enyx

Here's my first solo-selfy of 2015 kekeke.
 

Ugh, looking shit recently. That photo is the only decent one.
 

I swear my loyalty to Trombe, and no other.

... I can accept this. You get a pass.

So you praise nekkichi and you praise Jrockdrama but you don't praise the actual god Zeus? And you expect me to smite your foes? Hah!

Artist: Jupiter Album: THE HISTORY OF GENESIS Score: The Birth of Venus. The Death of Creativity.
Visual Kei is a world of its own; a patchwork scene that mixes and matches various established genres and reinterprets them under its own musical and aesthetic niches. The peculiarities found within the scene - which can range from vocal style, visuals, songwriting, marketing ploys, to general band ethics - are usually recognizable, but also fleeting at best. When you add in the fact that any given Visual Kei band can have an entirely different set of musical influences, this renders comparison to the "source" of those influences a fruitless task outside of music historicism. Visual Kei is best appreciated from within, with some kind of inside narrative. Something that explains how Visual Kei operates or the rationale behind a band's artistic choices. However, sometimes you'll come across a band that defies a narrative - for better or worse. Jupiter is one such band.
On their sophomore effort "THE HISTORY OF GENESIS", it's painfully apparent that they fall in between the cracks of being a successful metal band with Visual Kei aesthetics and a Visual Kei band that has effectively appropriated metal into their repertoire. Instead, they sound like a lukewarm imitation of both - neither delivering from a metal standpoint, nor fully embracing the artistic nooks of Visual Kei. Some of the most "thrashing" moments of the album, like opener "The Birth of Venus", single track "LAST MOMENT" and "ARCADIA", are marred by hackneyed power-metal songwriting and technical, yet emotionless instrumentation that fails to engage. It's as if guitarists HIZAKI and TERU are literally riffing in one ear and out the other. Even the harder hitting songs like "Darkness" and "絶望ラビリンス" lack punch and wouldn't warrant headbanging, much less a simple head nod.
But beyond the lackluster songwriting and sterile musicianship, THE HISTORY OF GENESIS suffers from a host of other issues, one of which is ZIN - Jupiter's vocalist. As a metal vocalist --power-metal in particular-- ZIN doesn't cut it. He lacks the soaring, dynamic range and the theatrical bravado necessary to be compelling. His harsher vocal attempts, as heard in tracks "SACRED ALTAR" and "Darkness", are weak and struggle to be heard amidst all of the drab riffage. Even by Visual Kei standards, ZIN's vocals are thoroughly uncharacteristic. There are no tortured quirks or endearing imperfections to add charm to his performance. So while ZIN isn't a remarkably good vocalist or an offensively bad one, he still occupies an awkward musical territory - one that simultaneously falls short of the expectations of metal and the appeal of Visual Kei.
The final nail in this album's coffin was hammered in by its wearisome length and seemingly asinine arrangement. Of course, metal albums are usually protracted affairs, but with 14 tracks and a duration 10 minutes shy of your average feature-film, there just isn't enough quality material here to justify sitting through it. Omitting a few tracks or trimming some of the fat would have done some good. Running at nearly 8 minutes, title track "The History of Genesis" is a progressive behemoth that feels like more of a chore than an immersive epic. Even with the track being placed near the end (it's the last track on the limited edition), it just feels like a tired recap of the entire album, as opposed to an actual climax. Instrumental guitar ballad "Church Candle", as dull as it is, would have served more effectively as an intro or an outro. Instead it's slapped right in the middle of the album and adds no sense of progression or logical flow. "Shining" is another unfortunate curveball in which Jupiter delves into an oshare kei-esque pop-punk number. Normally, a band's attempt to diversify their sound would be laudable, but in the the context of the album it comes off as half-baked filler.
Though for all of its weaknesses, THE HISTORY OF GENESIS isn't without some merit. One of the band's strongest showings was, ironically, the only song composed by ZIN - "Red Carnation". This track revels in everything Jupiter tried but failed to accomplish with the rest of the album. All of the symphonic and neo-classical elements are kicked into high gear, and ZIN even duets with a female vocalist, giving their music a much needed spark. "THE MOON", however, is the album's most standout track. It's a groovy, mid-tempo ballad where HIZAKI and TERU put the power chords and the chugging on hold to embrace smoother guitar tones. There's even an unexpected, but extremely welcome jazz breakdown. Unlike "Shining", this is an instance in which Jupiter tried something new without deviating from the tone of album or abandoning their core sound.
It's obvious that Jupiter has all of the tools to impress; they're just misusing them 80% of the time. If HIZAKI loosened his compositional stranglehold and allowed more new ideas to flow in and if ZIN were a bit more convincing, then Jupiter could become a force to be reckoned with. But as THE HISTORY OF GENESIS has shown, Jupiter is stuck in an uninspired artistic limbo devoid of a narrative. Whether your musical inclinations lie with metal or Visual Kei, this album is sure to leave you entirely apathetic.

Pretty much as the title says, how'd you discover your current obsession or favorite bands? 
Recommended by a friend? Related YT video browsing? Type away. Tell a story if you will. 

Ironically, all from plug.dj sessions, lmao.

METAL FOR ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING~
Seriously though, it can vary quite often, and for different reasons. I usually always listen to a type of music depending what mood I'm in or how I'm feeling because, if I'm not, it becomes quite tricky for me to bare with it if it doesn't correspond to how I'm thinking at that moment. So, homework wise, if it's something like maths, I prefer some ambient/classical music. Just gets me more relaxed and focused. Dare I say it, even some math genre listening makes me focus on the task at hand, aha. Or no noise at all if I can help it (I'm a music-holic, I'll need music for every chore if I can). If it's something more creative needing, like photography or art, then I'll listen to some high vocals or hyper stuff like J-pop or Oshare-kei.
Thumbs up for thread revival Pho!

This thread topic is too good not to revive, so since Cat gave me permission, I'm going to bring it back from the dead.
 
For me, music is an absolute must when it comes to studying or just getting shit done in general, but it largely depends on what type of music I'm listening to. Specifically, predominantly instrumental music that features notable rhythmical interplay, with calming (or just not 'in your face') sentiments tends to work really well for me. Examples of artists that have a lot of music like this include toe, how to count one to ten, and haisuinonasa. There's something about different instrumental sections combining in such a precise way to create something that's holistically greater than the sum of its parts that puts me in the perfect mood for being productive myself. 
 
The other type of music that I find can be rather helpful has already been mentioned by Sai and Cat, namely IDM. For example, artists like Solar Fields and Ametsub tend to be extremely effective. Once again I find that the most important thing is that the music has to be calming, but not in that sort of 'putting you to sleep' sort of way; rather, I need it to be calming enough that I don't get particularly stressed nor overly distracted, but 'active' enough that it keeps my brain subconsciously processing things.

really like the hair

I'm half naked in all of my selfies, too. I might be wearing a shirt on top, but....
 

Artist: Develop one's faculties Single: フラスコを振ると天秤揺れた Score: Could be better but could be much, much worse.
When two members from cocklobin form a band together, I'm almost obligated to check it out. It's reasonable to expect at least cocklobin levels of quality in the music and the previews for フラスコを振ると天秤揺れた were intriguing. I'm not quite sure what direction I was expecting フラスコを振ると天秤揺れた to go in, or what to expect from Develop one's faculties, but this wasn't it.
 
Now before the hype train leaves the station, there's good news and bad news. The good news is that this is something different. In a scene where bands can and will play almost any type of music, it's hard to find a good, honest rock band. Both tracks are good, although I prefer the second track "結果論". The way they blend electronic feedback with noise into their rock groove is something visual kei definitely could use more of. The single itself has overtones of LIPHLICH crossed with amber gris on a heavy day, but doesn't sound too much like either. Its indie sensibilities also lend the song a vibe uncharacteristic of the scene with husky vocals to remind the listener that this is a visual kei band. yuya doesn't have the strongest vocals, but he has control, can harmonize, and it goes well with the music. I can't say if DOF has the chops to become the flagship rock visual kei band in a few years, but they are worth keeping an eye on.
 
The bad news is that フラスコを振ると天秤揺れた isn't a strong first impression. Two tracks are not a good enough yardstick to measure this band's potential. In this case, it would have been better if their first release was a mini album. Then they would have had more chances to refine their sound and win the listener over. What I heard on the single caught my passive interest. I don't find either song memorable in the long run and I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it again. I would even go as far to say that I only remember this band for who their members have played with and not their own music. For a first single, that quality is undesirable. In all honesty, DOF might drop off my radar as 2015 progresses unless they aggressively promote themselves and drop the mini album this should have been by early fall.
 
This isn't the brazen first release that was devils in bedside or Dark Design Catalog, but フラスコを振ると天秤揺れた was good enough. I was expecting more from DOF based on the two ex-cocklobin members, but I'm well aware I wouldn't have paid attention to them without the association in the first place. It's not often that I get to say that the worst thing about a new visual kei band is their name. DOF has plenty of room to progress and seem to have a knack for melodies and experimentation. The music just needs a good layer of polish.

This gif is perfection.

Just wanted to make an easy to follow list of the themes we've done and the themes that still need consideration.
If I got anything wrong please let me know, I haven't been to every plug session so maybe I could have missed something. ^^;;
 
Completed themes: Winter/Christmas Male & Female Vocalists  Female Vocalists   Upcoming themes: Soundtrack music   Themes still under consideration: 80s music 90s music Visual Kei only International/Non-Japanese only Kpop only Covers Female Vocalist p.2 Comedy

Just a heads up for anybody that isn't aware, the date for the OST-themed plug that we discussed earlier in this thread was eventually set for this upcoming Thursday, so today's session will be (I presume) themeless.

So yeah, the title is kinda self-explanitory. What kind of music do you all like to listen to while studying or ready? Are there any specific songs, albums, or artists that you put on? Do you have a playlist specifically dedicated to studying/reading? Are there any genres that you find more suited to your study habits more than others? Let me know, i'm curious!
 
 

Just a heads up for anybody that isn't aware, the date for the OST-themed plug that we discussed earlier in this thread was eventually set for this upcoming Thursday, so today's session will be (I presume) themeless.

alternative, indie hip-hopper daoko will release her 3rd album "Dimension" on 2015.02.04!

01. ニルバーナ (feat. Jinmenusagi Pro. DJ6月)
02. 8階 (Pro. DubbyMaple)
03. サイケデリック / OKOK (Pro. Paranel / EeMu)
04. ミルクティ (feat. Paranel Pro. EeMu)
05. オートリロード (Pro. Paranel)
06. fly (Pro. Terumasa Seto)
07. 7日間創造 (Pro. DJ6月)
08. エンドレス (Pro. EeMu)
09. そつぎょう (Pro. ESME)
10. Dimension (feat. 雨風食堂, GOMESS Pro. Paranel

Not one to shy away from releasing albums, it's been really unusual to not have heard a full LP from D in over three years. The years have seen a staggering nine singles, three best albums, and two EPs from the boys which is quite the achievement. Being that there were so many singles, when Kingdom was announced I became worried that the album would be primarily pre-released singles. I was very pleasantly surprised when only four singles made the album and D gave us a whopping 11 brand new tracks. 
 
In a world where bands begin albums with 30-second instrumental introductions, D starts their 7th studio album with "Blood Moon," a visual kei spectacular. This song really captures the overall theme of the album and sets the tone for what to expect throughout: big choruses and big melodies. The song uses a liberal amount of a synth that sounds like it's trying to be a violin, but doesn't sound bad. In fact, this aspect of the song is what proves it's overall 'Visual Kei'-ness, if you will.  "Dark Wings," admittedly, was not my favorite song released prior to Kingdom but in the context of the album it makes sense. While the intro to the song lacks anything special, the chorus is huge and leads into a second verse that makes you forget about the lackluster intro. Possibly the most interesting song on the album is "Mother Doll" which has some of the best guitar work in D's career and one of Asagi's best vocal performances in recent years. The song begins with some pretty intricate metal guitar riffs and works its way through deep verses leading up to a catchy and powerful chorus.    "Tsuki no Sakazuki" was my personal favorite single released for Kingdom. It was the total package, from the catchy German hook to the chorus which really reminded me of older D songs (and how good were those b-sides, though, I mean really). "Tsuki no Sakazuki" gives way, however, to another one of my favorite songs: "Chi ni Nureta Ikkaku," which shows in 4 minutes and 41 seconds exactly why Hiroki is one of the best drummers around. What we've seen so far on Kingdom primarily is Asagi's supreme vocal ability and how well he works with the band as a whole. "Chi ni Nureta Ikkaku" is really driven by the drums in particular which is pretty atypical of D's usual style which focuses on big band compositions rather than focusing on one instrument over another. The third single choice for Kingdom is "Danzai no Juushi (Gunner)," a song that was lackluster on it's very own  release a la "Dark Wings," but comes into it's own in the context of the full album. In fact, it actually ends up standing out quite well with it's extremely-catchy chorus and harsh vocals which, when used as sparingly as on this song, are a real asset instead of a detriment.    "Secret Hangar" is the heaviest song on the album. Using a lot of rhythm in both guitar and drums instead of focusing on big guitar solos and powerful choruses. It's a nice change from the general pace of the album being so dramatic to change direction and now have a song that's really made for cutting loose and losing yourself in a song. "Anökumene" is an interesting anomaly in and of the fact it's less than three minutes in length and entirely instrumental. The song's overall purpose is apparently to break up different segments of the album, but doesn't exactly stand up as it's own number. Nothing about the song is particularly impressive, and I mean that not out of a sense of negativity, but just in the fact it left no impression on me. "En'ou no Koshikake" is definitely on the heavier side and sticks out in my mind in particular because of it's Arabic influence. One of the things I've learned about D after being a fan of them for so, so long is that they never shy away from using musical styles of other cultures in their songs and their continuous use of the Arabic style is one of their most unique characteristics and "En'ou no Koshikake" really drives that point home.    Following in the same vein as it's predecessor, "Kaze ni Totsuita Bailaora" is very influenced by another country. This time, that country is Spain. The song certainly has a nice beat and melody, but fails to stand out as it's own song. The best part, in fact, is the Spanish guitar in the beginning. "Binetsu ~Ame no Fantasia~" is a song on which D made some interesting production choices. It begins with the sound of rain and Asagi singing through a vocal filter of some kind. As the song progresses, it becomes heavier and utilizes harsh vocals more and more before switching gears completely mid-song for the chorus and then returning to the heaviness and harsh vocals. Overall the song feels like the song was initially supposed to be a few other songs and they picked the best parts of those songs to turn into one full song and they called it "Binetsu ~Ame no Fantasia~." This is then followed up with the other instrumental song, "Another Kingdom" which I'm fairly certain is just "Anökumene" with a different title if I'm being totally honest. Again, the song leaves no lasting impression on me.   The absolute climax of the album comes in on "Kurobara no Kishi", which brings us back to the style of song on the first segment of the album. Once again, D shows us how to effectively use the pseudo-choir as a bridge and properly scream a hook. The song goes on for 5 minutes and 15 seconds without losing intensity or interest. The fourth single choice for Kingdom is "Rosenstrauss", a song that is really more pop/rock than anything. After the acoustic piano intro, the song kicks up the pace in a big way creating an extremely exciting environment. Finally, the album closes out with the absolutely massive power ballad "Shuuen ~Sora he no Kaiki~." Not only does this song sufficiently some up the story of Kingdom but it feels like it's the goodbye D fans deserve after such a long and magnificent career. Additionally, the music video for this song is epic in every sense of the word. They spared no expense on the production value and costumes, that's for certain. This particular song inspires a sense of hope rather than finality. As we know, D is going on a hiatus for a while rather than disbanding altogether. The message of "Shuuen" overall, I think, is hope and promise for the future.   Overall, I would highly recommend D's "farewell" album Kingdom.  If there's one thing D does better than any visual rock band, it's putting together a cohesive theme album. Every song on Kingdom makes sense in the overall context without getting boring or repetitive. In fact, I may even dare to say this is their best album to date.     
Please support this artist by buying the album here from our friends over at CDJapan   This was my review published over on VKH, you can view the original article here: http://www.visualkeiheaven.us/2014/12/review-d-kingdom.html#more t

FAVORITE ALBUMS:

MEJIBRAY - THE ”420” THEATRICAL ROSESThe youthful atmosphere of this album attracted me most on the first few listens. It captures a distinct emotional range, and although the tracks start to vary greatly, it is the most cohesive sounding Mejibray release to date, in my opinion. A melancholy runs through it.

アルルカン–ニア・イコールAt first it seemed very similar, then the hooks and differences in the songs started to come to mind. A very dark album that still has a lot of energy.

Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas – PHASE 2
A very, very diverse album, where one track can have more variety than entire albums recorded by other bands. This is the album that made me a big fan of the band, and is the one I can play all the way through, then let play again. High energy, and musical adventure.

ギルガメッシュ– LIVE BEST
This one really had to grow on me, I am a huge fan of newer Girugamesh, since Incomplete, and the sound of every track except Evolution had to grow on me, but it did. Lately Girugamesh has been releasing music that I just can`t get enough plays or volume out of.

ViViD – THE PENDULUM
Although different than the original ViViD many fell for, I found this album full of beautiful tracks, some good heavier tunes, the usual interesting guitar parts, lots of hooks, and a long list of great tracks.

UVERworld – 0 CHOIR
Another album that I love by the band. More laid back with a little less attack than other releases, but full of great tracks that you groove to more than rock or bounce along with as you would with previous releases.

VAMPS – BLOODSUCKERS
A great distinct, nostalgic sound, as well as lyrics that long for the past and look back at things people wish they could change. As usual for me, I start favoring certain tracks much more than others, and then those `skippable` tracks start to grow on me.

ムック– THE END OF THE WORLD
An album that is diverse in true current MuCC fashion, but much more grounded to a certain atmosphere than their two previous full length works. This one is darker, heavier (one of the best rock albums to pitch the sale of a super-woofer with), and more serious. The sound of the band, the vocalist`s voice, and the production are really amazing on this.

コドモドラゴン – CHILDREN`S DOPE
Really surprised by this one. I started to be a big fan with RIGHT EVIL, yet when I first listened to the album it didn`t fully set in yet, and I am not always the biggest fan of sharper sound, or things rough around the edge`s in terms of tone. But the album really became one of my favorite`s, until it shot up to being one of my top favorites. The singles don`t really give a clear enough description of the band and their album really is something else, in my opinion.

Royz – CORE
The main soundtrack of my summer. This was full of great rock tunes with a lot of attitude, and ballads that were very well done and delivered emotionally. They have a dialed in sound, and the vocals are great, it plays like an album comprised of singles, really.

ALSDEAD – IDEA
Every album by them plays out like it has a whole new concept. Seperator was more about imbedded sorrow, and this one was more about standing up and doing battle with whatever is haunting you, or holding you down. I love the attitude, the strong lyrics, and the great musicianship. The whole thing plays out like it is winding up to one big attack, with a some short breaks for softer songs along the way. Tracks like Kill the King and Behind The Pride pull off the theme of rebellion without coming from a childish angle, and describe something many can relate to.

シド– OUTSIDER
Another beautiful album by SID. As always a mixed bag in content but not in quality. It doesn`t have any of their harder tunes on it, and it isn`t the album I listened to most, but there`s just a certain quality to it that makes me think highly of it.

FAVORITE MINI – ALBUMS:

BORN – THE STALIN -666-
Rocked hard, plain and simple.

REDMAN – Flame Of Life
Well made and unexpected. A completely softer yet still strong kind of rock from what we are used to from Satoshi.

LM.C – Perfect Rainbow
Great release after one I did not enjoy as much (Perfect Fantasy). This features LM.C at a medium setting between their most straight-forward work, and their most `quirky`.

FANG – evolutionary Process
Not sure if this is a mini, or full album, but it is short so I will put it in this category. Didn`t know of this band until someone introduced me to their music. Really great youthful feeling and catchy tunes.

Kra –サタヒナト
Really different work featured in this concept album, with a huge emphasis on piano, while retaining lots of the band`s known amazing playing and vocals. Deep and dark atmosphere, which I loved, though the hidden track steals the show.

girugamesh – gravitation
Absolutely awesome album that rocks hard. Heavy and dark atmosphere, but is hard to find any negative vibe in it due to how much headbanging it induces and how much the catches get stuck in my head.

Hello,
 
List goes in descending order until my top-favorite at the bottom of each section. Instead of filling the pages up with stars, just think of the lists starting with albums in the 4 star range, and heading towards a possible 5 at the end. I made the write-ups real short, as it is a long list (still had to cut a lot of favorites though) and hope you get the jist of what I liked about the album, and, (if you haven`t heard it) if you`d like it too. Thanks for reading.
 
FAVORITE SINGLES:

Moran – but Beautiful
Very nice, potent title-track with a weightless yet emotional atmosphere.
 

葵-168-  – 必要惡
Well made, laid-back tunes. One of his softer releases.
 

L’Arc～en～Ciel – EVERLASTING
Awesome atmosphere and sound, an otherworldly tune that calls on their old sound while mixing together their more recent approach.

BugLug – 骨
Three great tracks with very different directions, as usual for the band. The punk sound on the second track was really my favorite.

Royz – Supernova
More great tunes from Royz, one of their softer sounds on the title track, yet all tracks still rock regardless.

BORN – Son of a Bitch
Another bad@ss tune from BORN, one of the tracks that rocked me the hardest this year. They pulled off the electronic breakdown better than most.



NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST – Strike in fact, DESPERATE, Libra
Great releases from the band, which has taken a direction I prefer more, putting their heavy sound together with more melodies and hooks. Strike In fact is the catchiest, DESPERATE is the heaviest, and Libra is the more heartfelt.

DOG inTheパラレルワールドオーケストラ – TOKYOエレクトリックパレード
Amazing single that puts DOG`s current sound together with a Disney atmosphere for this single. On another level than their work in 2013, in my opinion.

ムック – 故に、摩天楼
Quite different from their last album, the title track has a nostalgic and emotional sound without going down a depressing route. Beautiful and catchy.

シド – ENAMEL
Not much to say, as awesome as every other SID single. More of a rock feel than their previous album, and more of a `Visual` delivery.


 
Shounenki – Gazelle, BANG ME
Two singles with a great rock sound, and some of the best melodic hooks I have heard in a while. Really surprised by this band, and anyone who likes soaring vocals and lots of hooks should have already heard it.

ユナイト– レヴ/ice
After my least favorite album from them they came back with what I love from them:  Diverse tracks and songs that leave an impact through amazing playing (guitar esp. for me), amazing vocals, lyrics, and a distinct approach to making music. The way they come out with so many different sounds without it seeming amateur or like they just threw in elements of other musical styles reminds me of SID.




 
DIV - You, Butterfly Dreamer, 漂流彼女, Point of view
Very different singles, and I enjoyed them all. POV is one of my favorite up-beat tunes of the year, Hyouryuu one of my top atmospheric songs, and Butterfly Dreamer is one of my go-to songs when I want to rock.


SuG – Missing, CRY OUT
Amazing singles that did something very different from everything else in 2014. Both are more serious and emotionally driven than what many expect of SuG. The production is also top notch.

DOG inTheパラレルワールドオーケストラ  – 魁!! 祭izm
One of my favorite singles ever. Listening to it the first time, I said `this is why I listen to music `. Hard to think of anything that expresses itself so well to me. I hold this one close.

I don't know about you guys, but I'm super hyped for Xenoblade Chronicles X. The original was already fantastic and one of the best all-around JRPGs of the previous console generation, and X seems to be taking everything that was great about the original and amplifying it (although the soundtrack probably wont be as good with Sawano as the sole composer, in my opinion). Just look at that world design!