yakihiko

I share basically the same feeling in everything you just said.
I also was pretty sad when they disbanded and also got dissapointed with the REIGN first release. But when Kaji departed this suddenly changed and my interest for them grow into another level, if you still haven't check their last single like COBALT and CRIMSON, I do recommend, COBALT in special was one of my favorite singles from 2017, second to be more pointed.

K, thank you for the review, it was a good read. I will comment about bands I know (I know just three btw ) I'm still think if I should post mine.
 
As for 2017, I think MUCC got some really impressive releases. You probably already know I felt in love with their 新葬ラ謳 like I never did with a release from them before. I'm not a fan from the full 脈拍 album itself, but I dig some songs like 脈拍, 絶体絶命, KILLER and CLASSIC.
 
From 真天地, I have only listened to their 糞麺氏ね mini, but I don't it hit me like I was hoping to. I will look for others releases to actually create a full opinion from what they are doing. I haven't checked 『メンヘラ』はじめました at all, so this mind be the first I will go for since you claimed it to be better than the other lol
 
Here we go, Xaa Xaa,... I truly like those guys and I also followed than since Belmosaic, but if to compare with the past years from their music (even including Belmosaic, this is personally a weak release, but I love 落とし穴 to the level of being one of my favorites from them. From this one, I do like 人殺し, 最後の歌 and 交尾をしてよ too.
 
@BrenGun You should definitely check their albums from 2017. In special 新葬ラ謳.

@The Reverend Nice review Rev. I sure to say both guitarrists are still on the band, I just can't say if this was recorded before or later the original drummer and bassist depart.

I hadn't seen the music video for the title track yet when I made this... where's the rest of the band (the guitarists are still in the band right???)

I was a really big fan of AND, so I was pretty disheartened when they disbanded. I checked out REIGN when they first formed but I wasn't really feeling their music.
I've listened to some of their latest songs on YT and I really like what I'm hearing. From what I understand, they've had some member changes recently?

I also can't read all Kanji/katakana, however I've figured out the tracklist
 
CD NAME: べリアル 
Tracklist:
01. EXORCISM
02. SINGIN in THE REIGN
03. エミリアの土曜日 (Emilia no doyoubi)
04. VENOM
05. Pupa
06. 桜流し (Sakura Nagashi)
07. Ghost Labyrinth
08. defective scene (Only in regular version)
08. Shallow 「P'」 (Only in Limited edition)
09. RISE
10. TONIGHT
 
DVD 「Pupa Music Clip」 + 「Music Clip offshot」
 

Their new album will be released on 2018.02.14.
 
 

K, thank you for the review, it was a good read. I will comment about bands I know (I know just three btw ) I'm still think if I should post mine.
 
As for 2017, I think MUCC got some really impressive releases. You probably already know I felt in love with their 新葬ラ謳 like I never did with a release from them before. I'm not a fan from the full 脈拍 album itself, but I dig some songs like 脈拍, 絶体絶命, KILLER and CLASSIC.
 
From 真天地, I have only listened to their 糞麺氏ね mini, but I don't it hit me like I was hoping to. I will look for others releases to actually create a full opinion from what they are doing. I haven't checked 『メンヘラ』はじめました at all, so this mind be the first I will go for since you claimed it to be better than the other lol
 
Here we go, Xaa Xaa,... I truly like those guys and I also followed than since Belmosaic, but if to compare with the past years from their music (even including Belmosaic, this is personally a weak release, but I love 落とし穴 to the level of being one of my favorites from them. From this one, I do like 人殺し, 最後の歌 and 交尾をしてよ too.
 
@BrenGun You should definitely check their albums from 2017. In special 新葬ラ謳.

Be warned all who enter here!
If you came looking for an objective list based on some popularity rating or sales criteria, you came to the wrong place! This list is completely subjective and a little fangirly, but I still hope you find a couple of things that are worth your time, anyway.   Also, sorry in advance if some of the previews are region blocked for your area. 
 
 

MUCC ・ 脈拍 ・ VISUAL KEI
My entire 2017 really goes to MUCC, hands down. They took their 20th anniversary celebration and did it so big, I don’t think we’ll see any other band go to this lengths in quite some time. They re-released, re-recorded, and re-mastered most of their fan favorites between 新痛絶(Shin Tsuuzetsu), 新葬ラ謳(Shin Homura Uta), a second edition of their Best of and Coupling Best discs, a second PV collection, a tribute album, a self-cover album, and then there was this little gem of new material: 脈拍(Myakuhaku). No wonder as soon as it was over they unapologetically announced they’d be going on hiatus for 3 months. They deserve a break, to say the very least. But I digress! Myakuhaku may have been a bit lost in all the excitement for MUCC revisiting their roots, but it’s definitely something new and old fans alike can enjoy. 

The opening title track is clear and direct in its message, MUCC haven’t forgotten where they came from. They turned back time and stripped down to the quintessential visual kei heavy and melodic combination that gave the band the height of it’s popularity a little over 10 years ago. They then took that staple and folded into the mix of anime songs, ballads, and more recent metalcore-infused forays with this album. One of my favorite tracks is “EMP” since it's a total nu metal throwback. It has my 90s-lovin' name written all over it. There’s a lot of other fun musical nuggets packed in this album, “BILLY×2 ～Entwines ROCK STARS～” is a gritty little old fashioned rocker that gets you up and moving, and “孵化(Fuka)” is a surprise mid-tempo number that swells up into this crazy breakdown then veers hard left into a weird (but good) twangy guitar solo. You can tell MUCC pushed themselves to create something great for us and in my humble opinion they more than succeeded. I couldn't get enough of this album this year and, Mucker or not, I hope everyone checks it out. | Preview: Spotify
 
 

MONSTA X ・ THE CLAN PART 2.5: THE FINAL CHAPTER 'BEAUTIFUL' ・ K-POP
I think there were a few of my fellow MH members around in late 2016 who might remember when I fell down the MONSTA X rabbit hole and proceeded to become utterly obsessed. For most that probably don’t know, my love of K-Pop predates my registering for this forum, in fact one of my first avatars was of Chansung from the group 2PM with the u/n “digitalbounce” (also from a K-Pop song). But, it’s been a few years since I was this into a group. MONSTA X aren’t the most popular group around, though I think as far as third generation boy groups are concerned they usually make the top ten lists. Even then, I still consider them criminally underrated. 
 
The third installment of their The Clan trilogy is their strongest release to date, as far as I’m concerned. And even stronger if you count in the repackage version Shine Forever that includes two more songs (the last .5 in the final chapter). The majority of Beautiful leans heavily on R&B (“넘사벽 Incomparable”, “니가 필요해 Need U”, “Miss You”, “5:14 (Last Page)”) which creates just enough contrast with, but also compliments, the hip hop songs (“Oi”, “Calm Down”) that take advantage of the group having rappers that actually know how to rap. Last.fm doesn’t even have a true count of my plays (my phone's music app didn’t scrobble until recently when I made the switch to spotify), but it’ll still show you I played this album basically every day since it came out. Rest assured, I regret nothing. | Preview: Spotify
 
 

-真天地開闢集団-ジグザグ ・ 『メンヘラ』はじめました ・ VISUAL KEI
Zigzag makes me wish I was slightly more motivated to look up and translate lyrics, because I know I'm missing out on a lot when it comes to them. I can only imagine I’d like them even more, which is saying something because I have enjoyed everything I’ve heard from them over the last two years. I also have a huge soft spot for bands that don’t take themselves too seriously. Zigzag's tunes are pretty rockin’ to begin with, but when the band decides to get serious about showing off their musical prowess it's definitely no laughing matter. Their take on soft, melodic songs is simply beautiful, especially fitting with the traditional elements and instruments that are the backbone of their religious/idolatry concepts. Talent and humor? What’s not to love?
 
I chose 『メンヘラ』はじめました(menhara hajimemashita) over their other release 糞麺氏ね(kusomen shine) this year only because it seemed slightly more musically cohesive, but I love them both and enjoyed them both immensely. | Preview: - 臨兵闘者 ～皆陣列在前～ ・ 『死にたい』御年頃 ・ 短絡的『絶望』
 
 

PVRIS ・ ALL WE KNOW OF HEAVEN, ALL WE NEED OF HELL ・ ALTERNATIVE
I wasn’t a big fan at first, it took a while for Pvris to stick with me. They came to me heavily recommended over the last couple of years, I checked a couple of videos, caught a couple songs live at summer festivals, but I just never seemed to be in the mood for what they were offering. I honestly didn’t get the hype. They seemed like another try-hard edgelord band ✞øø ℂvℓ✞ ƒøЯ ✞ℍîƧ ᏔøЯℓ∂. But this year it was different, I’m not sure if they matured more, or maybe it was just my tastes changing as well. But our paths crossed, and it's become a record I find myself spinning more and more often, even as we reached the year's end. I'm sure it will be coming with me into 2018.
 
Even though the title might suggest otherwise, this album is a lot less gimmick-y than expected. It's direct and raw in it's delivery, and densely atmospheric without getting overly cliché. It ends up being a strong rock record that's still dark, but full of heart too. | Preview: Spotify
 
 
 

EARTHISTS. ・ DREAMSCAPE ・ PROGRESSIVE METALCORE
Dreamscape was an early favorite this year and managed to stay afloat while most of my other usual metalcore bands didn’t quite do it for me. It’s probably more me than them though, with all the shit going on around here lately it’s best I don’t get too amped up. But Earthists have this nice cohesion of their melodic and djent-y elements that make them easy to listen to.  They do little things like adding piano into the mix or samples of wind blowing in the background that keep their take on the genre fresh and inspired and round out their sound. “Flux” and “Winterfell” are two favorites that I keep coming back to just for that damn cool piano riffing -- and it's not a cheap-ass synth piano either, it's a deep traditional, classical-sounding one full of punch and reverb (it’s likely a digital one but it sounds expensive and that’s what counts!). I’m just a little bitter it doesn’t look like they play it live, though it understandably doesn’t look as cool and progressive to be rocking out over as say, a guitar or whatever. | Preview: Spotify
 
 
 

HYUKOH ・ 23 ・ INDIE ROCK
Oh, Hyukoh. Another band who had a fabulous year. Hyukoh is the formal project of leader and chief song-writer Oh Hyuk (doyouseewhathedidthere), who decided a few years ago he was tired of going at it solo and opted to get himself a band. You really can’t hold this guy down, he collaborated on a massive number of albums this year, and I can’t blame everyone for wanting to work with him when his husky voice is this magical. It suits so many genres, I don’t get tired of listening to him either.
 
23 was a bit of a grower for me, hearing the singles alone didn’t spark much of my interest. It took listening to the full album for me to fully understand what they ‘do’. It’s not as in your face or flashy as some of the indie rock I’m used to, but Hyukoh’s style still keeps a common thread as it weaves through funky, retro vibes or the more experimental journeys like "Reserved Seat", not losing their emotional edge. “Tomboy” and “Paul” practically move me to tears with the melancholy that cuts through Oh Hyuk’s voice. I like Hyukoh so much, they’ve even gotten me to enjoy the folk-inspired side of their music I usually make an effort to avoid from other bands. | Preview: Spotify
 
 

DAY6 ・ SUNRISE ・ POP ROCK
As South Korea’s music industry grows, it has picked up a lot of tips and tricks from the ginormous music exporting machine next door, Japan. We’ve seen 12 month consecutive releases attempted a few times now in the vk scene, so when it was announced a K-pop band would be trying it, I was extremely curious how it was gonna pan out. Fortunately, it did rather well and DAY6 released singles containing two quality tracks month after month (on the 6th because “Every DAY6” was genius marketing) which ended up collected in two full albums; SUNRISE came out in June and MOONRISE in December. Both albums are fantastic, but we’ll just go with SUNRISE for now because I can’t afford them multiple slots. But if you enjoy this album, SERIOUSLY, go listen to MOONRISE. 
 
DAY6 are a rock group from one of the 'big 3' idol companies JYP Entertainment (whose stubborn asses refuse to allow their artists’ music on Spotify and piss me off to no end), so their music isn’t necessarily ground breaking, but they do write it all themselves, play their instruments live, and basically function like your typical rock band. Though their songs are generally non-offensive relationship material (meet the girl, confess love to the girl, get dumped by the girl, wait for next girl to walk by…) they do know how to pour all of their emotion into it, and their layered vocals and compositions often remind me of The Beatles and/or other multi-vocalist 60s pop rock. | Preview: I Wait (아 왜) ・ I Smile (반드시 웃는다) ・ You Were Beautiful (예뻤어)
 
 

ザアザア ・ 不幸な迷路 ・ VISUAL KEI
My love for XAA-XAA isn’t really a secret. They’ve become a flagship band for me, though I’m worried about their future since drummer Roji’s departure. Drums are such a key part of their sound due to him, it makes this album even more special in my collection. Considering I've been following the members since they were Belmosaic, seeing him leave is just a huge blow. He's gonna be missed. As far as XAA-XAA releases go, this isn't the album I tend to return to the most, but listening to it again for this list reminded me of the quality compared to other albums I was considering. It still ends up being one of my favorite vk releases this year. 
 
Aptly titled, 不幸な迷路 translates to “unfortunate maze” and likewise this album is dark and twisted, even downright psychotic at times. Though, one thing I love about this band is no matter how crazy or erratic they get, catchy and melodic choruses remain paramount. The mayhem is balanced out with gorgeous ballads and fun jazzy numbers. XAA-XAA's diversity and strong sense of melody is something you can count on with each release so far. I only hope it remains that way. | Preview: 不幸の始まり ・ ぐちゃぐちゃ ・ 恋人ごっこ
 
 

SAWANOHIROYUKI[NZK] ・ 2V-ALK ・ J-POP
If you were waiting for something truly epic to come out of 2017, look no further. Sawano has outdone himself and created something that should be able to please the rockers, the pop kids, the anison lovers, and anyone who just enjoys badass music with some badass vocals soaring over it. It doesn’t hurt that I’m a pretty big fan of the vocalists he utilizes throughout this project. My only complaint is there was less Mizuki (ex.イツエ(Itsue)) than the previous [nZk] album o1, but newcomer Tielle carries the torch well and sings her ass off. So I can’t say I’m too upset. Judging by the amount of anime themes on this record, you probably heard her sing half the OP/EDs you watched this year too.
 
Sawano is sneaky and has 2V-ALK lull you into a bit of a false sense of security at first, “Amazing Trees” is a strong album starter but not a stretch from o1. It’s when “gravityWall” kicks in that you learn you're in for a rollercoaster ride.  This album is more female-fronted than previous releases as well, but it works for me. Even as someone who is a lot pickier when it comes to higher range singers nothing got too nasally or tin-y for my tastes, even with all the over-the-top belting going on. Overall, 2V-ALK is big, beautiful, slickly produced, and something you can become totally immersed in listening to. I don’t have words to express how much I love this album. Just play it, and play it really loud! | Preview: Spotify
 
 

EPIK HIGH ・ WE'VE DONE SOMETHING WONDERFUL ・ HIP HOP
Anyone who’s spent maybe a few minutes looking into Korean hip hop should be familiar with Epik High. They’ve been killing the game there for the last 15 years and continue to be one of the most relevant hip hop units out of Korea. They deserve to be globally relevant at this point, but I’m just gonna have to stay bitter about that for now. Not only have Epik High put out album after album of quality material, they go out of their way to work with the next generation of urban music artists and help cultivate the scene.  
 
Epik High keep a pretty classic, old school style but they know how to get dark, gritty, and emotional when the song calls for it. “HERE COME THE REGRETS” featuring vocal powerhouse Lee Hi is one of my favorites-- a definite stand out for the album. But so is “노땡큐 / NO THANXXX” because everyone needs to hear Tablo yelling “I AM GROOT! MOTHERFUCKER!” to add some extra badassery to their day.  And Hyukoh lovers can also catch ya boy Oh Hyuk lending his smokey vocals to "빈차 / HOME IS FAR AWAY". I told you he was everywhere. | Preview: Spotify
 
 
It was a weird year. I had a few more J-Pop albums I really liked: REOL's エンドレスEP (so sad they're disbanding, they were a killer match up), Junho of 2PM's 2017 S/S, and Miyavi's Samurai Sessions Vol.2, but 10 was a good place to stop and I wanted to give albums I actually played the most a priority regardless of country of origin. What did you guys like last year? What releases are you looking forward to in 2018?

Going to take this one over for 2018 @CAT5@Lestat
 
Coming back for the 4th year in a row, this thread is dedicated to Japanese releases in 2018 that the MH Community will listen to and would like to keep track of throughout the entire year. It’s a nice way of referring back to a list, should you forget if you’ve listened to a certain release yet or not. I know I forget sometimes haha. These ratings can also help those who may want to see which releases are favoring well or not, based on each individual user who you may have similar tastes with.
You never know, as this could come in handy at the end of the year.
 
Feel free to set up your own rating system (Stars, ?/5, ?/10, Best to Worst, Oooh to Eww, etc.), but try and use spoiler tags to save room in your post, and save room on the page for the other members’ rating lists.
 
Previous Years for Reference:
2015
2016
2017
 
I look forward to seeing everyone’s lists at the end of the year!
 
Yuyo’s List for 2018:
 
 

Kazuharu looks fabulous...as always.

REIGN have revealed their new look ! 
 

 
 

@CAT5Besides the SENKOU mini, they have released マグロ解体チェーンソー single on December's 6th, which is really worth a try.

Yeah, December is usually a pretty busy month for ORZ, so we weren't able to cover as much as we usually would. There were definitely a few more things I could have written about, though.
 
 
I just read that apparently there are only 4 new songs and 10 old songs on the album, although since I don't follow her that closely, most of it was still new to me.
Completely overlooked them, as I've been out of the loop with new music for most of 2017. Did they release something new?

@CAT5 If I remember well, you like/used to like DIV. Did you skipped ACME or you aren't enjoying them?

We're a bit later than usual due to all of the seasonal business, but here's our latest installment of recommended tracks! We're not quite done with 2017 just yet!!!  
 
@The Reverend's Pick
"流れ☆" by Free Aqua Butterfly
"Nagareboshi" by Free Aqua Butterfly

I try to use writing mini-reviews for the Recommended Tracks thread as a chance to expand my musical horizons, explore things from around the varied Japanese music landscape, and share my discoveries; and then sometimes I throw those noble intentions out the window and just use this as a platform to talk about a band I really like that has released something cool lately. Free Aqua Butterfly's "流れ星" (Nagareboshi) is a pick from the latter category.
 
Free Aqua Butterfly have been a pet band of mine since I first heard them on the Deep More Deep #3 compilation back in 2015, and they do not at all fit the mold of J-bands I usually like.  I think being Visual Kei is at least partially defined by the other bands you play shows with, but Free Aqua Butterfly barely look like a VK band most of the time and have a very J-indie lineup that includes a girl on bass who shares vocal duties pretty equally. (I wonder if it's weird for her to be playing at VK event shows with 25 boys who all spend longer on their makeup than she does?)
 
Recommended if you're looking for some catchy, sweet pop-rock that is played and presented without any pretense, or if you're intrigued by the idea of VK band using a dual-female/male-vocal setup and playing upbeat tunes that don't veer too heavily into 'oshare' territory.
 
@doombox's Pick
"PULSE" by defspiral

It was nice to see defspiral back in rare form this month with “PULSE”; It’s been a while since they've been quite this leather clad and smokey eyed -- possibly not since they were in their previous incarnation as The Underneath. defspiral have been riddled with some identity issues over the years that kept them from gaining as large of a following as they deserve, but I’m glad to see they haven’t lost their spark along the way. The song’s vibe is dark, dangerous, and sexy. Basically, the perfect storm to get your heart racing!
 
@plastic_rainbow's Pick
"絲" by BABOO
"ito" by BABOO

Who would've thought that BABOO, one of the biggest WTF bands of 2017 with their supposedly 'kawaii' toddler-in-diapers act, would turn things around and reemerge as a band with a lot of promise? Dropping the cute and bright oshare-kei look, they've gone darker yet still embody a kind of tainted playfulness to their look and sound. Upon listening to their new single 黒白-kokuhaku-, I was blown away by the very first track, "絲" (Ito). It starts abruptly but introduces an ardent guitar that soothes an empty heart, and Bero's impressive vocals float about in the background and come back to the foreground like a guiding light as he sings with heightened emotions. If you thought the year of 2017 was feeling short on notable VK ballads, you can add "絲" to that miniscule list. With such an unexpected change in sound within one year of their formation, it's not certain whether BABOO will stick with their current direction or not, but whatever they give us next I hope it'll be just as good!
 
@CAT5's Picks
"凍狂" by 八十八ヶ所巡礼
"koukyou" by 88kasyo Junrei

It's been three years since 88kasyo have released a proper album, and to the average J-rock fan that seems like an eternity. To make matters worse, the guys have teased our starving ears with a few new music videos since the end of 2016, and now going into 2018, they've yet to announce any new releases! "koukyou" is their latest appetizer and it's a delectable mix of catchy hooks and melodies offset by the band's quintessentially progressive quirk. Their sound is continually being refined, and here they've hit the perfect stride between accessibility and untrammeled instrumental wankery. In short, it's a jam! Let's just hope they actually release something new this year!
 
"同じ夜" by DAOKO
"Onaji Yoru" by DAOKO

"Wait....THIS is DAOKO????" is exactly what I thought when I first heard this track. It's dark, cinematic, atmospheric and dare I say 'mature'-sounding? Basically, the song is a stark contrast from the 'kawaii' hop-hop of her early career and miles away from the nondescript Jpop fodder that she's releasing now. It's produced by indie up-and-comers D.A.N., which explains why it's so different for DAOKO, as it essentially sounds like one of their songs with her on vocals (which is actually an improvement over D.A.N.'s tonedeaf vocalist, but I digress). It's great to hear DAOKO excel in a style so foreign from her usual, and although this song is a one-off, it shows that she has the ability to morph and adapt to the artistic inclinations of her producers. I just hope she does more cool collaborations in the future, because I could take an entire album of this!
 
"鏡面の波" by YURiKA
"Kyoumen no Nami" by YURiKA

I'm a HUGE haisuinonasa fanboy, so as soon as this song started and I heard the robotic vocal lines, the strategically place guitar-flourishes, and the single piano hits that sound like raindrops gracefully hitting the ground one by one, I KNEW this was produced by Yoshimasa Terui! His style is unmistakable, and YURiKA sounds right at home with it. I love how Terui brilliantly tailors his mathy and experimental tendencies to the kind of wondrous and imaginative pop soundscape that you'd expect from an anime OP - all without sacrificing ingenuity for accessibility. I haven't heard every OP of 2017, but I love Terui's work so much that i'd proudly deem this the best anime theme of the year anyways!  
 
-
Liked our list? Have some new recommended tracks of your own? Feel free to comment below and share your thoughts!  

ok but when Tsuzuku wants to get fried its cute...akinori does it and he's the devil.
 

i will say if anything ever fucks this bands up eventually it will absolutely be a division between hazuki and the guys who drink his kool-aid (reo and AK) and yusuke. reo might be the leader but love hzk as i do, he's a high functioning megalomaniac and reo toes his line.

also i can see why individuals would be pissed/think this is kind of a shitshow because it undermines the statement their label put out to a hilarious degree...
but on a macro level it makes sense, imo. emmny said it best about the (highly successful) PR it gave them even thru a mediocre release in SINNERS, and AK is beloved in the industry including by other bandmen because he is an extremely affable dipshit, an effect amplified by him being the protege of reo/hzk/a well-connected band with a good reputation. being the only one with charisma other than hzk, AK was responsible for a lot of their charm/public face and he's very good at what he does on that level as well. yusuke and AK were inseparable prior to this anyway so it doesn't surprise me at all he caved with or without pressure from hzk & co.

ex-Ba.ユウトマン (yuutoman) has returned to the band under the name ユウト (yuuto). He previously departed on December 9, 2015.
 

At lynch.'s countdown show last night, Akinori appeared during the encore, and after an apology, announced he will be returning to the band.

I bought myself a Christmas present in advance: A plane ticket to Tokyo.
I've spent my Christmas time in Japan at a concert and it was the best Christmas I ever had.
Also, my sister gave me two little notebooks from Sumikko Gurashi and yeah, that's it.

to make it worse, it looks like what you'd see under a misspelled word on microsoft office...

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.

I'm honestly not feelings this new band and that's sad because I absolutely praise Tenten. Him and Ruki are my rock idols. Just get Chemical Pictures back together and add a little MBHI into the mix and you're golden again. Nothing this band has released really made me like them. It feels generic and boring to me.