Kaleidoscope

Ah don't worry, no offense taken, glad to get any feedback at all!
 
Since you showed some interest in the project, I guess I can at least tell you a thought or two on the whole thing so you get some insight on what we are trying to achieve. The band is still in a very early stage and we haven't really settled on a proper style yet, so to be honest, none of us is completely happy with our visual material yet - it's always hard to pull off the visual image as a non-asian band because of all the negative stigma surrounding it, but we will see what we can do in the future when it comes to that.
As for the sound itself, I just recently joined the band, they had a female vocalist before me, so for the vocals I've been in a weird spot where I either had to record in her range (which is okay, but slightly above the range where I feel most comfortable) or in the lower octave, which sounds somewhat boring most of the time. Our next release will be tailored to my vocals, so I hope I can change your mind if you care to check it out then We will definitely try to improve and redefine our sound and image, so thanks for your input!
 
Also, the last statement honestly made me smile a bit, so I take it as a compliment haha
 

What a song and what a video. The song, the sexy-af-saxophone by none other than sax-god himself, Tim Cappello, the video. 6/6/6/
 
That ending has to be among the best parts I've ever seen in a music video. Been watching this on repeat all morning.

First time trying a new hair colour, I look different
 
 

Coming from a superfan I don't think I'm going to change any opinions here, but:
 
1) DADAROMA's style has been largely consistent since their formation with a balance of alt-rock, deathcore, 'dark pop' and jazzy numbers. People picking and choosing tracks they don't like as an argument for a change in musical direction have clearly not listened to very much of the band's work thoroughly.
 
2) Judging a new release from a 30-second clip is, and has always been, a waste of time because you can never tell what the full track will be like. Case in point from this very band, zouka to kalashnikov chose a section near the end of the song with only clean vocals for the preview, but it turned out to have brutal breakdowns and screams too.
 
TLDR, nothing so far is a 'departure' from DDRM's established style, and don't judge any music before hearing the whole thing.

How is not true when statistically there are only 2-3 of these deathcore songs in their early discography? You have Oboeru Sakana, Ame no Waltz and Lucid Dream, which are three songs out of maybe 9-10 around that time, which were all either the Industrial Rock/Metal style stuff they are still mostly playing or the lighter stuff you mentioned. Dadaism#1 was alright, but it really only had two songs of the style everyone wants to hear, party stuff like "SEX!" existed back then too.
 
Don't get me wrong, I much prefer their deathcore stuff too and wish they would keep it as their standard style, but I think people are being mislead just because Dadaroma chose these songs for their PVs and built up people's expectations, but in reality their sound has always stayed more or less the same. "This is live" had a deathcore like track as well by the way (the one with the long title and piano), so not much has changed. 
 
I agree that Dadaism#3 was super forgettable though, by far their weakest release in my opinion. Lots of their stuff afterwards was really catchy though, "Pornograph" was great, "Innocent Holic" is really fun and say what you want about "The Kinky", the chorus might be lame, but it's definitely quite memorable in a way.

With the first half of the year (almost) over, I thought it would be fitting to look at 6 albums and 6 singles that I have enjoyed so far. I'm going to include mini-albums in the former category. If you discover something new here, that would be cool. If you have a different opinion and would like to leave that in the comments, that would be cool too.
To make it simple, I'm just going to cover them in release order.
 
 
ALBUMS
 
03.07 DADAROMA - 「This is “LIVE”」
It's surely no surprise that possibly my favourite active band in the VK scene steals a spot with their latest mini-album. I'll be honest, this one didn't quite hit me on the first listen like a lot of their other releases, but after several listens it quickly became one of my favourites. The energetic and fast-paced dark pop opening of ファントムペイン (phantom pain) serves as an excellent opener to an EP that is overall quite dark in overall tone but with a ray of light in the surprisingly raw ある日、世界は美しいと思った。 (aruhi, sekai wa utsukushii to omotta.). The divisive 「THE KINKY」 nevertheless remains in your head longer than you might like, and of course we finally got a studio recording of live favourite KIDS' WAR. My personal top pick this time though is イノセント・ホリック (innocent-holic) for its energetic and ridiculously memorable chorus.

03.28 MY FIRST STORY - THE PREMIUM SYMPHONY
This one might seem like a surprising choice considering there are no new songs here, but the concept of bringing an orchestra to a rock concert has always been one that is very attractive to me (Bring Me The Horizon were also very successful with this recently in my opinion). MFS have done a great job of picking some of their best recent tracks and giving them a more epic makeover. I honestly don't really have a lot more to say since we know these tracks already, but for anyone with a similar disposition to yours truly, I think this is well worth a listen.

04.25 21g - GENORATION 2
This second album from 21g outdoes their first in both variety and maturity and comes off as a far more memorable release for it. 21g always had a certain element of whimsy to their writing and song topics, from songs about cats and chocolate to the common use of the soul (supposedly weighing 21 grams) and even the bands' own name in their lyrics, but toning that down a little and focusing more on memorable composition and trying some new things makes this album far superior to its predecessor. Other than outstanding singles 魂ノ歌 (tamashii no uta; one of my favourite songs ever) and 1st FINGER capping off each end of the album, HEAVY RAIN also gets a beautiful acoustic treatment highlighting Geno's gorgeous husky vocals and Miyako's guitar. Standout new tracks for me were catchy サイコパス (psychopath), kooky but powerful 頭文字G (kashira-moji G) and surprisingly raw engagement. If you haven't checked out 21g before, this is a great place to start.

05.02 零[Hz] (zero hertz) - 零聖戦 (zero seisen)
I can't find the comment right now, but someone here said that this is the best 'generic kei' album in recent memory. However, I think that doesn't do it justice. This is a rare case of a release that wasn't really on my radar impressing me so much that I went out and bought it (99% of the new music I buy these days I am aware of well in advance). The vocals are great, the instrumentals are tight and often surprisingly heavy, and the album is just a blast all the way through, if a little on the long side. ZIHARD opens with a sense of urgency and immediately ramps up the energy, lead track AZUL is incredibly catchy, and it's just a parade of energetic synth-happy visual kei from there on out. It's not just really listenable, but at times genuinely great and one of the biggest surprises this year for me.

06.06 LOVEBITES - BATTLE AGAINST DAMNATION
From the bottom of my heart (and maybe also somewhere a little lower *ahem*) I truly believe these girls are the new vanguard for old-school power metal in Japan. Some might knock them for their lustrous costuming and all-girl lineup, but give any single song from LOVEBITES a listen and you will understand immediately that they know how to rock. Inspired by the best of 80s metal from Iron Maiden to Helloween, lyrics all in good but sometimes slightly incoherent English, and lengthy duelling guitar solos, and you have all the basics for a good time. The members are all talented, the performances are tight, and the composition is rock solid. The girls even won the Best Newcomer Award at the Golden Gods Award Show this month for this very release. If you're not put off by female vocals in your power metal, LOVEBITES are absolutely one to watch. (Also props to my bae Miyako for being in not one but two bands with top six releases this year).

06.13 the GazettE - NINTH
Well, here we are again. The GazettE have put out a new album, which means the fandom has been split once again; I for one am on the side that very much enjoyed this one. As others have said before me, I think the bar is set so high for this band after their lengthy career that it's less a matter of sub-standard music and more a case of unreasonable expectations. Had any of a number of less well-known indies visual bands sent this album out into the world, we would be singing their praises. But it's the GazettE, so again those wanting more of the same are disappointed, while on the other side who encourage trying new things are criticizing the band for doing just that. Following their metalcore-inspired DARK AGE project, the GazettE have refined a more gritty sound that retains those heavy elements like chugging riffs and breakdowns but incorporates more alternative songwriting and a more diverse composition than their last album. It's a difficult one to rate for me because at first there were not a lot of standout tracks; instead the album as a whole is very pleasant to listen to with a shorter runtime than usual and less filler too. Of course lead track Falling is a strong, memorable opener, and UNFINISHED cleverly fades out the album with a much more old-school GazettE vibe and a riff reminiscent of a more mature 春雪の頃 (shunsetsu no koro, which is also one of my favourite older tracks). I also really enjoyed TWO OF A KIND with that looped ending vocal sample over the heavy instrumental as well as the more experimental composition in THE MORTAL. The two softer tracks in the middle were both solid and NINTH ODD SMELL grew on me surprisingly quickly considering how bland it is composition-wise. It's a testament to how difficult it is to talk about the GazettE these days that this is already the longest comment on this list so let's leave it at that for now.
 
 
SINGLES
 
03.01 abstracts - Nocturne
After starting out without a vocalist and still pulling off one of the best djent EPs I've ever heard (with some guest help of course), skip forward three-and-a-half years and abstracts have recruited a vocalist who brings something a little different to their brand of technical metalcore. Their 'street' EP MODE, once I was able to get my hands on it, proved to be a great showcase of the style they have settled into, with even a little urban influence in some of their tracks like Monologue. I'm convinced though that Nocturne might be their best song to date, or at least in their current lineup. From the brutal technical riffs to the way the chorus slowly builds up to a kind of release, this is a headbanger for sure. Do yourself a favor and hit it up on YouTube.

03.07 NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST - WHITEOUT
I know they call this one an EP, but it just isn't. Three songs and an instrumental is just a maxi single. With that out of the way, I love all three of the widely different tracks presented here. The lead track seemed at first like a hot mess when the PV came out, but it grew on me after multiple listens and I respect the band trying something a little unusual with the sax. LIVE TO DIE is one of my favourite NCBL songs in recent memory; it just hits so hard but with such a memorable chorus that this was my jam for a long time. To wrap things up, 無義道 (mugidou) is a beautifully melancholic track that slows things down again. A really solid single in my opinion.

03.13 キズ (kizu) - 傷痕 (kizuato)
For me, Kizu is a band that has just been going from strength to strength. It bothers me slightly that to collect all of their songs, you have to buy both types of every single, but at least that's a sensible way to divide types, unlike what many other bands are doing. The djent-inspired composition is just my jam, and the instrumentals are tight. For me, Lime's vocals are not just tolerable but impressive - even more so on this release, which showcases his range a lot better (in terms of style, not just pitch). 怨ミ節 (uramibako) suprised me with almost operatic, enka-like notes in a very powerful and memorable performance. EMIL also has that same energy Kizu always displays, but in a more melancholic style. Another really good single.

04.15 SARIGIA - DECAYED
Thanks to some kind soul on YouTube we are able to hear this live-limited release from promising new band SARIGIA. (Still looking for a copy to buy, anyone...) After their solid first release RUIN, this continues to build up the hype. Beginning with a surprisingly solid instrumental track, both of the full songs on this single are excellent, with the band starting to really form an image for themselves and a certain atmosphere in their composition. Until such a time as it is widely leaked or I can get hold of a copy, I urge you to hit this one up on YT while you still can.

05.08 BABYMETAL - Distortion
I feel like I've never really had an opportunity to explain my relationship with BABYMETAL. Like so many others, when this group was first announced, I wrote it off as a bizarre excuse to stick underaged idol schoolgirls on another genre of music. However, after the release of their second album, I happened to get a lift one day from a friend who I know is a massive fan, who was playing it in his car. I was so impressed with the composition and surprisingly catchy mix of metal and pop elements that I asked who it was, and found a new respect for BABYMETAL. In addition to arguably one of the best touring bands in metal, featuring none other than Leda of my ex-top band DELUHI, I started to take this group seriously. Distortion is, if repetitive, another good showcase of intense but catchy songwriting, and the other new song they have been playing live is solid too. I'm really looking forward to another album announcement.

05.23 breakin' holiday - LILITH
This one makes it onto the list over a couple of others due to the sheer number of times I've rocked out to the title track. After the confusing mess that was ZERO MIND INFINITY, Juri and co. seem to have found a solid formula with their current lineup and LILITH took me completely by surprise when it was first released on YouTube. It has that old DELUHI sound that I forgot I missed so much (in part because of Juri's vocals, for obvious reasons), but LILITH is just so damn intense and gets my blood pumping every time. It has a pace to it that makes even loop listens satisfying. Let's not talk about the second track though...
 
 
Edit: Might have jumped the gun slightly by not waiting until the end of the month because new DEXCORE is sounding tight.

I don't get everyone saying it's a bland preview, it's actually pretty involved musically and thematically. This preview is also most likely towards the end of the song, and from the sounds of it there's probably gonna be some kind of musical journey from beginning to end, much like what Aru hi, Sekai wa Utsukushii to Omotta gave us. I'm definitely very excited for the single, and hope to hear previews of the other tracks soon.

Can't tell that much from that short sample really, but the riff towards the end gives me hope this one might be rather heavy during the verses.
 
Kinda sad that it has become cool to hate on these guys, they haven't even changed much at all and have always put party songs on each bigger release, the deathcore stuff has always been more of an exception among their songs. More people should check out their latest mini-album and not avoid it because of "The Kinky", it's their heaviest and most consistent release in my opinion and beats the two Dadaism minis easily.

Can't tell that much from that short sample really, but the riff towards the end gives me hope this one might be rather heavy during the verses.
 
Kinda sad that it has become cool to hate on these guys, they haven't even changed much at all and have always put party songs on each bigger release, the deathcore stuff has always been more of an exception among their songs. More people should check out their latest mini-album and not avoid it because of "The Kinky", it's their heaviest and most consistent release in my opinion and beats the two Dadaism minis easily.

Can't tell that much from that short sample really, but the riff towards the end gives me hope this one might be rather heavy during the verses.
 
Kinda sad that it has become cool to hate on these guys, they haven't even changed much at all and have always put party songs on each bigger release, the deathcore stuff has always been more of an exception among their songs. More people should check out their latest mini-album and not avoid it because of "The Kinky", it's their heaviest and most consistent release in my opinion and beats the two Dadaism minis easily.

Can't tell that much from that short sample really, but the riff towards the end gives me hope this one might be rather heavy during the verses.
 
Kinda sad that it has become cool to hate on these guys, they haven't even changed much at all and have always put party songs on each bigger release, the deathcore stuff has always been more of an exception among their songs. More people should check out their latest mini-album and not avoid it because of "The Kinky", it's their heaviest and most consistent release in my opinion and beats the two Dadaism minis easily.

Can't tell that much from that short sample really, but the riff towards the end gives me hope this one might be rather heavy during the verses.
 
Kinda sad that it has become cool to hate on these guys, they haven't even changed much at all and have always put party songs on each bigger release, the deathcore stuff has always been more of an exception among their songs. More people should check out their latest mini-album and not avoid it because of "The Kinky", it's their heaviest and most consistent release in my opinion and beats the two Dadaism minis easily.

Honestly sounds way better so far than anything they've released since the past year or so. Are you sure y'alls ears are working today? Hopefully there are some nice heavy parts in-between the chorus. 

A Dramatic Retelling of the Time the Dude from Undeux Went Missing but then Ordered a Pizza With the Band's Line Account
 
by The Reverend
 
 
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
 
EXT. TOKYO ALLEYWAY, ENTRANCE TO IKEBUKURO BLACK HOLE -- EVENING
CUT TO:
 
INT. BACKSTAGE DRESSING ROOM
 
The vanity shelves are filled with various makeup and hair products. Members from various indies VK bands are milling about; applying makeup, styling hair, strumming vacantly on guitars. As we pan to the rear corner the members of Undeux are half in costume chatting while getting dressed.
 
(If writing is visible it is in Japanese. All speech is in English.)
 
AL (GUITAR)
Can you believe this asshole? He was supposed to be here like two hours ago? What if he doesn't show?
 
Luchat turns away from the mirror while affixing feathers to his wig.
 
LUCHAT (DRUMS)
Can any of you guys sing?
 
AL
Riku couldn't sing! Anyone willing to get up there and just kinda shriek occasionally while pointing into the audience and making up some furi?
 
Koji is sitting on the floor applying fake blood to his face.
 
KOJI (BASS)
No can do. You guys are already making me play bass; I've got enough to try and remember.
 
AL
Damnit.
 
Kai walks through the door in full stage makeup buttoning his bloody white shirt.
 
KAI (GUITAR)
Hey has anyone heard from...
 
AL
No.
 
KOJI
No.
 
LUCHAT
Nope.
 
KAI
Damnit.
 
AL
Alright we can't not go on stage now...
 
Al spots a couple of boxes (formerly containing hairspray bottles) near the corner of the room and raises his eyebrows furtively.
 
AL (CONT'D)
I've got an idea!
 
CROSSFADE from Al cutting one of the boxes with a pair of scissors to the band performing on stage with a 3-foot tall cutout of a person taped to a mic stand instead of a vocalist. The cutout has been splattered with fake blood.
 
FADE TO BLACK as the band performs.
 
 
ACT TWO
 
EXT. A NONDESCRIPT APARTMENT COMPLEX IN EDOGAWA. TWO DAYS LATER. -- NIGHT
CUT TO:
 
INT. A SMALL JAPANESE APARTMENT WITH LOTS OF BAND POSTERS ON THE WALL. SOME FLOWERS/CARTOON PLUSHES/PRODUCTS THAT INDICATE IT IS A WOMAN'S ROOM ARE VISIBLE. A 20-SOMETHING GIRL IS LOUNGING ON THE BED MESSING WITH HER CELL PHONE.
 
RIKU is sitting Indian-style on the floor with a laptop on his lap. There is some hard (but not offensively brutal) rock playing on his laptop speakers.
 
RIKU (VOCALS, UNDEUX)
You hungry babe?
 
GIRL on the bed does not look up or to check whether or not her response is heard.
 
GIRL
Hmm?
 
RIKU
Want to go out?
 
GIRL
Ehh.
 
RIKU
Well *I'm* hungry. Let's go grab some food.
 
GIRL
I don't get paid till Friday, I'm kinda broke.
 
RIKU has stood up and is rifling through the small cupboard and refrigerator.
 
RIKU
Damn, me too. I'm sick of instant noodles though, I'm gonna order some pizza. Whatchu want on your half?
 
GIRL
Where you ordering from?
 
RIKU
That Italian place downstairs. You can just hit 'em up on Line to order.
 
GIRL
Corn and mayo!
 
RIKU
Gross, fine.
 
RIKU grabs his laptop and starts typing.
 
SFX: PAN OUT THROUGH WINDOW TO WIDE SHOT OF APARTMENT BUILDING WITH GATHERING THUNDERSTORM IN THE BACKGROUND.
 
MUSIC: DRAMATIC ORCHESTRAL HITS.
 
FADE TO BLACK:
 
 
ACT THREE
 
EXT. SAME EDOGAWA APARTMENT COMPLEX. TWO HOURS LATER. -- NIGHT
 
INT. SAME APARTMENT. MOSTLY FINISHED PIZZA/BOX SIT ON THE TABLE. GIRL IS STILL MINDLESSLY PLAYING WITH PHONE BUT LAYING WITH HEAD ON FOOT OF BED.
 
RIKU is finishing a slice of pizza as he sits down at his computer again, looking very satisfied.
 
MUSIC: OMINOUS BUT FAINT
 
RIKU is reading intently on computer when his face drops and grows pale. He instinctively covers his mouth with his hand while continuing to scroll.
 
RIKU
Oh fuck.
 
GIRL
Huh?
 
RIKU
Oh fuck oh fuck.
 
GIRL looks up from phone at RIKU. She is still lying on the bed.
 
GIRL
What's up?
 
RIKU stands and begins pacing on the small apartment floor.
 
RIKU
Oh man this is not good... I was logged into the band's account when I ordered that pizza!
 
GIRL
Didn't you quit that band?
 
RIKU
I did! But I guess I hadn't logged out and into my own Line on my laptop. Shit! I didn't show up to our last show those guys are gonna be so pissed at me!
 
GIRL sits up.
 
GIRL
Why were they expecting you at their show?
 
RIKU
Well, I quit the band... but didn't really tell them it would be *immediately*. They've been texting me non-stop.
 
GIRL
Oh my god, you idiot.
 
RIKU
I was trying to let them down easy!
 
GIRL
Just pay them back.
 
RIKU
I'm not worried about the money!
 
GIRL
Is this really that big a deal?
 
RIKU
Oh my god yes, you don't fuck with Rame and get away with it. I need to call my lawyer.
 
GIRL
*Your* lawyer? Who do you think you are? You definitely don't have some lawyer on retainer.
 
RIKU
I... you know what I mean!
Seriously, I could be in some shit.
 
SFX: PAN OUT THROUGH WINDOW TO WIDE SHOT OF APARTMENT WHILE RIKU IS PACING AND DIALING A NUMBER ON HIS CELL PHONE. IT IS RAINING HARD AND A SINGLE CROW IS CAWING ON SOME POWER LINES BELOW THEIR APARTMENT WINDOW.
 
FADE TO BLACK:
 
 
ACT FOUR
 
EXT. AN UNIDENTIFIED AVERAGE TOKYO STREET. MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS IN STORES ON THE STREETS -- DAY
 
INT. A LUXURIOUSLY APPOINTED OFFICE. THE FOUR NON-VOCALIST MEMBERS OF UNDEUX SIT ON ONE SIDE OF A LARGE WOODEN DESK. A LARGE BALD BODYGUARD-TYPE MAN STANDS NEAR THE DOOR WEARING A SUIT AND SUNGLASSES. THE BAND, IN CASUAL CLOTHES, ARE FACING THE BACK OF A STATELY LEATHER OFFICE CHAIR ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DESK.
 
The chair slowly spins around to reveal RAME of the record label GLKingdom and former bassist of VK band Vidoll. RAME is wearing a charcoal suit and a black tie.
 
RAME
Thank you for meeting me. Let's discuss how we can resolve this unfortunate... 'incident'.
 
KAI
Well...
 
The members of Undeux look at each other nervously.
 
AL
Well, we want to keep going. We were hoping, you know, that maybe you knew a vocalist who would be interested...
 
RAME laughs softly.
 
AL (CONT'D)
...in joining the band.
 
RAME
Yes, yes. That can all be arranged. I was speaking more about what to do with Riku.
 
LUCHAT
Wha...?
 
KOJI
We still haven't heard from him.
 
AL
Well, other than the pizza thing.
 
LUCHAT
Yeah, what a dick.
 
RAME pulls a white envelope from a drawer.
 
RAME
First, he quits the band and no-shows despite promising me he'd keep performing till the summer.
 
RAME (CONT'D)
Then, he hides and doesn't return any of my calls or texts. And finally...
 
RAME opens the letter contained in the envelope.
 
RAME (CONT'D)
...I get a letter from a lawyer claiming that the record deal you all signed was invalid and Riku not showing up was not a breach of contract at all.
 
The members of Undeux are fidgeting in their seats but do not say anything.
 
RAME (CONT'D)
Our friend Riku needs a lesson in respect and honor.
 
KOJI
What do you...?
 
RAME nods at the large man standing by the door. The bodyguard nods back and exits the room.
 
RAME
Let's not worry about Riku any longer.
 
The members of Undeux look slightly afraid but don't move or speak.
 
RAME (CONT'D)
Now, about finding you guys a new vocalist... have you heard of the band QEDDESHET?
 
FADE TO BLACK:
 
 
ACT FIVE
 
EXT. A GRIMEY TOKYO ALLEYWAY. IT IS RAINING LIGHTLY -- EVENING
 
RIKU runs around a corner and places his hands on his knees to try to catch his breath. He is looking from side to side very nervously. RIKU starts walking quickly, while often looking over his shoulder, toward one end of the alley.
 
As RIKU approaches a large man in a dark suit appears at the end of the alley that RIKU is headed toward. RIKU,
panicked, turns and begins running in the opposite direction.
 
RIKU is sprinting and splashing through puddles of the alley. As he nears the corner he appeared from originally another man in a suit emerges holding a black handgun.
 
RIKU
No! Please...
 
The second suited man emotionlessly aims the gun at RIKU and pulls the trigger. The man wipes the gun with his pocket square and lays the gun down beside Riku's body. The suited men walk away quickly but confidently.
 
OVERHEAD SHOT:
Camera slowly pans upward as the blood from RIKU's gunshot mixes with the water his body is lying in. Camera pans upward until it is above the roofline and even the silhouette of RIKU's lifeless body has disappeared from view.
 
CUT TO:
 
INT. UNNAMED TOKYO LIVE HOUSE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PERFORMANCE.
 
The band Undeux are walking out onstage to a pulsing techno track. A new, unidentified vocalist comes out last to lots of shouting from the crowd. The intro track ends and a drum fill signals the beginning of Undeux's first song. The new vocalist crouches over and unleashes an imperfect but earnest pig-squeal as the guitars kick in.
 
The camera finds RAME at the rear of the club watching dispassionately. The large suited man from his office approaches and whispers something into his ear that is unheard over the band's performance.
 
One corner of RAME's lips fold upward into a wry smile.
FADE TO BLACK:
TITLE CARD: fin.
 

For better or for worse, visual kei is something that's had an impact on my life.  I never thought groups of cross dressing Japanese men playing metal would be something that's stuck with me for so long, but throughout all the surprises, discoveries, disappointments, and developments I've stuck around in some capacity. I may not be as heavy into visual kei or Japanese music as I used to be, but there's a part of me that will always go back to the music I've enjoyed and another part of me that's always looking forward to new bands, activities, and trends. Here are five things I really enjoy about the scene which has kept me coming back again and again since 1999.
 

 

 
 

 
 


 
 
So those are all the things I like about visual kei. I'm sure I missed some. What do you like about visual kei?

Their new single 『PLUTO』 wiil be released on 2018.06.27. (3 songs ; 1500 yen)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

the god and death stars >>> gibkiy x3

People saying Lime proved he has range in this latest Kizu single, and I'm like, ma dudes WHERE?
 
he's like full C5 Tenor all the freakin time, it's borderline maddening

Dir en grey is still visual kei.

Much better than anything on Sunbather and New Bermuda.

Sweet as fuck as usual from Ghost. Great video too.

While not a band within the genres mentioned in the OP, I'm still gonna post this band as they're black metal.
 
Wigrid! The debut album were highly influenced by Burzum, and I would guess especially Det som engang var and Burzum/Aske. Albeit with a more depressive twist to it all. The second album is also very Burzum influenced, but it's slower and contains much more traditional depressive black metal riffing similar to what you'd hear in Strid, Nidhoggr and Nyktalgia.
 
I'll have to go with Hoffnungstod as the best of the two albums, but both are absolutely amazing. Hoffnungstod is a modern classic and one of the best black metal albums of the 2000's imo.
 
 
The reason I had to post this is because I am a huge fan, and I am gonna get dressed and walk up to my local mail office and pick up Discography Box Part II, which is the second tape box that collects every Wigrid and Elfenblut (pre-Wigrid) material, with the exception of the two tracks from the latest split release. I liked the first one a lot, so I will be pleased about getting this too. Like the first box it also contains a 3" CD with a track.

We're not grouping by race though, we are grouping based on where the bands are located/have their main activities. Which is why we agreed for example that DISREIGN (whatever happened to them) would be allowed in the J-Rock forum as their base of operations is in Japan. If we were grouping by race we'd have all kinds of trouble trying to determine racial composition of bands, and I know most of us staff would rather not become hobby eugenicists on the account of keeping the Japanese Rock scene racially pure. We said the same to the people who, as opposed of your opinion, demanded that we remove bands with one or more foreign members from the VK section entirely.
 
The question was raised a while ago and it was this conclusion we came to as a team, but I on a personal level would be open to a Visual (International) sub-forum to differentiate from the other foreign acts. More and more proficient musicians overseas are starting to identify with the term so I could see there being an eventual demand for one.