DogManX

He doesn't goof around. He's fuckin evil don't you see it?
 
I mean I can literally hear him scream to the crowd. "You wanna see more of thisshitmotherfuckersssss?"

Lol that's also what I've thought. Ov Fire and the Void was made more awesome though.
 
Now I understand though why they didn't release the Unraveling PV. It's just total shit. And wth did they film to censor it on a DVD?
 
 
 
 
 
Oh, and Toshiya: THERE'S ONLY ONE ABBATH

Lol that's also what I've thought. Ov Fire and the Void was made more awesome though.
 
Now I understand though why they didn't release the Unraveling PV. It's just total shit. And wth did they film to censor it on a DVD?
 
 
 
 
 
Oh, and Toshiya: THERE'S ONLY ONE ABBATH

Uroko is still my favorite track from the album. I also like to think that they took influence from Behemoth's Ov Fire and the Void when creating said PV. Mostly due to the whole eating a humanoid creature.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWuWWdNRGnU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9WcaP98Li8
 
Unraveling PV staging screams out Dogville, lol.

So I got this album today and there's not much to say to it. It's definitely is a step up from TBONTB, and I was surprised by the amount of heaviness displayed in this album. I also guess 極上脳震煉獄・弐式 is part of a new theme (as was gianizm) that started also with TBONTB. I wouldn't feel bad about this, since the gianizm songs were always special in the way the were composed, more complex and also more heavy. And there's something about the song I really noticed listening to other songs of that album. I don't know if it was intention or just lack of inspiration, but a few songs on CD almost caricaturize past songs of the band, such as "Demand", which features themes of "Cherish" from the NIGHTMARE album. So also 極上脳震煉獄・弐式 features a theme of Jishou.
 
I personally found this amusing, since Nightmare have done this before; taking a theme and using it differently in separate songs (Nadirecur+Fly me to the Zenith; Remembrance+ いつかの僕へ). I didn't like that nod to "the FOOL" though. Just totally weak compared to the original. But in terms of "Demand" it totally worked for me. Good thing they slaughtered that fun happy candy song "Cherish" in a way only Dir en grey could do it better with Tsumi To Kisei. bTW do you know other examples of *theme-sharing*? Be free to add to my observations on this album.
 
Overall though, the result is still weaker than that only good AVEX release that was SCUMS. The opener is great, but then it quickly falls back into dull average sounds until it recovers at "Quints", which is almost a parody of the whole pretentious concept of Nightmare. Wait--Sendai Kamotsu does that already? Weeell, I'd call SK just as pretentious in their "comedy" and "Quints" comes off actually much more subtle within that context. <<Cause baabyy I~ looove iiit>>. You said it Yomi. I love it too.
 
Then skip "fade", "the DOOL" and "Tao" if you will and you actually have a very nice experience with that album. It is much less repetitive, more complex, fresh and most of all INNOVATIVE than their catastrophous last album. Although they can't keep those positive aspects through the whole album, it is still worth mentioning, because we talk about friggin Nightmare.
 
One last thing I REALLY still have to complain about is the vocals. Because they're not only unpleasant, but also mastered in overly loud. Ouch to my ears.
 
6/10! Who would've thought that. EVER

It's this type of typical japanese craziness I actually can't go along with. I don't even think it's a very grown-up thing to do. Getting the grammar wrong is bad enough, but you have to be self-aware to the point where you get that RRWWARRWAWARRAWWAA (kyo in "garbage") is NOT the way to do english.
 
Can someone point to a band besides Galneryus that has good english vocals?

It's this type of typical japanese craziness I actually can't go along with. I don't even think it's a very grown-up thing to do. Getting the grammar wrong is bad enough, but you have to be self-aware to the point where you get that RRWWARRWAWARRAWWAA (kyo in "garbage") is NOT the way to do english.
 
Can someone point to a band besides Galneryus that has good english vocals?

That's a very interesting list. Definitely going to check those songs out I still don't know,.

None. Good riffs here and there, awful vocals. What a waste of potentially good music

Yeah.. that's the thing with Nightmare. The b-sides are usually much better than the A-sides, IMHO there have been very little exceptions until now (MR BOOGER MAN is such a one).
 
And.. anima and the self-titled album? So you basically hope it's going to be the best and the worst at the same time? That is indeed impossible.
 
I mean the last single wasn't really that bad, but the single before that was terrible. So everything is still open.
 
 
And I just wonder how people still get off from the TRACKLIST? It doesn't say a single thing about the actual sound, and especially in japanese music the titles can be so random they don't even match with the actual lyrics.

There would be more of a point to the topic if the original point was clear.
 
There's a contradiction running throughout the entire argument. I'm assuming "selling out" means going for a more accessible sound to make more money. And there's nothing wrong with that: artists need to eat too! But on one hand Cyntia is selling out for shedding their metal tendencies and going full pop while exist trace is lauded for dropping their D'espairsRay influences and going full pop? And yet Cyntia is going "mainstream" for adopting pop and exist trace is breaking away from the "mainstream" by adopting pop?  And the "mainstream" in question is pop in the first instance and metalcore in the second, the latter of which isn't mainstream at all and we only perceive it as such due to bias in our userbase's listening habits? I'm not quite sure what anyone is trying to get at. I also have noticed for a very long time that visual kei fans intensely dislike pop music for shaky reasons, confuse bands being different with making good music, and try to peg visual bands that mix several genres with one inaccurate label. The snippet in the first post is guilty of all three.
 
In regards to Cyntia, I always thought they were pop first, metal second. Them leaning more towards their pop sound doesn't surprise me. It also shouldn't get in the way of enjoying their music unless it makes their music suffer for the worst (I don't know, I find Cyntia boring as fuck personally). @nekkichi was spot on about calling them BABYMETAL for adults because that's what that PV spot sounds like to me too. It's also the most memorable thing I've ever heard them do. Their pop metal shenanigans from the past few years sounds like a watered down Aldious.
 
In regards to exist trace, yes they play a style of rock music not popular in visual kei and chose to not "sell out". So does LIPHLICH, the god and death stars, DISH, Wagakki-Band and a host of other visual kei bands. What's the point, that visual kei is unoriginal? We all already knew that!

This album is what I would call a final STOP sign for anyone who seriously expected a second Withering To Death (and associates). Once again Dir en grey go on showing that they are willing to take any risk, just to express themselves. The album is more fluent and consistent than Dum Spiro Spero, but still it is a natural evolution from that style and I think it's safe to say that we can expect this sort of evolution in the future ahead. It also carries an atmosphere that is beautifully consistent. Each song sounds like it is supposed to be on THIS album.
What takes this album to the extreme is the change from melodic one-liners to total dissonance (Chain repulsion --> 禍夜想). Those elements are also much more focused into each song for its own than in the past. You don't get another DREAMBOX here, because it either is totally harmonic, or it is totally crazy and unpredictable. Past songs like Shitataru Mourou appear like early inspirations to what conceptualizes the sound on this album. Distorted, through-composed with one theme after another, and still focused. Sukekiyo and tool are also greeting in the background.
 
The guitar work is great on this album. There are great chord progressions (鱗, Phenomenon, revelation of mankind), reminiscences to old VK (Cause of Fickleness, 懐春) and downright hypnotic riffs that may turn a theme into a whole song (The Inferno). Faster, more technical, heavily layered. It's like kaoru and die read a few sukekiyo reviews on which their own guitar work on deg is ridiculed in comparison, just to shove it back into the writer's a**es. The solos here and there are a nice touch, but not really necessary. Toshiya steps back a bit from his metallic slapping sound. His bass isn't as present anymore, but still contributes with warm and soft riffs, and of course also he gets times to shine (sustain the untruth, 懐春). Shinya's drums are for once not overly experimental and actually try to fit into the songs, with great result. It is still to see though if he manages those disciplines on stage, too.
 
輪郭 was helluva song in 2012 and it still is on this album. Other highlights are Phenomenon, 懐春, Cause of Fickleness, Revelation of Mankind. 空谷の跫音 takes the "Vanitas" spot, but ends up in a totally different direction. The Inferno does the obligatory "heavy-song" and somewhere resembles "Decayed Crow", but ends up being a very solid piece of death metal.
There are problems though. The placement of the songs seems spontantous from time to time. Un deux is not the strongest song on the album to say the least, and it also doesn't fit as an opener. Likewise, the finisher doesn't quite feel natural in its place. Sustain the Untruth would have been better maybe.
 
This album is heavily experimental, it doesn't try to sound compelling, and the listener should really know what to expect and how to deal with it. Dir en grey fans of the post-Uroboros material may find joy with this piece, fans of the older stuff on the other hand might just be overwhelmed by the unconformity presented to them. Dir en grey have once more proven they're not just this band which does "western metal" now. ARCHE is a solid release with my score of 8/10.
 
wow this sucked I hope someone can put it in better words than me

In the west, there's this sort of image that you have to be gay and part of some transsexual / dragqueen culture to do VK. It's just lame and predictable. I hate dragqueens. They're ugly and creepy.

This is what I would spontaneously recommend to check out in the realms of extreme metal (as bear mostly posts of), just my share of the cake:
 
Hour of Penance - Paradogma

 
A great mixture of brutal death metal and epic melodies, gregorian chorals and subtle symphonies. This is when I got notice of this italian behemoth (not literally), it's a band that deserves much more credit for their work!
 
Songs to recommend: Thousands of Christs, Incestuous Dynasty of Worms, Spiritual Ravishment
 
 
Behemoth - The Satanist

 
Their latest release, and by far their strongest. More BM elements than in their last few albums, very natural production, atmosphere and total seriousness. If the music video to "Blow your trumpets, Gabriel" hasn't amazed you enough, this record definitely will. And in all honesty I could say that this is what they could end their carreer with. It just doesn't get better than that.
Song recommendations: BYTG, Ora pro Nobis Lucifer, Amen, In The Absence Ov Light, O Father O Satan O Sun
 
Cannibal Corpse - Tomb Of The Mutilated

 
Disgusting cover, even more disgusting song titles and a production that goes far beyond its time. This classic from 1993 is Cannibal Corpse in a nutshell. Fast, heavy chugs with lots of pace changes, hammer blasts, great grunting vocals and a versatile, well audible bass.
Recommendations: Hammer Smashed Face, I Cum Blood, The Cryptic Stench, Post-Mortal Ejaculation, Entrails Ripped From A Virgin's Cunt
 
Fleshgod Apocalypse - Agony

 
The right way of combining extreme metal with symphonic elements. Nuff said.
Recommendations: The Inquisition, The Deceit, The Violation, The Forsaking
 
Immolation - Unholy Cult

 
Dark Death Metal featured with epic solos, raw production and an absolutely evil atmosphere. This is as close as death metal can get to black metal, without actually being black metal. Despite being around for over 20 years now, Immolation is not common knowledge in the death metal scene, which is sad.
Recommendations: Unholy Cult, Of Martyrs And Men, Bring Them Down, A Kingdom Divided
 
 
Nile - Those Whom The Gods Detest

 
Great technical, fast death metal with aegyptian-inspired harmonies.
Recommendations: Kafir!, Those Whom The Gods Detest, The Eye Of Ra
 
 
Opeth - EVERY DAMN ALBUM!!!!
 
(even the newest one, Pale Communion ..and maybe not Heritage)
 
I don't think Opeth needs to be introduced to many heavy metal fans, but still recommending this band is necessary at all costs. Great progressive death metal with an average song span of ~9 minutes and a fuckton of great ideas, genre jumps and just pure epicness.
 

 
 
Vader - De Profundis

 
Back in the times when their thrash metal influences were still very present. As every other album basically, this one is just a great example of death/thrash metal with probably the most iconic growling voice of all time.
Recommendations: Silent Empire, Blood Of Kingu, Incarnation, Sothis, Of Moon And Dream And Me

This is what I would spontaneously recommend to check out in the realms of extreme metal (as bear mostly posts of), just my share of the cake:
 
Hour of Penance - Paradogma

 
A great mixture of brutal death metal and epic melodies, gregorian chorals and subtle symphonies. This is when I got notice of this italian behemoth (not literally), it's a band that deserves much more credit for their work!
 
Songs to recommend: Thousands of Christs, Incestuous Dynasty of Worms, Spiritual Ravishment
 
 
Behemoth - The Satanist

 
Their latest release, and by far their strongest. More BM elements than in their last few albums, very natural production, atmosphere and total seriousness. If the music video to "Blow your trumpets, Gabriel" hasn't amazed you enough, this record definitely will. And in all honesty I could say that this is what they could end their carreer with. It just doesn't get better than that.
Song recommendations: BYTG, Ora pro Nobis Lucifer, Amen, In The Absence Ov Light, O Father O Satan O Sun
 
Cannibal Corpse - Tomb Of The Mutilated

 
Disgusting cover, even more disgusting song titles and a production that goes far beyond its time. This classic from 1993 is Cannibal Corpse in a nutshell. Fast, heavy chugs with lots of pace changes, hammer blasts, great grunting vocals and a versatile, well audible bass.
Recommendations: Hammer Smashed Face, I Cum Blood, The Cryptic Stench, Post-Mortal Ejaculation, Entrails Ripped From A Virgin's Cunt
 
Fleshgod Apocalypse - Agony

 
The right way of combining extreme metal with symphonic elements. Nuff said.
Recommendations: The Inquisition, The Deceit, The Violation, The Forsaking
 
Immolation - Unholy Cult

 
Dark Death Metal featured with epic solos, raw production and an absolutely evil atmosphere. This is as close as death metal can get to black metal, without actually being black metal. Despite being around for over 20 years now, Immolation is not common knowledge in the death metal scene, which is sad.
Recommendations: Unholy Cult, Of Martyrs And Men, Bring Them Down, A Kingdom Divided
 
 
Nile - Those Whom The Gods Detest

 
Great technical, fast death metal with aegyptian-inspired harmonies.
Recommendations: Kafir!, Those Whom The Gods Detest, The Eye Of Ra
 
 
Opeth - EVERY DAMN ALBUM!!!!
 
(even the newest one, Pale Communion ..and maybe not Heritage)
 
I don't think Opeth needs to be introduced to many heavy metal fans, but still recommending this band is necessary at all costs. Great progressive death metal with an average song span of ~9 minutes and a fuckton of great ideas, genre jumps and just pure epicness.
 

 
 
Vader - De Profundis

 
Back in the times when their thrash metal influences were still very present. As every other album basically, this one is just a great example of death/thrash metal with probably the most iconic growling voice of all time.
Recommendations: Silent Empire, Blood Of Kingu, Incarnation, Sothis, Of Moon And Dream And Me

I personally haven't listened to Nightmare in a long time (the last release I heard by them was a single somewhere in 2011), but I decided to watch that video DogManX posted just out of curiosity. Is it just me, or does Yomi sound....really off and frankly quite terrible here? I mean the few Nightmare songs I have he sounds like he should but this just feels weird.

it's not just you. sad to say, the 'good instrumentals + bad vocals' have been going on in the last couple of releases.. i remember it was exactly the same thing in their Gallows preview.
 
Deus ex machina was probably the last Nightmare song i can bear listening to; even there you could sense Yomi'is vocals were kinda coming apart, except the song is so good it papered over the shortcomings in his delivery. TABOO and blur on the other hand are just unlistenable.

has anyone by chance taken a listen into the new single blur?
 

 
I must say, the instrumentals are not bad. especially buddies. but yomi just sounds like shit and messes it up the moment he starts singing.

the good songs are getting better and better with each listen.
 
In detail this is Tosei, Behind a vacant image, Tefutefu, Chain repulsion, Kaishun, Phenomenon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFcjlB2y8VQ
 
Chain repulsion live

Arche has all of this...?

Some of it is very.. far fetched. This is what I could defnitely clarify:
AWAKE-evoke the urge-
02.-1 ( Static-X / Get To The Gone )
07.forsaken ( Breaking Benjamin/ The Diary of Jane )
08.paranoid parade ( Static-X / DestroyAll )
BLISS OUT [DISC.1]
08.UNDEAD FACT ( Bullet For My Valentine / Wakingthe demon)
09.SIX BLACK NINE ( Static-X / I Am / …InA Bag)
10.GRACE ( 浜崎あゆみ / HANABI-episodeⅡ-)　
CREATURE
04.VICE ( D'espairsRay / REDEEMER )
12.CREATURE ( VAMPS/ SEX BLOODROCKN'ROLL )
DECADE
05.死桜 ( Static-X / Start A War )
 
 
 
Damn that last song is SO OBVIOUS

Jesus christ, I forgot about this performance. Everything on Blitz was pretty much gold.
I have a feeling they could easily pull another Blitz performance again since they've got their game back.

Dir en grey x AKB47 / Gackt? Are you fucking serious? I might just have fallen into a troll trap, but it was worth it.
 
I'd like to see
Nightmare x the Gazette
 
Dir en grey x downy
 
Jupiter x Moi Dix Mois
 
Hazuki (lynch) x lynch
 
Black Gene For The Next Scene x R-Shitei
 
Girugamesh x Kanon Wakeshima
 
Gonin-Ish - sukekiyo