hyura

Ah, I see! Too bad it disappeared. Would have been interesting to know where it came from. D ;

They may change anything about themselves except this aspect because 'oldschool' is literally their band concept. (Although I think they could have chosen a nicer concept and still kept the sound oldschool.) So yeah. The band would be completely without purpose if they suddenly sounded 2014.

This one actually doesn't scream OMG DIR EN GREY at me, I'm happy. Although the japanese theme, the blood on white fabric paired with black leather and kyoukis styling resembles La'Mules look from their 'curse'-pv a lot. However, it doesn't sound like them at all, so I guess that's okay.

I have another question about your history article! I've heard this explanation or a similar one somewhere else and I wonder where it comes from. orz So far I've read only the following two in interviews: In newer ones: There is no deeper meaning, it's supposed to sound dark and fit the band image. In older ones It's the English pseudo-translation of 狂死楽園 (which is also the name of their first real release) This one works a little because: 狂 - MAD, 死 - DEATH, 楽園 - GRAIL (actually it means 'paradise', but 'grail' was the closest thing that made sense to me) And at least many of their older fans call them 狂死楽園, so I thought that one was legit.

^ Reading those reviews it may be a trap.

www It's funny that you say these things in one paragraph, because HIM was the first band I got into, too. Also when I was around 11 years old and I agree: If a new band would come out now that made the same music it's very unlikely that my adult self would get into them but I can still understand what made me like them as a kid and if I ever stumble upon one of their songs it still makes me excited somehow. My favorite album was greatest lovesongs vol. 666, too and I still have it. ; D

I can't really contribute because I'm very much like you. My musical taste did evolve somehow since I was a teenager of course but it's more that I still like the same things in a more refined manner than a real shift to something new. Most bands that were on my favorites list back then are still there now and the ones I don't listen to that often anymore didn't become unlistenable either. But it's something I'm very interested in, too. It seemed to happen to so many people I knew and I still wait for the moment it happens to me (although since I'm 10 years in the fandom now it might just never happen after all.) Sometimes it was pretty painful to lose friends simply because the thing that once connected us suddenly became meaningless to them.

I'm curious whether they'll have a 'real movie' like thing for this, too, like they did for kiken na watashi. : D But yeah, it sounds really good so far, I can't wait to hear everything. Also. Raep.

In their band page it says 'members, sound, visuals and worldview... everything is still wrapped up in mystery.' Sounds visual to me.

I like that you rewrite their biography, the one that's currently used on most other pages has been copypasted for over 10 years I think and Madeths popularity really deserves to have a proper one. It seems to be correct for the most part, too, as far as I can tell without checking every date. I'd propably consider adding information about their activities besides release names and dates, though. Especially the first period with all the demotapes seems a little like they didn't know what they were doing written like that while it really was a well planned promotion campaign! The three first demos (norowareshi hana no seimei, kuroshouzoku no shirabe, missantroop) could be preordered through Matina and they cost money. At this point Madeth did not yet have a single live performance yet and they were called a 'Vierge members unit band' Those tapes sold out and the bands identity was revealed at their first 'secret' live (which was not secret at all) on christmas 97' at which you got the forth tape, kyoushikyoku. So it was only after that that they started actual activities. They announced their first 'official' release, the kyoushirakuen tape and three live dates to promote it before named hakuchuumu no sangeki, chizome no kigeki and operaza no higeki and at each you got a demo with the same title containing a sample. Of course one doesn't need it that detailed, I just think that it's more coherent if you include some important live dates and activities. At least mentioning the onemans they had (just very few) and when they had a tour. Do you have their history album? The history printed in the booklet is not bad at all. (ask me anything though. orz I have almost all their flyers and interviews and no idea what to do with the senseless infos) Some mistakes, though: I think you actually mixed up ukyou and izumi! When the second juujika no ketsumatsu was released ukyou was already their lead guitarist. you can also hear him in Le MISERABLE and Mother Crisis, as well. Izumi joined later at their first oneman live at 99/8/9. The last video was not released at their last live. (couldn't have, it contains footage from that day) As far as I know you had to send in a coupon from the live as well as a coupon from their best album and then you could win it through some sort of lottery. Le MISERABLE was not a new song on the best. It was already released in early 99 on the new age culture vol 2 sampler. Hisuis disappeared from the scene completely after Rametan Matsuri on 2004/6/12 with kisaki to kansai kizoku. So not in 2007. I think their last mini is romanized as boukai no mato... but I'm not completely sure. ww

? I never claimed anything different. Demos are exactly that. The cheapest and easiest way to show your stuff to people. A couple years ago the typical medium for that would be a tape, yes. Today the typical medium would be a digital file, either homeburned to a cd or uploaded on the internet. So a band to record a typical 90s vk demo today doesn't do it because it's the easiest way (like their idols did), they do it out of nostalgia even though a digital version would have been easier to edit and easier to spread. It's basically classicism. ---- I actually couldn't find any of my favorites on youtube unfortunately, but this video is dubbed with Syndromes 'vogue' demo which is one of their best songs. (imho)

^Haha no. By standard I didn't refer to the current 'vk standard sound' but more to the 'digital era standard' where you can create a pretty decent demo sound quality with little money playing whatever style you like, including 90s vk. For example: I like the La'veil Mizeria tapes. I like that they are nostalgic. I like that they are tapes released in 2013 But still- they are impractical and I don't think it would have hurt to put quality before nostalgia in their case because the band would still be Matina as hell on cd. What you described does nothing for me.

While it may not fit my personal prefferences in music I must admit that I'd prefer good quality recordings over lo-fi demos any day. Quite often of course the rerecorded version lacks the original energy of the demo and is therefore uncomparable or (even more often) there is none at all, so I got used to it. And I appreciate the excitement of holding old tapes in my hands or reparing them when they are broken upon revival. Still. Whenever I hear a nice song in demo-quality I wonder what it would have turned out like if the band could have afforded to record in a studio. That's also why I can't quite understand why some of todays vk acts try to emulate 90s demo quality for their stuff while the standard is so much higher now.

Live. Almost every band I like is really a live band and has lots of songs that simply don't make much sense to listen to on cd! However. Most of them have no live albums and listening to terekos is pretty unsatisfying so I listen to the studio versions... or make audio rips of dvds/vhs (if there are any) whenever It's impossible to just go and see the band in concert. (which is most of the time)

^I'd borrow you one any day.

The reason can only be that all vk bands go to the same suit rental service when they are out of money or the costumes designer takes too long. (Also is it only me or did the grieva guys loose a big chunk of glamour without the colorful hair?)

Yes, you guys are right, I was just being mean. ; D Just the way he sits there looking like it's not the hairstyle he wanted made me laugh. Even though he's still handsome. Yukina looks alright now compared to before. I don't even think the difference is that big, his make up was so simple you could always tell what he'd look like without.

ex La'Mule Isukes hairdresser posted a very unfortunate photo of him on facebook recently. Hope it makes other people laugh, too.

I really, really liked the video! Even though it didn't reveal much of the music, the atmosphere was really strong and it made me curious to listen to the actual thing. Also how they kept the 'original' psycho theme for the single is nice, most bands just use the first random shocking word they can think of. Also that alice auaa costume gives me oldschool nagoya vibes

What the fuck did I just watch?

Wow. This lineup is so sparse compared to his former birthday events.

Thank you //∇//) So are you.

I think the main problem here is the expectation that you'll somehow get along better with fans of the same music than with any other random group of people. It's normal to have it because the more you have in common the likelier it is to become friends. However. I learned that you really don't need much in common to like the same genre of music, especially because there can be very different reasons in people to like something. And those reasons often cause more problems than not having anything at all in common would. For example. Someone who loves a band for the records, collects all of it and sees a deep meaning in the lyrics might not respect a fan who loves the band for their live shows and sees fandom mainly as a reason to party. He would propably completely ignore someone with that mindset if they were into something else, but since it's about the same thing he likes it will propably feel like an insult to him because his hope to find someone with a similar mindset was crushed. If you try not to expect fans of them same music to be somehow similar to yourself it will get much easier and you'll value the occasional soulmate you'll find in the fandom much, much more. So no. I don't care for the other fans at all. I even went to shows of bands regularily where I felt that everyone was an idiot and still had fun.

Yes, actually I don't really care, they could go naked but I'm still looking forward to see everyone in old/fat/bald/what have you mode. : D I assume taking pictures and so on is not allowed but I'll surely report and post setlists of the second two gigs. (And maybemaybe the first if I get rich enough)

There is another gig in tokyo which also features La'Mule. So I'm trying to go!