tetsu_sama69

Greetings, MH! The ORZ team are back with our latest batch of recommended tracks!  Check them out and let us know what you think!
 
(We apologize if some videos aren't available due to region restrictions!)
  @fitear1590's Picks
 
"リビルド" by a crowd of rebellion
"rebuild" by a crowd of rebellion

@doombox got me on the acor train a few years back and I haven't looked back since! While the band is known to produce some freakout tracks here and there, their new digital single "rebuild" falls on the more emotional end of their sound spectrum. Having said that, the music is still pretty high-octane with speedy riffs implemented throughout. What also sticks out to me in this arrangement are the subtle, pulsing synths. Another hit for a crowd in rebellion!
 
 
"F.A.T.E." by Rides In ReVellion

From the first time I heard Rides In ReVellion, I could appreciate their appeal, despite not being able to call myself a fan yet. Well, "F.A.T.E." might finally be the single to tip the scales for me. With a solid power metal-inspired approach, they are writing more solid material than a band like Jupiter, who supposedly embodies this style. With the great vocals and instrumentation in "F.A.T.E.", I'm really looking forward to seeing where RiR goes from here!  
 
 @tetsu_sama69's Picks
 
"不機嫌" by chanty
"Fukigen" by chanty

If there's a band out there doing anything right then it's definitely chanty, no doubt about it (except for their guitarist Shia, but let's hope for the best). The band may not have a massive library of releases in their repertoire but everything they've delivered has been pure artwork. "Fukigen" is an invigorating banger of a song, from it's supercharged start to its burst of an ending. There's not a dull moment with it's hyped frantic pacing and infectious melody. chanty is a band oozing with insane musical goodness that no one should be skipping especially since "Fukigen" is only just a preview for their upcoming new single 今年も春が希望という名の嘘をつく(Kotoshi mo Haru ga Kibou to Iu na no Usowotsuku).
 
"Adam" by A9

Stop what you are doing right now and go listen to A9's Ideal. Wait, actually not right now, immediately after you read this paragraph I want you to get your hands on this album and be amazed. Believe me when I say, do not miss this album. Ever since their return, A9 has risen from the ashes and has become a phoenix of musical empowerment. Even though the video is a mostly trippy mess of bad green screen, the song is an example of how much this band has grown since going in their own direction. It takes me back to when I really enjoyed them near the start of their career, when they made much heavier servings with a dash of dulcet spices thrown in. Granted, the entire album has a plethora of fantastic tracks, but "Adam" is the standout definition of their current style. Even though I wasn't a fan of the small, oversynthed dubstep bit thrown in, the rest of "Adam" is a delicacy for the ears.
 
 
 
@emmny's Pick
 
"アハレワタ" by DIMLIM
"Aharewata" by DIMLIM

DIMLIM, the hot new deathcore hunties of the scene, featuring ex-D.I.D. drummer and roadie guitarist + Deviloof's runaway ex-guitarist, come serving you an old D.I.D. style spin on Nokubura's style (or is it the other way around?).  They seem to be turning a lot of heads; the comment section is unusually full of Japanese people either remarking that they bought views (duh) or are the next continuation of v-metal. Foreigners are getting their life too, as noted by the warm reception from you old, bitter people ;). Ultimately, the track is as good as you want it to be: the composition is fairly rigid but a little messy, drum track sounds like arse, the guitarwork is a little flat considering the members' experience and Sho's vox are inconsistent. On the flipside, the chorus gives you all the GazettE-isms you could have ever wanted, Sho's quasi-operatic range is dazzling, the acoustic+solo section is pretty awesome and the last 30 seconds of the track literally shit on anything v-metal released this year. What you chose to ignore and chose to ~love~ is up to you, but at the very least, DIMLIM show potential in their attention to detail, even if the kinks are yet to be smoothed out.
 
 
@CAT5's Picks
 
"pulse" by cinema staff

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - cinema staff have been on fire lately! They're already gearing up for the release of their 6th full album netsugen next month, and they've dropped the PV for "pulse" in anticipation. The song follows in the same the vein as the material on their previously released Vektor E.P., showcasing the band's harder-edged rock sound that they seldom fail to impress with. The video actually serves as the sequel to 2013's "great escape" (the tunnel should be a dead giveaway!), both of which share the same director. If "pulse" is anything to go by, netsugen is going to kick ass.
 
 
"liquid rainbow" by SuiseiNoboAz

These guys went from being one of the coolest up-and-coming indie bands of the 10's only to unceremoniously land themselves in major label mediocrity by their 3rd album. Displeased with the band's shift towards the mainstream, the original bassist  and drummer jumped ship, leaving the trio as a solo act. I thought that they were done for at this point, so you can imagine my shock when they resurfaced with this PV, and as a quartet no less! "liquid rainbow" sees the band return to full form, as they revisit their groovy indie-roots with all of the blatant NUMBER GIRL worship that made us fall in love with them in the first place. Welcome back, SuiseiNoboAz!
 
 
"Sabre Dance" by Tomy Wealth

Chances are you probably haven't heard of drummer/beatmaker Tomy Wealth unless you're some kind of Japanese beat connoisseur. He's not incredibly well-known, but with two albums and a few EPs under his belt, he's still worthy of note. His music combines his very own live drumming with melodic piano samples and orchestral strings for a decidedly cinematic sound that's more organic than my description entails (sometime's it closer to post-rock than straight-up hip hop beats). His new song "Sabre Dance", which will be featured on his next album, is what I imagine fox capture plan would sound like if they only had the conviction and the unassailable coolness of mouse on the keys.
 
 
Guest Recommendations:
 
@Ada Suilen's Picks   "Missing" by NoGod It was time that NoGod didn't release something in an official manner, despite their successful work done in these years as metal band. With this new single, they go back to the style which got me to them, in a powerful and energetic metal ballad, featuring virtuous touches and vibrant vocals (reminiscent of great hits like "Atria"), confirming and improving NoGod's status in the visual kei scene and renovating my love for them!
 
"ぼくらのアブノーマル" by R指定 
"Bokura no abnormal" by R-Shitei R指定

When I listened to this band, in particular to "Seishun wa wrist cut", I had mixed feelings, since I thought that their sound was quite generic for me. But in the latest releases, starting from Suicide Memories, they developed a solid and better sound, which appeals me more. And in the mini-album Nihon Kyoukai Abnormal they tried and experimented with different styles, each one for each song and it brought up to an energetic release, where this song is surely the best one, with aggressive riffs and versatile vocals dominating all over it.
 
 
 
Thanks for checking out our recommendations this month! And another big thanks to our guest contributor @Ada Suilen! If you have any thoughts on our list, or if you have any recommendations of your own, please feel free to comment below!

Gonna be hard to top all the tea in this thread. Come at us 2017.

It's interesting to see all the responses but we specifically aimed to focus on lesser known vocalists to get their names out there.

That line-up is a fucking mess... I love it!

IN LIGHT OF THIS THREAD....
 
please donate to my gofundme to make the western equivalent of 9goats black out. thank you. vkei is not dead.

special session, "妖怪＊セッション" (Yokai Session) will perform at 妖怪夏祭2 (yokai natsu-sai 2/Yokai Summer Festival 2) on August 30 at Shibuya REX.
 
妖怪＊セッション lineup:
Vo.雀夜 (suzuya) (ex.トランスノート (Trance Note))
Gt.美沙麗～みざり～ (misery) (ex.Megaromania, 凛 (lin))
Gt.パル (paru) (Smileberry)
Ba.塗壁ぬっぺ濡平 (nuppe) (ex.サウイフモノ (souiumono)
Dr.ゆきみ (yukimi) (ex.ユナイト (unite))
 

Trashy shit kei Queens better slay me with this album

LEGENDS ONLY!! GRAPHIC DESIGN ICONS!!!!

Trashy shit kei Queens better slay me with this album

I definitely don't think there's anything wrong with Westerners having visual kei bands, but it would be great if their music and style was anything more than mediocre and if they weren't cringey narcissists as people. Also in terms of not being able to pull off the style, they COULD do it. I do and I'm a chubby average-looking white person. It takes a lot of practice and effort to learn to style yourself correctly, but some people are so cocky that they're convinced they're already perfect when they're only halfway there, in both fashion and music. 
 
ALSO I've literally seen people whining that "visual kei is dying" or "it isn't what it used to be" since I got into this shit in 2003. It's usually from people who have been in the scene like 2-5 years and haven't come to terms with the fact that the life expectancy of a visual kei band unfortunately includes their favs and they get bitter when all the bands they liked when they got into vk are now disbanding. 

2017.5.31(水) 3rd single 『虐』Release
 

BREAKERZ new maxi-single "夢物語" (Yumemonogatari) will be released at 2017/07/12 (3 types)
 
Limited edition A (1700Y) will include CD+DVD
Limited edition B (1600Y) will include CD+Special Photobooklet A5 size
Regular edition (1000Y) will include CD only
 
[tracklist]
M1. 夢物語　words：DAIGO　music：AKIHIDE
M2. devil or angel ?　 words：DAIGO　music：DAIGO
M3. THE TRAIN’S GONE… ～Acoustic Version～ [regular edition only]

merrygoround is dead by Merry Go Round

1. 同化 (Doka)
  2. 失楽 (Shitsuraku)
  3. 液状 (Ekijou)
  4. 造形 (Zokei)
  5. NARCISSE
  6. 君は蜜よりも甘く(Kimi wa mitsu yori mo amaku)
  7. 赤い絲 (Akai ito)
  8. 切断TV (Setsudan TV)
  9. ザクロ色の月と狂った恋の旋律 (Zakurairo no tsuki to kurutta koi no senritsu)
  10. Beast
  11. CHEMICAL CANDY SHOW CASE
  12. FISH
  13. XX体質 (xxTaitshitsu)
  14. 毒蟲 (Dokumushi)
  15. 桜の満開の木下で (Sakura no mankita no shita de)
  16. SUICIDE DANCE
Ladies gentlemen and gays, I present to you the most underrated band of the indies (and major, believe it or not) scene in the 90's: Merry Go Round (otherwise stylized as Merry Go Round, Merrygoround,  メリーゴーランド, affectionally refered to as メリーゴ/merigo by japanese fans). I'm sure the rarez queens on here would beg to differ and probably offer up some other band with a bunch of apostrophes and misspent words in their title because Merry Go Round are too popular but NO. They have a point, as anyone worth their weight in Nagoya kei history knows the impact of Merry Go Round on the local scene at the time, but the lasting influence of Merry Go Round isn't as widely known. Here I've come, along with the aid of this thread to help decode the mystery that is Merry Go Round through their swan song best-of release from 2003, merry go round is dead. There's no better time to go into this, as gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy marked the return of Kazuma to the scene, and they are hot off the heels of a fairly large country-wide tour and now a 3man series of lives with DALLE and 101A. Gibkiy continue onward with merigo's legacy of avantgarde experimentation, pushing the boundaries of not only the visual kei scene, but the underground alt-rock scene. Merry Go Round's cult following continues onward long after their eventual demise, over 20 years after they had started in '91—they even have a fan-run “memorial site” in their honour, still updated to this day. At the party zoo event lives, there's been merigo respect sessions, with MUCC members playing in them. Their releases catch a decent value on the secondary market, with their best-of albums easily catching upwards of 8000 yen.
 
Something's in the water with these guys, and I don't think its any coincidence they are still mentioned in the same breath with the major label successes of the Nagoya scene despite their relative obscurity outside of the scene: Laputa, ROUAGE, Merry Go Round. The short answer is that they were legendary in every sense of the word; everything merigo did was fucking iconic. There was a sense of genuine darkness about the band, no one was flashing around their goth clothes for the chicks only to switch it up afterward when they got bored. The twitter thread was quite helpful, as they pinned a lot of influence to Merry Go Round that I didn't otherwise know. They claim that Kyo (DEG) and Daisuke (Kagerou) were quite influenced by Kazuma, and while I don't have anything to back this up, I totally believe it. Kiyoharu and his very obvious influence on like...99% of visual kei aside, Kazuma's edgy antics have clearly played a role on Kyo. He was the first person to rock the metal face piercings-all-over look, which Kyo later donned in the 2000's, coming to a fever pitch in the 2010's with band guys literally filling their faces with as many piercings as possible. Of more importance is the inheritance of an independent and unique being that merigo embodied; they were so unique that even the japanese source had to struggle from talking in hyperbole. Honestly, I'd argue that Kyo's closest comparison point is Kazuma, in terms of avantgarde leanings and their individualist persona that was cultivated through their almost outsider leaning art. They also pin Merry Go Round as the prototype for menhera love songs, whatever the fuck that means; my understanding of Kazuma's lyrics are limited but there's a lot of sex...s&m...sex...S&M! Of equal importance was this new influence of a darker perspective--taking into consideration the misfortunes of the world and informing one's art, which encapsulated a lot of themes which would later pop up in kotekei and the boom of menhera in the 2010s. Kazuma alone is not to credit for this, but along with the early Nagoya's kei scene's influence in ushering in this new era of ~yami~, he made a decent impact on the darker bands that would follow in later years.
 
Throughout their history, even through lineup changes, their brooding energy stayed constant and so did their experimental, post-punk edge. While firmly rooted in the history of the scene, they sounded equally distant and removed from the scene. Whereas other bands mixed in sharp melody and pop sensibilities to the doom and gloom of the time, Merry Go Round nixed conventional song structure altogether. They had the melancholy down pat, but they added an almost relentless sense of repetition. Songs wouldn't move much as compositions, focusing on a guitar motif or rhythm and pushing it to the desired running length. It's a sound that is hard to describe without listening to their songs, but also a sound that varies with time. Notable is a 1997 cover of Bauhaus's “Hair of The Dog”, in which the spacey guitar lead of the original is turned into a fast-flicking, treble-y riff; the rhythm replaced with a syncopated drum beat. Kazuma sings coldly, screaming and cackles hysterically, pushing the frantic energy of the song into maniacal heights. The end result is so fucking merigo that I'd have a hard time believing this wasn't the band's own composition. This speaks to the quality of the re-arrangement of the cover but also their brilliance, in turning the frantic yet restrained energy of the original into a fully realized, uniquely dark visual kei song. The guitar tone and technique are a definite echo of the indies sound at the time, but the chord progressions dubbed over the melody of the original are totally post-punk, dour and dire. It all makes a lot more sense when hearing "Ame to muchi", which is an original composition yet it manages to sound quite close to “Hair of The Dog”. This is a perfect representation of merigo's traditional sound, equally visual and goth. Besides, when was the last time you heard a visual band cover fucking Bauhaus? These two tracks are part of their old sound before '99, which was more typical of mid 90's gloomy-kei and Nagoya bands, but as they went on things got weirder and weirder, peaking with their 2000 full length. Past then, things got a bit more sober and streamlined, with a more rock sound but were still quite distant from the third generation of Nagoya kei, which included the more goth-inclined Lamiel, kein and later Blast and deadman.
 
Merry Go Round - "HAIR OF THE DOG"
 
Bauhaus - "Hair of the Dog"
 
Merry Go Round - "Ame to Muchi"
 
Speaking of all this history, lets get into the band's tea. merigo is messy to say the least, and there's not much I have to add that isn't already on the net, so I'll offer the interesting points. Merry Go Round's history is marked with stuff that doesn't happen at all anymore, including massive lineup changes, being together for 10+ years (believe it or not), falling in and out of major label contracts and a weird discography, with only 1 full length album and a scattering of minis and singles to count for the fajillion years Merry Go Round was a thing. Vocalist Kazuma and ex-Laputa guitarist Hideno were pretty much the only constant in the band's recording history, excluding their pre-demo years. Before '95 was probably a whirlwind, they cycled through 2 guitarists, 2 bassists and a drummer over the course of 4 or so years, with only recorded 1 demo (before their official demo) to show for their early years. None of the members at that time went onto any other bands after their time in merigo and so what went on in those years is entirely unknown, but totally interesting. I'd like to think the band was a volatile group of goths going around Nagoya with violence (a-la X-Japan), crappy music, drugs and S&M orgies but we might never know. The reality of the situation is likely a lot more boring, with Kazuma refusing to let go of his little project despite the financial and personal difficulties that come with trying to get a band going, especially considering it was before visual kei's mainstream popularity in Japan. They found stability after 1995, with their first main lineup's output stretching from '95-'98 before losing their only other composer, the now deceased Junna and drummer Kyo. Hideno then became the sole composer of the band's music, and whether for his personal taste or just overall circumstances, shit got very dark, very quickly. Song lengths could be brief, with weird minute-long voice solos or drag on for seven, eight minutes at a time with their typically minimal instrumentation, leaving Kazuma's croon to fill in the spaces. This was hinted at in their earlier days, as S featured the 12 minute monster “Dokumushi”, one the creepiest songs ever put to tape, which was composed by none other than Hideno. Catchy choruses became even more sparse, as songs were more about mood than melody. The jazz and industrial influence became stronger, with an alt-rock vibe creeping up on them in the later years, replacing the remnants of their old school style.
 
Basically, as an album, merry go round is dead is not much more than an afterthought. There's actual little reason to purchase the album, as its limited 1200 press has ascended it to god rare status and it doesn't show up often or for anything remotely cheap and all the tracks have been released before. That said, most of the stuff from their marder suitcase/Fuji days are impossible to find now. Nothing was done with purpose in terms of arrangement, inclusion of tracks, etc. The track list is mostly chunked from the original releases, with little integration. The first chunk was their new stuff from 2003, then most of the tracks from the 1999 singles, with only 2 other b-sides that went to their 1999 best-of REDDISH COLLECTORS NO DEAD ARTIST. There's a lot of overlap between these compilations, and REDDISH... is a weird enough album that it deserves its own article. There's a lot of repetition in their discography, but also a lot of remixes/re-recordings and little tracks thrown in as interludes. Their first full length is also entirely absent absent here, as well as pretty much anything during their second lineup. The only song unique to merry go round is dead was "NARCISSE", which was later thrown into a marder suitcase V.A comp. The last chunk was a throwback to their older days, with the whole IMPERIAL DRUGS single and “xxTaishitsu” thrown in for whatever reason, as it is the only track solely composed by Junna. The classic “Sakura no mankita no shita de” appears as well, with “Dokumushi” cut down to a slightly more palatable 4 minutes. “SUICIDE DANCE” is the only song composed by Kazuma and ends the album as a throwback to their eaaaaarly days, as the song has been around in some way since their first unofficial demo in the early 90's. In terms of the tracklist contribution, I'd chalk it to who owned the rights for the tracks as well as aesthetic representation. Even if the band wanted to include their stuff from the semi-major days, my guess is that they didn't have the rights to those songs, which were conveniently mostly Junna compositions. So whether by design or coincidentally, it's mostly Hideno composed, reflecting the musical design of the band from 1999-2004.
 
On to the music itself, it is spectacular to say the least. No matter how much you prime yourself to hear something of comparative style to other artists, or rather the inverse—expecting to hear something completely alien, the experience itself is neither. Tracks 1-6 were their post-2001 output, a mix of melancholy ballads and crunching alternative rock numbers. The sense of theatrics is mostly toned down for a primal rock energy. “Shitsuraku” is straight up aie chords played for seven minutes on end with what sounds like Kazuma on xanax. He takes the track towards a lullaby, threatening to pierce that threshold and roar yet it never approaches those heights. “Zokei” is among the best of the new material, with a percussive rhythm accented by dissonant guitar chords and Kazuma totally riding the track with vocals oozing sensuality. These tracks are a perfect example of merigo's penchant for repetition, as there are few diversions from the introductory chords and melodies. Hideno overlays a new motif or two to keep the songs from being mind numbingly repetitive, and it works to keep interest but otherwise keep the tracks hypnotic. “Narcisse” and “Kimi wa mitsu yori mo amaku” are shocking in that they're almost—joyful—ballads, not creepy or brooding (spare the intro to “Kimi...”) and a departure from anything they had done in the past. These were a look into merigo's possible future, a fascinating look at what could have been. I'm not sure it would have been a future we'd have wanted, but thankfully gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy came up 10 years later and swooped up the remnants of Merry Go Round's old craziness instead of letting this acoustic cheese bloom. That said, I like them in the context of the album's melange of mess.
 
Merry Go Round - "Zokei"
 
Then begins the older output (this album goes in reverse chronological order, basically, LOL), the more essential or classic Merry Go Round songs. “Akai ito” is the song that more or less got me hooked on art kei (I was already a Diaura stan, #sorrynotsorry), as the song was so...un-visual. It is a naked and haunting ballad, and it struck me as visual kei style vocals over a sped up Low or Codeine song. The guitar line had the dissonant feel of a darkened post-rock or midwest emo track, and I'm a huge fan of all of that so its safe so say I was shaking in my boots. To this day, it is my favourite Merry Go Round track and I literally melt the second I hear those opening chords. This haunting sound is echoed by “Zakuroiro no tsuki to kurutta koi”, which is in the same stylistic vein but a more drudgy, spacey number. Kazuma kills both with his vocals, dipping in and out of vocal acrobatics, occasionally pushing the border between fascinating and gratuitous but never overstepping his bounds. The template for these ballads is toward the closing of the album, with Merry Go Round's classic “Sakura no mankita no shita de”, which more or less birthed true emo balladry. It is covered in sessions to this day, and from merigo, it is the one track that is remembered from non-fans and fans alike as an iconic bit of Nagoya kei history. “Setsudan TV”, “Beast” and “FISH” are the flipside to the traditional melancholy rock balladry, as the band step into dub, industrial and jazz sounds. “Setsudan TV” is absolutely insane, with a thumping, urgent instrumental, not too far off from a cyberpunk anime soundtrack. Kazuma's vocals are...[redacted]. It's the peak of madness for the album and a track so bizarre it warrants a listen, just for the shock experience. “CHEMICAL CANDY SHOWCASE” is a look into merigo's traditional sound, as its a straightforward, punky rock piece.
 
Merry Go Round - "Akai ito"
 
From the traditional sound to the straight up old school, “xxTaishitsu” brings the vintage heat, as it is one of the older tracks. The looping/glitching vocals from “Setsudan TV” are here in a lower dosage, contributing to the intensely psychedelic vibe of the track. The track comes to a climax with a bizarrely spaced and composed solo, in a much higher pitched voicing than the rest of the track; it's orgasmic to say the least. If you're not air guitar-ing to it, then what kind of a wannabe guitar player are you? From then on comes “Dokumushi”, unfairly cut down from its originally wonderfully messy glory. In fact, the horrific and disturbing effect of the original is almost entirely lost in this 5 minute edit, as the song is made all the more creepy for how long it goes on for. The album ends with “SUICIDE DANCE”, an otherwise unremarkable song for how much it resembles other, better merigo hit songs; however, credit is due as this was the template for pretty much all of Merry Go Round.
 
Merry Go Round - "Dokumushi" (Live)
 
And so the snake swallows its tail, merry go round is dead. Hideno has pretty much fallen off the face of the earth, and that's a real shame. Otherwise, Kazuma's contribution in gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy keep the spirit of the old school alive, and that is testament to the strength of the Nagoya scene. There is nowhere else in vk, aside from the legends of the late 80's-early 90's that musicians have remained active for so long. Peers play with up and coming musicians along with their influences, producing new and dark sounds, equally indebted to the past as they are to the future. Here's to our darkened future, and the merry go round which will spin eternally.
 
gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy trailer
 
References:
please note that this is mostly limited to english sources, the gaps in my knowledge could possibly be filled by japanese sources or defunct english pages. please let me know of other additions and translations if possible, do it for the oldies!!! 1.) this awesome nagoya kei intro thread (JP)
2.) western news sources:
jame (s/o to the girl who upped the band bio in 2010, it was of great help) vk wikia junna memorial blogs compiled on shattered tranquility 3.) memorial site
4.) yunisan (song credits, lineup information, press numbers)
 
 

Tracklist:
 
1. 中野行進曲 (Nakano Koushinkyoku)
2. GOKUMI
3. 路地裏に立つ女 (Rodjiura no Tatsu Onna)
4. 本能 (Honnou)
5. 残響 (Zankyou)
6. 都会迷路 (Tokai Meiro)
7. 人生はマンネリだ (Jinsei wa Maneri Da)
8. 月姫 (Tsukihime)
9. White regret
10. 羞恥遊戯 (Shuuchi Yuugi)
11. 二重人格 (Nijuujinkaku)
12. ユメ風船 (Yume Fuusen)
 
 | Everything you wanted from visual kei band including taking out the trash
 
Now generally シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) is known for their off the wall strange antics and a vocalist that dresses with the style of top notch drag queens, but if anyone had forgotten they also every once in a while release some seriously bad-ass music. Something about シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) just hits the bulls-eye of my soul with its visual goodness with 中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku). It's understandable that Izumi's voice isn't for everyone, but for me along with the cacophony of music put together by guitarist marya, bassist Yuuto, and drummer rei it is a mess of perfection. I was ready for this album from the first day they announced it and every single released before it's arrival left me wanting so much more. 中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku) is something that stands out from the mess of visual music and isn't afraid of it's message even featuring a track about the regret of American voters after the recent election. 
 
The album is hard to figure regarding that it's a strange infusion of punk, pop rock, and pure visual insanity. Even it's opening track "中野行進曲 (Nakano Koushinkyoku)", is a groovy start for the album and it's dam difficult to fight off the urge to let it's catchy rhythm take hold of you. It's a perfect lead into super infectious "GOKUMI", which is one of the best songs they've ever put together. It's a track that anyone should have a hard time forgetting as it's so well infused with a simple beat and a chorus that you can't get out of your head. "路地裏に立つ女 (Rodjiura ni Tatsu Onna)" a much faster paced track comes up next, and the bass lines provided by Yuuto outshine the rest of the song and show off a lot of his talent.  The album starts to become much more twisted with "本能 (Honnou)" which starts to take on the form of シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) that fans are more familiar with as it's more demented and messy, much like the rest of their work. 
 
"残響 (Zankyou)" transitions the album takes the album further down the rabbit hole. The twisted guitar, played by marya, is so wonderful and borderline trippy that it feels like something you shouldn't be listening to, yet you want more.  And the album continues to impress with musical merit thanks to track "都会迷路 (Tokai Meiro)", which gives you a taste of シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) candy that you feel you need so much more of. "人生はマンネリだ (Jinsei wa Mandela)" definitely sparkles with rhythmical lusciousness with a dash of the great drumming provided by rei. The album carries you straight into "月姫 (Tsukihime)", a previously released song, that is placed so perfectly in the track list. "月姫 (Tsukihime)" is very memorable especially with it's extremely fetching instrumentals and clean vocals.
 
"White regret" is a song filled dissatisfaction over recent world events with current presidential standings. Despite it's topical theme it's a harmonious delight of sorrowfully haunting guitars and anguished vocals that emit pure disappointment. 中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku) shifts to a harder gear with "羞恥遊戯 (Shuuchi Yuugi)" with discordant melodies and chaotic vocals that add a bit more of a deranged spice to the album. The only issue with the album is "二重人格 (Ninjuujinkaku)" which admittedly is a beautiful song all on it's own, but it's placement in the track list feels very out of place as if it they weren't where exactly to put it. The release ends with "ユメ風船 (Yume Fuusen)" which would have felt better like a much better track if it's weren't for the previous song.. Nonetheless, it's a perfect ender to the album, and it's a super upbeat bass line party with guitars providing the drinks, drums throwing confetti everywhere, and vocals taking the night to it's close.
 
中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku) is something that feels so very シビレバシル (Sibilebashir), which is a band that seems to have no definition or clear genre. And that's what's so lovely about the band and their work. If you feel the need for a release that's messy and so close to being well put together then look no further. 
 
 
Support the band!
Amazon (JP)

I'm surprised that this album is evoking such polarizing reactions! For me, 不幸な迷路 totally brought 2017 in with a bang. I mentioned in my review it reminds me a lot of 2001-2003 indie visual kei, especially with tracks like 落とし穴 (Otochiana), 寄り道 (Yorimichi) and 交尾をしてよ (Koubi o Shiteyo). I could slide any of these next to an early the GazettE track or a turn of the century Aliene Ma'riage track and it wouldn't sound too out of place. Then, in certain places it strays into 2004-2007 era like ラストダンス (Last Dance) and 排水口 (Hasui Guchi), and then makes an awkward leap to 2015 to the present with the rest. Do either of you feel the same way?

Tracklist:
 
1. 中野行進曲 (Nakano Koushinkyoku)
2. GOKUMI
3. 路地裏に立つ女 (Rodjiura no Tatsu Onna)
4. 本能 (Honnou)
5. 残響 (Zankyou)
6. 都会迷路 (Tokai Meiro)
7. 人生はマンネリだ (Jinsei wa Maneri Da)
8. 月姫 (Tsukihime)
9. White regret
10. 羞恥遊戯 (Shuuchi Yuugi)
11. 二重人格 (Nijuujinkaku)
12. ユメ風船 (Yume Fuusen)
 
 | Everything you wanted from visual kei band including taking out the trash
 
Now generally シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) is known for their off the wall strange antics and a vocalist that dresses with the style of top notch drag queens, but if anyone had forgotten they also every once in a while release some seriously bad-ass music. Something about シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) just hits the bulls-eye of my soul with its visual goodness with 中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku). It's understandable that Izumi's voice isn't for everyone, but for me along with the cacophony of music put together by guitarist marya, bassist Yuuto, and drummer rei it is a mess of perfection. I was ready for this album from the first day they announced it and every single released before it's arrival left me wanting so much more. 中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku) is something that stands out from the mess of visual music and isn't afraid of it's message even featuring a track about the regret of American voters after the recent election. 
 
The album is hard to figure regarding that it's a strange infusion of punk, pop rock, and pure visual insanity. Even it's opening track "中野行進曲 (Nakano Koushinkyoku)", is a groovy start for the album and it's dam difficult to fight off the urge to let it's catchy rhythm take hold of you. It's a perfect lead into super infectious "GOKUMI", which is one of the best songs they've ever put together. It's a track that anyone should have a hard time forgetting as it's so well infused with a simple beat and a chorus that you can't get out of your head. "路地裏に立つ女 (Rodjiura ni Tatsu Onna)" a much faster paced track comes up next, and the bass lines provided by Yuuto outshine the rest of the song and show off a lot of his talent.  The album starts to become much more twisted with "本能 (Honnou)" which starts to take on the form of シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) that fans are more familiar with as it's more demented and messy, much like the rest of their work. 
 
"残響 (Zankyou)" transitions the album takes the album further down the rabbit hole. The twisted guitar, played by marya, is so wonderful and borderline trippy that it feels like something you shouldn't be listening to, yet you want more.  And the album continues to impress with musical merit thanks to track "都会迷路 (Tokai Meiro)", which gives you a taste of シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) candy that you feel you need so much more of. "人生はマンネリだ (Jinsei wa Mandela)" definitely sparkles with rhythmical lusciousness with a dash of the great drumming provided by rei. The album carries you straight into "月姫 (Tsukihime)", a previously released song, that is placed so perfectly in the track list. "月姫 (Tsukihime)" is very memorable especially with it's extremely fetching instrumentals and clean vocals.
 
"White regret" is a song filled dissatisfaction over recent world events with current presidential standings. Despite it's topical theme it's a harmonious delight of sorrowfully haunting guitars and anguished vocals that emit pure disappointment. 中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku) shifts to a harder gear with "羞恥遊戯 (Shuuchi Yuugi)" with discordant melodies and chaotic vocals that add a bit more of a deranged spice to the album. The only issue with the album is "二重人格 (Ninjuujinkaku)" which admittedly is a beautiful song all on it's own, but it's placement in the track list feels very out of place as if it they weren't where exactly to put it. The release ends with "ユメ風船 (Yume Fuusen)" which would have felt better like a much better track if it's weren't for the previous song.. Nonetheless, it's a perfect ender to the album, and it's a super upbeat bass line party with guitars providing the drinks, drums throwing confetti everywhere, and vocals taking the night to it's close.
 
中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku) is something that feels so very シビレバシル (Sibilebashir), which is a band that seems to have no definition or clear genre. And that's what's so lovely about the band and their work. If you feel the need for a release that's messy and so close to being well put together then look no further. 
 
 
Support the band!
Amazon (JP)

Tracklist:
 
1. 中野行進曲 (Nakano Koushinkyoku)
2. GOKUMI
3. 路地裏に立つ女 (Rodjiura no Tatsu Onna)
4. 本能 (Honnou)
5. 残響 (Zankyou)
6. 都会迷路 (Tokai Meiro)
7. 人生はマンネリだ (Jinsei wa Maneri Da)
8. 月姫 (Tsukihime)
9. White regret
10. 羞恥遊戯 (Shuuchi Yuugi)
11. 二重人格 (Nijuujinkaku)
12. ユメ風船 (Yume Fuusen)
 
 | Everything you wanted from visual kei band including taking out the trash
 
Now generally シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) is known for their off the wall strange antics and a vocalist that dresses with the style of top notch drag queens, but if anyone had forgotten they also every once in a while release some seriously bad-ass music. Something about シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) just hits the bulls-eye of my soul with its visual goodness with 中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku). It's understandable that Izumi's voice isn't for everyone, but for me along with the cacophony of music put together by guitarist marya, bassist Yuuto, and drummer rei it is a mess of perfection. I was ready for this album from the first day they announced it and every single released before it's arrival left me wanting so much more. 中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku) is something that stands out from the mess of visual music and isn't afraid of it's message even featuring a track about the regret of American voters after the recent election. 
 
The album is hard to figure regarding that it's a strange infusion of punk, pop rock, and pure visual insanity. Even it's opening track "中野行進曲 (Nakano Koushinkyoku)", is a groovy start for the album and it's dam difficult to fight off the urge to let it's catchy rhythm take hold of you. It's a perfect lead into super infectious "GOKUMI", which is one of the best songs they've ever put together. It's a track that anyone should have a hard time forgetting as it's so well infused with a simple beat and a chorus that you can't get out of your head. "路地裏に立つ女 (Rodjiura ni Tatsu Onna)" a much faster paced track comes up next, and the bass lines provided by Yuuto outshine the rest of the song and show off a lot of his talent.  The album starts to become much more twisted with "本能 (Honnou)" which starts to take on the form of シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) that fans are more familiar with as it's more demented and messy, much like the rest of their work. 
 
"残響 (Zankyou)" transitions the album takes the album further down the rabbit hole. The twisted guitar, played by marya, is so wonderful and borderline trippy that it feels like something you shouldn't be listening to, yet you want more.  And the album continues to impress with musical merit thanks to track "都会迷路 (Tokai Meiro)", which gives you a taste of シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) candy that you feel you need so much more of. "人生はマンネリだ (Jinsei wa Mandela)" definitely sparkles with rhythmical lusciousness with a dash of the great drumming provided by rei. The album carries you straight into "月姫 (Tsukihime)", a previously released song, that is placed so perfectly in the track list. "月姫 (Tsukihime)" is very memorable especially with it's extremely fetching instrumentals and clean vocals.
 
"White regret" is a song filled dissatisfaction over recent world events with current presidential standings. Despite it's topical theme it's a harmonious delight of sorrowfully haunting guitars and anguished vocals that emit pure disappointment. 中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku) shifts to a harder gear with "羞恥遊戯 (Shuuchi Yuugi)" with discordant melodies and chaotic vocals that add a bit more of a deranged spice to the album. The only issue with the album is "二重人格 (Ninjuujinkaku)" which admittedly is a beautiful song all on it's own, but it's placement in the track list feels very out of place as if it they weren't where exactly to put it. The release ends with "ユメ風船 (Yume Fuusen)" which would have felt better like a much better track if it's weren't for the previous song.. Nonetheless, it's a perfect ender to the album, and it's a super upbeat bass line party with guitars providing the drinks, drums throwing confetti everywhere, and vocals taking the night to it's close.
 
中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku) is something that feels so very シビレバシル (Sibilebashir), which is a band that seems to have no definition or clear genre. And that's what's so lovely about the band and their work. If you feel the need for a release that's messy and so close to being well put together then look no further. 
 
 
Support the band!
Amazon (JP)

Tracklist:
 
1. 中野行進曲 (Nakano Koushinkyoku)
2. GOKUMI
3. 路地裏に立つ女 (Rodjiura no Tatsu Onna)
4. 本能 (Honnou)
5. 残響 (Zankyou)
6. 都会迷路 (Tokai Meiro)
7. 人生はマンネリだ (Jinsei wa Maneri Da)
8. 月姫 (Tsukihime)
9. White regret
10. 羞恥遊戯 (Shuuchi Yuugi)
11. 二重人格 (Nijuujinkaku)
12. ユメ風船 (Yume Fuusen)
 
 | Everything you wanted from visual kei band including taking out the trash
 
Now generally シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) is known for their off the wall strange antics and a vocalist that dresses with the style of top notch drag queens, but if anyone had forgotten they also every once in a while release some seriously bad-ass music. Something about シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) just hits the bulls-eye of my soul with its visual goodness with 中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku). It's understandable that Izumi's voice isn't for everyone, but for me along with the cacophony of music put together by guitarist marya, bassist Yuuto, and drummer rei it is a mess of perfection. I was ready for this album from the first day they announced it and every single released before it's arrival left me wanting so much more. 中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku) is something that stands out from the mess of visual music and isn't afraid of it's message even featuring a track about the regret of American voters after the recent election. 
 
The album is hard to figure regarding that it's a strange infusion of punk, pop rock, and pure visual insanity. Even it's opening track "中野行進曲 (Nakano Koushinkyoku)", is a groovy start for the album and it's dam difficult to fight off the urge to let it's catchy rhythm take hold of you. It's a perfect lead into super infectious "GOKUMI", which is one of the best songs they've ever put together. It's a track that anyone should have a hard time forgetting as it's so well infused with a simple beat and a chorus that you can't get out of your head. "路地裏に立つ女 (Rodjiura ni Tatsu Onna)" a much faster paced track comes up next, and the bass lines provided by Yuuto outshine the rest of the song and show off a lot of his talent.  The album starts to become much more twisted with "本能 (Honnou)" which starts to take on the form of シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) that fans are more familiar with as it's more demented and messy, much like the rest of their work. 
 
"残響 (Zankyou)" transitions the album takes the album further down the rabbit hole. The twisted guitar, played by marya, is so wonderful and borderline trippy that it feels like something you shouldn't be listening to, yet you want more.  And the album continues to impress with musical merit thanks to track "都会迷路 (Tokai Meiro)", which gives you a taste of シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) candy that you feel you need so much more of. "人生はマンネリだ (Jinsei wa Mandela)" definitely sparkles with rhythmical lusciousness with a dash of the great drumming provided by rei. The album carries you straight into "月姫 (Tsukihime)", a previously released song, that is placed so perfectly in the track list. "月姫 (Tsukihime)" is very memorable especially with it's extremely fetching instrumentals and clean vocals.
 
"White regret" is a song filled dissatisfaction over recent world events with current presidential standings. Despite it's topical theme it's a harmonious delight of sorrowfully haunting guitars and anguished vocals that emit pure disappointment. 中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku) shifts to a harder gear with "羞恥遊戯 (Shuuchi Yuugi)" with discordant melodies and chaotic vocals that add a bit more of a deranged spice to the album. The only issue with the album is "二重人格 (Ninjuujinkaku)" which admittedly is a beautiful song all on it's own, but it's placement in the track list feels very out of place as if it they weren't where exactly to put it. The release ends with "ユメ風船 (Yume Fuusen)" which would have felt better like a much better track if it's weren't for the previous song.. Nonetheless, it's a perfect ender to the album, and it's a super upbeat bass line party with guitars providing the drinks, drums throwing confetti everywhere, and vocals taking the night to it's close.
 
中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku) is something that feels so very シビレバシル (Sibilebashir), which is a band that seems to have no definition or clear genre. And that's what's so lovely about the band and their work. If you feel the need for a release that's messy and so close to being well put together then look no further. 
 
 
Support the band!
Amazon (JP)

found footage kei = new tier of spoopy kei

Tracklist:
01. 入口
02. 不幸の始まり
03. ぐちゃぐちゃ
04. 排水口
05. 気付いて
06. 人殺し
07. ラストダンス
08. 恋人ごっこ
09. 寄り道
10. 落とし穴
11. 交尾をしてよ
12. ユメオチ
13. 最後の歌
14. 出口
 
| One of the most promising visual kei albums in recent memory.
 
After nominating their mixed bag of a collection album 中毒症状 (Chuudoku Shuujou) as one of the best of last year only to be greeted with a three consecutive singles campaign I would sooner forget about, the announcement of 不幸な迷路 (Fukou na Meiro) didn't strike me as anything particularly noteworthy to check out. I knew that ザアザア (XAA-XAA) had to bring the heat, but I didn't expect an album of this caliber from them. It falls a bit short of becoming a classic for me, but 不幸な迷路 is the most fun I've had listening to visual kei all year.
 
Ask me to define what visual kei is and what you will get is a lot of stammering and gesticulation, and maybe a comment on the style or popular genre of choice. Ask me for an album which embodies all things visual kei, and I'll point to 不幸な迷路 immediately. ザアザア has combined all the visual kei tropes in a familiar but new way, including some unfamiliar ones. For example, the band spared no expense in ensuring their disjointed album opener and closer SE's have nothing to do with the tracks they sandwich. Also for good measure, the album switches gears halfway through in a misguided attempt at showing diversity, starting with the very girugamesh reminiscent "ラストダンス" (Last Dance). They at least stopped short of including their sub par singles just to pad the running time. Some seasoned visual kei veterans would roll their eyes at these, but I embrace them all with open arms. It lends an undeniably last-decade visual kei feel to 不幸な迷路 without leaning on novelty or the band's laurels, and as a result its very easy for me to get lost in it. I can play the whole album without pausing once.
 
One point of contention I had with 中毒症状 was how lazy many of the bridges sounded. Bridges hold a song together, and often it was just one word or one phrase repeated eight times. I'm happy to report that this sin is only committed once on 不幸な迷路 with "落とし穴", and that a large majority of the tracks have well thought out, even memorable choruses at times. Ironically enough, my favorite track,  "排水口" - an undeniably MUCC-influenced slow burner that could earn a spot on the aforementioned 2004 album 朽木の灯 - has no chorus to it. I like most of the songs even if the vocalist Kazuki works within a very small tonal range, I don't remember actively hating or skipping through any song, and after five or so listens I consider this to be their best release yet. It's not the greatest thing since sliced bread, and maybe it has a few too many toppings, but it's a damn good sandwich for those with the corresponding taste. Only time will tell if future releases can maintain the same balance of familiarity and inventiveness.
 
I expected nothing at all, but 不幸な迷路 resonated with my stodgy, old soul in a way I haven't felt for some time. It strikes with an intensity and charm that took me back to my nascent years in visual kei almost immediately. I implore them to follow whatever creative workflow resulted in this album and not their consecutive singles release, because this works for them. Most importantly, in a time where there isn't a clear leader in the race to the top of the indie visual kei charts, 不幸な迷路 provides a compelling reason to choose ザアザア.
 
 
Support the band!
Me-Shop

10/25? around halloween time MY THIRST FOR SPOOPY TBS IS STRONG

V STARis the accomplice on the outside sneaking in tools baked in cakes and waiting outside with a private plane for a quick get away

Jaldan
A gang of villains trapped at pre release.
But they will soon perform a jailbreak and run amok worldwide

Vocals - KID



Guitar - RizE


 
Bass - Kurono
 


Drum - Kaito



Are you ready for a jail break?

omg you're right <3 its beautiful 

Gray was nice, looking forward for these next releases!