Shmilly

I dunno what it is but Ryoga  seems to the best in this band than Born. It's like Razors music lets Ryoga's voice be real.

I hope we finally get some recorded versions of the songs they've been performing since they formed.

Excellent news, these guys are on a roll recently.

I want to start out with two key points.
 
Firstly, I don't 'support' piracy, but without it there is no doubt that I wouldn't be this involved in the visual kei scene (and possibly probably not even where I am in my life right now, since listening to Japanese music back in JHS is what eventually led to me formally studying the language and now living and working in Japan, but that's a long story for another thread).
 
Secondly, I voted that piracy is instrumental in keeping the scene alive, but I only believe that to be the case in the international fandom. I would argue that it has little to no impact whatsoever on the actual living scene here in Japan, at least in my experience so far.
 
With that said, I'd like to go into a little more detail. Obviously piracy has been existent since the early days of home media - my uncle used to buy pirated VHS tapes of new movies when I was a kid, for example. With the arrival of the internet, and subsequent developments that have drastically improved our capacity to both upload and download data, it has increased the ability and reach of piracy to a global scale. And despite the cherry-picking of various studies to pin the blame for unsuccessful media on the illegal file-sharing community, the evidence shows that for the most part there is little to no impact whatsoever on sales as a result of piracy.
 
The reason that I think piracy is essential for the international visual kei community is simply a matter of exposure. With communities like MH which share the latest news the moment it leaves the artist's mouth at a concert, or the second it's posted on social media or their official website, even the newest and smallest indie visual bands instantly get tens, hundreds, maybe even thousands more people's attention than they expected. But even with that awareness of band activity, there's no promise that the international community will put their money where their ears are and pick up their releases. With inflation increasing the sales price of CDs over the last few years in Japan, and the fact that many small VK bands release music only in independent record stores or even exclusively at concerts, simply buying the music you're interested in from half way around the world becomes a tall order. This is only compounded by the fact that on top of the costs of buying and shipping the item to you, it's likely that you have no prior way of determining whether you will really enjoy a release or get your money's worth. Hence, piracy becomes a method for fans who are willing to shell out for their favourite artists to sample and sift through the latest music to choose exactly what they put their hard-earned money towards.
 
However, this is speaking from a purely international standpoint. The truth of the matter is, domestic artists in Japan are not expecting to rely on international sales to any extent, regardless of the genre. This is particularly true for indies visual kei, which is far more concerned with gathering a dedicated fan base on their home turf who will repeatedly spend money on tickets and goods, where they make a lot more money than the pitiful cut they get on CD sales. Even bands that are aware of their popularity overseas will very rarely have the opportunity or financial security to consider promoting or performing there, especially on an indie label. For anyone short of a major record deal, purchases from abroad are probably like an unexpected bonus, and nothing more.
 
But the main reason I think piracy has little to no effect on the visual kei scene within Japan is simply that I don't think it's as common. In theory Japan has quite strict laws on illegal file-sharing, and the truth of the matter is that VK is not very big even in its home country. The scene was at its peak years ago when the philosophy of the frontrunners was more relevant, and media exposure was higher. Even if someone were to upload a new release, I just don't think there would be that many people to download it. The hardcore gya will jump on the latest release from their favourite artist, and anyone else is probably just not interested.
 
That's not to say that the scene is necessarily dying out though; if anything, the spread of the pre-owned market to online sales and auction sites (looking at you in particular, Mercari and Yahoo, with simple transactions and free accounts) provides a mecca for domestic and international fans alike. In particular rare items like live-distributed singles and signed goods can sell for tens of thousands of yen if the right buyer is on the lookout. It's easier than ever to get hold of VK music, and while the artists themselves don't see any financial benefit from second-hand sales, they do see an increase in exposure. In addition, devoted fans shell out time and again for not only multiple versions of releases, but also goods from clothing and towels to cheki, which are virtually like trading cards to the hardcore bangya. I would argue that the live scene and sale of goods is what really keeps the VK scene afloat, especially at the indie level. If no-one attends a new band's lives, it's far more damaging for them both financially and in terms of reputation than not selling out a 500-copy press of their first single (ignoring recording and production costs, of course).
 
I realise that this post has gone on for far too long now, but in summary: piracy is a necessary evil for the international community, but largely irrelevant to the success of the artists themselves and the scene in Japan.

btw I have the setlist for the last 2days if anyone's interested but it'll take some time to type out bc they played OVER 50 SONGS

No recording equipment at the last 2 shows so I doubt there's a DVD coming.
 
I think they will announce a new member. Tonight at the end of the show Yoshiatsu told everyone to hold tight so it sounded like they're not going to disband yet. I think they just need some time to get over Yusuke leaving since he was their leader and friend.

Sounds great. I love how hard these guys go considering the poppy energetic atmosphere.

I just looked at some videos on dystonia patients....this is fucking awful. He says he only has it on his upper right arm, but I'm scared that it may progress all over. I wish the very best for Yusuke. 
 
As for those who are saying the band needed this hiatus because "their music sucks anyway"...shame on you. This announcement was very sudden, and losing someone like Yusuke over something as devastating as this is a huge blow to the band, and this man may have to deal with this for the rest of his life. Shame on you.

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.

Nice review. While it would be accurate to say that this album reminds me of many past albums at once, I think it would be doing an injustice to NINTH not to credit it as its own 'era' of Gazerock. The band hasn't just thrown in callbacks to their lengthy discography, they've evolved and grown in a way I didn't think was possible this late in their musical career. With Reita himself admitting in an interview that it was hard to get out of the 'dark' phase they found with DOGMA, and some interesting comments in the interviews and liner notes of the album (these can be found in the 'Reference Book' for those who can read 日本語 until someone other than me can be bothered to make a translation), I think the band surprised even themselves with some of the compositions on this album.
 
Falling was always an excellent track and remains possibly the only real stand-out, but that by no means discredits the rest - in fact, this is one of the most consistently pleasing albums we've had from the GazettE in a long time. NINTH ODD SMELL was made to be headbanged to live; THE MORTAL has a gorgeous juxtaposition of an oppressive instrumental atmosphere and Ruki's soaring vocals; BABYLON'S TABOO, while not my personal favourite, is one of the most alternative, industrial-sounding experiments we've heard from the band; and the old-school vibes of 裏切る舌, which the members wondered if newer fans would catch on to or applaud as something new and original, were a fun shake-up towards the back end of the album. TWO OF A KIND is possibly my second top track, it hits hard and the ending is to die for, and UNFINISHED brings things to a close in a nostalgic way very reminiscent of truly old-school GazettE 春雪の頃 (shunsetsu no koro).
 
The fact that I have something to say about pretty much every song should speak volumes about the album as a whole. It's varied but consistent, a quality somewhat lacking in recent efforts, and one of my easiest recommendations for getting into this now almost legendary band.

Nice review. While it would be accurate to say that this album reminds me of many past albums at once, I think it would be doing an injustice to NINTH not to credit it as its own 'era' of Gazerock. The band hasn't just thrown in callbacks to their lengthy discography, they've evolved and grown in a way I didn't think was possible this late in their musical career. With Reita himself admitting in an interview that it was hard to get out of the 'dark' phase they found with DOGMA, and some interesting comments in the interviews and liner notes of the album (these can be found in the 'Reference Book' for those who can read 日本語 until someone other than me can be bothered to make a translation), I think the band surprised even themselves with some of the compositions on this album.
 
Falling was always an excellent track and remains possibly the only real stand-out, but that by no means discredits the rest - in fact, this is one of the most consistently pleasing albums we've had from the GazettE in a long time. NINTH ODD SMELL was made to be headbanged to live; THE MORTAL has a gorgeous juxtaposition of an oppressive instrumental atmosphere and Ruki's soaring vocals; BABYLON'S TABOO, while not my personal favourite, is one of the most alternative, industrial-sounding experiments we've heard from the band; and the old-school vibes of 裏切る舌, which the members wondered if newer fans would catch on to or applaud as something new and original, were a fun shake-up towards the back end of the album. TWO OF A KIND is possibly my second top track, it hits hard and the ending is to die for, and UNFINISHED brings things to a close in a nostalgic way very reminiscent of truly old-school GazettE 春雪の頃 (shunsetsu no koro).
 
The fact that I have something to say about pretty much every song should speak volumes about the album as a whole. It's varied but consistent, a quality somewhat lacking in recent efforts, and one of my easiest recommendations for getting into this now almost legendary band.

Nice review. While it would be accurate to say that this album reminds me of many past albums at once, I think it would be doing an injustice to NINTH not to credit it as its own 'era' of Gazerock. The band hasn't just thrown in callbacks to their lengthy discography, they've evolved and grown in a way I didn't think was possible this late in their musical career. With Reita himself admitting in an interview that it was hard to get out of the 'dark' phase they found with DOGMA, and some interesting comments in the interviews and liner notes of the album (these can be found in the 'Reference Book' for those who can read 日本語 until someone other than me can be bothered to make a translation), I think the band surprised even themselves with some of the compositions on this album.
 
Falling was always an excellent track and remains possibly the only real stand-out, but that by no means discredits the rest - in fact, this is one of the most consistently pleasing albums we've had from the GazettE in a long time. NINTH ODD SMELL was made to be headbanged to live; THE MORTAL has a gorgeous juxtaposition of an oppressive instrumental atmosphere and Ruki's soaring vocals; BABYLON'S TABOO, while not my personal favourite, is one of the most alternative, industrial-sounding experiments we've heard from the band; and the old-school vibes of 裏切る舌, which the members wondered if newer fans would catch on to or applaud as something new and original, were a fun shake-up towards the back end of the album. TWO OF A KIND is possibly my second top track, it hits hard and the ending is to die for, and UNFINISHED brings things to a close in a nostalgic way very reminiscent of truly old-school GazettE 春雪の頃 (shunsetsu no koro).
 
The fact that I have something to say about pretty much every song should speak volumes about the album as a whole. It's varied but consistent, a quality somewhat lacking in recent efforts, and one of my easiest recommendations for getting into this now almost legendary band.

| One of the best GazettE albums in recent memory.

I can't believe it's been three years since DOGMA. It feels like I just finished roasting it for being the "most underwhelming album of the year" and "ARCHE, Iowa-era Slipknot, and a quarter of DIM shoved in a blender and served cold". To be fair, most of my criticisms came from how stale and similar all the songs felt; the result of going a bit too far in the metalcore direction. Ever the perfectionists, it seems that the band actually addressed all of my complaints with NINTH. By combining the dark and heavy nature of DOGMA with the electronic rock explored with TOXIC and DIVISION and the retro "Gaze-rock" style of BEAUTIFUL DEFORMITY, The GazettE have succeeded in delivering an experience that mixes old and new sounds. NINTH won't win you over if you don't like the direction of the last four albums. If you took more of an issue with the execution of those concepts, than this is what you've been waiting for since DIM.
 
It's been a while since I feel comfortable recommending an album of theirs. NINTH is an easier and more engaging listening experience than DOGMA, with smooth, slick, and balanced production. I don't understand the criticisms of "muddy production" because I don't hear it. I even pulled out my good headphones - the Sennheiser HD600s - and plugged them straight into my Logitech speakers to pluck out minor grievances with the mix and it sounded better that way. This reaches a level that visual kei music can rarely afford to reach. Ruki has advised fans to get great audio equipment to experience each album to the fullest, but I think it's more true now than before. The songs are also arranged very well and flow into each other, and I can't recall a single jarring stylistic transition. All of these elements together makes every song an attractive listening experience. There's also the absence of several elements which used to drag down prior releases: the lack of standout tracks, filler, and clumsy Green Day-ish all English punk songs that stick out. The GazettE cut the fat out of this album in a way I wish Dir en grey could.
 
An album can still have highlights even when it's consistently good. I can't end this review without naming my favorite tracks. The first would be "その声は脆く", a rock ballad which starts on an unassuming note before effortlessly sliding into a thick, melancholic atmosphere. It even has a (short) twin guitar solo, a staple of rock songs I've been missing from their music lately. The follow-up track, "Babylon's Taboo", creates the best one-two punch on NINTH. I could be convinced that this is a heavier take on an unreleased 9GOATS BLACK OUT song. "Falling" is the de facto single of the album, receiving the first music video to push the album, and there's a damn good reason why. "The Mortal" is another track that deserves a shout out for mixing some of NIL-era flavor in the chorus with DOGMA-style riffs in the breakdown, and serves as a great summary for the journey the album takes us on. If The GazettE were still releasing singles, this would have been the second one.
 
NINTH makes a strong argument for keeping a low profile until an album is complete. Visual kei bands can capture my attention with rapid fire single releases, but that makes it harder to impress me with an album of familiar content. NINTH wouldn't be as impressive if they gave us previews and teasers months or years before it was done. I hope other bands are taking notes. If you haven't already, put some cash towards this worthy album. It will be favorably remembered for years to come.
 

Support the artist!
iTunes

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.