lichtlune

As much as I like DEATHGAZE, I've just grown bored of them. I don't think they're as same as everyone says, but at the same time they rarely do anything to make me really want to listen to them over other heavy bands.

Completely agree with everything. I'm one of those same people I've been trying to get into them for the longest time but every time i try i leave disappointed. i just can't understand the appeal. They have good points to them but I've rarely heard them produce a great song from start to finish. これを依存と呼ぶなら and 躁と鬱と境界 are the only songs of theirs I really love.

Completely agree with everything. I'm one of those same people I've been trying to get into them for the longest time but every time i try i leave disappointed. i just can't understand the appeal. They have good points to them but I've rarely heard them produce a great song from start to finish. これを依存と呼ぶなら and 躁と鬱と境界 are the only songs of theirs I really love.

Yay! I'm really glad you liked it, Sai. That was a great review (and I really hope Zeus reviews it too!!) and now it's my turn!
 
I made it clear in the review for Jupiter's Arcadia that I am extremely biased. I try extraordinarily hard to be objective when writing reviews for these musicians because Versailles was and is my favorite rock band of all time. However, what everyone is saying is totally true: Kamijo was the (sorry about the pun...) Heart of the band. While the other members were all extremely talented, Kamijo brought the charisma and character to Versailles that if any other singer lead Versailles, it wouldn't have been the same. That being said, I knew I was going to end up liking Kamijo's solo project more than Jupiter's work (although, like I said in my Arcadia review, I do see Jupiter progressing in a huge way... Still doesn't touch Kamijo).
 
Again I will agree with Sai that Kamijo is a ridiculously amazing songwriter. While he wrote the lyrics to basically every song, the majority of Versailles's best songs were composed by Kamijo as well. This is where I'm going to start my review: With the best composed VK song that I have heard in recent years.
 
It's easy to see why the album was called Heart. Either Kamijo wrote the big epic song and then named his album after it or he wrote this song because he wanted the album's name to be Heart. Either way, the 8.5 minute epic is brilliantly composed and executed. Dare I say it's better than most Versailles compositions? The thing that I love about it is that it's this hard rock song that literally does use an orchestral arrangement interwoven with bits and pieces of heavy metal guitar. It's such an interesting composition that even if it were instrumental I'd be into it, but this is also where Kamijo's voice stands out the most on the album.
 
I'll continue on with the singles: Yamiyo no Lion was easily the best A-Side single released for Heart and I say this because it's the whole package and largely Versailles reminiscent. Again his voice stands out and the song has an excellent blend of serious composition and catchy chorus work. My second favorite single song on the album is Tsuioku no Mon Amour, given that Kamijo does sound excellent, but my favorite part of the song is the orchestral "breakdown" if you will about halfway through the song. However, I do wish that he had chosen a different B-side (Gensou Trianon, perhaps) to include on the final track list. While Louis and Moulin Rouge are both good songs, their place on this album is a little... Meh to me. Louis was released long enough ago that I've listened to it so many times that having it on an album is really not going to do much for me (plus I still cannot get over that terrible high note he hits at the end of the song. I was hoping he would change that for the album version, but alas. He did not). Additionally Moulin Rouge is the single least favorite song Kamijo released for his solo project so far.
 
My standout favorite of the other songs on the album is Katate ni Yume wo Motsu Shojo. Everything about this screams that it should've been a single. And the cheesy outro is what I've come to love about Kamijo.
 
Brief thoughts on other songs:
Rose Croix, Death Parade, and Sanctuary are all pretty good rock songs that I think if they had been on a Versailles album they would've been a bit more polished, but otherwise these versions are pretty good. Catchy and big where they need to be.
Vive le Roi was a great intro, but I do think there could've been just a smidge more done with this.
Presto Acoustic was brilliant. I don't know why I had it in my head that it was going to be done with acoustic guitar, but I'm glad it was piano.
Romantique and Dakishimerarenagara were probably two of my other favorite songs. I think Romantique was an excellent throwback to Lareine and Dakishimerarenagara gets stuck in my head easily. In fact, I didn't like it the first time I heard it, but had to add it to my phone because of how badly it gets stuck in my head.
 
Overall, the album is easily 4.5-5/5 stars for me. In considering my list of the best albums of the year (that I publish on my tumblr between the last week of the year and the first week of the following year *shameless promotion* ShanethVarosa.Tumblr.com) last night, I found that thus far, Kamijo's releases together (SoV and Heart) make my second favorite rock releases of the year and my #1 favorite VK release so far. They probably won't be beat unless Dir en grey pulls a great album out of their ass for Arche. 

Artist: MEJIBRAY Single: シアトリカル・ブルーブラック Score: Seriously?
I don't often listen to MEJIBRAY, but when I do it's a single because I can't take an entire album of this.

Listening to MEJIBRAY is like playing darts with a very skilled but drunk friend whose precision is impeccable but whose aim is off. Said friend would hit the bullseye more often than not if they took the time to aim before throwing. But in the spirit of keeping the game going as fast as possible, he tosses many darts at the board and hope that enough stick to get him the points he needs to win. The groupies watching who hype his skills overlook this fact. His fans are divided into two groups: one group that sees the potential and the other group which is concerned with the final result. One group hypes his abilities too much and the other underestimates them too much, and that leaves our friend MEJIBRAY in the no-man's land of slightly above average.

This friend knows that he has the talent to play much better - the company of expert-dart throwers he practices with is top-shelf - but he also knows that there is little incentive to play well, so he is satisfied with subpar performance because even if he doesn't win, he still "did well". It works out anyway, right?

No.

THEATRICAL BLUE BLACK is that type of performance that starts shaky and fizzles out before the end. Akin to watching a trainwreck in slo-mo, I can pinpoint the moment when the hype train goes off the side of a cliff. Inconsistency has always been MEJIBRAY's Achille's heel - except it's more like Achille's torso - and the only thing I can say in confidence about them is that they're consistently inconsistent. Even with the gigantic target on their chest that I can't resist taking shots at, MEJIBRAY is here to stay. So while they're still relevant and the Little Hype Train That Could struggles to stay on the track while moving at top speed, let's take a look at why it's good to know when to stop.

If you're interested as to when things get bad, the answer is before it begins. THEATRICAL BLUE BLACK is MEJIBRAY's current offering of a single. I've heard good things from many people about this single but I don't see it. I was expecting to be floored but instead I was bored. "Been here, done that" sums everything up. Yet another song with metalcore verses and a pop hook that by some arcane wizardry fits together better than it usually does, MEJIBRAY has covered no new ground. In my eyes, this is a regression of sorts! They've done better than this before.

Let's start with the tone of the guitars. They may be tuned low, but MiA left all the aggression and heaviness at home. These riffs sound djent-like brittle, neutered at the balls and leave no impact. They seem to be low because they have to maintain their cred as a metal band, but when the chorus is the more convincing musical effort the band isn't maintaining very well. The bass makes up makes up for the lack of low-end punch but it's not enough and often gets overpowered by the guitar. The biggest surprise is Tsuzuku, who has removed a lot of the vocal ticks that made him insufferable to listen to. It's evident in his vocal delivery early into the song - the way his singing morphs into an agitated outburst is the product of many hours of practice. His harsh vocals have not improved at the same rate. He is not at the level where he should attempt them, but no obvious pitch-shifting and the ability to maintain his pig squeals is a plus.

But what can I really say that's not me scraping for positive comments? Not much. Singles need X-Factors to draw me in. THEATRICAL BLUE BLACK doesn't have that. Yet another nameless, faceless single that I won't remember by next week, it could have been done by any other band with the same result. I fail to get a sense of what skills or inspirations MEJIBRAY possesses that separates them from their peers. If this is what they call a single, I'm not convinced the hype is warranted.

I'm even more convinced I'm right when I move onto the B-sides. BI"name"JIKA has an even more cryptic name and has it's own set of problems. First off, it sounds like two different tracks sandwiched together. The first part moves with a rhythm that sticks in your head like a harpoon but isn't catchy. An overreliance on electronic elements with barely any melody means MEJIBRAY is treading water until it switches gears halfway through. Once MEJIBRAY commits to the slow, building style of the chorus on the way out they start conjuring something that can keep my interest. But they don't sustain it for long and just when things get started the track begins to fade out. This irritates me, because the one time they stumble onto an idea not fully explored, it's treated as an afterthought.

HATE is MEJIBRAY's last attempt to get my attention, and they resorted to a two and a half minute number that isn't worth listening to. I have no positive comments about this song. Maybe this gets the crowds going when performing but it's a below-average track overall. I was bored faceless by this. Just needless screaming, a boring and simple set of riffs, and a lack of resolution coupled with no direction. They do this type of track now and again and every single time it just fails. I didn't even finish this song because once I knew where it was headed I knew I wouldn't like the destination.

Cut out all the fame and the hype G. Close any tabs that have a picture open of this band. Turn whatever you're listening to off. We're going to have a serious conversation.

I'll start with the fundamental question I want to pose: why?

Why are they at the forefront of the modern visual kei movement? This band is nothing special. Pardon my French, but this was bland as fuck. No immediate appeal, no lasting appeal, no noteworthy moments at all on this single. What was being hyped again, because I totally missed the train? Or rather, I should say the train missed the station. It never showed up!

Adamant on relying on the same bag of tricks that's been passed around the scene for the last few years, MEJIBRAY doesn't put their own spin on their influences. It's a direct copy-paste of the formula that never deviates from it's inspirations and this formula isn't a turn-key. If a successful product is the end goal, going through the motions isn't going to cut it. Bands can't just play metalcore riffs with pop choruses and come up with a hit single. Songs need soul! It's not only about composing the music, it's about feeling the music. Being the music, even! It's about putting your emotions, your heart, your everything into every track. Each track should communicate a message from artist to fan across language barriers the way only music can.

MEJIBRAY doesn't do this. MEJIBRAY is incapable of doing this. I've tried to get into them on multiple occasions and each time it leaves a worse taste in my mouth. I went back to their first single just to see if it's them or me and it's them. There were traces of promise on their first two singles that have been suppressed for a good while now. MEJIBRAY need to get back to their roots. DIE KUSSE was a step down from Karma & KILLING ME not only in terms of complexity, but delivery, energy, and passion. This is another step down from that. Where's the energy of the band? Everyone sounds so bored, like this has become a routine for them. The passion in the delivery of the choruses are so forced and unconvincing the songs never elevate. The thrill that only a great solo can instill in the listener; the type of solo to get your heart pumping and your feet tapping? It's not here.

At the beginning of the review, I said there were two groups: those that see potential and those that want results. I am in the latter group. Potential means jack shit if you can't deliver. Nobody will remember a band for their potential - only for what they delivered. As long as MEJIBRAY continues to not explore their potential and are content with substandard performances, they will never be deserving of all the hype or attention they get.

Were they put to slave labor to make as many songs as possible? quantity over quality i suppose.

Artist: Jupiter Single: ARCADIA Score: A band haunted by it's ghosts tries their hand at an exorcism with mixed results.
Before I begin the review, I must note that there is a lot of bias in this review. The final score is a direct result of this bias. I will remain as neutral as I can in my assessment of the single, but I should explain where it comes from and why I ultimately can't get rid of it.

As you may have guessed, this is because of Versailles. I don't like everything they've done and I have some choice words to say about their last two albums, but I like enough of their music to call myself a fan. Their disbandment tore through my emotions like a chestburster from the Alien franchise ripping through some poor sap's chest. When I look at pictures of Jupiter I get irrationally upset. I'm looking at four of the five faces of Versailles wearing almost the same outfit scheme, yet I can't connect with their music. I know that they are two separate bands and should be treated as such, but this is one of those continuations (like school food punishment and la la larks) where the similarities are so numerous that I can't accept that. The way the band mobilized after the dissolution of Versailles, announced a new vocalist and started releasing music suggests to me that they jumped into this band with no intention of stopping activities or reconsidering their approach to music. They are in their own world, releasing their music, yet sometimes I don't know if they truly consider Jupiter to be it's own entity or a continuation of Versailles without Kamijo. This confusion bleeds into their music.

I first blamed my lack of enthusiasm on the new vocalist Zin, who has all of the makings of a good power metal vocalist but none of Kamijo's charisma. After listening to ARCADIA, I think it's something different. In order to become their own entity, Jupiter has to make music that shatters the ghost of Versailles. Right now, there's spark missing from Jupiter that was snuffed when Jasmine You was buried and extinguished when Versailles called it quits. Jupiter has tried very hard to recapture the magic with CLASSICAL ELEMENT, but lightning rarely strikes the same place twice. Even with all the boisterious riffs, regal pomp and technical dazzle that prove the members of the band haven't missed a beat, I don't even think I cared enough to finish the album. There was an element of inventiveness when Versailles attempted this first that Jupiter doesn't have now and it's a detrimental force that I don't see them working past easily. The title track ARCADIA takes some steps towards this, but ultimately it's not enough. It's another Hizaki styled power metal song that flows through the same tired canyons and grooves. There's a distinct Jupiter twist in it that is hard to put into words but easy to hear in the music, but that twist alone is not enough to differentiate this song. Combined with a vocalist unable to leave a lasting impression, this comes off as "just another power metal track" and the tunes will fade from your memory sooner rather than later. I can see this working well within an album but not as a single. Previous Jupiter fans will eat this up. For me, this is a continental breakfast.

And then there's Darkness, the example of "shattering conceptions" I alluded to earlier. As a track with entirely harsh vocals, the band moves in a direction they could have never executed well under Kamijo's direction. It's a good experiment with mixed results. Zin does well enough to get by but I do not think he sounds any more or less appealing whether he sings or growls. The clash between vocalist and music is what makes this track an interesting listen at first but once it loses it's novelty for being different there's little else to differentiate it from the wealth of other tracks Jupiter has made and will continue to make. This will disappear off of my radar even faster than Arcadia.

So once again Jupiter leaves me at a crossroads of doubt unable to puzzle out what I want from them. My score of average reflects how I feel about this band: great ideas, average execution. This band may have gotten all of the members, but Kamijo has all of the magic. Jupiter have made no moves to reveal their trump card. They can only ride on Versailles' coattails for so long before they fizzle out. To recapture the magic that they no longer seem to have, they have to take a look at themselves as a band and find out what inspires them and how they can channel these emotions differently. They're in a race against time to do so before my interest in them fades away.

We'll see what my opinion is when the second album is here.

So this is shaping up to be the visual kei album of the year.

In no fan of theirs but i am curious to hear how they sound now. Has yohio even touched a guitar since they disbanded? I haven't seen it. 

so this album title basically proves someome from the band is reading MH, right? 

Here is the new look: http://emotionalxkarma.tumblr.com/post/96973145353
Really awesome, especially Koichi <3

(Deleted)

"Love? Or... priiiiiiiiiide?"
 
Lawd, the saga of terrible narration continues (I actually did like that epic narrator from "Sound in Gate" on Jubilee though).

Great previews though!  Loved Symphony of the Vampire and it seems I'm on track to love this as well.

Not sure if you guys would say this is a ballad but, one of my favs
 

Hair, sexually arousing basslines, vocals that sound like the feeling of your hands reaching out of a sunroof into a clear blue sky, hair, the scent perfume that reminds you of the girl with her hair dyed in the colors of the sunset, the bitterness I felt when I stepped into the rain when I left behind my umbrella, guitars that weep, moan, fall like rain drops, or battle each other to death, hair, the schadenfreude over the misfortune of the one who broke you heart and the following realization that no matter what, you're still just as alone as you were before, basslines like heavy mist that engulf the darkened highway carved into the Blue Ridge mountains, hair, ribs, tattoos, vocals that wake you up before anything else in the entire world, and though you're still tired, make you still want to watch the sun rise, the guitar that takes you to the apartment window with a cup of coffee and a skyline view you've always dreamed of having, hair, sunglasses, and a melodies that bring a smile to your face as you return to that place you once were and relive one of those bittersweet memories.  

Frilly, out of tune, cross dresser shit recorded on a $15 budget by bandmen whom barely know how to play their instruments. The more chinchillas, feathers, && leathers, the better. Faux-french and / or clavichords are an added bonus.

Same here :] I’m 22 and I've never been in a proper relationship.
Sometimes I consider being sad about it but then I start questioning why we all should try to partner up to begin with. – For companionship (to not be alone, for selfish reasons?), to share love/ emotions/ life, to experience love? For sex?
People say that your partner should be your best friend, but then again, the only pro-relatioship argument that remains is the 'easy sex'.
 
Tbh, I think the most important thing is to love yourself. And other love will find you <  /hippie>  :]
 
Plus, I’m a bit of a loner with a boner for literature and I regularly need breaks from other people… thus, I have the feeling that I wouldn’t do that well in a relationship.

was browsing youtube and came across this... felt it was relevant so I'm posting for ya'll
 

TBH, I don't blame all of X...in fact I would narrow it down to one member...no idea who that could be though. XD

Today most Visual Kei bands sound the same and their music (poppish and many times unispired, in my opinion) doesn't appeal to me.
 
Also, most Visual Kei bands have totally gotten rid of the dramatic performances and the shock factor behind the aesthetics that it feels there is not need for makeup and specific type of clothes anymore if they are not going to do anything with them apart from trying to simply look cute and fashionable.

Here's a question for you: why film a promotional video if you aren't using it to promote music?
The answer is, there is none! To expect people to buy the promotional video to see it defeats the purpose of it's design, which is to promote your music. You aren't supposed to be able to directly make money off of the PV. The money you put into the video either comes out of your budget for the album or is something you recoup when you make sales. It's called the cost of doing business. Sometimes it's necessary to spend money to make more money. If you do make money off of the PV, that's just a bonus.
That's why visual kei bands seem to run into so many monetary issues. They spend a lot of money up front to get their costumes, photo shoots, albums recorded, etc. and then expect fans to pay up front for everything. Here, pay up front for this ticket to get this live distributed song which didn't cost us a fraction of the cost we're charging you to get it! Here, pay for this promotional video so you can see the song that we're going to make you buy twice so you can get all of the music. Also, buy both editions and get some meaningless poster bonus too! But you have to buy them from Like An Edison only to get the deal! Like shit, I get that you need to recoup your losses but there are better ways to do it. I'll name a few below.
Why don't Japanese visual kei bands run an official YouTube channel where they can place all of their PV's (or hell, all of their music if they wanted), and some live performances and just make you sit through an ad first? That's extra money that doesn't cost them too much work to get. Why don't really indies independent Japanese visual kei bands put their releases on Bandcamp or iTunes and set a minimum price? There are lots of ways they can cut out the middleman and save themselves some serious cash, but they don't.
But yet it's expected that we should just shell out $40 for the music? It's 2014 music doesn't work that way anymore bb.

I like these kind of band pictures more actually. They look more natural and less photoshoped to hell.

Haha such bullshit, i thought it would be kind of a big deal when i first heard about it a long time ago.