Okay now that I've gotten a chance to digest all these jams (man, what a month!) I can comment. XD
@beni I don't know where you find all these cool artists. I know I don't follow pop that closely but they don't even seem to be the kind of trendy pop artists, they're always a little quirky or underrated and interesting! Fitz is also always surprising me with picks like these. SUPER BEAVER are a real crowd pleaser though, so I'm happy to see them show up. I couldn't see the TWEEDEES song since it's blocked in my country but there seem to be a some live recordings on youtube I was able to check out. Very nice!
@togzNice range of picks this month. That illion site teaser was really interesting. I was able to hunt it down and play with it a little after reading your blurb. Talk about cool marketing! And that Novembers track is back in the direction I like! Their softer side is nice but just doesn't grip me like this does. I think I'm gonna get a lot of milage out of that one. And of course I love Develop One's Faculties and Crossfaith. Crossfaith's singles never seem to stick with me like their albums do, but man Kenta's cleans are sounding soooo gooooood.
@emmny Dat girugamesh track. I couldn't even handle writing about it, I'm still so salty. So bless you for that one. I can't contain my feels. ToT
@tetsu_sama69 *high fives* for chariots. That single rocked hard. Also digging FerrisWheeL. I will take all the old school vk feelings I can get. <3
@fitear1590 Man you really covered the spectrum this month! Koochewsen reqs are always A+ in my book. They keep slaying! I'm also floored by kamisai and heisenburg. Really gorgeous tunes, I'm gonna have to go hunting through more youtube recommendations if they're giving you gems like these!
@CAT5Holy cow. I remember liking Aimer's previous stuff but this song was a whole 'nother level of good.
@Zeus I was about to give up on KEEL, but you have shown me the err of my ways. That was awesome.
Your friends on the Official Reviewer team are back with another month of tunes we have hand picked for you to jam to.
We hope you enjoy and let us know what you think!
@beni's picks
"CALL" by スカート (Skirt)
Simplicity can sometimes make a gem, and what do we have right here? One hell of a shiny one! The track may be painfully short, but it's one I never fail in returning back to now and then. With vocals that can be described as laid-back on almost the same scale as ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION'S Gotch, with a touch of melancholy especially due to the overall sound, this is one you can categorize as 'great indie goodness'. You'll easily recognize this track amongst any other, due to its opener of a single riff. The sprinkles of piano elsewhere, including a build up in its bridges makes this one a necessary repeater of a tune. Underrated is an understatement for this band!
"秘密 (Himitsu)" by SUPER BEAVER
Now this is just getting ridiculous, lads! You'll be appearing in our Recommended Tracks each month if you don't slow down any time soon! As I continuously MUST point out how SUPER BEAVER are getting better and better with each release, their singles and PVs continue to impress me as soon as I hit 'play'. Using a similar formula each time of quick but melodic vocal work against an instantly recognizable and complimentary beat, "Himitsu" is just as tastefully addictive as all their recent pieces. Fast paced, but exquisitely tuneful for exactly four minutes, it's a catchy and memorable ride, which seems to end all too soon! If you have yet to check them out, you must give them a try at least this once! And just for the record, the album that track appears on entitled 27 really deserves your attention too! These guys will not be halting their winning spree any time soon.
"ACROSS" by 相川七瀬 (Aikawa Nanase)
I must admit right here and now that you're not the only one missing out on this brilliant madam. I've known her name for the longest time but have never given her a listen until this single of hers, and oh, how late I am to the party! With one hell of a strong, melodic voice for a mainstream/major singer, against music done by L'Arc~en~Ciel's Tetsuya (yes, that's right, have I caught your ears now?), "ACROSS" is a delicious blend of pop rock. Nanase's stunning voice stands out even more due to Tetsuya's welcome involvement with the sound, and that definitely helps this song attract attention. What's even more of an attraction is the PV, filmed in gorgeous 360 panorama motion shots, which makes it a pleasure even to the eyes!
"Fake" by GOMESS
GOMESS is one of my instant loves of this year, with "Fake" being the main culprit for this. As soon as I heard his music, what came to mind was a male rap version of Bonjour Suzuki, and early daoko. "Fake" is a tuneful lullaby track as you might have guessed with my artist examples. From just this one song, to the mini-album it appears on, GOMESS has skyrocketed up to being one of my favourite experimental rappers. As those who know me already, I'm not that much of a rap listener, yet I find GOMESS extremely special because I enjoy his music so much. This is not to be missed. This song, the mini-album, nor himself.
"BABY, BABY" by TWEEDEES
A very random but lovely find of this month is the jazz duo of TWEEDEES. If I had to be honest about me and jazz, I'd have to say I'm not the most favourable towards it save for certain groups (BLU-SWING and JiLL-Decoy Assocation), but when it's as cute and charming as this, who am I to ignore it!? Unfortunately unknown to the majority of us, TWEEDEES definitely deserve more fans who can kick back, appreciate and enjoy anything smooth, sweet and jazzy. It even has the approval from @CAT5!
"カラーバリエーション(Color Variation)" by ケツメイシ (Ketsumeishi)
Talk about a match made in heaven (those clash of colours and awkward dance moves gets me every time)! Sounding exactly like how I'd think of Greeeen if they were an idol/dance boy group, this hip hop group of four (in fact) incorporates infectious rap and super pleasant singing in the chorus against the dancefloor (and even EDM) sound. This is definitely one of my guilty pleasure finds of this year (even that awfully cheesy music video is!), and I can't love it any more than I already do! If you're looking for something cheery now that we're coming to the chillier seasons, you better get up and moving to this! I know I can't stop myself!
@togz' picks
"この世界が嫌いな人へ (kono sekai ga kirai na hito e)" by Develop One's Faculties
Develop One's Faculties has always caught my attention with their unique sound in the VK scene. They never fail to incorporate quick and complex elements to at least one song per release. "この世界が嫌いな人へ (kono sekai ga kirai na hito e)" is a B-side off of their 4th single 斑 (mura). Though the song has a fast pace to it, Develop One's Faculties is able to accomplish layering smooth vocals over a funky slap bass line. My favorite part of this track is when the vocals and guitar work lift each other and reinforce this sort of staccato verse. It's a fun song that I would recommend to scratch the surface of this group.
"Water Lily" by illion
illion is the solo project of Yojiro Noda (Vocalist + Guitarist of RADWIMPS). It's been just over 3 years since the debut album Ubu. Originally, an untitled release was due out for illion on the 20th of July, but that got pushed back until fall. The sad news was remedied by the announcement of a new RADWIMPS album to drop. Despite illion's release being delayed, this amazingly interactive teaser went live and "Water Lily" became available in the Japanese iTunes store on July 15th. This is a very ambient, upbeat, and space-y sounding track but offers a strong melodic vocal line. If you need some great thinking music or something to tide you over until the new RADWIMPS release hits the shelf then "Water Lily" is a must!
"黒い虹 (Kuroi Niji)" by THE NOVEMBERS
Even with their new album release right around the corner, THE NOVEMBERS surprise listeners with a sudden digital single release. This song will be on the new album Hallelujah which will be released on September 21st. "黒い虹 (Kuroi Niji)" represents many sides of THE NOVEMBERS as it sways from an aggressive grunge sound and floating chants to up-front chaos as everything mashes together. Given the unique layering of harmonizing vocals, the chants/singing during the song is clash-y but pleasing. If you're just checking out THE NOVEMBERS for the first time, this would be a great song to start with in preparations for their anticipated release come end of summer. On July 20th a link to purchase the song through iTunes was made available through various social media outlets. From the looks of it this song is just a limited time release exclusively for the Japanese audience.
"Rx Overdrive" by Crossfaith
After the band's most recent album Xeno, I felt a little let down. While I understood the direction the album went in and how it was beneficial to utilizing all their members equally, I do feel they lost a little bit of their punch. Xeno was still an album that translated well to a live setting, but it lacked the heaviness that drew people in from the beginning. Aside from the visually pleasing music video, "Rx Overdrive" replenished the heavier factors that people craved to hear again. This song has satisfactory synth usage that doesn't take from the importance and depth of the percussion area. Whether you're looking to give Crossfaith a second (or third) chance or are just checking them out, "Rx Overdrive" is a great place to sum up their journey to this point.
@tetsu_sama69's picks
"SENSE OF ASH" by Insanity Injection
Hands down one of my favorite releases this year and a purchase I hardly regret every single time I hear this song. Granted, Insanity Injection has been met with mixed opinions, yet they always seem to strike it rich with me. "SENSE OF ASH" is a continuation of the chaotic hybrid that this band exists to be and does it so well. The haunting intro with light voiceover erupts into the unholy mess of screams from Kyouka and is spiced up with operatic vocals from Chaos. A cacophony of twisted guitars, heavy bass, noisy rhythm with an occult narration thrown in is a great treat if you're into dark and filthy sounding visual kei goodness.
"廻想ルナシエル (Mawarisou Luna Ciel)" by FerrisWheeL
You hopefully are listening to this treat of a song while you're reading this little blurb about its contents because I don't think I can completely explain how good this song is with words alone. FerrisWheeL is really underrated and should rightfully get more attention as their band continues on. They're also a pure example of the scene can still play "old-school" style visual kei and make it sound very unique in their own way. Maybe it's because the band is a wonderful collection of members from previous bands such as Crishuna, Cruicifixtion , and GRIST or that they're focusing more on making great music than just trying to sweep up fans by sticking to trends. "Mawarisou Luna Ciel "is a delightful listen and I do hope they continue with consistent music of this variety. This song is a a blast from the past and the opening guitar riff alone is enough to get almost anyone addicted to it.
"desperate" by chariots
The official return of chariots was definitely the hype train that I got on right away. I've always enjoyed the interesting evolution they've gone though since their start. Though, Kisai is a great release overall and is a refreshing continuation for the band since before they went on break to take progressive steps towards the style of heavier music. "Desperate" ended up being my favorite track from the single overall because I just couldn't resist putting the song on repeat. Perhaps it's the chugging guitars from KAZ, strong bass from Jin, perfect drumming from MIKAGE, and rough vocals from Riku that are an amazing mix that definitely comes together to make a stimulating hefty load of power metal.
@emmny's picks
"period" by ギルガメッシュ (girugamesh)
And here ends Girugamesh's legacy... the band responsible for getting a fair chunk of this forum into the j-rock scene throughout the better part of the past decade or so is over. It's worth noting how much of an influence they've had on the current scene (in case you're new), with their current output being ripped-off by the new visualcore bands and their mid 2000's material serving as a large influence to revival kei groups. After my first few listens of "period", I was entirely gobsmacked at how well they managed to combine their current slick yet brutal metalcore sound with the moody alt-metal atmospherics of their indies days. It doesn't entirely sound like a Chimera left-over, but "period" definitely borrows from its predecessor's theme of mixing old and new, bringing the concept to a fever pitch. The end result is a driving metalcore/djenty banger with ominous chord progressions, the standard anthemic chorus and interesting use of orchestral programming--up until 4 minute mark. The outro begins as ambient synths and piano underscore satoshi's distorted crooning, then suddenly everything drops out and a hellfire of grinding guitars and furious drum fills close the track while they glitch into oblivion. The curtain falls, applause, goodbye.
"百鬼夜行" (hyakki yakou) by 己龍 (kiryu)
BPR's flagship band return with their fifth full-length album Hyakki yakou, featuring a title track so good your eyes will probably water, your neck might snap and you will 100% be reminded as to why you ever liked the shit-show known as visual kei in the first place. Hyperbole? Absolutely. Kiryu deserve every smidgen of praise they get given how consistent they've been for the past 9 years. Year after year, they've been serving their signature mix of all things dramatic and neo-japonesque with a healthy dose of ADHD oshare fun and a kote kei lean ALL topped with sharp progressive tendencies. "Hyakki yakou" is a manic mix of everything Kiryu have ever done, but it remains fresh because of how brilliantly the song flows. The track opens with a wild piano riff and matching insane shrieks from Mahiro, the guitars duel in that signature late 90's staccato riffage under a soaring flute-sounding riff as Junji goes off on his drum set, not missing a beat or accent. All that said, this is just the first 30 seconds or so; "Hyakki yakou" is wildly textured in its arrangement, as typical of a band who pays abnormally close attention to detail. To spare you all a 3 page long in depth explanation of all the reasons why this song utterly slays, shut me up and just give it a listen.
"右手のナイフ、左手のヒス" (Migite no knife, hidarite no hiss) by SAVAGE
So I thought I was stanning trash last month with the VEXENT feature... but y'all underestimate my ability to literally swim in the dumpster of visual kei trash to pull out some more crap. Here comes SAVAGE to the rescue, the new band of ex-Depain members who are more known for having girls hawking over them than releasing anything of substance. But, there's a catch to this: SAVAGE's trash is occasionally amazing. As per Depain's discography, there are some surprisingly great songs here and there; nothing original, but definitely well-done heavy kei. "Migite..." is the best song SAVAGE have put out since "Biran", and probably the best song they've ever done. If there's one thing they do well, its creating a menacing atmosphere that few current bands can replicate. "Migite..." slinks around with its dark mood, further punctuated by the use of space in the song and Ryuka's eerie tone deaf robot vocals. A creepy music box interlude half way leads to an especially amazing fast section, driven by Takeru's ghostly seven-string guitar riffage and some great old-school blast-beats. "Migite..." is a fabulous throwback to when the height of heaviness was bands like Dio, NEGA, UnsraW, Awoi and -OZ-, back when visualcore had a bit more dirt on the surface. Despite all the trash I've talked about SAVAGE, this is not only an amazing track but ultimately a necessary throwback considering how sanitized the current scene can be.
@fitear1590's picks
"ぼくのことすき (boku no koto suki)" by クウチュウ戦 (koochewsen)
Koochewsen has sky-rocketed to become a new favorite of mine. It appears that they're slowly weaning us off their extra progressive sound, but trust me, they're not boarding the shuttle to Genericville by any means. The PV track for their upcoming mini 超能力セレナーデ (chounouryoku serenade) is a noisy helping of synthy power pop. I always appreciate a band that can fuse talent and a good sense of humor--a combination that they are currently killing. I know you love retro astronauts delivering an anthemic chorus in zero gravity just as much as I do!
"秋明菊 (shuumeigiku)" by 神はサイコロを振らない (kami wa saikoro wo furanai)
Back in March, @saishuu introduced us to a very special band in the indie scene, kami wa saikoro wo furanai. Their polished math-rock riffs and warm, soulful vocals (pretty uncharacteristic for a scene dominated by high-pitched, shrill, and/or nasal singers) set them apart from the average newcomer, right from their first PV. For their aptly named debut mini-album, anfang (German: beginning), they've presented us with "shuumeigiku," which continues the gorgeous guitar work and soaring choruses. If you haven't checked out kamisai yet, now's the perfect time!
"Métamorphose (LA VIE EN ROSE KAMIJO -20th ANNIVERSARY BEST- Grand Finale)" by LAREINE
One-day revivals might be en vogue right now, but often they're just a last-ditch effort for old bands to make a quick buck. Rarely do musicians take this opportunity to go all out, but shortly before New Year's Eve of 2015, KAMIJO did just that. Playing a special 20th anniversary show, he brought all his past and current projects together into one mega-show. Of everything that went down that night, I think many of us were most excited to see LAREINE take the stage again. While bassist Emiru has remained active (albeit, behind the scenes), we haven't seen or heard from guitarist Mayu or drummer Machi in around 10 or 15 years, respectively. To see the four of them so seamlessly pick up where they left off is just uncanny. They even played my favorite song, "Métamorphose"! Fortunately, the entire 'LA VIE EN ROSE KAMIJO -20th ANNIVERSARY BEST- Grand Finale' concert experience has been immortalized on DVD for all to see--an absolute must-see for KAMIJO fans of all eras.
"Migimimi" by Migimimi sleep tight
What happens when you blend 少年記 (shounenki) levels of melodrama with a cold hazy Instagram filter? Well, you get Migimimi sleep tight, a new project featuring Megamasso's Ryohei. Anyone with some background in VK will probably agree that the band's visuals and sound are mind-boggling. Shouldn't you be dressed up like a revolutionary French aristocrat or in some kind of PVC outfit to be making those exaggerated hand gestures and reaching passionately toward the camera? Shouldn't your jovial extras waltzing through the forest be random melancholic white girls? Shouldn't that deserted cliffside beach be Lockheart Castle? In all seriousness though, the song is tight--it's just the incongruity of it all that makes it even more interesting.
"NECRO" by MORRIGAN
I haven't followed MORRIGAN, but they are my guilty pleasure for the month. This era of heavy 'neo VK' is generally not my bag, but every so often, a band hits all the cliches in just the right way and produces something totally solid. That describes "NECRO" to a tee. It starts off with a spooky carnival arrangement, which is easily a top 5 way to my heart. Then, it gets br00tal with some trashy harsh vocals. Following a by-the-numbers songwriting approach, there's even the obligatory sudden melodic chorus, but you know what? It's beautiful and I can't help but be drawn in by the gaudy drama of it all. #wiredforVK
"Alaska" by South Penguin
Following my disappointment with ミツメ's (mitsume) awkwardly funky A Long Day album, I had to look elsewhere for my sunny, laid-back guitar pop fix. Cue South Penguin's "Alaska," which is my official beach-kei recommendation of summer 2016. It's all here, from the jangly Mac Demarco-style riffs that are are gentle as the ocean breeze, to the vibrant bass licks that form the groovy backbone of the track. Subtle synths pulse in now and again to provide a touch of dreaminess, making this the ideal track for your summer strolls with your head carelessly in the clouds.
"ハイゼンベルク (heisenberg)" by ツヅリ・ヅクリ (TSUZURI.ZUKURI)
Combo breaking the shit out of my sausage fest of a list (sorry about that, btw), we have TSUZURI.ZUKURI. Discovered purely through the art of clicking through YouTube, this duo immediately grabbed my attention. ”Heisenberg" is a lavish composition, featuring angelic piano, sweeping chimes, dramatic strings, and skilled percussive work which is both delicate and epic--you'll hear what I mean. The true star of the show, however, is vocalist Mumu, whose ethereal range is truly a beauty to behold. With a multitude of mini and full albums under their belt, it'll take a while to catch up, but I'm excited to delve more into TSUZURI.ZUKURI.
@CAT5's picks
"us" by Aimer
Alongside the likes of supercell and EGOIST, I consider Aimer to be one of the reigning queens of the modern anison world. It's an area of music as oversaturated as any other, but Aimer stands out easily with her towering vocals and her top-quality collaborations with some of the finest composers in the field - Yoko Kanno and Hiroyuki Sawano to name a few. On her latest, double a-side single insane dream/us, she adds Taka (from ONE OK ROCK), and TK (from ling tosite sigure) to her list of musical consorts. "insane dream", which was penned by Taka and also features him on vocals, is an instant banger and it was honestly difficult for me NOT to write about that song. But the TK-produced "us" takes the cake! It's epic pop-rock at its best - somber, atmospheric, and cinematic with all of TK's signature touches and Aimer's dramatic crooning operating in perfect harmony. TK hasn't written a song this good for himself OR his band in years. These two make a killer pairing, and I'd love to hear them work together again!
"グルメ紀行(Gourmet kikou)" by 婦人倶楽部(fujin club)
Thank the universe for providing me with a keen musical network of friends. A pal of mine introduced me to this group recently, and since I haven't been exploring new music like I used to, and there's been almost no mention of this band through popular Western J-music channels, I would have completely missed out on FUJIN CLUB if not for his recommendation! I was specifically introduced to them through this song/video, and it was love at first listen. They have a very organic pop sound with bright melodies and crisp and colorful, classical instrumentation - somewhat similar to WUJA BIN BIN. "グルメ紀行" sounds like how watching a Ghibli movie feels. It's cozy, endearing, and pure, yet it evokes a sense of wonder and tugs at your imagination. Fantastic!
"Talisman" by Boris
You know a band has reached an unrivaled level of badassery when they can release a disc of bonus material that puts the actual albums of most other bands to shame. That's exactly what Boris has done. 10 years after the release of their classic, Pink, they've reissued the album as a deluxe version with a second disc titled Forbidden Songs. The bonus disc features nine previously unreleased tracks, and it fuckin' rocks. I mean, Boris practically piss quality music, so it's difficult as hell for me to single out one song above another. But since I have to pick, I'll go with "Talisman". It's an absolutely crushing stoner-doom number that harkens back to 2002's Heavy Rocks, yet is equally apt as an extension of Pink. If hard rock is your thing, then be sure to check out the deluxe edition in its entirety. If you're already a Boris fan, you won't want to miss any of the gems on Forbidden Songs either!
@Zeus' picks
"LEM" by KEEL
KEEL is why I don't cry about disbandments anymore. When 9GOATS imploded and girugamesh hung up their hats, I was distraught...until this band rose from the ashes to scratch an itch those two could never get. It's a fusion of turn of the century nagoya kei with modern heaviness and sensibilities visual kei hasn't seen since the legendary deadman. With four of the most seasoned musicians in the scene, there's a lot to love about KEEL. I cannot deny how straightforwardly emotional their music is on their single Ugly duckling, and is how B-side "LEM" won me over; rhythmic bass, pounding drums, and the constantly shifting guitars are easy to get lost in. It's heavy without being distracting and the melody slides into semi-amorphic nagoya kei melancholy and song structure so naturally it's a little scary. The bridge and the chorus in particular send shivers down my spine when Ryo alternates between his crooning vocals, his rasp, and his normal range, showcasing his deceptively wide range and those trademark KEEL croons. You never quite know what's coming next until the end. I look forward to the day when KEEL announces a proper full-length album.
"詩踏み(utafumi)" by DIR EN GREY
Dir en grey drops the nuanced groove and focus on atmosphere for pure aggression and it's absolutely amazing. Distilling all the best parts of their last three albums into a three minute songs is a herculean task, but Dir en grey do it right. "詩踏み"'s loose structure takes a few listens to digest, yet it still manages to create a claustrophobic, religious experience with the atmosphere that keeps my ears glued to my headphones. The completely mental music video and their accompanying look has quickly become my favorite one of year, perfectly capturing the aggression, energy, and confusion of the song. If this is a sign that they've embraced their visual kei roots once more, this is one hell of a return! As we approach their 20th anniversary, "詩踏み" is a bold statement that Dir en grey isn't done yet.
@doombox's picks
"One Last Time" by HONE YOUR SENSE
Brutal metalcore? Deathcore? I'm not even sure anymore with all the labels these days, but I can tell you it's heavy and excellent. HONE YOUR SENSE never fail to impress with their releases and it sounds like upcoming mini album will pack quite a punch if "One Last Time" is any indicator, which I am positive it is. The song is fast and furious, yet clear enough for all of the technical guitarwork and lightning speed drum fills to have equal footing. It's the kind of thrill ride only HYS is capable of giving you and if you haven't checked them out yet, I highly encourage that you do so!
"忌際(kisai)" by chariots
When the return of chariots was announced I took my time getting around to catching up with them. I half expected more of their previous melodic style heavily laden with the usual visual kei tropes. Color me surprised when I checked out their latest release and was, quite frankly, blown away. I would have never expected a heavier, more orchestral turn towards power metal. But stepping outside of the box is exactly what the doctor ordered. And while Riku may have kept most of the spotlight for himself in the previous incarnation of chariots, taking a chance to let everyone else shine only brings up his own caliber of vocal delivery to meet them this time around.
"Nightcrawler" by OBLIVION DUST
Four years is much too long to go between OBLIVION DUST releases. VAMPS and FAKE? are just no substitution for the original, as fun as they may be. And the trio are back to their old tricks (and a couple of new ones) on the most recent release DIRT this month which had a surprisingly quiet release. The songs are more of what we have come to expect from OBLIVION DUST's electronically-charged industrial rock with Ken Lloyd's signature whine. "Nightcrawler" follows suit and serves as a great introduction for newcomers and a fun romp for die hard fans as well!
Guest Reviews
@chemicalpictures' picks
"100年前から、こんにちは。(hyakunen mae kara, konnichiwa.)" by Develop One's Faculties
If I had to choose one band to be the flagship of current VK, it would be Develop One's Faculties. They are all extremely gifted musicians who aren't afraid of experimenting and infusing their songs with new sounds, which makes Yuya's project is much more interesting than your average VK experience. In this song they get in touch with their indie rock influences, Yuya's clean riffs could be easily seen in bands like cinema staff or androp. Johannes is a beast as usual, DOF's 'let it loose' style let him shine so much more than his previous works. This kind of approach is very healthy for them as a band and for the scene, as VK could use more genre-bending bands, instead of the regular chugga-chugga we are used to. Overall, while this is definitely not their most creative or innovative effort, it is one of those songs to end the encore of a concert in such a high note you'll end up wanting more.
"人魚姫(ningyo hime)" by FoLLoW
FoLLoW is one of those acts that gets under people's radar for a reason I don't really know. Their sound is TIGHT. MASASHI's vocals are really on point, perfectly expressing his feelings and guiding the listener through the song. I also really like maki's drum lines; while basic, they help give an edge and nicely dictate the rhythm of the song. The 03:33 part into the last chorus is really powerful and emotional. All in all, this is by no means an epic song, but everything here matches so perfectly I can't help but have a smile on my face by the end.
@Ada Suilen's picks
"詩踏み(utafumi)" by DIR EN GREY
I have to admit that 'not visual' DEG were not one of my favourite bands until I heard "Rinkaku". And with "Utafumi", despite of its length, they enhanced their style at an incredible level. The technique is incredibly relevant in this dim and painful track, where Kyo's theatrical and creepy approach fits incredibly with the whole thing. Surely one of the best tracks of the year!
"斑(mura)" by Develop One's Faculties
One of the best rookies so far have probably reached the best of themselves. Their eccentric rock sound evolved a lot, arriving to touch more unpredictable and skillful features, where their latest song, "Mura", represents the apex of what was their project; with sublime funk bass lines and beating rhythms, this band literally caught my heart and my ears.
Thank you for hanging out with us another month!
Special thanks to our guest reviewers! If anyone would like to be a guest reviewer in the future please contact @doombox for more info!
for his ingenious cosplay of Pitty from Morrigan!!
We will be contacting you via PM soon about your prizes.
Thanks so much for entering!
Voting was unnecessary this year since we only received the single entry.
But we're still stoked anyone joined in while we tried something new so thanks a lot for giving it a shot @The Reverend. You've made MH history!
V STAR PROMOTION is proud to present the overseas debut of Rides In ReVellion!
They will be appearing at Anime USA in Washington, DC at the Washington Marriot Wardman Park Hotel on October 21-23, 2016.
There will be a live concert, autograph signing, and other events included with the price of convention admission. For more information, stay tuned or visit http://animeusa.org
We look forward to meeting many of you while we are there, and hope that this is the first of many opportunities for us to bring visual kei artists to the international stage. Thank you for your support.
I derived endless amusement from the banter in this topic. The mental calisthenics some of you are going through to paint the staff in a bad light with absolutely no evidence to back it up really gives me a chortle. I don't know if you get your rocks off always being contrarian or if you just don't like us - and I don't really care - but now it's turning into personal vendettas against members who have beef with one another and who are using his departure as a cover. So now this ends.
@blackdoll, you in particular need to chill out. None of what you said has any basis in reality and @emmny is more on point than you are. Do not conflate the right to an opinion with being wrong. You shared your opinion and I am telling you that you are wrong. Enough already.
Thank you to everyone else in this topic who didn't jump to conclusions and who understands that this is a delicate, complex situation with no right answers. Trombe has been a vital part of Monochrome Heaven for a very long time but even long-lasting relationships don't always work out. I've said it before and I'll say it again: this didn't work out because the staff and Trombe no longer see eye to eye on how news should be posted and how the section should be moderated. The ban is a separate issue entirely from what everyone else in this topic is going on about and I'm reserving Trombe's right to privacy so don't ask or offer conjectures. Trombe will continue to post news in the form that he sees best and if that entails returning to MH at some point than so be it. Monochrome Heaven will continue to have a news section and you are all welcome to fill the void and post news.
In case you need me to make it extra clear for you: Trombe chose to leave Monochrome Heaven. He said so. We said so. If you don't believe either party, that's on you.
This topic will now return to wishing Trombe a farewell. Anyone who uses this topic as a platform for airing their own drama will have their posts deleted and receive a nice warning notification to go with it.
I went to work and came back to read more of this thread. Surprising how many people just can't understand why this decision was made despite the mods clearly explaining. Just let things go. Move on as humans or continue to post here and provide more entertainment.
I do hope people feel more motivated to post the news now that it's a free environment to do so.
I went to work and came back to read more of this thread. Surprising how many people just can't understand why this decision was made despite the mods clearly explaining. Just let things go. Move on as humans or continue to post here and provide more entertainment.
I do hope people feel more motivated to post the news now that it's a free environment to do so.
idgaf even if trombe hacked my bandomen sama's tsunagari's line accounts to get news, nothing he did is exceptional considering he's probably devoted most of his spare time to looking up obscure news no one gives a flying fuck about, and if you think he does it for the community, you're entirely deluded. trombe never gave a fuck about any of you or news, he did what he did to prove that he was good at breaking news and he enjoyed his rank as a result of that. once his power was taken away, he was visibly upset. never once was he co-operative with staff in letting others post news. think of a child who has a skill that they can do very well, they'll do all in their power to show their skill to anyone who pays attention--once they find someone who does what they can do but better, they'll either adjust their skillset to improve or just stop. and god forbid someone tells the child their skill isn't appreciated anymore--they'll freak the fuck out. i hate to go all creepy psychology on you, but this is the mental complex of someone who literally scours the web for obscure news and tries to oppress all others who stop him. this is why he would bitch biweekly about news that no one commented on, because there wasn't any altruistic intent. he needed attention, and if he didn't get it he'd threaten to leave. that resulted in the ass kissers on here rubbing his ego, and he probably looked at those posts, giggled in some creepy room full of computers, and continued to go on tapping bandomen manager's phones to find info about a session that maybe 4 japanese girls would ever care to attend
To just add to the points above - many of the people who have TRIED to contribute news have been constantly antagonized and oppressed by trombe's actions. @Traxanis NOT the only one to have experienced this. What most of you guys DON'T see are the endless complaints about trombe that the staff receives from other members about how their own contributions are being impeded upon. Other great contributors like YNS and numetal were mentioned - the difference is that they don't actively try to prevent other people from contributing as well. They do their part for the community and allow others to do the same. No one has EVER been against trombe posting news. Hell, he's free to post as much news as he wants as often as he wants, but there's no need to step on other people's toes.
And to even assume that the staff did not value trombe's contributions is absurd. trombe has been problematic for years now and the staff have tried their hardest to work with, honor, and appease trombe because his contributions were so meaningful. But what do you do when you give someone a special rank, color, and their own special set of permissions - when you give them the power to contribute more efficiently and they just abuse that power? What do you do when you're a staff member trying to address a problem and your efforts to communicate and work out said problem are blatantly ignored? What do you do with a user who is constantly praised and literally the member with the most likes on the entire forum BY FAR, yet this member bitches and moans when a few threads (out of hundreds posted every week) don't get any replies (despite plenty of page views)?
The staff have literally bent over backwards for trombe. If It was up to me, I would have perma-banned his ass ages ago - because I wouldn't want to keep dealing with his constant bullshit, his shitty attitude, and his inability to actually talk shit out and reason. Fuck that, he can kick rocks. Dude was fuckin' temp-banned for a week. A MOTHERFUCKING WEEK. Bruh...And yall think the mods don't value this guy? No one in their right minds would continue to put up with this nonsense if they didn't actually give a shit.
I mean, I get it. I understand that emotions are high and people are upset about losing a contributor as outstanding as trombe, but at the end of the day, It should also be understood that trombe is leaving of his own accord - not because of the staff, or "trolls", or some ridiculous behind-the-scenes plot. So again, I say good. You should leave if you're not willing to cooperate and be a part of this community.
Banned would imply they can not access or post on the forum, which they are currently doing at this time, so I'm not sure what you're trying to insinuate at this point. All members abide by the same rules, no one is special. If you are trying to say we should give anyone special treatment, I would tell you that... is kinda idiotic.
@filth_yI can tell you I have posted news directly from band members mouths before official announcements more than once and know other MH users who have as well. Trombe is not alone in that. Jsyk.
No one here is going to deny that Trombe was a very well known, and informative member on this website for VK news.
Yet, everyone needs to realize that he was just that. A member. No different from any one of us. To my knowledge, he was not being paid to do this.
It seems that no one besides the Admins/Moderators, are aware of the situation. No one should be jumping to conclusions. As being a moderator on various websites over the years myself, I understand what a group decision among other mods is like. No right to disrespect, if you don't understand.
If you feel that the news section was the ONLY thing making up MH, then perhaps reconsider and take a close look at the rest of the content that our admins have worked hard to provide for us to view and participate in. I find it ironic that some members I have never seen, have posted on this thread, but no other part of the forum.
If you really don't care about anything/anyone else on this site, then why are you even a member? It's an honest question. There are plenty of blogs elsewhere to read for news.
Those of you mentioning that only Trombe made up the forums news section, are placing him on a high pedestal, when you should not. Please find it in your best interests to help populate the news section from now on if you feel you could, as we already have plenty of other members already doing so, and the more the merrier.
I love some of the excuses on here to justify their lack of support for the news section.
You don't know where to start looking? Well no one's holding a gun to your head lol just post anything that you come across that has not been posted yet, if ever. It's that simple
No time to post you say? Well, if you can read the content on one website, I'm pretty sure you can copy/paste that same news on here as well.
Don't feel like it? Well, then you have no say on this matter, now do you?
Due to the negligence of most of us here at MH, to not provide a piece of content when we probably could have, have allowed one member to dominate a section of the forum to the point where we eventually felt there was no longer a need for other contributors, and newer members saw this member as the ONLY means for new VK news. In a way, it's our fault Trombe became so vital to the community.
Edit: I had heard about Trombe and his PMs of hate on other potential news posters, but I didn't think it was real until now. Nice to see these individuals come forward. Perhaps this will shed some light as to why it seemed that there was no one else BUT Trombe who posted news.
Why do I sound like a moderator? lol
Excuse my asshole rant.
Thank you for the contributions to this forum Trombe. Good luck on your new blog or website, if you should choose to do so.
No hard feelings.
Sad to see @Trombego and I wish him the best in the future but rules are rules and no one is exempt from them. I'm sure the community will be able to move on from this and if he returns then great if not I'm sure as a whole we can figure other sources out for news.
Sad to see @Trombego and I wish him the best in the future but rules are rules and no one is exempt from them. I'm sure the community will be able to move on from this and if he returns then great if not I'm sure as a whole we can figure other sources out for news.
I'm just sad I never got to find out who/what Trombe is, and how they manage to post 24/7 (job???)
Btw, I just wanna take this opportunity to invite everyone to weloveucp.com―maybe now the news won't be 3 months old by the time I get around to posting it
What are some other barely-current vk news sources? Shattered Tranquility, ... ?
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