TheStoic

I just fell in love with that Large House Satisfaction track. Never have heard the band before, but that voice, the falsettos, the blusey solos infused with garage-indie rock in the vein of bands like Art School and Cinema Staff - it was made for my tastes. Thanks for sharing @plastic_rainbow!

I'm psyched to hear this news. I loved Code Rebirth and his solo Misanthropist works. If he brought on the vocal from Last Calix (who collaborated with Misanthropist) or a vocalist that can balance cleans and dirty vocals well, I think this will be a band worth noting. I also saw on his insta in the past times he has hung out with Ryo (formerly Girugamesh) - but I doubt that will become a reality. If it did, I am sure that Ryo's name recognition in the scene would elevate this band. I hope to hear news from Katsuya soon.

That was the first LACK-CO song I really enjoyed on first listen. I'm really on the fence with these guys, but this track is enjoyable to me. I might actually care to fully listen to this next one.

I was a fan of Red Zone as an EP, especially the opening track. This preview just shows me I will consistently enjoy the music these guys put out. I am starting to learn that if Koryuu is involved, I will enjoy it.

Hell Yeah! That MV was a jolt of pure energy! These guys keep impressing me! I love the heavier and more metal sound they have blended into their indie roots.

For real though... I think there is more going on with that "My hand can't hold a pick, so I tape it on" than K is letting on.

- The GazettE will release a 30 second teaser with no music foreshadowing a mysterious announcement for mid-2018. - Dir en grey will disband after Kaoru is diagnosed with a form of reactive arthritis that prevents him from playing guitar, thus losing the main composition inspiration for the band in its current era; Kyo will stay in sukekiyo; Die - Decays; Toshiya will start a clothing line; Shinya will fade into the distance - Akane from D.I.D, shocking the VK World, will commit suicide. - Dadaroma will release a follow up EP that is mediocre and mostly compiled pre-released A-Sides - lynch. will release an EP, after taking some time to resolve the Akinori situation, a month after they announce their new support bassit in Q3 2017, and it will be solid. - Ryo will will front a new band with Nii, Katsuya (Ex-CodeRebirth -> Misanthropist) and support members and it will be the most hype of 2017 Some of these sound very depressing, but I genuinely think they will happen.

For me, it has always come down to knowing my audience. I don't feel I have the typical look of a Japanese music/Anime/Metalhead as I had a career in the military for years that defined appropriate dress and grooming standards. But usually, people with alt-style dress (dyed hair, piercings, tattoos, dark clothing) can usually be pegged as rock fans and are usually open to J-Rock and metal if you find the right artist. Also, obvious anime fans are usually aware of VK and J-pop/rock and are easy to talk to about J-Music. If the person I am talking music with is well traveled, plays an instrument, or has a seeming appreciation for instrumental music and pefers music quality and sound to lyrical content, then I usually go ahead and mention Japanese artists that I think they will like and see how they react. People that listen to instrumental music are usually easy to bring into the Japanese music world as song stuctures and technical abilities of Japanese artists are different enough to Western acts to pique their interest. Especially in the instance of VK artists, I always have people listen to songs without visuals first, since many people I know that listen to Rock in the U.S. are usually turned off by the more effeminate looks associated with VK. If I can hook them with a few songs related to a particular artist, I usually have a good shot at integrating them into the VK scene. It is hard to get people to like VK if they only listen to mainstream music and don't play instruments. Usually, these type of people are radio-friendly push media type of people that just receive their daily programming to consume commercially viable, radio-ready music.

To me, the popularity of post-hardcore and screamo music with younger audiences also peaked in that same '09 time, which, stylistically, V-Kei shared sonic similarities with. Not to mention American festival runs were featuring Japanese bands (like family values with Dir en grey, a Taste of Chaos with Mucc/D'espairsRay, etc.) to build the Japanese music exposure with artists that shared their sound with. ... but then came the EDM and Dance-pop wave that took the wind right out of the sails of rock popularity. Now you have metal artists pushing more electronics into their sound to try to bridge that gap, and it is just not keeping people interested in the genre. I think the decline of V-Kei has more to do with the decline of Rock in the face of dance-pop and EDM than it specifically does with just the niche of V-Kei. I mean, you have people also jumping on the K-Pop bandwagon now more than ever, showcasing the popularity of embracing Dance-pop/EDM sonic sound that is "so hot right now" with the kidz of today. Rock and metal festivals are also struggling in the U.S. to stay afloat, so it shows that right now, there is no money in promoting the genre. As a result, less people are exposed to rock-oriented groups that typically would not seek them out, and you have decline. Luckily the internet is alive and well and people have many resources to search for music; The responsibility is now on people like us to bring V-Kei, J-Rock, and guitar centered music to the younger group of impressionable listeners that are more interested in mumble-rap and EDM divas today. Those are just my thoughts. This is an interesting topic!

What is with everyone adding the "Whooooaaaah, Wooahhowwwohhh..."s to their music nowadays. Stop it - just stop. I want to like this effort, but I just haven't.

I loved their inital EP, despite all the community flak they got for sounding too much like a rip-off of Ling Toshite Shigure. I always wanted to hear their second effort, Yaminabe, but never saw it across the community sites... this single is great in my opinion, and I'd love to hear this release! Technical riffs are the norm in metal and heavy music, but I love it all the more in melody driven indie alternative like this too. I wish more bands existed in the world in this style.

This gives me Do As Infinity nostalgia vibes. I'm definitely going to give it a proper listen.

This rocks! I'm fully behind these guys. Can't wait to inject the EP into my ears.

I really like 衍龍 (Kouryuu) and his compositions. That alone excites me more than 猟牙 (Ryoga) fronting the project, as I could never really get into born past a few select songs. Why doesn't the topic title include the other members former bands too? MBHI and Sadie have a strong following in the VK community...

I have doubts this will turn into anything that produces new music. If it sticks to the electro-pop direction the band took at the end, I won't be too stoked to follow it either. It would be nice to see these guys stay active if they can give us some new songs. I hold fast to hope.

I've been listening to VK/Japanese music for well over a decade now (since i lived in Japan in 2002). I understand the common theme of disbandment - but in this case, a lot of the bands I have been listening to for several years have all, one after the other been calling it quits in recent succession (veteran bands that have been steady in the scene - like Giru, DuelJewel, Sel'm, etc.). I am just noticing that many new bands are not catching my ear anymore, and the veteran ones are now gone, so the forecast is bleaker than I expect.

I liked the majority of the record first listen. Evidence hooked me from the first notes, and Pledge, Unelma, Phantom, and the Outrage Sexuality are consistent favorites at each listen. As expected - there is no real progression of the band or music, but it still hots hard and is enjoyable to listen to.

This is probably the first time I'm not even interested in hearing an ET release. The last few have let me down far too much. The old stuff was so good - the hope always burned for something more edgy. Here's to hoping they do a Girugamesh-esque 2013 style comeback.

That clip sounded awesome. I agree the resemblance of Milk and Satoshi is there - in any case - this sounds good. But as already mentioned - San, Satoshi, and TenTen don't have great track records of keeping bands together.

A lot of the bands I enjoy in the scene are all disbanding. In a few years - I might not be listing to new VK/J-Rock at this rate.

I enjoyed the single track and also felt that the accompaniment by Sugizo improved 空谷の跫音 (kuukoku no kyuuon), but the mix made the violin by Sugizo too up front and pronounced, and as a result was distracting. I wish it was in the back of the mix more, but still was enjoyable.

I'll have to listen to appreciate it. So far, only one or two tracks have caught my interest from Decays, but I hope it lets Die stay inspired and creative. As long as Diru does not disband because of it...

Disheartening - they were one of the few pop-rock groups I enjoyed in the scene. I'll miss their sound and this is a total bummer. The electro-pop route on the last few releases was something I didn't like as much as their early releases - but I have plenty of songs from them that I still adore to this day.

I literally love all these songs - Gravity, Storm, and Selfish Love especially. I'm also a huge fan of HaKU, so it is nice to see them get some recognition on the site as they are usually just overshadowed by the vanguards Ling Toshite Shigure.

Seeing John and Hiroaki on the roster gives me hope for this. To be honest, it was clear to me that Leda and Sujk were the reasons I loved Deluhi after hearing Juri's solo work. With 12012 and Sel'm guitarists on the roster, I can rest easy knowing that they have the ability and penchant to create heavy and dark riffs when they want to. I hope this band puts out original material. Until then, I will reserve judgement and hope for the best.