enyx

Here is a really weird alien kind of pic of me haha~ finally white/silver/grey hair tho~
 

 

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the plug session is 3am your time.
 
 
It's pretty lax. I do think we're looking for predominant female vocals but it's for fun so just do the best you can come up with. I don't think anyone will complain if a male part in the song pops up here and there. 

Ah, I see. No worries
 
Starting time is 3am in GMT+7 if I'm not mistaken.

Ah, I see. No worries
 
Starting time is 3am in GMT+7 if I'm not mistaken.

Banned because I have no idea how to pronounce your username. K Triangle? K Delta? Dash K Triangle Dash? *flips table*

Introduced to me by my lil sis,
 

 
I've just tried 'em, and I'm loving 'em. 

My top English album + single of this year

 

Paloma Faith - A Perfect Contradiction / 




 

In This Moment - Big Bad Wolf / 

The runners up

 

The Mirraz - この惑星のすべて / 




 

Sarah Àlainn - Sarah / 




 

Ferri - ∞ / 




 


MACO - 23 (Plus) / 





 

The mixed vocals

 

Boris - NOISE / 






 

陰陽座 - 風神界逅 / 雷神創世




 

The honourable mentions

 

KAMIJO - Heart




 

DIR EN GREY - ARCHE

My top 10 Japanese female musician releases
 
Charisma.com - DIStopping /

 
大塚 愛- LOVE FANTASTIC / 

 
THE TEENAGE KISSERS - Virgin Field / 

 
FLOWER FLOWER - 実 / 

 
Aimer - UnChild + Midnight Sun / 


  nano.RIPE - 涙の落ちる速度 / 


 
YUKI - FLY / 

 
椎名林檎 - 日出処 / 

 
小南泰葉 - 怒怒哀楽 / 

 
大森靖子 - 洗脳 / 

Post 1 - Top 10 Japanese male musician releases (♫ Just keep scrolling, just keep scolling~ ♫)
Post 2 - Top 10 Japanese female musician releases (I'm more of a J-pop head then I thought!)
Post 3 - Runners up (that should be in the above two categories but couldn't fit in), the mixed vocals + honourable mentions (all previously brought up in ChristMHas list)
Post 4 - Top English album + single (only one of each because I'm more of an Asian music listener than anything else)
 
My top 10 Japanese male musician releases
 
TK from 凛として時雨 - Fantastic Magic /

 
asobius - pray & grow / 

 
THE NOVEMBERS - Rhapsody in beauty /

 
MEJIBRAY - シアトリカル・ブルーブラック /


 
Lycaon - 馬鹿ね。+ 悪女の微笑 + Shadow /


 
AvelCain - AvelCain / 


 
Plastic Tree - echo /

 
PLASTICZOOMS - Secret Postcard /

 
yazzmad - niche['ni:tʃə] /


 
LM.C - PERFECT FANTASY / 

 
For the full length (unedited) review, click on the spoiler tag below:

CAT5's Favorite International Releases of 2014






Hours Were The Birds by Adrianne Lenker
 
Sample: Lighthouse

 This was a pretty random bandcamp discovery iirc. I've always been a sucker for
  sweet female vocals in folk/singer-songwriter music, and this is the album that most
thoroughly fulfilled that need for me this year. Obscure, but good.


Totem by Bâton Rouge
 
Sample: Train De Nuit

French emo band Baton Rouge's first album Fragments D'eux Mêmes was
 one of my favorites back in 2011 - it was intense, melodic, and straight to
the point. Train De Nuit is an entirely different beast, though. It's more
fleshed-out, and the melodies take their time to build, but when
everything finally clicks, it's a rewarding listen


Earthbeat by Be Forest
 
Sample: Airwaves

One of my more fortuitous discoveries from hanging out on plug.dj.
Forest plays a brand of dream-pop that often floats off into a brume of shoegaze,
yet is constantly anchored by earthy, commanding drums. One of those
albums that I can turn on and just be swept away by the atmosphere 
without having to listen too intently.


Black Messiah by D'Angelo
 
Sample: Ain't That Easy

It's been 14 year's since D'Angelo's last album, and although I was
probably a bit too young to appreciate his music at that time (age 13),
the "Black Messiah" is a more than welcome addition to my playlist now.
Gritty, organic soul music that easily reminds me of classics like
Al Green and even Prince.


Hard Believer by Fink
 
Sample: Pilgrim

Fink's style of soulful/bluesy folk tunes were originally pretty friendly and
easily digestible, but over the years his sound has become progressively darker
and experimental around the edges. Hard Believer continues this trend,
and while some of the songs get a bit too self-indulgent, repeat listens have
revealed to me that almost each track works well on it's own instead of 
in the convoluted context of the album.


LP1 by FKA twigs
 
Sample: Two Weeks

I actually didn't expect to like FKA twigs. I thought she'd be another kelela -
nice vocals over crappy, sparse beats - and then pegged as some glorious
"experimental r&b" goddess. I'm glad I was wrong. The production on LP1 
is actually the most interesting thing about it. It's got all of the minimalistic
qualities of trap-influenced r&b, but there's an idm-like ingenuity
behind it all. Definitely an album better appreciated in headphones 
or with a good set of speakers.


Chiaroscuro by I Break Horses
 
Sample: Faith

I haven't gotten around to hearing this duo's first album yet, and I often see
them described as "electrogaze" (electronic shoegaze), but I'd describe
this album a bit differently. It sounds more to me like dark, hazy electrpop with
an affinity for the 80's. Whatever you wanna call it, it's a sound that I've 
found myself more drawn towards this year.


You Can Do Better by Johnny Foreigner
 
Sample: In Capitals

Hailing from England, Johnny Foreigner play raw, energetic, and straightfoward 
  indie-rock with punk spirit. It's an album I like to throw on when I want to hear
something bright and uplifting, but that also rocks at the same time.


Moving On by Kan Wakan
 
Sample: Sawdust

 Cinematic pop music with smoky female vocals and an emphasis on live
instrumentation? Always a good recipe in my book, and Kan Wakan
   made wonderful use of those ingredients. Unfortunately (or fortunately?),
this album is a one-off, as vocalist Kristianne Bautista is no longer in the band.


My Little Ghost by Kidkanevil
 
Sample: All Is Not Lost (feat. Cuushe & Cokiyu)

If everything about this release seems very "Japanese" to you - from 
 the album cover to the featured artists - then you're not far off the mark.
My Little Ghost was released through the Japanese music label flau, although
some ppl might associate Kidkanevil more easily with his role in the UK
electronic/trip-hop band Stateless. Interestingly, My Little Ghost is more in 
 the realm of ambient, IDM, and glitch than it is Kidkanevil's favored
genre of hip hop. He absolutely excels at these other styles, though.


Across by Kilo Kish
 
Sample: Curious

If I had to offer an American equivalent to Japanese artists like daoko
or Izumi Macra, then Kilo Kish would be the first to come to mind. She
creates the same kind of innocent-sounding alternative hip hop and employs
a similarly careless and unassuming flow. She also "sings" without really
having a singing voice (just like the Japanese artists i just mentioned), 
but it's all done very charmingly. The production is super chill too.


The Golden Echo by Kimbra
 
Sample: Madouse

 When the The Golden Echo came out, I was fortunate enough to listen to
it along with , and since we were both already fans, our
hype was over 9000. The Golden Echo completely surpassed all of my
expectations. Kimbra's ability to hop from style to style (with style) -
whether it's trap, disco, or psychedelic soul-influenced - is on par with 
her contemporary Janelle Monáe.


Nabuma Rubberband by Little Dragon
 
Sample: Let Go

I've been stalking following Yukimi Nagano ever since I first heard her soulful
croon back in 2006 via her various jazz/nu-jazz collaborations. When I
discovered she had a band called Little Dragon in 2007, I was pretty excited.
Although that quickly devolved into utter disappointment upon hearing 
Little Dragon's debut album - sparse and awkward electronic music that just
made you uncomfortable listening to it. Fast-forward 7 years and 4
albums later - LITTLE DRAGON FINALLY HAS FINALLY GOTTEN IT RIGHT.
Yukimi's vocals are still the highlight, but this time the music and 
songwriting are equally excellent.


The Sky as Well as Space by Memory Map
 
Sample: Superhuman Child

  Memory Map is actually associated with Japan's Zankyo records, so it should
  come as no surprise that these guys play the kind of technical and inventive
 indie-rock that would be welcome there. I'm actually pretty surprised at how
obscure this band seems to be and the fact that I've never seen any 
of my indie buddies mention 'em before.


Composite by Monogrenade
 
Sample: L'aimant

Gorgeous orchestral indie-rock/pop from the French-Canadian ensemble
Monogrenade. This is their 2nd album after 2011's Tantale, 
and it's even better. Super lush soundscapes and impossibly chill.


Graveyard Whistling EP by Nothing But Thieves
 
Sample: Itch

I'm pretty shocked this band isn't bigger. They're signed to a major label (RCA),
but it doesn't look like they've made any significant waves yet. Whatever the
case, their songwriting is top-notch when it comes to pop-rock and their
vocalist has a uniquely piercing croon. Not sure how they're received 
in the UK, but I can imagine this boding well in the American mainstream.


OOM VELT by Salt Cathedral
 
Sample: Holy Soul

Just last year Salt Cathedral were a whimsical, math-rock band, but they've
since lost 3 members and have continued as an electronic duo. Their
sound has translated extremely well, mostly thanks to the ethereal vocals 
of Juliana Ronderos; which really carries the band.


Maui Tears by Sleepy Sun
 
Sample: The Lane

Spaced-out and voluminous psychedelic-rock from California. Maui Tears is
the band's 4th album and is hands down my favorite thus far. What I enjoy
the most here is how immersive the music is while still remaining accessible 
and not getting lost within itself.


Early Riser by Taylor McFerrin
 
Sample: Already There (feat. Robert Glasper & Thundercat)

First album from producer/multi-instrumentalist Taylor McFerrin out on
Brainfeeder - the same label as beatsmiths like Flying Lotus, Tokimonsta,
Teebs, etc. Super chill electronic/broken beat with jazzy overtones; featuring
a handful of guest vocalists and musicians. Early Riser is ridiculously 
smooth and might be one of the most flawlessly flowing albums I've ever heard.


Sun Structures by Temples
 
Sample: Colours To Life

Temples are a 60's psychedelic-rock revivalist band that play the style
to the letter. They don't offer a refreshing take on the genre and they don't
attempt to redefine the rules, but nonetheless, Sun Structures has 
thoroughly sated my ears this year.


Follow the Path by The Shaolin Afronauts
 
Sample: To the Water

 To the water is a behemoth double album with the first disc full of awesome
afrobeat grooves and the 2nd disc a more subdued venture into eastern
flavored funk that wouldn't be out of place in a 70's kung-fu flick. With 21 
tracks in total, I wouldn't recommend listening to both discs in one sitting.


Foreign Languages by tide/edit
 
Sample: Odd & Even

Ironically, some of the best post/math-rock bands have been coming out
of almost every other Asian country but Japan lately - yet most of
these newcomers have been inspired by Japan's scene. Such is the 
case with tide/edit from the Philippines who site toe as a major influence.


Manipulator by Ty Segall
 
Sample: The Crawler

I've always been attracted to rock music that draws from the psychedelic
and stoner sounds of the 60's and 70's, and Ty Segall's Manipulator
is like an aural smorgasbord of those eras. At 17 tracks long, the album
might appear to blend together during protracted listens, but I've found 
myself constantly discovering new jams upon revisits.


Warpaint by Warpaint
 
Sample: Biggy

Warpaint caught my attention back in 2010 on their first album The Fool,
but they weren't able to sustain it through an entire album. And while
their sound still manages to avoid being easily pigeonholed, the band's
songwriting has become somewhat less elusive and more viable than 
before. Not a challenging listen at all, but a definite grower.


Deep Fantasy by White Lung
 
Sample: Face Down

@Jigsaw9 first introduced me to White Lung with their album
back in 2012 and they've returned bigger and better than ever on 
Deep Fantasy. Still the intense female-fronted punk band with 
razor-wire riffage that I fell in love with.

2014 has yielded yet another year of wonderful music, and here's my usual self-indulgent run-down of the albums and EPs I enjoyed most.
My tone this year is a bit more personal and subjective than I tried to be in 2013, and my list isn't as long either.
Thanks for checking it out nonetheless.






CAT5's Favorite Japanese Releases of 2014






clepsydra by chouchou merged syrups.
 
Sample: 橙鳴る

    clepsydra took me by complete surprise after last year's thoroughly disappointing
debut "since". chouchou merged syrups. aren't just following cinema staff's
blueprint on how to play emo rooted indie-rock/pop anymore,
they're actually making it their own this time.


Passage of Time by Cloud nine(9)
 
Sample: Passage of Time

 lop abuse on somebody was, for me, one of the most promising young
post/math-rock bands out of Japan. But since they've disbanded their
guitarist has gone on to join Cloud nine(9), which has, again, become
 one of the most promising young Japanese post/math-rock bands.
Surely this is fate. Oh, and it's completely free over @ bandcamp


HEADACHE AND HEARTBURN by CONCERT
 
Sample: 曖昧さ回避

This release took me completely off guard and would have completely slipped 
 under my radar if not for a good friend of mine. CONCERT's sound seems to
draw heavily off of 70's soft-rock and psychedelia while employing quirky and
forward-thinking production. I imagine this is what a collaboration between 
lamp and cornelius might sound like.


BRIGHT TIME by EGO-WRAPPIN'
 
Sample: 太陽哀歌

 EGO-WRAPPIN's last full-length album Steal a Person's Heart was an underwhelming
effort, fraught with various musical style except the one they do best. So it's great
to hear them return to their jazzy roots on the BRIGHT TIME EP. But with only
4 tracks and the entire thing recorded in mono, it's such a tease.


JariBu by JariBu Afrobeat Arkestra
 
Sample: Wild Pansy

   I'm only aware of three different Afrobeat bands from Japan, and each year it
   seems like these bands take turns outdoing each other - 2012 was the year
  of KINGDOM☆AFROCKS, 2013 was REGGAELATION INDEPENDANCE,
  and so 2014 inevitably falls back to the JariBu Afrobeat Arkestra. They've locked
the grooves down this year and delivered their finest album yet.


homephone TE by macaroom
 
Sample: Kingdom

Another obscure recommendation from a friend that would have surely slipped my
radar. macaroom creates dreamy ambient-pop and homephone TE is an
intoxicatingly immersive album from start to finish. There are, however, 2 tracks 
sung entirely in Croatian that might raise an eyebrow at first.


5 - 1 + 1 = by mothercoat
 
Sample: trickster

mothercoat....consistently creative, and yet consistently underrated. They've
been around for over a decade and yet somehow their music seems to
get lost amongst international Japanese-indie fans - old and new. 5 - 1 + 1 =
is a reference to the changes in their band lineup, and each track is a
distinct reflection of those changes (track 1 - with old guitarist, track 2
without guitarist, track 3 with new guitarist). But three tracks simply 
isn't enough, so I can't wait to hear what else they've got in store.


my letter by my letter
 
Sample: ルーザー！

A friend of mine shared this band's demo with me back in 2011, and while
I remember diggin' it, I'd completely forgotten they existed by this year. I'm
glad they were finally able to get around to releasing an album, though.
Bands like シャムキャッツ and ミツメ released solid records this year, but
my letter takes the cake as my easy-going indie-rock album of the year. 
Lots of great guitar interplay and you can't beat the combo of male/female vocals.


Elephant by orcaorca
 
Sample: Clockwork Lovers

orcaorca is the instrumental outing of 2 members from the electronic
group ChouChou (no, not chouchou merged syrups. ha) Glitchy, electro-acoustic
bliss that weaves itself seamlessly in and out of ambient soundscapes 
and minimal-tehcno pulsation.


Koko by Satomimagae
 
Sample: Mikkai

I don't often hear music like this out of the modern J-folk world, so
Satomimagae was an instant love for me. Her music has an exceedingly
dense melancholic atmosphere and conjures up images of both
depression and desolation. Fantastic album recorded with the perfect 
amount of intimate rawness.


Rhapsody in beauty by THE NOVEMBERS
 
Sample: Blood Music.1985

Rhapsody in beauty is yet another testament to THE NOVEMBER's continued
growth and further accentuates their artistic proclivities. It's a dynamic album-
from abrasive shoegaze, dark grunge, to angelic acoustic numbers and more.
THE NOVEMBERS are clearly inspired and HAVE been for the past few
years. Even if it's taken them about 6 years, they've completely won me 
over as a fan and are now one of my all-time favorites.


CAO by アルカラ
 
Sample: 愚痴ばっかりのローレロレロ

arukara have been on fire since 2009, but this is by far my favorite album
from them yet. The band's sound, which combines all of the hookiness and
buoyancy of pop music with the multifaceted indie-rock ingenuity of an 
early 9mm parabellum bullet, has been refined to perfection.


IMAGINARY MONO-FICTION by ヒトリエ
 
Sample: 生きたがりの娘

I've long thought that some vocaloids had cool backing music, but being
that I can't stand vocaloids, it was always an unfortunate arrangement for me.
Thankfully, vocaloid producer wowaka took his colorful ideas and translated
them into an actual band. The results have been splendid thus far. For me, 
the jury is still out on their first full-length, but this mini definitely delivers.


ふつうのしあわせ by ふつうのしあわせ
 
Sample: キャプテンにはなれない

I saw this band described somewhere as bloodthirsty butchers meets
PANICSMILE and thought that was an apt description. Especially the
comparison to the latter. ふつうのしあわせ or "Ordinary Happy" play
wonderfully spastic, disharmonic post-punk with a trumpet thrown in 
for good measure, cuz why the hell not?


攻撃的国民的音楽 by 八十八ヶ所巡礼
 
Sample: -超感覚的宇宙-

 If you've been following my "best-Of" lists over the past few years, then
you've probably noticed that 88kasyo junrei's albums have made an appearance
every time. I'm biased as fuck and I can't help it. Their formula is like a
nonstop barrage of endorphins on my musical pleasure zones - heaps of
melody, quirky and eccentric songwriting, unhinged yet groovy
instrumentation, just the right amount of excessive noodling...so, yeah. There ya go.

(not) NUCLEAR LOVE (or affection) by 印象派
 
Sample: ライ! ライ! ライ!

There's nothing particularly outstanding about inshowha, but they make 
extremely well produced and catchy jpop. It also helps that their image/gimmick
neither overshadows nor detracts from their actual music, so the duo exudes
a kind of earnest charm. I was also pretty surprised at how well crafted this
mini album was. It flows perfectly from one track to the next and you can
tell actual thought was put into the songwriting. This isn't a release of 
sloppily glued together singles or filler tracks. Quality Jpop right here.

NO UNDERGROUND by 撃鉄
 
Sample: やっちゃおう

Gekitetsu's first full album expands on the sound they became known for on
their first 2 EPs - vivacious post-punk chock full of singy-shouty vocals,
discordant, angular guitar riffs, heady basslines, and nu-wave-y drumming.
These guys are always a blast to listen to and definitely worth a try if you're
into the coarser side of Japanese indie.

THE NOVEMBERS - 今日も生きたね (kyou mo ikita ne)
As far as the general concept goes it's not really anything revolutionary, but there's something about its simplicity and overall execution that I just really like. Having the band members all walk onto the scene separately before meeting up and leaving together as one group is simple yet effective, and it really fits the overall feel of the song rather well in my opinion.
 
雨のパレード (ame no parade) - ペトリコール (Petrichor)
I'm a sucker for well-executed interpretive dance PVs in general, but this particular one takes the cake for having really good cinematography and scenery to boot.
 
I actually can't think of many others from this year that stood out to me. 2013 seemed to be full of them but 2014 has felt rather "meh" as far as PVs go in my opinion.

It lives!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/614639011975626/

No, it's not. D: Groups in Facebook are more personalized, people can see other Facebook users there and chat there with each other. I think your MH page (@FB) is quite official, so it would be nice to have more "relaxed" place to talk with other people. Of course, I am not totally sure what kind of subjects you can talk there (besides advertising thread and polls and so on), but I think it would bring the users closer to each other.

I'm curious what everyone's favorite music videos were for 2014? I've been running a jrock video blog for a couple of years now and I figured I'd give a short list of the top 10 most popular from there, and everyone else could share their favorites too? Feel free to talk about the choices and posts too!
 
# 10. Silent Siren - “Lucky Girl” 
# 09. SuG - “B.A.B.Y.”
# 08. kinoko teikoku - “CHRONOSTASIS”
# 07. DADAROMA - “oboreru sakana”
# 06. BIOSPHIA - “SUISEN”
# 05. Lycaon - “Akujo no bishou”
# 04. coldrain - “You Lie”
# 03. MEJIBRAY - "RAVEN"
# 02. TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA - “Wake Up! feat. ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION”
# 01. Wagakki Band - “Senbonzakura”
 
The number one video pretty much smashed everything else we posted this year with over 400 reblogs. But Tokyo Ska was a really strong second with over 100+! But I think Wagakki Band is a good top to the list because the pv really was quite beautiful. (o_~)

Best of 2014
I tried to create a short, cohesive "best of" list this year. I failed.

Welcome once again to my fourth year-end list, where I talk way too much about a bunch of releases I've never mentioned before. I had the intention of keeping this list short and sweet this year, but 2014 was a great year for music. Every time I completed the list, I remembered two or three more albums that just had to be on here, and before I knew it I ended up wanting to share a lot more artists than I intended. I had to draw the line somewhere. Then, I had to find a way to keep your attention long enough for everything on this page to load.While this isn't the most exhaustive of lists, I tried to pick artists I thought people may be interested in alongside some more unusual things I liked. So now that we've reached the end of my not so subtle introduction, I think by now everything should have loaded. Read, enjoy, and leave me comments!

0号室の旅人 by 101A
Songs: forbidden sky and luminous (from '4')
The Joy of Motion by Animals as Leaders
Songs: Air Chrysalis and Ka$cade
Syro by Aphex Twin
Songs: minipops 67 [120.2][source field mix] and CIRCLONT14 (shrymoming mix)
Noise by Boris
Songs: Heavy Rain and Melody
DIStopping by Charisma.com
Songs: Iinazuke Blue and HATE
Clark by Clark
Songs: Winter Linn and The Grit In The Pearl
Butterfly Effect by Clockwork Indigo
Songs: Butterfly Effect and LUAM
Promulgation of the Fall by Dead Congregation
Songs: Immaculate Poison and Only Ashes Remain
Arche by Dir en grey
Songs: phenomenon and 禍夜想
Under the Influence 2 by Domo Genesis
Songs: Go Outside and X
Oi Magoi by Hail Spirit Noir
Songs: Oi Magoi and Hunters
The Path of Apotheosis by Inferi
Songs: The Ancients of Shattered Thrones and Marching Through the Flames of Tyranny
Shiori by jizue
Songs: shiori and 真黒
Symphony of the Vampire / Heart by Kamijo
Songs: Moulin Rouge and Heart
Abstruse Imbeciles Nailed on Slavery by Lost Ubikyst in Apeiron
Songs: Nothing to s(l)ave and blind cyclops
Elddop by Martyrdöd
Songs: En Jobbigt Jävel and Martyren
The Last Dawn / Rays of Darkness by Mono
Songs: Recoil, Ignite and Elysian Castles
Rhapsody in Beauty by THE NOVEMBERS
Songs: Romance and Meursault
風神界逅/雷神創世 by 陰陽座
Songs: 雲は龍に舞い、風は鳳に歌う and 青天の三日月
Dangerous Days by Perturbator
Songs: Hard Wired and Humans are Such Easy Prey
Run the Jewels 2 by Run the Jewels
Songs: Oh My Darling Don't Cry and Close Your Eyes (And Count To Fuck)
逆輸入 ~港湾局~ / 日出処 by 椎名林檎
Songs: 主演の女 (from 逆輸入 ~港湾局~) and 走れゎナンバー (from 日出処)
Strangeulation by Tech N9ne
Songs: Great Night and Make Waves
Fantastic Magic by TK from 凛として時雨
Songs: unravel and Fantastic Magic
Digital Dream Sequence by Trioscapes
Songs: Digital Dream Sequence and Stab Wounds
ボカロ三昧 by 和楽器バンド
Songs: 天樂 and 千本桜

Jigsaw's favorite non-Japanese releases 2014
 
The Necrotic Manifesto by Aborted   Following their impeccable album Global Flatline, Aborted's new sensory attack The Necrotic Manifesto provides more of the same razor-sharp death metal brutality laced with grindcore elements. Blastbeats, breakdowns and killer solos are executed precisely like clockwork, making this a formidable entry in modern extreme metal. Sample: The Extirpation Agenda / Coffin Upon Coffin   Hellish by Apey & the Pea   Although their name is kind of ridiculous, Apey & the Pea are no laughing matter. In their latest full-length Hellish, this stoner/doom power trio drops gargantuan riffs and sweet grooves one after the other like it's nobody's business. If you crave some metallic heaviness tinged with grungy vocals, this should soothe your appetite. Sample: Abraham / Reverend Green   Broke with Expensive Taste by Azealia Banks   The self-proclaimed queen of "witch hop" (whatever that might be) finally serves up her first album, and it comes with a bang! Broke with Expensive Taste is a colorful playground of cool samples, versatile beats, dance-pop bangers, plus a machine-gun rap or two. Perfect music to (get drunk and) shake your ass to. Sample: Chasing Time / Heavy Metal and Reflective   The Flesh Prevails by Fallujah   The evolution of Fallujah is quite impressive, considering they started out as an unremarkable deathcore quintet that have now become a progressive tech-death force to be reckoned with. Continuing where they left off on their previous EP, The Flesh Prevails is a gorgeous powerhouse of crushing brutality and ethereal grace, so perfectly illustrated by the cover art. Fallujah has prevailed! Sample: Starlit Path / Sapphire   Commune by Goat   The band name might conjure up images of occult retro-metal clichés but Goat is an entirely different beast. Their music sounds somewhat nostalgic and timeless at the same time, blurring together krautrock minimalism, pulsating afrobeat and freaky but gentle psychedelic rock tendencies into an exotic mixture. This is one commune I'd gladly join any time! Sample: Hide from the Sun / Words   At the Idyll's End by Gustave Tiger   Gustave Tiger immediately won my heart with this charmingly kooky and hectic art-punk attack somewhere on the crossroads of White Lung and the Pixies. In a handful of short bursts they go from calm to manic while weaving a grungy wall of noise into the mix and not forgetting about catchy hooks either. One of the more intriguing sounding bands I had the pleasure of listening to this past year. Sample: Gourgandine Simaitha / Lady Into Fox   Spectre by Laibach   Martial industrial/EBM masters Laibach cooked up one of their most accessible albums to date, and they did it quite effectively. With some of the tracks bordering on tame synth pop but still retaining their signature darkness (plus cynicism and deadpan humor), Spectre seems like a good introduction for newcomers and a nice change for hardened old-time listeners too. Sample: The Whistleblowers / Eurovision   Elddop by Martyrdöd   The title of Martyrdöd's latest translates as "baptism of fire" and it sure is a fiery blaze in our ear canals. Blackened crustcore is the name of the game, and the guys are in top shape to deliver some well-deserved kicks in the balls. Sweeping, aggressive but also melodious. A rock-solid entry in the band's crusty catalogue. Sample: En jobbig jävel / Elddop   Gay Dog Food by Mykki Blanco   Always one to shock people, Mykki Blanco's new mixtape is a colorful mish-mash of styles and influences ranging from trippy hip-hop to noisy industrial sounds and lo-fi electro-minimalism. Despite the initial quirkiness and weirdness of the tracks (not to mention the hilarious interludes), it's a fun and addictive musical journey if you have a thing for unconventional and out-of-the-box rappers. Sample: Fulani / Moshin in the Front   Hanyatlás by PETOFI   Relative newcomers PETOFI knocked me off my feet with their debut EP. With a venomous cocktail of anguished screamo and breakneck melodic hardcore, these guys know how to make one hell of an entrance! Their hectic style is elevated by poetic lyrics that add extra pathos and fury to PETOFI's brand of hardcore. Sample: Holttestemen át / Süket füledre talál a vallomásom   I Cannot See For Miles & Piresian Beach/Matthias von Stumberger by Piresian Beach   The Hungarian queen of lo-fi pop has been quite active as always, delivering a new stand-alone EP and another bundle of songs in collaboration with fellow Slovenian noise-maker Matthias von Stumberger. Both releases are jam-packed with good ol' overdriven guitar noise and '60s inspired garage/psych-rock licks, complemented by excellent crooning female vocals. Sample: Blood in the Gutter / Digging for Gold   St. Vincent by St. Vincent   I have completely fallen in love with the self-titled album of art-rock princess Annie Clark, a.k.a. St. Vincent. It's a record with a peculiar vibe. It sounds as artificial as it is organic, and this strange duality is further strengthened by the overall variety of the songs. From danceable tunes to melancholic meditations, this release has it all! Sample: Birth in Reverse / Digital Witness   To Be Kind by Swans   Swans' latest output is a gigantic double album clocking just over two hours. Noisy, experimental and completely heavy in atmosphere, this strange post-rock monolith perfectly encompasses what current Swans is all about. It's a menacing aural trip with repetitive, tribal (and outright primal) stylings that shouldn't be missed. Sample: Oxygen / To Be Kind (live)   Melana Chasmata by Triptykon   Melana Chasmata, "deep black chasms" is one towering behemoth of a record! Tom Warrior (of Celtic Frost fame) and his partners in crime sculpted a beautiful ebony-black slab of avant-garde metal with doomy and extreme overtones. The result is so breathtaking that this just might be my absolute favorite metal album of the year. Tortured and beautiful, highly recommended! Sample: Tree of Suffocating Souls / Aurorae

International
 
 

akissforjersey - New Bodies
tags: post-hardcore, christian
 


 
 
 

††† - Crosses
tags: electronic rock, alternative, post rock
 


 
 
 

Death From Above 1979 - The Physical World
tags: dance punk, indie rock
 


 
 
 

Emarosa - Versus
tags: alternative, emo
 


 
 
 

FrnkIero AndThe Cellabration - Stomachaches
tags: punk, garage rock
 


 
 
 

Geri X - White Light
tags: indie rock, americana
 


 
 
 

GOGO STAR - 망가진 밤
tags: electronic rock
 


 
 
 

Issues - Issues
tags: post-hardcore, pop
 


 
 
 

Life and Time - The Great Deep
tags: garage rock, psychedelic rock
 


 
 
 

입술을 깨물다 - FINE
tags: indie rock, pop, ballad
 


 
 
 

Slaves - Through Art We Are All Equals
tags: post-hardcore, alternative
 

Non-Japanese Releases

Top 10

The Bilinda Butchers - HEAVEN
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/thebilindabutchers_zps0bdd85d7.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/thebilindabutchers-heaven225x225_zps79f47ce1.jpg" />



Fear of Men - Loom
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/fearofmen_zps0c1b31dc.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/fearofmen-loom225x225_zps41d65472.jpg" />



Got a Girl - I Love You But I Must Drive Off This Cliff Now
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/gotagirl_zpsbdb0bf24.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/gotagirl-iloveyoubutImustdriveoffthiscliffnow225x225_zps4554ec60.jpg" />



Loop - Flirting With The Universe
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/Loop_zpsb2c387cb.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/loop-flirtingwiththeuniverse225x225_zps038c0dfd.jpg" />



Kimbra - The Golden Echo
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/kimbra_zps557f7205.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/kimbra-thegoldenecho225x225_zpsfff401cc.jpg" />



Margot & the Nuclear So and So's - Slingshot to Heaven
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/margot_zps41dc7454.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/Margotandthenuclearsoandsos-slingshottoheaven225x225_zpsd5ebf9a0.jpg" />



Moodoïd - Le monde Möö
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/moodoid_zps7e01597f.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/moodloidlemondemoo225x225_zpsab87cc95.jpg" />



Noh Salleh - Angin Kencang
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/nohsalleh_zps86626c39.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/nohsallehanginkencangep225x225_zpsbb8ed01f.jpg" />



Scott Bradlee & Postmodern Jukebox - Historical Misappropriations
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/postmodern-jukebox_zps25464f1d.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/postmodernjukebox-historicalmisappropriation225x225_zps033504f2.jpg" />



Sia - 1000 Forms of Fear
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/sia_zpsbed58553.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/sia1000formsoffear225x225_zps2da63d9e.jpg" />


 
 
 
Honorable Mentions

Curtis Harding - Soul Power
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/curtisharding_zpse777f006.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/curtisharding-soulpower_zpsfaa4782e.jpg" />



Daley - Days & Nights
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/daley_zpscce76689.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/daleydaysandnights225x225_zps442e217a.jpg" />



Night Flowers - Night Flowers EP
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/nightflowers_zpsb20e8387.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/nightflowersep225x225_zpsf6b64078.jpg" />



Purson - In the Meantime
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/CD%20cover%20scans%20and%20band%20pics/purson_zps8177e65f.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/CD%20cover%20scans%20and%20band%20pics/pursoninthemeantime_zps2943660d.jpg" />



Rusty Machines - City Lights
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/rustymachines_zps8230ed5e.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/rustymachinescitylightsep225x225_zpsbd4760d4.jpg" />



Sean Nicholas Savage - Bermuda Waterfall
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/seannicholassavage_zps7beee3e3.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/seannicholassavage-bermudawaterfall225x225_zps0112862e.jpg" />



Spazzkid - Promise EP

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/spazzkid_zps9976a69c.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/spazzkid-promiseep225x225_zps39c53feb.jpg" />



Springtime Carnivore - Springtime Carnivore
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/springtimecarnivore_zps8e9ad8b9.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/springtimecarnivorealbum_zps237d04f3.jpg" />



SZA - Z EP
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/SZA_zps32fa75b3.jpg" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/SZA-Z225x225_zpsfe864946.jpg" />



TOPS - Picture You Staring
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/tops_zps0d22ab54.png" />  http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c49/fitear1590/Best%20of%20lists/tops-pictureyoustaring225x225_zpscca80705.jpg" />

yassss here for mh overshares <33

Thanks for posting, Pho3nyx!
I would have been a huge fan of including "今日も生きたね" on Rhapsody in beauty; it's an absolutely gorgeous song! Despite the length and relative tranquility of the song (as compared to the noisier stuff on the album), it doesn't drag at all.
I also agree about HOLLOWGRAM. While not in my top-tier, it will be making my honorable mention list this year and they do have me excited enough to look forward to whatever new material they have in the works.

Sorry for not posting in this thread earlier! I hope you guys don't mind if I pick out some of the albums from the list and drop some quick comments on them.
 
I have to echo CAT5's sentiments regarding TK from 凛として時雨's Fantastic Magic. It's not bad by any means but I can't help but find its more simplistic song-structures and poppy undertones somewhat disappointing overall, especially after flowering which was my favourite album of 2012. I think it says a lot that my favourite work from TK this year has been Acoustic Installation and his remix for sukekiyo. I also have to agree with others that have mentioned the title track being one of the best tracks on the album, as well as unravel's popularity probably stemming from Tokyo Ghoul rather than the song itself.
 
THE NOVEMBERS really are coming into their own as of late. I find that noisy albums tend to have a habit of either being really good or coming across as too gimmicky without any actual substance. Rhapsody in beauty is definitely is a case of the former and not the latter, and I feel rather comfortable in listing it in my personal top three albums released this year. I also think 今日も生きたね deserves some love; sure it's only a two-track release rather than a full-length but I found both tracks to be very good.
 
I found HOLLOWGRAM enjoyable but certainly nothing revolutionary. I'd say Qualia is one of the more enjoyable releases of the year but there have definitely been other releases that deserve more praise. Still, I'm interested to see what they put out next so it must have done something right.
 
As for sukekiyo, they're definitely a band that people either seem to 'get' or 'not get'. That's not to say that people that don't get them are musically inept or anything, it's all subjective in the end. I think one of the main problems is that a lot of people tried to compare sukekiyo to 9GOATS/RES/DIR EN GREY when in reality sukekiyo seems to be going for something rather different to all of those bands; with the similarities being more of a natural by-product of its lineup rather than a direct attempt at emulation. What I enjoyed about IMMORTALIS is that is genuinely comes across as a labour of love more than anything else, and ultimately has a sound that can't be directly compared to anything else out there at the moment - at least not in its entirety. Still, I'll admit that it's definitely not for everyone.

Sorry for not posting in this thread earlier! I hope you guys don't mind if I pick out some of the albums from the list and drop some quick comments on them.
 
I have to echo CAT5's sentiments regarding TK from 凛として時雨's Fantastic Magic. It's not bad by any means but I can't help but find its more simplistic song-structures and poppy undertones somewhat disappointing overall, especially after flowering which was my favourite album of 2012. I think it says a lot that my favourite work from TK this year has been Acoustic Installation and his remix for sukekiyo. I also have to agree with others that have mentioned the title track being one of the best tracks on the album, as well as unravel's popularity probably stemming from Tokyo Ghoul rather than the song itself.
 
THE NOVEMBERS really are coming into their own as of late. I find that noisy albums tend to have a habit of either being really good or coming across as too gimmicky without any actual substance. Rhapsody in beauty is definitely is a case of the former and not the latter, and I feel rather comfortable in listing it in my personal top three albums released this year. I also think 今日も生きたね deserves some love; sure it's only a two-track release rather than a full-length but I found both tracks to be very good.
 
I found HOLLOWGRAM enjoyable but certainly nothing revolutionary. I'd say Qualia is one of the more enjoyable releases of the year but there have definitely been other releases that deserve more praise. Still, I'm interested to see what they put out next so it must have done something right.
 
As for sukekiyo, they're definitely a band that people either seem to 'get' or 'not get'. That's not to say that people that don't get them are musically inept or anything, it's all subjective in the end. I think one of the main problems is that a lot of people tried to compare sukekiyo to 9GOATS/RES/DIR EN GREY when in reality sukekiyo seems to be going for something rather different to all of those bands; with the similarities being more of a natural by-product of its lineup rather than a direct attempt at emulation. What I enjoyed about IMMORTALIS is that is genuinely comes across as a labour of love more than anything else, and ultimately has a sound that can't be directly compared to anything else out there at the moment - at least not in its entirety. Still, I'll admit that it's definitely not for everyone.