saltofstones

This is more in regards to the fandom >
Fans that spam 'AAAHH' 'I'm having a fit, I'm dying' 'X is so cuteomfgxD' etc. when a new teaser for a band comes out drive me crazy, specially those that 'ship' band members.
e.g people who ship DDRM's Takashi and Tomo, I know they cater to people who do that a LOT but I still think it's irritating/unnecessary. These people are the same ones who usually will just say they're in love with every release from a group, they can do no wrong and every song is 'the best fucking one'. 
I know music isn't supposed to be criticised every time of the day, but I think it's good to be able to realise that artists will produce weak music and to be critical about it instead of just kissing their ass for everything they do. It just feels like I can't approach any fan of VK (outside of MH) with a negative comment about X band because all they can do is repeat the same mindless shit in Caps Lock, that or I get kicked out of groups.
 

It's not exactly about the music itself, but I am growing tired of the people who say that every band should go in a heavier (a.k.a. 'br00tal') direction. I believe the majority of the current bands already cannot exist without screaming vocalists — leave the clean-singing ones as they are, please.

I can't connect with most fans because of what you mentioned above. I hate it because I truly want more J-rock/vk friends, but 9 times out of 10 when I try to initiate a conversation, it ends up being about Dadaroma and such. I'm not so much of a vk oldfag that I shun all newer bands--there are actually quite a few that I like, they're just the few that most fans don't bother checking out because they don't look like Gazette or Mejibray or whoever else. Like, there are so many other bands out there. Be more open-minded. I understand having a preference but I also don't get why people always stick to the same few without exploring anything else unless it's a carbon copy of what they like. Idk, maybe I'm just getting old.

lmao they got rid of him and disbanded just to come back with this basic shit?

I don't think you "get" Metronome. That is literally their thing. If anything, I just see a stronger influence from FLOPPY in their sound now, which isn't surprising at all.
 
Anyways, I totally love it and can't wait for the rest of the album <3

THIS. My first thought when seeing this look 

Nice look. Too bad KYOKUTOU GIRLFRIEND already took the same pic years ago:
 

 
 

I'm not sure how to explain it but I feel like VK has a problem with  choruses. So often I hear songs that sound amazing only to be ruined by a boring chorus that doesn't seem to organically connect with the rest of the song, sounds uncharacteristically happy like an explosion of kittens and rainbows in musical form or is just bland and lacks the kind of punch you would expect from a chorus. Then when it's time to go back to the verses, the transition is all awkward. To me, the verses and bridge are usually more memorable than the choruses and I only seem to have this experience with VK. When I listen to a new song and it's shaping up to be a good one, I always have this concern that they'll go for this type of chorus and ruin everything and more often than not I am right. A good example of this would be SCAPEGOAT - 幼女A~Hide and Seek~ . Their Nemurenai something song is the same. It's frustrating to have everything in a song work except the chorus.

I'm somewhat surprised, I found parts of DIAVOLO pretty damn catchy, and they still have a tendency to randomly pop into my head even though I haven't spinned the whole album proper for months at this point. I mean, yeah, it's definitely not reinventing the wheel or anything, but it's just quirky enough to stay memorable in the ocean of staleness that is modern-day visual kei (also thank GOD they're not one of those boring straightforward heavy bands lmao)
 
New DEZERT album's good. Kinda hoped it'd have more tracks in the vein of the 2nd track, but I still enjoyed it about as much as I enjoyed their first full album.
 
 

Full details:
New look
 

 
 

 
Type A
Tracklist:
01 念力 (Nenriki)
02 creep
03 念力 (Nenriki) (Instrumental)
 
DVD - Bonus live "Black Silent / White Noise" final performance
・うつせみ (Utsusemi)
・フラスコ (Frasco)
・みらいいろ (Mirai Iro)
・メルト (Melt)
・くちづけ (Kuchizuke)
・ピアノブラック (Piano Black)
・時間坂 (Jikansaka)
・サナトリウム (Sanatorium)
・影絵 (Kagee)
・サイレントノイズ (Silent Noise)
 
 

 
Type B
Tracklist:
01 念力 (Nenriki)
02 creep
03 念力 (Nenriki) (Instrumental)
 
DVD - Bonus live "Black Silent / White Noise" final performance
・シンクロ (Synchro)
・メランコリック (Melancholic)
・スラッシングパンプキン・デスマーチ (Thrashing pumpkin death march)
・マイム (Maimu)
・バリア (Baria)
・静かの海 (Shizuka no umi)
・剥製 (Hakusei)
・曲論 (Kyokuron)
・あバンギャルど  (Avangarde)
・クリーム (Cream)
 
 

 
Type C
Tracklist:
01 念力 (Nenriki)
02 creep
03 念力 (Nenriki) (Instrumental)
 
DVD
01念力 (Nenriki) MUSIC VIDEO
 

 
Regular Edition:
Tracklist:
01. 念力 (nenriki)
02.creep
03.サーカス(circus) (Live Arrange Version)
04.念力(Instrumental)
 
Also the Video music of nenriki:
 
 
 
 
 

Day 18: 中毒症状 (chuudoku shoujou) by ザアザア (XAA-XAA) 

 
Release Date: 2016-03-23
Label: Timely Records
Genre: Visual Kei
 
 
Impressions from @doombox:
 
 
Impressions from @Zeus:
 
 
Impressions from  @emmny:
 
 
Impressions from @Seimeisen:
 
Sample song
:
 
Buy the album:
CD Japan  | Amazon

Day 17: DIAVOLO by ギャロ (The Gallo)

 
Release Date: 2016-03-02
Label: EMPEROR RECORDS
Genre: Visual Kei
 
 
Impressions from @emmny:
 
 
Impressions from @tetsu_sama69:
 
 
Sample song:
 
 
Buy the album:
CD Japan | iTunes | Google Play | Spotify | Amazon

That Chanty mini-album was dope. I've heard some of their stuff before, but it wasn't until this mini that I was completely sold on them. The indie-rock VK thing they're doing is a delight.
 
Speaking of indie-rock, I've been less impressed with this scene's output this year, but I really enjoyed  Koochewsen  (+ Pelican Fanclub + Kankaku Piero).  お願いUFO blew my mind and ぼくのことすき was such a spacey nostalgic jam!
 
Unfortunately, try as I might  I could not get into DIV's last mini. I wish I would have liked it more and think more fondly of it, what with it being their last work and all. But ZERO ONE still reigns supreme.
 
I could not get into that god and death stars mini either. I generally liked their stuff quite a lot, I enjoyed this too, but not quite as much as I'd hoped. I'll try giving it more listens.

Day 16: raison d'etre et de sang by KEEL

 
Release Date: 2016-09-21
Label: ROCKGUILD INC
Genre: Nagoya Kei
 
 
Impressions from @emmny:
 
 
Impressions from @Ito:
 
 
Impressions from @Zeus:
 
Sample song:
 
Buy the album:
CD Japan | iTunes | Google Play | Spotify | Amazon

if chiaki's inner workings are to be trusted, DEZERT will never go major, and as such i wont expect them to all of a sudden go major now given how much he hates that whole scene. then again if they money's right i think he'll sell his old self out without a smidge of remorse
BUT:
DEZERT will go on hiatus toward the end of the year lynch. will continue without akinori, will recruit a replacement anfiel will sign to either speed-disk or danger crue (latter more likely) or better yet go major XAA-XAA are on a good enough label that they won't go major yet--maybe toward the end of the year if anything Sibilebashir will disband toward the end of the year D disbands within a few months dir en grey NA tour planned for november-december nothing the nagoya guys have going on is disbanding because they don't lose money playing lives with each other, TAG has been going on for years now and they have no fans outside of ryo gya; that said i think ryo isn't happy with where hollowgram are heading and the guys all have other avenues to explore. i think he saw it as another 9GBO scale venture but from what i've been reading attendance might not be what they expected. hollowgram is the most likely out of that scene to hit the dirt; KEEL aren't going anywhere, they are the most popular band in that circuit emmuree wont disband since sou put silence on hiatus and every other member has side projects keeping them happy DIMMDIVISION will be back if hollowgram gets canned hiro (ex-gossip, varyl) will be back matenrou opera hiatus after inability to fill anzi's place sukekiyo will release a live dvd of kyo fucking a chicken in geisha makeup for 27000yen, anyone worth their coin will buy the deluxe limited edition piglow in gloomy and raindia will snatch 2017 scapegoat live dvd for their liquidroom oneman satsuki will become a full on manwhore for lil ukrainian lolitas; expect backpage ads temari will come with a new project all the 40+yo nagoya stans will gladly await a phobia or lamiel revival, it'll never happen because everyone is too fucking fat to get on stage mediena/malisend splice baby will form under ains ains will debut a new band, hopefully ex-melvel LMFAO EX-melvel actually came true and ains grabbed miztavlah and amanajaku initial'l will continue on flopping krad will disband come summer hitomi will FINALLY debut a new band and get a life

A few predictions.
THE NOVEMBERS will release either a new single or an EP. I don't think they'll be quiet, whatever the case. 八十八ヶ所巡礼 will drop an actual full-length album to make up for leaving us musicless in 2016. cinema staff will release SOMETHING. these guys have been putting out music like crazy. 凛として時雨 hopefully put out something redeeming. maybe a new single? ....or 凛として時雨 return just to disappoint us again. TK makes another anime theme. This time, his most annoying yet! siraph will drop another amazing EP. another new lynch. album [2] downy goes back into hiding for another 3 years.  
That's all I got for now. I do hope for new music from some lesser known bands that probably aren't worth mentioning, though.

- NEW FUCKING MERRY ALBUM
 - ザアザア will continue to kill it
 - DIR EN GREY will release a single with embarrassing excuses for b-sides
 - MEJIBRAY will release seven singles
 - 己龍 will release five singles
 - R指定 will release three singles
 - possible no announcement for cali≠gari 13 at the end of the year?
 - lynch. will release an album in September or October, this WILL happen, or else Earth as we know it will end
 - Plastic Tree will release a single that sounds like 瞳孔/落花/Silent Noise
 - we might get a lot of surprise albums, since pretty much all we got in 2016 was fucking singles
 
As for DEZERT ... well, I don't think they'll go major, but they will do things... they'll either:
 - Be super consistent and release some awesome shit, or
 - Lose another member in the midst of several upcoming releases, and then scrap all aforementioned releases for a short sub-par album

* At least 1 of either Ryo's or Aie's current projects will bite the dust
* New Merry album
* New Metronome material
* DEZERT goes major [2] OR goes on hiatus/disbands
* X Japan album drops but it's just old songs but with English lyrics & 2 new piano SEs
* 1 or 2 new bands formed by Tenten, fold before the year ends
* One of the Ains bands disbands
* Kisaki """retires""" again
* Some literally who band nobody asked for makes a comeback
* Some literally who band nobody asked for goes to Europe
* At least one long lasting, well-established band will call it quits
* New Maximum the Hormone material
* New Dir en grey material
* Mana and Gackt get married
* Yayoi found dead in Miami

That Chanty mini-album was dope. I've heard some of their stuff before, but it wasn't until this mini that I was completely sold on them. The indie-rock VK thing they're doing is a delight.
 
Speaking of indie-rock, I've been less impressed with this scene's output this year, but I really enjoyed  Koochewsen  (+ Pelican Fanclub + Kankaku Piero).  お願いUFO blew my mind and ぼくのことすき was such a spacey nostalgic jam!
 
Unfortunately, try as I might  I could not get into DIV's last mini. I wish I would have liked it more and think more fondly of it, what with it being their last work and all. But ZERO ONE still reigns supreme.
 
I could not get into that god and death stars mini either. I generally liked their stuff quite a lot, I enjoyed this too, but not quite as much as I'd hoped. I'll try giving it more listens.

Day 13: 不完全な音楽 (Fukanzen na ongaku) by chanty

 
Release Date: 2016-09-14
Label: Manpaku Records
Genre: Visual Kei/Indie Rock
 
 
Impressions from @emmny:
 
 
 
Impressions from @tetsu_sama69:
 
 
 
Impressions from @fitear1590:
 
 
 
Sample song:
 
Buy the album:
CD Japan

this is a good quEstion, iM trying to think of prolific, infaMoUs bands who aRe notable foR doing this, but my mind is drawing a blank
 
 
 
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Day 4: 超能力セレナーデ (chounouryoku serenade) by クウチュウ戦 (koochewsen)

 
Release Date: 2016-08-03
Label: ramble
Genre: Progressive Rock 
 
Impressions from @doombox:
 
 
 
Impressions from @fitear1590:
 
 
 
Sample song: