Lestat

I am just stoked about this. There is no way of saying I'll ever hear it, but to know that they're still active after their releases in the previous two years is great.

^ Oh Lordie, their videoclips have always been eyesores, even more so than Tigertailz's. Derek Frigo has always been a cutie though, even in those clothes.

What I know about depression (this can be addressed to , but also others), is that the longer you continue to express your feelings in a place with people who do not always respond positively towards you and are more prone to sarcasm or trolling (the internet is no place if you are looking for empathy), you will only dwell on it longer and you'll end up looking for hints of them targeting you and this just inflates the entire effect. It may not be a directly conscious action, but you are in fact beating yourself up if you're continuously posting comments like these on a forum where members might not always take you seriously. My advice is to try and abstain from openly writing them on the internet, or if you have to and prefer not to use an actual written journal, perhaps create a private Twitter account (or on any other platform) where you can write out everything.

If it wasn't for the sublime artwork that's very pleasing on the eyes, I would have long dropped Hai to Gensou no Grimgar. I do not believe I have ever watched something so utterly bored with itself; I have sat through six episodes now and only one crucial thing has happened thus far, and every other episode is identical to its preceding one — whining about not being able to advance, immature sexual remarks by Ranta, Haruhiro everlastingly struggling with himself on the inside, and the other characters fading away in the background because they are not hysterical enough. Can something happen already? You have slow-paced anime, but then you have anime that do not progress at all. The latter applies here. On the other hand, Dimension W (the scenery and atmosphere are reminding me of Cowboy Bebop), Divine Gate, Durarara!!×2 Ketsu and Prince Of Stride: Alternative are keeping me entertained. Boku dake ga Inai Machi is incredible despite its overhyped name. The second installment of Gate: Jieitai Kanochi nite, Kaku Tatakaeri is wearing me out more and more and is the other disappointment of the winter season.

Still upset that my 'Best of 2015' list only received three comments. Meh.

To sneakily steal @CAT5's idea of last year here, I'd like to set up this thread again so we can keep track of what Japanese releases we have listened to in 2016 so far, and how high exactly we rate these releases (it's always nice to compare with others, or to keep lists in general). You basically rate the releases you have listened to in small lists ranging from one to five stars and update your own list whenever you see fit. The general idea would be the same for everyone. Feel free to set up your own rating system and create a different format, to discuss the ratings of yourself and others, or to recommend music to people based on their existing lists. Lestat's ratings for 2016:

They look and sound so very lovely. I love the warm colours of their outfits and the video. It reminds me of ダウト ♡

MALISEND, MeteoroiD, LIPHLICH, コドモドラゴン, Anli Pollicino, My BACTERIA HEAT IsLAND, and Fixer — These are mainly the bands whose looks I adore, but simply cannot get into, no matter how hard I try. I truly wish I could enjoy MALISEND the most, but their music simply sounds like forgettable noise to me.

I emailed CDJapan a week ago about the issue and they still haven't returned my email. But I guess it's at least somewhat decent that they put up copies now (although indeed, without comments, alas).

Good Lord, that setlist. A lot of great musicians attended that live, too.

Yesterday I found two bands, 'ARDLAY' and 'Crime Hate'. I know that they are from the late eighties as a member of Crime Hate appeared on X Japan's 'BLUE BLOOD' on guest vocals and they probably had ties to Extasy Records as they appeared on this television show where a lot of such bands performed at, but there's not much that I can find about these bands per se other than these two videos and some badly taped cover songs. I found a demo which was released by ARDLAY on Discogs, but nothing considerably informative. I was wondering if anyone has any information on them that they would like to share.

This band might be among the few that has never disappointment me during the span of their entire career. A small weakness perhaps on the C-Type track, but of course there are only a few seconds of it available. The title-track sounds incredible though, I can't wait.

[Photo at a later time] If anyone wants me to upload any of this, please send me a message. Just mind that "THREE EYES JACK - jack off" is a VHS, and that the "Graceful Playboys" album is something I'd preferably not open, seeing as the plastic in which it is sealed contains signatures. AlteMission - AlteMission AZALEA - 妄想に死す BY-SEXUAL - Cracker CANDY - LOVE EMOTION D≒SIRE - 異窓からの風景-断章- Lamina - Samael 未散プロジェクト - 第4話「楽園の誕生」 MIRAGE - Rain SEX MACHINEGUNS - そこに,あなたが... S to M - Nostalgy SISTER'S NO FUTURE - SISTER'S NO FUTURE I -DEMONSTRATION- STELLA MARIA - 【指紋】 shi-mon 朱 - 桜歌乱舞 THREE EYES JACK - jack off V.A. - THE END OF THE CENTURY ROCKERS IV V.A. - Graceful Playboys V.A. - SHOCK WAVE CD 〜CROSS GATE 2006〜

Kyouka has hardly strayed from his antics in Aliene, if anything, Insanity Injection is even more chaotic and reminiscent of the 90's than Aliene Ma'riage itself was. So I do not understand where you pulled that argument out of. I do not see what's so bad about not accepting change. You do not have to support the 'ethereal Visual Kei spirit' if you do not want to and leave everyone be who prefers this sound and image. That's why preferences exist, and thank God that they do.

Can this not get pushed down through my throat everywhere I go? I wish to reclaim my yellowness.

New hoodie is new. My hair is an utter disaster.

I am still in doubt of where to order this. On their website it says that it will regularly be available on CDJapan with the extra comment DVD, but on CDJapan's website, the only version available is the Carnage one, and it's an item per special request (meaning you have to pay double the amount in fees » ¥5.000). I sent them an e-mail, but no response as of yet. I know I can use Puresound or whatever other shop, but this would just be easier.

THE BLACK SWAN - 失い

Thank God they will continue, their last mini was absolutely incredible and I sincerely hope they will move onwards in the same style after finding a new drummer. It's unfortunate that he had to leave though, it seems that bands like these just can't stick to their original formation for some reason.

That Megaromania track was one of my very first introductions to Visual Kei and I still love it to this day. I do not think that opinion will change either. MADAME EDWARDA - "The Horror CAVE !" Heaven In Her Arms - "The Old World Is Behind Us & The Jailors Speak Of Freedom (Ampere)" ANTI FEMINISM - "汚い奴" Van Halen - "So This Is Love?" Crimson Shiva - "腐慾-Fuyoku-" 清春 - "EMILY" Decameron - "すべてをこの愛に" 黒夢 - "解凍実験" DIR EN GREY - "THE BLOSSOMING BEELZEBUB" SADIE SADS - "W.S.D.G." This is probably the most diverse list of myself that I have seen in a while. It shows a lot of different sides — no true favourites though, apart from the Kiyoharu song.

That moment you randomly buy a book and the cover says 'first book in the series', but when you look it up online at home it's apparently just a new chapter in a series that has been ongoing for a while with the same characters and it's ill-advised to read them separately. Well then — I suppose I'll have to save up again and put another on the shelf to be read at a later date.

Surprisingly I haven't found a thread on this particular movement (the origins of Visual Kei!) yet, and I believe it very well deserves its own place as I am aware there are several people who enjoy it. Any of these genres (if you want to call them such, controversies, you know) may be lumped together and is usually referred to in general as hair metal. Spawning from hell's smothering depths in the early 80's, hair metal began to gain popularity as many bands began to imitate the eccentric looks of Sweet, David Bowie, Alice Cooper and KISS, only to combine them with an off-the-rails attitude forwarded in music revolving mostly around the common sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Looks range from shocking attires and dark images (W.A.S.P., Mötley Crüe, Wrathchild U.K.), a simpler look involving not too much makeup and extravagant outfits (Tesla, Skid Row, Whitesnake), something I would call 'womanizer bands' with guys often simply looking to show off their attitude (L.A. Guns, Faster Pussycat, Roxx Gang), to downright feminine-looking bands where you can't make left from right (Pretty Boy Floyd, Tigertailz, Poison). Hair metal didn't change much during the 80's, however most people believed it to already be heading downwards with the popular names of Bon Jovi and Poison which arose somewhere in the mid-80's. The metal subsided and a more acceptable hard rock sound took its place, making it more or less radio-friendly. (I honestly do not mind if an album comes from '81 or '89, it all sounds good to me.) With the 90's in sight, hair metal took a decline in popularity as grunge faced an uprising with the names of Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots and Soundgarden. Many bands changed their appearance and sounds and it was soon that the movement took a dive and many bands disappeared, or altered themselves so that they became almost unrecognizable. There were of course still groups who stuck to what they knew, but a lot of the lesser known names suffered the inescapable fate of being smothered by the public's new interest. It was in the mid-00's that glam metal took on a new form. Namely on Scandinavian grounds, young groups began to form and relive the 'good old days' of party-rock. CRASHDÏET, Hardcore Superstar, Babylon Bombs, Vains Of Jenna and Reckless Love (to name a few) raised up out of nowhere and breathed new life into the mix. Although as of late, the flame seems to be simmering on a low frequency again, as not many new bands seem to rise up anymore and they are mostly the pre-existing ones that continue to release new material, also in new jackets, as young boys grow up. Please use this thread to share anything reminiscent to this music. Whether it's a hidden gem from the early 80's or a band that just took form. I have been meaning to dive back into my first love, and this seems a nice way to pick it back up again.

Oh yes, they sound incredible as always. They are one of those rare newly found bands who cannot quite disappoint. Their look is beautiful as well.