Ito

Tracklist:
1. Massive Passive
2. 色彩 (Album Ver.)
3. ハレルヤ
4. End of Refrain
5. Loop
6.たりない
7. さよならワルツ
8. Q and A (Album Ver.)
9. 失う
10. Ego-izm
11. Reset
12. Self
 
| Ambivalence in its purest form
 
siraph may have the soul, but la la larks has the voice, and as long as Yumi Uchimura can sing I feel obligated to sample whatever project she is in. Culture Vulture is the debut album half a decade in the making - la la larks emerged from the ashes of school food punishment in 2012 - and this is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, I've matured enough to appreciate la la larks for what it is instead of what it is not. On the other hand, if an album takes five years to make, I expect a damn good album. la la larks isn't the only band on the block anymore, and competition breeds incentive, so the only expectation I had was that they would give it their all.
 
Listening to Culture Vulture is ambivalence in its purest form. I want to rip la la larks for releasing such little music for the last five years, but I also want to dig into them for having released half of Culture Vulture already. It's two shakes away from falling into the Chinese Democracy category, lacking the feeling of having been toyed with for too long, but already I feel like I've heard this years ago. It is a great album, engineered to perfection, and the experience only intensifies with great audio equipment, but the recipe may as well be printed on the back. I raved about "ego-izm" when it was released as a single, but every other track in that vein feels like an alternate, less effective take. Things get good when la la larks unshackle themselves from their oppressive, self-imposed pop constraints for the tracks such as "loop" or the jazzy ballad "たりない", which have grown to be two of my favorites. It's the biggest indication that there's more to this band than pop songs that would double as juicy anime cash-ins, but they hardly ever show it.
 
Perhaps I haven't changed after all and just want Yumi to throw me a bone. Her voice over dissonant noise and reverb is addictive, and we get close with the deceptive opening of the last track "Self", but close is not enough. Culture Vulture could have taken more risks and been more unpredictable. I'm looking for a figurative wink and nod towards the darker, more contemplative moments similar to sfp's "loop, share", "deviswitch", or even la la larks' "earworm"! It would have done wonders to invigorate my interest.
 
I like it, but I wonder how much of that was engineered and how much of it is my honest opinion. In chasing the goal of creating their perfect pop album, la la larks gives us no indication of how close they are to the apex of their sound. I can clearly hear the talent in every member, but no one does anything that wows me musically. The album never reaches critical mass or picks up a pace faster than a jog, and that turns the tail end of this journey into a slog. When their direct competition made it a point to make a statement with their first release, I'm left disappointed that it took so long to create an album that left such an underwhelming impact.

But what did you really expect when you crystallize school food punishment's two eras into two bands and pit them against each other?
 
 
Support the band!
CDJapan | iTunes

There was Arakawa-san from zoisite taking photos. She's already posted some of them on twitter and hopefully will publish some more soon. 
But I doubt there'll be a video. I saw no other cameras. 
 
 

Ten years ago today, Spike760 and myself decided that we wanted to start a Japanese Rock forum. After a while of debating, we eventually settled on Tainted World (after the D’espairsRay song of the same name). Frankly, neither one of expected it to last all that long; this would hardly be the first forum that we had run together that didn’t go anywhere. But what started as a fun little project somehow blossomed into an amazing community. The fact that this site still exists after all this time has little to say about Spike and my’s original plan and everything to say about the members here. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping build this site into what it is today.
 
While I was one of the key founders of this site, Monochrome Heaven is so much bigger than just me. That became clear to me when we went under the transition from Tainted World to our current name back in 2011. While to really understand why this is so important requires more context, I don’t want to go into a full on history lesson. But since that point, so many members have stepped up and dedicated themselves to this site, putting in the time and effort (and money) into making Monochrome Heaven as great as it possibly can be.
 
To every member that has joined and felt like they were apart of a community over this silly niche interest we all have, I raise a glass to you. You all are what have made this place special. And to every staff member, current and past, no words can express my thanks to you - you are people that I have come to admire and consider good friends.
 
But this post isn’t about me, but about the Monochrome Heaven! I want to hear from all of you as to why this community is special, why you’ve becoming coming back for 10 months or 10 years. Or tell us one of your favorite moments from your time coming, whether that was a release you were looking for forever or a stupid meme that took over the forum.

Here’s some from other users to get things started!:
 
 
 
@-jibakurei-
 
@SEKHMET
 
@Ada Suilen
 
@Flame-X
 
@Seiji
 
@Platy
 
@efuru
 
@saishuu
 
@Furik
 

It's kind of interesting for me - Luna Sea is one of the few bands I can't really associate too much with specific albums but specific songs. They were one of the earliest Jrock bands I got into (maybe around 2004-2005?), and that was during the time period where a huge chunk of music sharing was with individual songs. it probably doesn't help that Period was the first full album of theirs that I downloaded.

This thread has been dead for far too long
 
Just wanted to say that 4:00 AM is such an under rated song on theirs. I love the dreamy vibe and the killer bassline. 

Ten years ago today, Spike760 and myself decided that we wanted to start a Japanese Rock forum. After a while of debating, we eventually settled on Tainted World (after the D’espairsRay song of the same name). Frankly, neither one of expected it to last all that long; this would hardly be the first forum that we had run together that didn’t go anywhere. But what started as a fun little project somehow blossomed into an amazing community. The fact that this site still exists after all this time has little to say about Spike and my’s original plan and everything to say about the members here. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping build this site into what it is today.
 
While I was one of the key founders of this site, Monochrome Heaven is so much bigger than just me. That became clear to me when we went under the transition from Tainted World to our current name back in 2011. While to really understand why this is so important requires more context, I don’t want to go into a full on history lesson. But since that point, so many members have stepped up and dedicated themselves to this site, putting in the time and effort (and money) into making Monochrome Heaven as great as it possibly can be.
 
To every member that has joined and felt like they were apart of a community over this silly niche interest we all have, I raise a glass to you. You all are what have made this place special. And to every staff member, current and past, no words can express my thanks to you - you are people that I have come to admire and consider good friends.
 
But this post isn’t about me, but about the Monochrome Heaven! I want to hear from all of you as to why this community is special, why you’ve becoming coming back for 10 months or 10 years. Or tell us one of your favorite moments from your time coming, whether that was a release you were looking for forever or a stupid meme that took over the forum.

Here’s some from other users to get things started!:
 
 
 
@-jibakurei-
 
@SEKHMET
 
@Ada Suilen
 
@Flame-X
 
@Seiji
 
@Platy
 
@efuru
 
@saishuu
 
@Furik
 

Update on the longest one since this is like nearly three years old lol.
Current one is now over 4 years - in March I proposed to her so here's to hoping that this one never ends! XD

Girugamesh and Sel'm hit me hard. These were bands that were around and putting out great material when I was first getting in to VK, and they were some of the very few that were still remaining. They felt kind of like nails in the coffin.

Girugamesh and Sel'm hit me hard. These were bands that were around and putting out great material when I was first getting in to VK, and they were some of the very few that were still remaining. They felt kind of like nails in the coffin.

I attended two of the shows on this old school tour in osaka and posted them on Facebook. Decides I might just as well repost them here:
 
Day 1:
"
I just attended the best show of my life, and it was a MUCC live.
 
The best way I can describe it is as if I went back in a time machine to 2001 and attended one of their oneman lives. They performed only old songs, including tracks so old several fans noticably did not recognize then, like Kranke (my favorite song!) and Koibito. The entire live felt dangerous and rough, just like one of those 90s lives where the audience are headbanging their necks off and the band is taunting them further into a frenzy. Before VK became a polished business.
 
It was super intense, during some songs the entire audience was moshing and thanks to the intense mosh I ended up in the second row in front of tatsurou during the second half of the live, where I ended up catching him as he stage dived during Orugooru. At the end, when they played Kurutta Kajitsu, we were even ordered to perform a wall of death and delivered it splendidly.
 
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/mucc/2017/esaka-muse-osaka-japan-2be5b0e2.html
 
Tomorrow is Homura Uta day... can't wait. Dir en grey, take note. This is how you do nostalgia shows."
 
Day 2:
"
So... MUCC day 2 was every bit as good as day 1. Homura Uta day, so practically the whole album was performed, along with some songs from Antique and Tsuuzetsu.

Especially the performance of Kimi ni Sachi Are and Kurayami ni Saku Hana stood out as soulcrushingly beautiful, and tracks like Kokuen made the whole audience mosh yet again while Tatsurou kept jumping into the front rows to make us work harder.
 
Before OYOGE! TAIYAKI-KUN Tatsurou addressed me directly, asking if I knew the lyrics (since I was seemingly the only foreigner at least in the front of the venue). I made an OK sign and he looked surprised and happy and made some comment about it, and then we all sang it together, the entire venue.
 
During the wall of death during Kurutta Kajitsu today, he jumped into the audience and participated for a bit before being rescued back onto the stage. 
 
To be honest, unless MUCC makes further nostalgia tours, I might not attend any more of their lives in the future. Nothing can top this tour no matter how hard they try. Sure, I'd like to see a Zekuu and Kuchiki no Tou tour as well, but until that happens I might just lay off their lives in the future.
 
Todays Setlist:
HOMURA UTA (intro)
ZETSUBOU
SHIAWASE NO SHUUCHAKU
KOKUEN
YAKEATO
KARE GA SHINDA HI
KIMI NI SACHI ARE
MAMA
SHIGATSU NO RENGESOU
BOKU GA HONTOU NO BOKU NI TAEKIREZU TSUKUTTA HONTOU NO BOKU
KURAYAMI NI SAKU HANA
USO DE YUGAMU SHINZOU
KAERANU HITO
KOKONOKA
OYOGE! TAIYAKI-KUN
SUISOU
MAE E
SUIMIN
Encore:
YUME NO MACHI
SHOUFU
DAIKIRAI
KURUTTA KAJITSU (WARAI)"
 
Hope someone here finds it interesting to read!

Girugamesh and Sel'm hit me hard. These were bands that were around and putting out great material when I was first getting in to VK, and they were some of the very few that were still remaining. They felt kind of like nails in the coffin.

Girugamesh and Sel'm hit me hard. These were bands that were around and putting out great material when I was first getting in to VK, and they were some of the very few that were still remaining. They felt kind of like nails in the coffin.

Quick thoughts of a grumpy old man.
 
Scale:
Yeah
Hmm
Meh
Ugh
 
"天上天下" by ARCHEMI.
It felt like the song had no meat to it. I normally appreciate a traditional Japanese flavor to my VK, but here is just felt like an attempt to sprinkle some flavor on top of something that was really bland. I guess that saved it from be a "ugh" on my scale though.
 
"鮮やかな矛盾" by NoGoD
I've been off of the NoGod train for a while now. After a bunch of mediocre releases, I had a hard time caring about following them. While I did enjoy this track, I kind of feel like it also feels a bit like more of the same. Does make me a bit curious to jump back in though.
 
"昏睡" by SCAPEGOAT
Some parts reminded me of mid 00's numetal inspired VK and the chorus felt reminiscent of Cocklobin, which are two things I would mark as positives. Production sounded shit, but I am hoping that there was just same major compression involved on the youtube upload.
 
"青年ナイフ" by ニトロデイ
Sounded like I was listening to it with cotton stuffed in to my ears. Also, there is something about the way the vocalist pronounces things that I just can't stand.
 
"Sorry, I Am Not" by SHE TALKS SILENCE
It felt like this song was trying to go somewhere but it never quite reached its destination. In a crude way of putting it, I feel like this song blue balled me.
 
"雨” by 游彩
I feel like there is a lot of promise here that isn't realized. I feel like a bit more passion and dynamics in this song could have helped pushed it over the top. I think this song could be a lot of fun live as I think perhaps part of the problem is that it is over produced.
 
"虚言癖" by DAMY
Been a while since I've heard a song in this style from a band that I didn't know that was actually memorable. This is a song that gets its life from lots of small details - little vocal flairs or riff changes that I wasn't expecting. Going to be checking this band out more in the future.
 
"⚪︎と×" by ザアザア
I don't think I've ever quite liked Xaa-xaa as much as the rest of the community has, but this song is dope. The the vocals are incredibly emotive without playing things too far in to melodrama. It's also been a while since I've enjoyed a song with a guitar solo.
 
"burst" by Zill
Not sure if I can get behind the vocals - like, there is some points where I really enjoy them, but others where I feel like they are just too rough. Instrumentally the song is mostly solid, but like the vocals, also has some rough points (like the chorus imo).
 
"Dystopia -Vanishing Point-" by Boris
Ive always been a fan of Boris's drone/doom work, but even I feel like this track takes perhaps a bit too long to get to its main point. Even when the song hits full stride, I don't find it quite as enjoyable as some of their work in this genre in the past. I find it hard to put in to words, but this one really left me wanting more. Not to say that I dislike this track, which isn't the case....more that it was disappointing. Also, man, do I ever hate how this song ends.
 
"声飛行" by Gutevolk
This is one of those songs that I don't really enjoy all that much, but I totally see the appeal of even if it isn't for me.
 
 
Wow, lot's of good VK tracks! What year is it? XD

Quick thoughts of a grumpy old man.
 
Scale:
Yeah
Hmm
Meh
Ugh
 
"天上天下" by ARCHEMI.
It felt like the song had no meat to it. I normally appreciate a traditional Japanese flavor to my VK, but here is just felt like an attempt to sprinkle some flavor on top of something that was really bland. I guess that saved it from be a "ugh" on my scale though.
 
"鮮やかな矛盾" by NoGoD
I've been off of the NoGod train for a while now. After a bunch of mediocre releases, I had a hard time caring about following them. While I did enjoy this track, I kind of feel like it also feels a bit like more of the same. Does make me a bit curious to jump back in though.
 
"昏睡" by SCAPEGOAT
Some parts reminded me of mid 00's numetal inspired VK and the chorus felt reminiscent of Cocklobin, which are two things I would mark as positives. Production sounded shit, but I am hoping that there was just same major compression involved on the youtube upload.
 
"青年ナイフ" by ニトロデイ
Sounded like I was listening to it with cotton stuffed in to my ears. Also, there is something about the way the vocalist pronounces things that I just can't stand.
 
"Sorry, I Am Not" by SHE TALKS SILENCE
It felt like this song was trying to go somewhere but it never quite reached its destination. In a crude way of putting it, I feel like this song blue balled me.
 
"雨” by 游彩
I feel like there is a lot of promise here that isn't realized. I feel like a bit more passion and dynamics in this song could have helped pushed it over the top. I think this song could be a lot of fun live as I think perhaps part of the problem is that it is over produced.
 
"虚言癖" by DAMY
Been a while since I've heard a song in this style from a band that I didn't know that was actually memorable. This is a song that gets its life from lots of small details - little vocal flairs or riff changes that I wasn't expecting. Going to be checking this band out more in the future.
 
"⚪︎と×" by ザアザア
I don't think I've ever quite liked Xaa-xaa as much as the rest of the community has, but this song is dope. The the vocals are incredibly emotive without playing things too far in to melodrama. It's also been a while since I've enjoyed a song with a guitar solo.
 
"burst" by Zill
Not sure if I can get behind the vocals - like, there is some points where I really enjoy them, but others where I feel like they are just too rough. Instrumentally the song is mostly solid, but like the vocals, also has some rough points (like the chorus imo).
 
"Dystopia -Vanishing Point-" by Boris
Ive always been a fan of Boris's drone/doom work, but even I feel like this track takes perhaps a bit too long to get to its main point. Even when the song hits full stride, I don't find it quite as enjoyable as some of their work in this genre in the past. I find it hard to put in to words, but this one really left me wanting more. Not to say that I dislike this track, which isn't the case....more that it was disappointing. Also, man, do I ever hate how this song ends.
 
"声飛行" by Gutevolk
This is one of those songs that I don't really enjoy all that much, but I totally see the appeal of even if it isn't for me.
 
 
Wow, lot's of good VK tracks! What year is it? XD

Quick thoughts of a grumpy old man.
 
Scale:
Yeah
Hmm
Meh
Ugh
 
"天上天下" by ARCHEMI.
It felt like the song had no meat to it. I normally appreciate a traditional Japanese flavor to my VK, but here is just felt like an attempt to sprinkle some flavor on top of something that was really bland. I guess that saved it from be a "ugh" on my scale though.
 
"鮮やかな矛盾" by NoGoD
I've been off of the NoGod train for a while now. After a bunch of mediocre releases, I had a hard time caring about following them. While I did enjoy this track, I kind of feel like it also feels a bit like more of the same. Does make me a bit curious to jump back in though.
 
"昏睡" by SCAPEGOAT
Some parts reminded me of mid 00's numetal inspired VK and the chorus felt reminiscent of Cocklobin, which are two things I would mark as positives. Production sounded shit, but I am hoping that there was just same major compression involved on the youtube upload.
 
"青年ナイフ" by ニトロデイ
Sounded like I was listening to it with cotton stuffed in to my ears. Also, there is something about the way the vocalist pronounces things that I just can't stand.
 
"Sorry, I Am Not" by SHE TALKS SILENCE
It felt like this song was trying to go somewhere but it never quite reached its destination. In a crude way of putting it, I feel like this song blue balled me.
 
"雨” by 游彩
I feel like there is a lot of promise here that isn't realized. I feel like a bit more passion and dynamics in this song could have helped pushed it over the top. I think this song could be a lot of fun live as I think perhaps part of the problem is that it is over produced.
 
"虚言癖" by DAMY
Been a while since I've heard a song in this style from a band that I didn't know that was actually memorable. This is a song that gets its life from lots of small details - little vocal flairs or riff changes that I wasn't expecting. Going to be checking this band out more in the future.
 
"⚪︎と×" by ザアザア
I don't think I've ever quite liked Xaa-xaa as much as the rest of the community has, but this song is dope. The the vocals are incredibly emotive without playing things too far in to melodrama. It's also been a while since I've enjoyed a song with a guitar solo.
 
"burst" by Zill
Not sure if I can get behind the vocals - like, there is some points where I really enjoy them, but others where I feel like they are just too rough. Instrumentally the song is mostly solid, but like the vocals, also has some rough points (like the chorus imo).
 
"Dystopia -Vanishing Point-" by Boris
Ive always been a fan of Boris's drone/doom work, but even I feel like this track takes perhaps a bit too long to get to its main point. Even when the song hits full stride, I don't find it quite as enjoyable as some of their work in this genre in the past. I find it hard to put in to words, but this one really left me wanting more. Not to say that I dislike this track, which isn't the case....more that it was disappointing. Also, man, do I ever hate how this song ends.
 
"声飛行" by Gutevolk
This is one of those songs that I don't really enjoy all that much, but I totally see the appeal of even if it isn't for me.
 
 
Wow, lot's of good VK tracks! What year is it? XD

u know we can't go without at least two of these topics per year...enjoy ladies n gentlemen!

i never thought much about yusai until now. i gotta keep my eyes peeled on them from now on!
haven't given boris' new album that many listens yet, but that track is truly beautiful. i love them long tracks packed with feels.
it was quite an awesome month, especially for vk!

gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy will release their second album「In incontinence」on 9th August, 2017.
 

 
Track-list:
 
01 無中無
02 血と宙の完結
03 愛という、変態
04 とある澄んだ春の朝に
05 告白
06 だらりと垂れる
07 頭蓋、紛い
08 straitjacket
09 suspend
10 淫乱分子
 
“dyeing” tour dates:
 
8月8日(火) 東京 池袋 手刀 
cast:ZIZ / gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy  
8月9日(水) 東京 池袋 手刀 
cast:黒百合と影 / gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy
8月24日(木) 愛知 名古屋 HeartLand 【ワンマン】
“avantgarde barbarian Ⅲ”
8月28日(月) 茨城 水戸 LIGHT HOUSE 
cast:黒百合と影 / gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy
8月30日(水) 宮城 仙台 LIVE HOUSE enn 3rd 
cast:黒百合と影 / gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy
9月1日(金) 北海道 札幌 DUCE 
cast:黒百合と影 / gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy
9月8日(金) 大阪 梅田 Zeela 
cast:ZIZ / revenge my LOST / gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy 
9月12日(火) 福岡 福岡 DRUM SON 
cast:ZIZ / 黒百合と影 / gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy
9月13日(水) 広島 広島 SECOND CRUTCH
cast:ZIZ / 黒百合と影 / gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy
9月15日(金) 石川 金沢 vanvanV4 
cast:ZIZ / 黒百合と影 / gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy
9月16日(土) 新潟 新潟 GOLDEN PIGS BLACK STAGE
cast:ZIZ / 黒百合と影 / gibkiy gibkiy gibkiy 
Ticket:5月13日(土) 10:00より各プレイガイドにて発売

I recommend you go back to lurking because obviously reading and posting just isn't working out for you.

If you haven't spent at least a season or two moping in your room to deadman, we cannot be friends. 

Nice look! 

That's enough internet for today...

That's enough internet for today...