yakihiko

As an early Christmas present, BORN has published 2 rare live music videos which feature all 5 members of the band:
 
 

Good for you.
Bad for your wallet lol.

i have the Sennheisers Momentum in-ear and on-ear, both sound wonderful, hearing visual-kei <3 

I recommend this totally ^^  my music player is "xDuoo X3" can play FLAC, AAC+, ALAC <3

HiFiMan's RE-400 is awesome if you want to listen then eventually sleep. I do it most nights.
 
 
They are just $50 at the moment

Well we can definitely work within your budget for sure!
There is one thing I want to clarify: There exists Noise Cancelling, and Noise Isolation.
Here is a link to further explain the two.
 
With that said, in regards to earbuds, I don't think you have to worry about whether it is one or the other. You won't notice  the difference once they are in your ear.
 
Anyways, not sure where you're from @yakihiko, but I will link amazon pages with our pricing here in the USA (then check with your location if possible to see if they are about the same price).
 
Off the top of my head, I can think of 3 different Earbuds (in no order) from 3 different companies for recommendation.
I've used these personally, and I can attest to their sound quality for the price.
These are common finds, so you should be able to find these even at your local electronics store.
 
1. Klipsch R6 II
2. Sony MDRXB50AP
3. Sennheiser CX 5.00G
 
Here are 3 more recommendations, but these may require to look for them online.
 
1. Beyerdynamic Byron
2. HiFiMan RE-400
3. Sony MDR-EX650
 
Now, these all overall are great sounding for Visual Kei music. An "in the middle" of sound signature (Highs/Mids/Lows + Bass/Treble)
If you want something with either more bass, or higher treble, you'll have to dig a little deeper for earbuds that suit your needs.
You'll get addicted to finding the "just right" set for you, and this is kind of how people get into becoming audio snobs haha.
 
Oh and how you intend to use the earbuds will matter too, no earbud out there will survive a harsh usage lol.
 

KIDS WAR HYPE IS FINALLY REEEAL
they look absolutely phenomenal! So excited for some previews!

FUCK THAT! I thought KIDS WAR were never beeing released! THE HYPE BECOME REALITY!
@Shir0 @Aferni
---
 
@jduv86
If I'm not mistaken, this song was created during their first to second dadaism era and was played only during lives and since this day it never got released or featured on a formal album info. You can also listen to a part of it on some old live footage posted by them on their yt channel.

FUCK THAT! I thought KIDS WAR were never beeing released! THE HYPE BECOME REALITY!
@Shir0 @Aferni
---
 
@jduv86
If I'm not mistaken, this song was created during their first to second dadaism era and was played only during lives and since this day it never got released or featured on a formal album info. You can also listen to a part of it on some old live footage posted by them on their yt channel.

FUCK THAT! I thought KIDS WAR were never beeing released! THE HYPE BECOME REALITY!
@Shir0 @Aferni
---
 
@jduv86
If I'm not mistaken, this song was created during their first to second dadaism era and was played only during lives and since this day it never got released or featured on a formal album info. You can also listen to a part of it on some old live footage posted by them on their yt channel.

Right now, I'm more with something around $45-60, 60 is really the max I can get in some.
 
Not a fan from wireless, since I often sleep listening to music, and it mind get lost on fell from the bed.
 
I'm more friendly with this one style, but I don't quit the possibility to have an in-ear too.

Well, I may be able to help a bit.
 
What kind of budget are you wanting to start at?
$50 is kind of the starting point for something decent with noise cancellation.
 
Do you want go wireless?
It tends to make the price go up, but it can be very useful to you if you hate wires, so it'd be worth paying a little more.
 
Did you like the On-Ear style (JVC Gummy, Philips SHE series) or do you want to go switch it up with In-Ear (meaning they actually go IN your ears)?
It just comes down to personal preference (since I don't know what kind of ear shape you have haha) as you may enjoy one more than the other.
 
There's stuff on sale right now with the holidays going on, and so you may actually be able to get the most bang for your buck, assuming you want some right now haha.
 

OH BOY....
NEW GORGEOUS LOOK AND KIDS WAR?  fuckin hype and Takashi...lovin that hair

What is this Kids War!?
 
Edit: WHAT DUH  F*CK HAVE I BEEN MISSING!?!?! HOLY HELL! I NEED THIS SONG!!

FINALLY!!! KIDS WAR!!!!

KIDS WAR!!!!!!!
 
KIDS WAR!!!!!!!!!

Aside from my SONY MDR1000x with the built-in amp turned off, I'm trying to test out some Audio Technica (ATH-M50X) Headphones that I forgot I had lol but they are entry-level sounding compared to a 600 series from Sennheiser.
 
Something that recently caught my interest was this.
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-x-sennheiser-hd-58x-jubilee-headphones
 
Apparently these are going to go for $150, which is an AMAZING deal for entry-level Sennheiser Headphones.
What makes this deal even more tempting is the use of 150-ohm drivers (the same drivers that the NEW HD660 S use), with tuned settings to compensate the much-lowered price tag, they are homage to the HD580 headphones from the 90's, which created the then legendary 600 series audiophiles have come to love.
 
I'm going to wait until release day to order, with hopes that they live up to the hype that a couple reviewers have recently posted about them.
Apparently they are HD600-like, with less treble, and much lower bass, almost disappointing bass.
Sennheiser is apparently still in the works on these, and that they hope to fix this lower frequency issue in order to address and improve the bass to the HD58x.
 
Edit: I forgot to mention that I upgraded my Schiit Audio Setup (also known as a Schiit Stack (Schiit Magni + Schiit Modi)), as the new Magni 3 just came out, and I gotta say it sounds about the same lol.
 
I will test the HD58x when I get my hands on them and see how these do under the Amp/DAC from Schiit.
 

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA MY HEART 

The album Peels Off will come in  2 versions: regular CD album available nationwide January 24th, and a limited edition LP+T-shirt bundle through Tower Records on January 17th. 

Tracklist
1. 30 Steps
2. in the mountain
3. encore
4. Rhaphidophoridae
5. Night Cafe
6. Wings of Black
7. Sleeping Bug
8. Manhunt
9. White Painted Johnny
10. A fool born in April

Making its return for 2017, due to popular demand, we will be hosting the MH JRock Awards !!!
 
Now, before you start voting, read the rules provided in the spoiler below, or be slapped by a HUGE Viking Fish! – @Champ213
 
 
 
Once you have read the general rules, here's how to vote:
 
1. Copy the list of categories below into your reply
2. Fill in your votes (you can skip as many categories as you'd like)
3. Submit.
 
Your posts will stay hidden until the end of the voting.
 
Here are your categories to choose from:
 
 
Voting will last until Sunday, January 14th of the New Year (2018)
This will allow everyone to take their time, since some of us are still waiting on some final releases to come out this month.
 
Note:
"Album" includes both full and mini-albums. For simplicity reasons, we follow the "Once Visual Kei, always Visual Kei" rule. So yes, that makes bands like Dir en grey or L'Arc~En~Ciel a Visual Kei band, just for the purpose of this voting.  
Any questions you have, please do not hesitate to contact any of the Staff!
 
Happy Voting! 

I found Sakito's first full album something really fabulous, so I'm here waiting for this single xD
I really wish YOMI could have take a break. His vocals, mostly on their last tour with Nightmare weren't that good, even with their setlists being gorgeous.

Not sure either, but simply I think it wouldn't be appropriate/make sense to release a song under the disbanded name Girugamesh as the band no longer exists. Otherwise, it could lead to a misunderstanding that the band had been reunited.

Girugamesh certainly deserved to be on the MUCC tribute album because both were senior and junior bands. Unfortunately, it's a shame that they couldn't use the band name after the disbandment. It sure is a big surprise seeing Girugamesh secretly participate on a bonus track, and it turned out to be a killer one. <3

It's the most wonderful time of the month! Let's give thanks to our favorite musicians and highlight some spicy cuts from this month. Check it out and fill out the list with yours below!
 
@tetsu_sama69's Picks
"Monster" by 戦国時代-The age of civil wars-

Granted there were most likely some very mixed reactions when 戦国時代-The age of civil wars- were announced because of the random make-up of band members but with a group full of well experienced musicians with a splash of ex.SIAM SHADE members how can one go entirely wrong. 戦国時代 may end up being a temporary group in the long run but their first mini-album 初陣－First battle－ (Uijin－First battle－) is surprisingly stuffed with energetic and catchy songs that shouldn't be missed. "Monster" is one of the heavy darker themed tracks on the mini-album and sticks out mostly for its fantastic musical composition. "Monster" is a song that infuses heavy metal with traditional Japanese instrumentals spiced with pop-rock that has a bass line that'll get stuck in your head for days. The instrumentals go from energetic to headbanging at the drop of a hat and the vocals go from screaming to melodic so smoothly. The previews do no justice to 戦国時代-The age of civil wars- making them sound as if they are just another generic traditional themed pop-rock group, but they'll surprise you if you give them a chance.
 

"春雪ノ頃" (Shunsetsu no Koro) by Schwartz:Mist

I was in no way prepared for how much I was going to enjoy this at all. But once I heard that explosive grindfest of an opener I knew I was in for a treat. "Shunsetsu no Koro" is an amazingly solid song brimming with energy and emotion. Especially the breakdowns at the start and end of the track can only be described as a headbanger's best friend. Vocalist 心 (Shin) (ex. LucieN) has a fantastic voice able to deliver harsh powerful screams and gritty clean vocals that hit me in all the right places. Surprisingly what really makes "春雪ノ頃" stand out for me is that there's no guitar solo but if you listen there are some spectacular riffs from Guitarist 環 (Tamaki). If you have a thirst for some more from Schwartz:Mist after hearing "春雪ノ頃", you should definitely check out their first mini-album "S.M" and enjoy this great band!
 
 
"Imitation" by DEXCORE

Visual kei refuses to be a letdown this year with powerhouse band DEXCORE. If you weren't already hooked on them from their past releases then "Imitation" is a perfect song to get you into this band. With the addition of guitarist haku since their previous single, the band has grown exponentially. There's a serious amount of depth to "Imitation" layered with shockingly vibrant vocals and explosive instrumentals. DEXCORE has set the bar for the current scene of 'br00tal kei' a bit higher by delivering a song that's anything but generic. There's nothing held back in this storm of drums and waves of breakdowns that burst forth with vocal shock waves. Drummer Naoki (ex. DEATHGAZE) seems to have gone out of his way to make sure that DEXCORE sounds a step above anything he was involved in previously and it's a blessing to anyone who listens. I'm seriously looking forward to full release of "Imitation" and anything else DEXCORE brings in the future.
 
@emmny's Picks
"LAW'S" by Kiyoharu

I'm kind of new to the cult of Kiyoharu, so I was shocked to find out this was an old song, re-composed and arranged for an upcoming "rhythmless" remake album, with other Kuroyume, Kiyoharu, and SADS tracks. The original "LAW'S" closely resembles newer SADS material, but Kiyoharu's recent work tends to overlap stylistically, regardless of the project the song falls under. If you're wondering how this eight minute remake of a five minute song manages to even remotely resemble the original--you're totally right, theres no comparison. Kiyoharu and co. turn the edgy punk-styled track into a floaty ballad, anchored by gripping and rough vocals from the legend himself. The progression of the track is amazing, with delicate acoustic guitars giving way to more fullbodied instrumentation, ending with a good few minutes of Kiyoharu just wailing on the track. The imagery of the video is slow and erotic (or is it just sad?); the kind of shit you'd see a cabaret musician playing, with their cigarette smoke trailing into the air after last call rush dies down--but in the best way. In visual kei we're used to seeing good talent go to waste with bad taste, but it's a privilege to constantly see a talented musician making such carefully calculated stylistic decisions, as evident in the uniquely sultry arrangement in "LAW'S".
 
"夜想" (Yasou) by Virge

Virge, the project born out of the ashes of Mediena and Malisend continues to drop bop after bop, showing just how much Shin's (FKA Rino, ex-bassist for Malisend) compositional prowess has improved. The aforementioned bands piqued a lot of of interest on here, mostly because of their fairly strong early-00's revival sound. The trend continues with Virge, splicing equal bits of Phantasmagoria-style melodicism and the harsh guitars/bass of mid-era D'espairsRay to great effect, as seen with "Yasou". The band understand the importance of good, simple riffs and an even better chorus, using this ethos to frame their music. My only complaint before was that songs came across as a little 2D, or flat in their structures. They've read my mind (wwww) and addressed that with "Yasou", as it goes through a fair bit of shifts, showing off a more adventurous style, although the palette is the same as we've gotten to know the band for. The huge bass tone (almost sounds like slap but isn't, reminds me of Reita's best tones) clashes perfectly with Ryo's dazzling vocal delivery, and new drummer Aru's contributions are noted as well with great rhythm work. If you're not stanning--despite how much coverage we give them here--you are totally missing out.
 
 
"歪" (Ibitsu) by VRZEL

Believe it or not, for all the "INSIDE BEAST", Gazette-lite clones we've gotten over the past few years, we now have a "Taion" to balance it out. The opening is the heaviest section the band have ever done, alternating between grinding alt-metal riffs and eerie wailing clean guitars over whispers. This is the most obvious section recalling "Taion"; the rest is all VRZEL for better or worse (I'm purposely ignoring the gratuitous gazethot interlude). This goes on for a full minute before clean vocals even come in, building up a tense atmosphere. The rest of the track moves at a lurching pace, bordering on heavy-ballad territory, anchored by Cion's wailing vocals. VRZEL took a risk releasing such an intense, five-and-a-half minute track as the promotional lead for the album but it paid off. The brutal fiend in me wishes they went for an even darker concept, dropped the guitars to A# and MUCC'd it away, but VRZEL stayed true to their image while rendering a quasi-challenging track for their fans. I've always been in the corner cheering on Cion's compositional prowess, and I'm happy it has culminated to such a solid track--a merger of old and new.
 
@qotka's Pick
"十五" by キズ

 
Featured on the Kizu's 2nd single, Kawazu, "Juugo" is another display of power from one of the fastest growing, strongest newcomers on the scene this year. Ask anyone who's had to FIGHT for tickets to their one-man. While this b-side doesn't offer anything too different from the rest of the recorded material they've put out so far - if anything, it shows consistency and careful building of their sound and image as a band - it's here this month for simply being the fun track it is and for having those sweet, anthem-like qualities. If you're on the lookout for a dramatic, non-cynical power metal banger to indulge in, this is your new jam. From its restless, rapid verses to its uplifting, theatrical chorus, this zero bullshit 3-minute track hits the spot. Video bonus: showcases how frighteningly GORGEOUS their gya are. 
 
 
 
 
@The Reverend's Pick
 
"哀絶綺譚 feat. 祈狂 of La'veil Mizeria" by 魅裟

 
I think I must have a thing for music box-y intros in VK. Dir en grey's "Cage" and Avelcain's "死化粧" are two of my favorite songs ever; and despite it's obvious flaws I'm really enjoying the newest from 魅裟 (missa) this month.
 
Missa and  祈狂 (Kikyo) from La'veil MizeriA team up for "哀絶綺譚" (Aizetsu kitan), the best of three simultaneously released digital singles from Missa on a vanity label with the most VK name ever; Malformed Maria Records. Certainly the most surprising thing about this single is that, despite combining members of Insanity Injection and La'veil MizeriA, it's a not-quite-ballad obviously attempting to be unironically *pretty*. That piano/vocal melody will absolutely get stuck in your head if you let it, and the guitar tone is a bit amateur but quite tasty.
 
The fake drums are a bit of a turnoff, and I maintain that a song really needs a reason to be over five minutes; but if Missa keeps releasing these digital singles with fun special guests during his other bands' downtime, he may be able to carve out a niche where many have failed in the realm of 'VK solo acts'.
 
 
@Zeus's Picks
"the whirl" by lynch.

No band in the visual kei scene nails re-recordings as consistently as lynch. does for me. A lot of this is because lynch. have never deviated too strongly from the sound that defines them, and their retake of 2007's "the whirl" is everything I never knew I wanted from the song. The heavier parts are grittier, the softer parts more delicate and emotional, and the transitions between them hit just as hard as I'm used to. While sonically everything has been pushed to the extremes, the rough production brings everything together like a caressing smack to the face. The improvement on the drums is worth the price of admission alone, and let's not even get into the improvements to Hazuki's voice.  After a multitude of A-B-C comparisons, this is my favorite out of the three versions floating around; the original on underneath the skin has flat production and the version released on THE BURIED sounds too sterile for my tastes. Normally I'd say something snarky, but I don't even mind that the ten year old track is the prime attraction on lynch.'s newest!
 
 
 "五月雨" (Samidare) by 左迅×弐×愁×Яyo

 
2017 has been kind to "五月雨", as this is the second successful reinterpretation of an early visual kei classic. "五月雨", released on TRIBUTE OF MUCC - 縁 [en] -, is a secret track credited to 左迅×弐×愁×Яyo, but it's pretty much girugamesh, and I will refer to them as such for the rest of the blurb. girugamesh will never steal "五月雨" from MUCC, but they can certainly add this to their live repertoire and I wouldn't be mad. They successfully made this their own song, preserving the original feel of the song while effortlessly adding their signature elements to it. I delayed posting this list just to add it. Listening to girugamesh's cover of "五月雨" gives me feels of them at their best with a tinge of angura I never knew they had in them. If I wasn't already pining for their return, this solidified it. Anyone who misses girugamesh needs to sample this song.
 
 
Thank you for reading everyone!
 
 

One of the things I really enjoy about RAZOR is their ability to combine hard-hitting djent-inspired riffs with catchy melodies and electronic elements. Despite the occasional chaotic composition on RAZOR's work the members' individual talent and catchy vocals gets their songs stuck in my head. In contrast to @BrenGun's comment, I would say that Ryoga actually has a pretty recognizable voice in the VK scene - especially when it comes to his range of growls and shouts that find themselves halfway between clean vocals and full-on screaming.
 
As for this mini, I wasn't as taken with ROAD as others seem to be, and the ballad was too long to earn many listens from me, but I really enjoyed all of the other tracks. 消えない痛み is a solid RAZOR track, and I can see why it earned a PV - despite sticking fairly closely to standard territory a la DNA or LIQUID VAIN, the chorus is memorable and gets stuck in your head, and it's a decent showcase for the sound RAZOR are becoming known for. イノセンス is definitely a standout with that oppressive atmosphere in the chorus, and quite experimental for what the band has put out so far. Labyrinth also has that catchy chorus that immediately hooked me (perhaps because it reminds me of one of the songs Ryoga performed with the all-star PSC session band WK on their live-dist release). Finally, I think その後の世界 would be great live and could fit in well at either the beginning or the end of the set.
 
All in all, I think the CORE is a really solid release and showcases more diversity than their first mini, which served instead to define their sound. It'll be difficult to top RED INVISIBLE for the sheer surprise factor and consistency (it blew my expectations for this lineup out of the water) but it's great to see RAZOR expanding their sound and retaining the quality in both composition and production that they led with from the start.

Hey guys!  
 
As you may have noticed, the news section is more active than ever before since a certain character has departed, and more and more users are able to contribute their findings without any disruption or intimidation. With more contributors than ever, we each have our own writing style; some of us simply copy and paste band announcements and then translate them - whether by machine or on our own - to the best of our ability, and some of us take a more journalistic approach by adding more details rather than the standard news format of the past.
 
To keep our status as one of the leading J-rock news sites/forums, we've decided to add in some rules and regulations to keep the forum in order and to help future contributors post without any issue:
 
REQUIREMENTS:
- intelligible English - As English is the default language of this forum, all topics and posts should be in English, excluding the International Lounge. Also, by posting and translating into English, it is possible for Monochrome Heaven to gain more exposure and recognition worldwide as an overseas news source to sites like JROCK NEWS and Shattered Tranquility as English is one of the most common languages in the world. With this in mind, think about how you'll make your post: make sure to proofread spelling, grammar, etc., so that it can be more coherent and understandable to the reader.
 
- Translations to romaji are required mainly for band and release names, since most of our users are not proficient in Japanese (Google Translate is fine, but you are free to request/suggest alternate translations for the sake of accuracy, especially since song titles are a bit more challenging) As elaborated further down below, vkdb or Google can help decipher any names if you need to double-check.
*If there's any issues with making translations using Google Translate, I suggest using RomajiDesu! Not only will it romanize the kanji you want to translate, but also show an English translation for each character used (if you're interested ^^).
 
- Please be sure to update the title of the post after a significant update has been announced. For example, if you start off with the topic, "MERRY new single" and the name is announced later on, please change the title to that of the release itself, ex. "MERRY new single, "Kasa to Ame" release". This gives the threads more variety and it's better than skimming thru topics that all have "MERRY new single" in the title.
**Highly recommended for topics whose releases are announced after the creation of a thread. Ex. "Plastic Tree to perform OP" turns into "Plastic Tree new single, "Inside Out". This prevents any confusion, skimming through extra info, and especially unnecessary duplicate threads.
 
- Please Please PLEASE use the report button if there's a double-post or issues in the thread. (the first thing I do when I get up in the morning is to check up the news and try to find some things that are out of order. Some days, I won't be around, nor will the rest of the staff, to do that as we do focus on our own lives too. Reporting a post is a much easier way of getting our attention rather than simply posting in the thread about the error, or even worse, unnecessary drama...) 
 
- Speaking of cooperation, this is NOT a competition. If someone else posts what you originally left out/posted seconds ago, or the reverse (some info is left out because they didn't see/understand it), don't make a big fuss (unless it's a double-post of course) ; after all, providing news is a team effort, so it's better to work together and to help each other out! ♥ 
 
- Please refrain from making any offtopic posts. This could clog up the thread with more unnecessary posts and less valuable information, especially when that escalates to drama. Any posts that have nothing to do with the aforementioned artist or release, etc., will be removed from the thread. Repeat offenses may warrant a warning for spam or misbehavior. 
 
- Make a new topic if necessary, especially if the band's previous thread hasn't been updated in a long period of time. In other words, don't necro long-dead topics, especially if you're only doing so to request an old release. That's what the Requests section is for btw.
 
RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Band/release names in kanji and romaji are recommended (makes it easier for hardcore/casual/non-Japanese speaking fans to search up their faves; may have to extend this to the download forum as well) If there's any problems trying to figure out a band/member's name, especially in romaji, google them or check out their webpage/social media/vkdb page, which can all be very helpful.
 
- BEFORE posting, use the search function to check if anything has been posted yet. This can prevent double-posts of topics (such as accidentally making 2 threads about a band's new single), and confusion/competition between users. 
 
- When making a new topic, please don't copypaste the original Japanese text onto your post, as it looks out of place and completely lazy. At least make an effort to translate it into English so that everyone can understand it. (2019.3.19)
 
- If you want to make any posts about an artist in general, please do so in their appropriate thread in the Artists section (or make one if necessary). This will prevent any clogging of release threads and saving some of us the trouble to going through page after page to find more relevant information about the actual release.
 
- Put some effort in how you actually research and post news. If a band is disbanding at the beginning of 2018, and the actual date of their last live has been posted, please post that date instead of "so&so will disband in January/February 2018". Most news topics don't need a lot of digging, but for posts like these, it'll totally save up a lot of time and stress.
**Also, not everyone can keep up with a certain band/release (and understandably so), so threads often tend to go dead even though new stuff is being announced via the official source. It's highly recommended that you follow a band's twitter or check their webpage ever so often for new updates so they well, won't be forgotten or fall off the face of the earth. xD
 
- When embedding a video/tweet/social media post, make sure you also add some context even when the information is displayed in the embed itself, as bands tend to delete everything once they disband/disable social media sites, etc. If you link to a tweet for example, and it gets deleted, your post will be completely blank and worse off, valuable information/history could be easily lost over time (which makes some of us archivists have a hard time with band histories), or your post will be left completely blank. This is extremely important if you choose to start off a new topic with just an embedded post!! New threads that start off like this are considered low effort, which makes the rest of us have to do the hard work, so please put some effort into your post!
 
- Don't go overboard on making your news look pretty or overexaggerated. We've had some issues with certain users putting in too much formatting on their text, posting too many Youtube/Twitter/etc. embeds all on one post, and it's tiresome to actually go through everything, especially when dealing with a slow internet connection or other factors. Extra formatting such as big text, abusing the bold italic formats, or puking rainbows is completely unnecessary and distracting when all we want to read is the news. If you want to proceed with posting lots of tweets/picspams/videos that are relevant to the topic, fine, but put all that shit under a spoiler.