of which there were MANY here. They even called it a "Manamania") switched from VK to JPop and what they deemed "more sophisticated" music. They also sold all their previously well treasured Moi-Même-Moitié dresses and Sexpot Revenge clothes to go either "normie" or "gyaru". I noticed weblogs of people who loved VK previously popping up with lamentations about how stupid they were for liking it, that it was just a phase and that VK is actually really dumb and shitty.

 

And of course there was also the huge amount of people bickering about how the post 2009s scene wasn't as good. Tbh I can kinda related to it, because in that timespan I also stopped giving shit about newer bands. But I still like to listen to my oldies. Many others for whom it was really just a short fad, stopped caring about it entirely. 

 

Indeed, Social media and the way we consume media and music today, compared to ten years ago, factor in this as well. But the once really big German-speaking scenes, which were infamous enough to be featured regularly in sensationalist  TV formats and press, already died before all these changes could have affected the decline of interest in VK. The truth is simply that liking Visual kei was a fad and it's success in the western world a short-lived hype. Most people have since moved on or hopped on the newest trendwagon.

 

And if I am honest: I do not miss it. I think it's just fine if VK stays obscure. I have moved on and no longer care about old skewl VK being dead. As already said, many music scenes have died and never came back, and that's a fate you have to accept . Though I disagree with the notion that the current goth revival is so bad. It's not the same as the 80s, sure, but it has some fun and redeeming qualities and it's not mainstream. So, if it comes back, it will probably never reach it's former glory. And that's okay too.  A friend of mine also once said that certain eras of VK needed a certain Zeitgeist. And that Zeitgeist is just strongly tied to that specific era. If that era is over than the atmosphere that made it special in the first place is gone too. Hence some of those old music styles no longer work outside the context of so called retromania. Of course, VK has the benefit of being a patchwork genre, it can and has to adapt to survive and it will probably carry on existing in some way (or will influence something else that exists in the future). But it will never be the VK we used to fall in love when we discovered it (and that counts for all eras).

 

I also do not think I ever want the local VK scene being as big again, because I remember that it was mostly a large collection of the most immature, hysterical and downright creepy individuals I have ever seen. Some of these self-called "Visus" looked cool, but were really uncomfortable to surround you with.