Purlpi

Hope I can answer this even when the last reply was in February...
 
DIR EN GREY - Since I decided to start listening Japanese music (thanks to Nightmare's "the world" and a crazy friend), I was looking for music in YouTube and I was jumping between some bands like: Nightmare > Miyavi > the GazettE > Dir en Grey. My first reaction was "What? Japanese people are crazy!"
 
D'espairsRay - A friend of mine discovered that I loved DEG, so she told me "you must listen to D'espairsRay". I search in "Ares" and the only result was "Oboro no Tsuki". I loved them since that song.
 
And my current favorite bands:
 
VAMPS - I was fan of L'Arc~en~Ciel and HYDE, so I discovered them since their announcement 7 years ago. At first I hated them, though.
 
[Alexandros] - Since they performed with VAMPS at JAPAN NIGHT last year (and this year in all the world), I saw them at a JAPAN NIGHT's video report. Love at first sight listen.

Kerrang! posted a list a month before in which you can find 50 albums that you need to hear before you die. To any curious people out there, the list is here.
 
So, what J-music Albums do you think people really need to hear before they die?
 
Maybe we can make a list of 50 albums haha.
 
--
 
As for me, the first one I thought was [coll:set] from D'espairsRay. I'm not sure about the other ones that I thought, but [coll:set] is definitely one that people must listen to.

Kerrang! posted a list a month before in which you can find 50 albums that you need to hear before you die. To any curious people out there, the list is here.
 
So, what J-music Albums do you think people really need to hear before they die?
 
Maybe we can make a list of 50 albums haha.
 
--
 
As for me, the first one I thought was [coll:set] from D'espairsRay. I'm not sure about the other ones that I thought, but [coll:set] is definitely one that people must listen to.

Kerrang! posted a list a month before in which you can find 50 albums that you need to hear before you die. To any curious people out there, the list is here.
 
So, what J-music Albums do you think people really need to hear before they die?
 
Maybe we can make a list of 50 albums haha.
 
--
 
As for me, the first one I thought was [coll:set] from D'espairsRay. I'm not sure about the other ones that I thought, but [coll:set] is definitely one that people must listen to.

Kerrang! posted a list a month before in which you can find 50 albums that you need to hear before you die. To any curious people out there, the list is here.
 
So, what J-music Albums do you think people really need to hear before they die?
 
Maybe we can make a list of 50 albums haha.
 
--
 
As for me, the first one I thought was [coll:set] from D'espairsRay. I'm not sure about the other ones that I thought, but [coll:set] is definitely one that people must listen to.

Got them some days ago.
 
Mogamigawa Tsukasa (最上川司) - MATSUPOIYO 
Regular and Limited Edition
 

Got them some days ago.
 
Mogamigawa Tsukasa (最上川司) - MATSUPOIYO 
Regular and Limited Edition
 

Got them some days ago.
 
Mogamigawa Tsukasa (最上川司) - MATSUPOIYO 
Regular and Limited Edition
 

Got them some days ago.
 
Mogamigawa Tsukasa (最上川司) - MATSUPOIYO 
Regular and Limited Edition
 

Got them some days ago.
 
Mogamigawa Tsukasa (最上川司) - MATSUPOIYO 
Regular and Limited Edition
 

Another vote for D'espairsRay here. They still are my favorite band, and I really really love them so much. They mean a lot for me and suddenly they disband just in my birthday. Worst day ever.
 
And deadman... at least aie is still active, but Mako... I NEED him active once again for God's sake. 

Another vote for D'espairsRay here. They still are my favorite band, and I really really love them so much. They mean a lot for me and suddenly they disband just in my birthday. Worst day ever.
 
And deadman... at least aie is still active, but Mako... I NEED him active once again for God's sake. 

Artist: VAMPS Album: BLOODSUCKERS Score: VAMPS make a good effort, but could use a little more bite. I'm a huge fan of KAZ's work with Oblivion Dust though I've never been big on L'Arc-en-Ciel or HYDE's solo ventures. Over the years I've come to realize that may have had more to do with my preference for aggressive music than the band's quality of songwriting. So, BLOODSUCKERS is only the second album I've ever heard all the way through with HYDE as the main vocalist, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this album. It was naive of me not to have prepared myself for high levels of cheesiness, since the song titles on this album range from spooky undead to pirate themes, but there were a lot of shockingly good moments on this album too.

The first half of this album comes off a little weak. "ZERO" is a nice blend of KAZ and HYDE's styles but begins to grate on me after about 2 minutes in, where it felt like they ran out of ideas so they just dragged the song out as if it were a live situation. Only that answer works solely in a live setting. Otherwise, it's just a waste of time that should have been shortened to an intro. "LIPS" also becomes a little boring as well, even though I do appreciate a good 80s glam rock throwback, the song feels flat and lacks the raw vocal edge necessary to pull it off. HYDE stays in this middle space that never goes full grit or full soaring powerhouse. "AHEAD," "GHOST," and "VAMPIRE'S LOVE" all end up in similar bland categories. KAZ puts on a good show with "EVIL," and it's the one saving grace for the album's slow start. The song separates itself with a more industrial feel and a prominent drum beat. HYDE also sounds a little darker in his approach and doesn't try to overpower the music with belting too much just for the sake of it.

BLOODSUCKERS does finally kick into gear by the mid-way point, however. The first promising HYDE composition, "DAMNED" is a punch to the gut and has great dynamics; with a haunting verse that slowly swells to the point that the listener is itching for the chorus's outcry. The guitars really wail on the track and it kicks up to headbang-worthy levels of pounding drums. It's followed by "GET AWAY" and "REPLAY," which were strong singles for the album, but also a step into the pop-influenced side of VAMPS. While not bad songs, they feel lost in the track placement. The first half of the album could have certainly used these songs to beef it up instead of the slower numbers VAMPS opted for. The title interlude was a monster of a piece that I would have loved as a full song, "are you all bloodsuckers?!" the track asks, and the answer to that is a resounding, "yes!" If you ask with that beastly guitar riff backing you up. "THE JOLLY ROGER" doesn't skimp on crunchy guitar riffs either, though it's a slight letdown to have such a positive sounding song after such a dark teaser. But once you accept the song for it's change in theme, it's actually a great piece of work and you will find yourself singing along with the "whoo hoo" of the backing vocals all too easily. The album sends us off with the closing track, "INSIDE MYSELF." It's just as well composed as any of the singles and the album releases its grip on you with a song that really expresses what the band's sound is about. The guitar work is just as catchy as any of the vocal melodies and the production is well polished as you'd expect from industry veterans like this.

While some of the songs rest too much on clichéd writing tropes, it's hard to find anything unlistenable on BLOODSUCKERS. HYDE and KAZ have been writing music long enough to put out quality work that shows more of their strengths than weaknesses. But there is still a lot left to this project that they could explore and I'm looking forward to it in their future releases. I recommend rock fans to give this album a spin, VAMPS cover a lot of ground on BLOODSUCKERS so there's high likelihood they'll surprise you too.