Lestat

Items came in today, everything's looking great. Fast handling and shipping  — I have to ask; what is on that extra CD you added? I listened to it but nothing in the midst of that Japanese surf rock and jazz sounds familiar to me and I would like to be able to tag the tracks, aha. 

Thanks, @nattliga_toner! 

It is not the band's request, as it clearly says that their label is putting them through this. Being one of the few original acts left, it is unfortunately no surprise that they are so unpopular as their sound simply does not match the current competition. They are one of the few bands I personally still enjoy and it would be sad to see them go. 

It is not the band's request, as it clearly says that their label is putting them through this. Being one of the few original acts left, it is unfortunately no surprise that they are so unpopular as their sound simply does not match the current competition. They are one of the few bands I personally still enjoy and it would be sad to see them go. 

Matenrou Opera will be performing across Europe this year's summer. More information will be released soon.

I can hardly believe it but Venenum will finally release an album... not too long to go! Drops March 17, title is "Trance of Death".
 
Details and new song here: https://www.deaf-forever.de/songpremiere-venenum
 
Their only EP so far is an awesome filthy doomy death masterpiece imo.

Project【混乱】(Project konran) has changed to new band "マゼラン(mazeran)" on 2017/02/05, and they will hold their first presents live "貴方の脳に寄生します。" at HOLIDAY SHINJUKU on 2017/04/03
 
"マゼラン(mazeran)" members:
Vo.繭(mayu) (ex-つなぎ(tsunagi)-->BRAST(レオ/reo))
Gt.さな(sana)(f.k.a. Nao)
Ba.瀧(taki) (ex-スナフキン(snufkin)(ス≠ズ/suzu))
Dr.千夜(senya) (ex-Dicreyt-->Weather.bell(support)-->つなぎ(tsunagi)-->uni-ユニ-, BRAST(support)-->スナフキン(snufkin)(support)(らむ/LaM), now ZAKLIA(support))
 
http://mazeran.main.jp/
 

 
 

Haven't given myself time to listen to this yet, even though I've had it sitting in my waiting list for a while. Will definitely be listening to this first thing I wake up tomorrow, it sounds good. 

https://warseid.bandcamp.com/ — I'd recommend this to anyone who fancies (Blackened) folk metal. This is an album easy to judge from its cover; Epic battle metal thick with Norse mythology. Their transitioning from acoustic to onslaught is almost flawless, I'd say. Enjoy.

Lies! Remember that medley I once sent you? 
 
 

Now that I will be seeing them live this July, I wonder who they bring around the table as a support guitarist for on an overseas tour. I was pretty devastated when Anzi announced his withdrawal from the band, as I find him to be the best guitarist the scene has ever seen (surpassing even Hizaki and Teru) and his sound was what initially drew me to the band. While Leda has shown sufficient work on PHOENIX RISING, I wonder if they'll be able to bring him to Europe as I am not sure if it will lead to a conflicting schedule with his other projects. Meku might also be an option regarding the band's ties to Versailles and Kamijo, but I found him rather sloppy live when I saw him with Kamijo's band and I would rather not see him brought along on this tour.
 
During their PHOENIX RISING tour they played with JaY from Light Bringer (I have no idea who he is or what that band sounds like), again — another option if touring schedules don't conflict.

shizzel

I highly believe I am asexual, but I would rather not label myself as anything other than myself — seeing as I bear no interest in sexual activity, I feel it's unneccesary to call myself anything –sexual at all or leap into any social construct regarding the matter. I am not sexually attracted to people, but more or less aesthethically. Surely, there are people I find immensely beautiful and alluring to look at, but I could never imagine myself sharing a bed with them for any other reason than actual sleeping. I grow uncomfortable when people touch me for extensive periods of time, and I had rather not even shake hands with people whom I have not known for at least a month or two. I do not know if these experiences are an extension of Asperger syndrome —they very well could be— as there are plenty of people on the autistic spectrum who have no problems with sexual activity and attraction whatsoever, or if they are two separate things altogether. I have had some boyfriends in the past, but I would always grow anxious the moment anything started to happen beyond kissing. Not wanting to have sex with these boys always lead to me being cheated on as I could not and did not want to please their physical needs. This has also lead me to not desire a relationship for myself, either. I do not know if I can ever see myself in a relationship. If I were to have sex at all in this life, I wouldn't have it before marriage. I need to be certain of the person, however it's always unclear whether you will be spending the rest of your life in the same relationship. This is conflicting and currently I am leaning toward not ever having sex at all, even in a potential marriage. Unfortunately it's difficult soloing life, especially with how darned expensive everything is nowadays. You can barely keep up a regular household with two individuals, let alone one.
 
I find anything pornographic extremely distasteful and I bear quite the aversion against the openness of the matter of sex in this age. It is everywhere, and it makes me very uncomfortable and dirty. I find the human anatomy very aesthetic and interesting, and to see it being tarnished by sex is —in my eyes— very sad and abasing. Perhaps this is ironic in that case, but I could never see a penis as anything more than an organ meant for urinating, for instance, yet I find it a very beautiful organ.
 
As for the view on Visual kei artists; as I said above, my attraction to some of them is purely based on aesthetic pleasure. Perhaps it is also why I am more or less attracted to so-called femine-looking men, with softer shapes and tones, that Visual kei is an attractive medium. I like pallidness, long limbs and extremities, and ethereal-looking creatures, I would say even androgynous. Anything that would seem to exceed humanity. 

All you have to do is to upload your photos to a public webhost such as tinypic, Photobucket or Imgur (the latter is recommended), and use the BBCode url, which you paste here in your comments. It would look like this; [- img -]http://i.imgur.com/Se9g76n.png?1[- /img -] (without the dashes in the brackets.)
 

As a follow-up of the previous years' entries, I would like to introduce this thread again. It is a simple way to keep tabs on your listening experiences, and efficient if you were to create a year-end list for 2017 in case you are keen on those. It is an instant reminder of what your favourite records of this year are, and lists are simply fun to keep. The idea is to create a series of ratings (whether that be a five-star, or a ten-star system, or any of your choice) and keep them updated throughout the year. Please try to keep your post compact and easy on the eyes.  — (2016 edition)
 
Lestat's ratings for 2017:
 
 

I highly believe I am asexual, but I would rather not label myself as anything other than myself — seeing as I bear no interest in sexual activity, I feel it's unneccesary to call myself anything –sexual at all or leap into any social construct regarding the matter. I am not sexually attracted to people, but more or less aesthethically. Surely, there are people I find immensely beautiful and alluring to look at, but I could never imagine myself sharing a bed with them for any other reason than actual sleeping. I grow uncomfortable when people touch me for extensive periods of time, and I had rather not even shake hands with people whom I have not known for at least a month or two. I do not know if these experiences are an extension of Asperger syndrome —they very well could be— as there are plenty of people on the autistic spectrum who have no problems with sexual activity and attraction whatsoever, or if they are two separate things altogether. I have had some boyfriends in the past, but I would always grow anxious the moment anything started to happen beyond kissing. Not wanting to have sex with these boys always lead to me being cheated on as I could not and did not want to please their physical needs. This has also lead me to not desire a relationship for myself, either. I do not know if I can ever see myself in a relationship. If I were to have sex at all in this life, I wouldn't have it before marriage. I need to be certain of the person, however it's always unclear whether you will be spending the rest of your life in the same relationship. This is conflicting and currently I am leaning toward not ever having sex at all, even in a potential marriage. Unfortunately it's difficult soloing life, especially with how darned expensive everything is nowadays. You can barely keep up a regular household with two individuals, let alone one.
 
I find anything pornographic extremely distasteful and I bear quite the aversion against the openness of the matter of sex in this age. It is everywhere, and it makes me very uncomfortable and dirty. I find the human anatomy very aesthetic and interesting, and to see it being tarnished by sex is —in my eyes— very sad and abasing. Perhaps this is ironic in that case, but I could never see a penis as anything more than an organ meant for urinating, for instance, yet I find it a very beautiful organ.
 
As for the view on Visual kei artists; as I said above, my attraction to some of them is purely based on aesthetic pleasure. Perhaps it is also why I am more or less attracted to so-called femine-looking men, with softer shapes and tones, that Visual kei is an attractive medium. I like pallidness, long limbs and extremities, and ethereal-looking creatures, I would say even androgynous. Anything that would seem to exceed humanity. 

I highly believe I am asexual, but I would rather not label myself as anything other than myself — seeing as I bear no interest in sexual activity, I feel it's unneccesary to call myself anything –sexual at all or leap into any social construct regarding the matter. I am not sexually attracted to people, but more or less aesthethically. Surely, there are people I find immensely beautiful and alluring to look at, but I could never imagine myself sharing a bed with them for any other reason than actual sleeping. I grow uncomfortable when people touch me for extensive periods of time, and I had rather not even shake hands with people whom I have not known for at least a month or two. I do not know if these experiences are an extension of Asperger syndrome —they very well could be— as there are plenty of people on the autistic spectrum who have no problems with sexual activity and attraction whatsoever, or if they are two separate things altogether. I have had some boyfriends in the past, but I would always grow anxious the moment anything started to happen beyond kissing. Not wanting to have sex with these boys always lead to me being cheated on as I could not and did not want to please their physical needs. This has also lead me to not desire a relationship for myself, either. I do not know if I can ever see myself in a relationship. If I were to have sex at all in this life, I wouldn't have it before marriage. I need to be certain of the person, however it's always unclear whether you will be spending the rest of your life in the same relationship. This is conflicting and currently I am leaning toward not ever having sex at all, even in a potential marriage. Unfortunately it's difficult soloing life, especially with how darned expensive everything is nowadays. You can barely keep up a regular household with two individuals, let alone one.
 
I find anything pornographic extremely distasteful and I bear quite the aversion against the openness of the matter of sex in this age. It is everywhere, and it makes me very uncomfortable and dirty. I find the human anatomy very aesthetic and interesting, and to see it being tarnished by sex is —in my eyes— very sad and abasing. Perhaps this is ironic in that case, but I could never see a penis as anything more than an organ meant for urinating, for instance, yet I find it a very beautiful organ.
 
As for the view on Visual kei artists; as I said above, my attraction to some of them is purely based on aesthetic pleasure. Perhaps it is also why I am more or less attracted to so-called femine-looking men, with softer shapes and tones, that Visual kei is an attractive medium. I like pallidness, long limbs and extremities, and ethereal-looking creatures, I would say even androgynous. Anything that would seem to exceed humanity. 

I like this better than anything Dir en grey has ever done.

From the many musical domains I have set foot on, I have personally experienced Visual Kei (or the Japanese fanbase in general) as being the very worst when it comes to its 'fans'. I absolutely do not wish to attack anyone by saying this, but the sheer amount of 'crazy fans' is just completely overwhelming and unhealthy, and regrettably the genre is one of those that is somehow attractive to those who often struggle in life or suffer from mental disabilities (myself included). It shows in the influence a fanbase has on bands and artists, take for instance last year's case of Femme Fatale; a bandmember supposedly cheated on his wife, and it was the fans' desire to see him punished — the man left the band and is never heard of again. I cannot wrap myself around the mindset so very present in the Visual Kei sphere; who are you —as a fan— to dictate a musician's life and decisions? Why is everyone so busy with others when they first have themselves to look out for? It is highly likely that in a person's general surroundings of family and friends, people take pleasure in debauchery, or maybe the fan himself or herself has made general mistakes in life. Do you turn your back on everyone who does differently? Why chastise another human being who is by default prone to make mistakes? Any 'scandal' in Japan leads to disaster and can completely ruin an artist's reputation, and sadly this showcase of completely berating artists over their personal lives has become popular with non-Japanese fans as well. As is said above, Koreans take it even a step further.
 
As the name implies, Visual Kei is unfortunately less about the music, and moreso about the participants themselves, and the genre has therefore grown into an uncomfortable, defensive business where it is mandatory to display a certain territorial behaviour over musicians, or a complete disdain toward others. There exists an extreme concept of bandwagonism where people are unaware of their own behaviour and merely portray themselves as such because this is the norm. For when you stray from this norm, you are chastized and abhorred, and disliked for your difference in opinions. It is therefore very attractive to jump on board and do as others do as to not be targeted, which blows this phenomena up even larger. I have experienced violent behaviour during concerts which was absolutely unnecessary, purely because some people believe they are the only ones priviliged enough to see their favourite artists live. Hair being pulled, being kicked, scratched and even bitten, pieces of clothing being torn from artists their outfits, etc. I can imagine this behaviour would have taken place during a Michael Jackson concert, but to display it during every small concert where there is plenty opportunity to share a word with the band afterwards, it is even more unacceptable. 
 
Truthfully, I cannot recall any such behaviour in other musical genres in which I wandered and as soon as I walked through the curtain into this world, I became confused. I cannot remember people wanting to see Axl Rose removed from this planet because he, say for example, slept with four girls at once, if anything, people'd give him a nod of approval. If any Japanese or Korean artist's sex-life is exposed, expect hell to be unleashed on earth, and expect them to never touch music again because of how awfully influential their fanbases are and how easily these 'fans' turn on these artists and make sure their lives are ruined. Surely, a band or artist thrives on their fans and they are a neccessary component in the industry — but to let things come this far is just unheard of. I do however recall telling other fans that I am uninterested in the personal lives of musicians, and they'd look at me as if I'd grown three extra heads. Why? Isn't it completely normal that you do not concern yourself with a stranger's private business? In the end, I am glad that an artist addressed the erratic and elitistic behaviour of these alleged fans and makes sure that international fans are just as welcome to share the experience of attending Japanese concerts.

It truly deserves its place in my list of best releases of the year 2016. I believe it is very undervalued and overshadowed by the more popular, younger bands of today. Everyone should surely give it an attempt, at least.

From the many musical domains I have set foot on, I have personally experienced Visual Kei (or the Japanese fanbase in general) as being the very worst when it comes to its 'fans'. I absolutely do not wish to attack anyone by saying this, but the sheer amount of 'crazy fans' is just completely overwhelming and unhealthy, and regrettably the genre is one of those that is somehow attractive to those who often struggle in life or suffer from mental disabilities (myself included). It shows in the influence a fanbase has on bands and artists, take for instance last year's case of Femme Fatale; a bandmember supposedly cheated on his wife, and it was the fans' desire to see him punished — the man left the band and is never heard of again. I cannot wrap myself around the mindset so very present in the Visual Kei sphere; who are you —as a fan— to dictate a musician's life and decisions? Why is everyone so busy with others when they first have themselves to look out for? It is highly likely that in a person's general surroundings of family and friends, people take pleasure in debauchery, or maybe the fan himself or herself has made general mistakes in life. Do you turn your back on everyone who does differently? Why chastise another human being who is by default prone to make mistakes? Any 'scandal' in Japan leads to disaster and can completely ruin an artist's reputation, and sadly this showcase of completely berating artists over their personal lives has become popular with non-Japanese fans as well. As is said above, Koreans take it even a step further.
 
As the name implies, Visual Kei is unfortunately less about the music, and moreso about the participants themselves, and the genre has therefore grown into an uncomfortable, defensive business where it is mandatory to display a certain territorial behaviour over musicians, or a complete disdain toward others. There exists an extreme concept of bandwagonism where people are unaware of their own behaviour and merely portray themselves as such because this is the norm. For when you stray from this norm, you are chastized and abhorred, and disliked for your difference in opinions. It is therefore very attractive to jump on board and do as others do as to not be targeted, which blows this phenomena up even larger. I have experienced violent behaviour during concerts which was absolutely unnecessary, purely because some people believe they are the only ones priviliged enough to see their favourite artists live. Hair being pulled, being kicked, scratched and even bitten, pieces of clothing being torn from artists their outfits, etc. I can imagine this behaviour would have taken place during a Michael Jackson concert, but to display it during every small concert where there is plenty opportunity to share a word with the band afterwards, it is even more unacceptable. 
 
Truthfully, I cannot recall any such behaviour in other musical genres in which I wandered and as soon as I walked through the curtain into this world, I became confused. I cannot remember people wanting to see Axl Rose removed from this planet because he, say for example, slept with four girls at once, if anything, people'd give him a nod of approval. If any Japanese or Korean artist's sex-life is exposed, expect hell to be unleashed on earth, and expect them to never touch music again because of how awfully influential their fanbases are and how easily these 'fans' turn on these artists and make sure their lives are ruined. Surely, a band or artist thrives on their fans and they are a neccessary component in the industry — but to let things come this far is just unheard of. I do however recall telling other fans that I am uninterested in the personal lives of musicians, and they'd look at me as if I'd grown three extra heads. Why? Isn't it completely normal that you do not concern yourself with a stranger's private business? In the end, I am glad that an artist addressed the erratic and elitistic behaviour of these alleged fans and makes sure that international fans are just as welcome to share the experience of attending Japanese concerts.

To be frank at the beginning, this year was a tedious sit-through when it came down to Japanese music. Having heard most of my favourites by the end of March, the later months were a hit-and-miss, deviating between top-tier acts and absolute distastrous music that I could not find it within myself to swallow. It was therefore a heinous task to collect two handfuls of releases that I appreciated enough, resulting in a high spike of listening hours throughout the month of December where I was desperately scouring and ransacking the internet for things that I had perhaps missed. Doing so for international releases was equally as difficult, as I simply returned to the roots of my listening-experiences too late and began exploring beyond the borders of Japan again somewhere in the midst of August. Catching up and gaining a proper impression of everything wondrous released this year did not lie within my capabilities, as there was too little time left. I therefore worked with what I knew and felt comfortable with, rather than outstretching too far out of my comfort zone to perhaps pick up a few ambigious releases here and there. 
 
 
Japanese Picks:
 

「01. "地球" by 摩天楼オペラ」
 

 
Without second thoughts, "地球" may be named 摩天楼オペラ's greatest effort to this very date. There is no smothering the tremendously burgeoning acceleration with which this band grows in power metal's theatric scene — it is therefore as predicted how this group is now making a renowned name for itself outside of visual kei's tight fingers' grip, and continues to conquer the seas beyond Japan, surprising more and more ears around the world.
 
01. PANDORA
02. BURNING SOUL
03. 致命傷
04. YOU&I
05. 君と見る風の行方
06. Good Bye My World
07. 青く透明なこの神秘の海へ
08. FANTASIA
09. SILENT SCREAM
10. ether
11. 讃えよう 母なる地で
12. 地球
13. 嘘のない私で
 
「02. "SOLOIST" by 清春」
 

 
This year, a much larger fondness for soloist 清春 grew immensely through the first magical spin that was given to this warm, seasoned record. It provides every bit of a crackling ambience experienced around a large bonfire set on a secluded piece of beach, yet where flames would normally take over, it is the man's very own voice sending tepid musical streams through one's system.
 
01. ナザリー
02. 夢心地メロディー
03. EDEN
04. DIARY
05. ロラ
06. 瑠璃色
07. FUGITIVE
08. MELLOW
09. MOMENT
10. QUIET LIFE
11. 海岸線
12. メゾピアノ
13. 麗しき日々よ
 
「03. "心・技・体" by ダウト」
 

 
Issued in January, "心・技・体" remained a durable favourite throughout all of 2016. Holding steadfast to their jazz-influences and soft-rock incentive, ダウト waver not and refuse to yield to the overwhelming turmoil inhabiting visual kei's current questionable, and unstable state. Emotive and tight on the heart's strings, especially the latter half of the album exceeds expectations.
 
01. 心技体
02. OH! MATSURI MONSTER
03. ダァァティィ・ロマンチッカァァ
04. 53
05. 恋ができない
06. 綺麗事
07. 華麗なる外道
08. 傷心パラドックス
09. TAXI
10. おねだり
11. 国立競技党
12. SM
 
「04. "アトム 未来派 No.9" by BUCK-TICK」
 

 
The paramount, anointed kings of Japanese music continue their succesful streak of outstanding musicianship without a visible end in sight. Blessed be us, as the legendary BUCK-TICK's presence in our midst would be sorely missed. Fresh and tireless energy pours yet again from "アトム 未来派 No.9", a genuine and heartfelt succession to the veterans' longlasting, exemplary career. 
 
01. cum uh sol nu -フラスコの別種-
02. PINOA ICCHIO -躍るアトム-
03. DEVIL’S WINGS
04. El Dorado
05. 美 NEO Universe
06. BOY septem peccata mortalia
07. 樹海
08. THE SEASIDE STORY
09. FUTURE SONG -未来が通る-
10. 曼珠沙華 manjusaka
11. Cuba Libre
12. 愛の葬列
13. NEW WORLD -beginning-
 
「05. "Baby who wanders" by DECAYS」
 

 
Exiting the catastrophic and bitter era of 2016 with an arrangement of fireworks was definitely not too problematic a task for the ambitious movement that DECAYS brings us. Bringing the two further ends of the Japanese music scene together, Die combines a plethora of talents and conjures up the enthusiastic "Baby who wanders", an all-purpose, all-around jewel in the rough. 
 
01. Aesthetics of the transgression
02. Zero Paradise
03. 愛と哀を遺さず… ＜Baby who wanders Ver.＞
04. Drifting litter
05. Where are you going?
06. Vagabond
07. Imprisonment Leaving
08. シークレットモード
09. HELLO! NEW I
10. Eve
11. Rana
12. D/D
13. 綺麗な指
 
「06. "ULTRA" by SCHAFT」
 

 
It would be criminal not to include this ambigious industrial outfit awoken from slumber after nearly two decades of what appeared to be eternal hibernation. And awarded we are, for "ULTRA" is packing harsh volume and distortion that the unit composed of the legendary 今井寿 and 藤井麻輝 —who are no longer held by the restraints of an assemblage of guest-musicians— have convincingly made their very own cohesive sound. 
 
01. The loud engine
02. Vice
03. drift
04. SAKASHIMA
05. Der Zauberlehrling
06. Anti-Hedonist
07. ReVive
08. swan dive
09. Adam’s rib
10. Leidenschaft
11. 魅
 
「07. "WILLS" by HOLLOWGRAM」
 

 
Ryo and the myth of Midas are two apples from the same tree; everything they touch, turns to pure gold. "WILLS" is a short, yet emotional rollercoaster miraculously withstanding the unquestionable weight that Ryo must be feeling upon his shoulders with the amount of tasks at hand. It floats beautifully and does not stray from its dream-like purpose, not for even a mere second. 
 
01. Lucent room
02. ラブレターレイン
03. indicencia
04. Kalmia
05. Where you go
 
「08. "CORD" by Angelo」
 

 
Already anticipating for Angelo's new work to fly far under the radar, there did not happen to arise any bewilderment whatsoever of how disproportionately this album was received. A pity, as the super-group devised a praise-worthy, foot-to-the-ground hard rock record uncompromised by dilly-dallying or any further nonsense. A sublime effort, and uncontested by many of their successors.
 
01. Umbilical cord
02. Cut
03. リテラシー
04. PROTOCOL
05. 嗤う月
06. Sorrow tomorrow
07. JUDGMENT
08. FIELD OF GOD
09. Daybreakers
10. CONNECT
 
「09. "憧憬、睡蓮と向日葵" by cali≠gari」
 

 
While appreciating cali≠gari not only for their peculiar oddities and quirks at random, but instead taking to their chance encounters with beautiful simplicity, "憧憬、睡蓮と向日葵" hits the hammer right on the nail's head; with melodies aplenty, the mini-album is a positively upbeat joy that doesn't take too many hours to grow in to, but then again can be repeated for many long evenings.
 
01. 薫風、都会、行き行きて
02. ギラギラ
03. 陽だまり炎
04. 蜃気楼とデジャヴ
05. アレガ☆パラダイス
06. 憧憬、睡蓮と向日葵
 
「10. "Grimoire" by forCroiX-フォークロア-」
 

 
Out of thin air, forCroiX-フォークロア- entrusted us with their headmost (and unfortunately, likely determinative) release after a four-year silence. While formed in 2012, the group has lived mostly out of our field of vision (and remains there, for they immediately dove deep yet again) — regrettably so, as their album "Grimoire" bears a courtly sound reminiscent of the magnificent days of a more gothic-redolent age of visual kei. 
 
01. resent
02. Limited Governor
03. Distracture
04. 傀儡destination
05. Rusty
06. Dystopia～断罪の聖堂～
07. Vagrant
08. 月ノ涙
 

International Picks:
 

「01. "Jumalten aika" by Moonsorrow」
 

 
With no contestant over the course of the year, "Jumalten aika" easily takes the highest spot in this list, overpowering with immense soundscapes and epic structures stretching far across tundra and frozen lands, reaching not only to the Scandinavian shores, but far beyond. Moonsorrow capture the essence of life and the spirits that give life, doing so through unbelievable legends and tales woven together into yet another Finnish magnum opus.
 
CD-1
01. Jumalten aika
02. Ruttolehto incl. Päivättömän päivän kansa
03. Suden tunti
04. Mimisbrunn
05. Ihmisen aika (Kumarrus pimeyteen)
CD-2
01. Soulless (Grave Cover)
02. Non Serviam (Rotting Christ Cover)
 
「02. "Triangle" by Schammasch」
 

 
There are no intelligible words for the monstrous enormity that is Schammasch's "Triangle", a superlative journey through the spiritual cosmos and yonder of the mere corporeal body. The avant-garde Swiss ensemble has not merely created a record; the three-way genesis is a bible —with the possibility to change one's view on existence— to those who can decipher its intentions, with an ability to transcend the human mind.
 
CD-1
01. Crepusculum
02. Father's Breath
03. In Dialogue With Death
04. Diluculum
05. Consensus
06. Awakening From The Dream Of Life
CD-2
01. The World Destroyed By Water
02. Satori
03. Metanoia
04. Above The Stars Of God
05. Conclusion
CD-3
01. The Third Ray Of Light
02. Cathartic Confession
03. Jacob's Dream
04. Maelstrom
05. The Empyrean
 
「03. "Dust Bowl Jokies" by Dust Bowl Jokies」
 

 
Coming from Sweden are the sleaze-infested Dust Bowl Jokies, but with their hearts lying not far from West Hollywood's notorious Sunset Strip, home to many an 1980's glam rock outfit. As their moniker implies, the young group seems to take inspiration from the dry desert and its gypsy-like superstition and legends — the record therefore has an impeccible design where it serves like a movie script, rather than a mere album alone.
 
01. Mama Cocha
02. The Moon Hanger Grove
03. Borderland
04. Old Fashioned Country Canvas
05. Pink Flamingos
06. Rawbone
07. Bad Juju
08. Hogs And Heifers
09. Son Of The Sun
10. Lulu
 
「04. "Night Hides The World" by Spellcaster」
 

 
The fairly recently established juniors in Spellcaster bear the legacy of traditional heavy metal acts upon their backs as if this were a weightless matter. Their most novel endeavor comes by the name of "Night Hides The World", a young take on the traditions of old — and to be fair, the production quality is the one single element separating this group from their mighty predecessors thirty years foregoing.
 
01. Aria 
02. Night Hides The World
03. The Lost Ones 
04. Betrayal 
05. I Live Again
06. The Accuser 
07. The Moon Doors
08. Prophecy 
 
「05. "For Crying Out Loud" by Shiraz Lane」
 

 
As an absolute blast from the past, Shiraz Lane have emerged from their Finnish time-machine in long hair, denim shorts and high-top sneakers. With a close absence of modern influences, the group still manages to take hold of an entirely individual style, procuring themselves a place in the hearts of those reminiscent of their youths, and the ones longing back to an era where music, —perhaps— was spoken more truly.
 
01. Wake Up
02. Momma's Boy
03. House Of Cards
04. Begging For Mercy
05. Same Ol’ Blues
06. Mental Slavery
07. Behind The 8-Ball
08. For Crying Out Loud
09. Bleeding
10. M.L.N.W
11. Kill Me (With Your Love)
 
「06. "False Highs, True Lows" by Plebeian Grandstand」
 

 
Positively vile and absurd, Plebeian Grandstand might very well be the next sludge-metal act to arise upon the scaffolding they so deserve. While their previous releases were purely chaotic mixtures of hardcore and violence, "False Highs, True Lows" has mutated through an exposure to raw black metal influences, turning it in to an absolutely distraught and murderous apparition from the very depths of the nine circles of hell.
 
01. Mal Du Siecle
02. Low Empire
03. Tributes And Oblivions
04. Volition
05. Mineral Tears
06. Oculi Lac
07. Tame The Shapes
08. Eros Culture
 
「07. "Post Pop Depression" by Iggy Pop」
 

 
A tribute to the late David Bowie, or a complete musical interpretation of Iggy Pop's longlasting legacy? Perhaps being a little bit of both, "Post Pop Depression" siphons just that what its title refers to; it is moody, oblique and hypnotic, a middle-finger to the very world and yet so relatable on a multitude of levels (perhaps that being exactly why). What a powerful farewell, what a glorious and complete manifesto.
 
01. Break Into Your Heart
02. Gardenia
03. American Valhalla
04. In The Lobby
05. Sunday
06. Vulture 
07. German Days
08. Chocolate Drops
09. Paraguay
 
「08. "Mystical Future" by Wildernessking」
 

 
Black metal from South-Africa — this is a correlation not often predicted, and therefore did Wildernessking meander within the musical scene without too many loud exclamations. However, upon the very first listen to "Mystrical Future", it became clear that these men from below the equator have conjured up something truly unpredictable and magical, something belonging only to themselves.
 
01. White Horses
02. I Will Go To Your Tomb
03. To Transcend
04. With Arms Like Wands
05. If You Leave
 
「09. "The Armor Of Ire" by Eternal Champion」
 

 
Eternal Champion are journeying toward their grasp on might and glory, with a sword in their right hand, and a shield in their left. Thunderous and heroic, the epic "The Armor Of Ire" rampages over a battlefield drenched in blood, while it gets ours pumping and running coarser through our veins. The United States have not yet given up on their challenge declared to their contestants in the ancient Europe. 
 
01. I Am The Hammer
02. The Armor Of Ire
03. The Last King Of Pictdom
04. Blood Ice
05. The Cold Sword
06. Invoker
07. Sing A Last Song Of Valdese
08. Shade Gate
 
「10. "Kodama" by Alcest」
 

 
One does not have to enjoy atmospheric black metal to understand that the talent behind Alcest is unquestionably a musical mastermind. His subtle handling of musical instruments and ethereal phonetic accentuation give life to transcendental French creations truly as beautiful as thousands of individuals claim. If we had some knowledge on the voices of angels, Neige would come close to turning myth into certainty.
 
01. Kodama
02. Eclosion
03. Je suis d'ailleurs
04. Untouched
05. Oiseaux de proie
06. Onyx
07. Notre sang et nos pensées

From the many musical domains I have set foot on, I have personally experienced Visual Kei (or the Japanese fanbase in general) as being the very worst when it comes to its 'fans'. I absolutely do not wish to attack anyone by saying this, but the sheer amount of 'crazy fans' is just completely overwhelming and unhealthy, and regrettably the genre is one of those that is somehow attractive to those who often struggle in life or suffer from mental disabilities (myself included). It shows in the influence a fanbase has on bands and artists, take for instance last year's case of Femme Fatale; a bandmember supposedly cheated on his wife, and it was the fans' desire to see him punished — the man left the band and is never heard of again. I cannot wrap myself around the mindset so very present in the Visual Kei sphere; who are you —as a fan— to dictate a musician's life and decisions? Why is everyone so busy with others when they first have themselves to look out for? It is highly likely that in a person's general surroundings of family and friends, people take pleasure in debauchery, or maybe the fan himself or herself has made general mistakes in life. Do you turn your back on everyone who does differently? Why chastise another human being who is by default prone to make mistakes? Any 'scandal' in Japan leads to disaster and can completely ruin an artist's reputation, and sadly this showcase of completely berating artists over their personal lives has become popular with non-Japanese fans as well. As is said above, Koreans take it even a step further.
 
As the name implies, Visual Kei is unfortunately less about the music, and moreso about the participants themselves, and the genre has therefore grown into an uncomfortable, defensive business where it is mandatory to display a certain territorial behaviour over musicians, or a complete disdain toward others. There exists an extreme concept of bandwagonism where people are unaware of their own behaviour and merely portray themselves as such because this is the norm. For when you stray from this norm, you are chastized and abhorred, and disliked for your difference in opinions. It is therefore very attractive to jump on board and do as others do as to not be targeted, which blows this phenomena up even larger. I have experienced violent behaviour during concerts which was absolutely unnecessary, purely because some people believe they are the only ones priviliged enough to see their favourite artists live. Hair being pulled, being kicked, scratched and even bitten, pieces of clothing being torn from artists their outfits, etc. I can imagine this behaviour would have taken place during a Michael Jackson concert, but to display it during every small concert where there is plenty opportunity to share a word with the band afterwards, it is even more unacceptable. 
 
Truthfully, I cannot recall any such behaviour in other musical genres in which I wandered and as soon as I walked through the curtain into this world, I became confused. I cannot remember people wanting to see Axl Rose removed from this planet because he, say for example, slept with four girls at once, if anything, people'd give him a nod of approval. If any Japanese or Korean artist's sex-life is exposed, expect hell to be unleashed on earth, and expect them to never touch music again because of how awfully influential their fanbases are and how easily these 'fans' turn on these artists and make sure their lives are ruined. Surely, a band or artist thrives on their fans and they are a neccessary component in the industry — but to let things come this far is just unheard of. I do however recall telling other fans that I am uninterested in the personal lives of musicians, and they'd look at me as if I'd grown three extra heads. Why? Isn't it completely normal that you do not concern yourself with a stranger's private business? In the end, I am glad that an artist addressed the erratic and elitistic behaviour of these alleged fans and makes sure that international fans are just as welcome to share the experience of attending Japanese concerts.

I am doing something different this year, and I am going through nearly every newly released black metal album I can find online. I just found this (even though Schattenvald have been around since 1998) and I can say I am pretty amazed. For fans of Emperor, Summoning and Bathory. Very melodic/symphonic, with some excellent guitar-work. Loving the vocals too.