Tetora

WRITE-UP:
 
Matenrou Opera returns with an album that tastes like a concept album, yet leaves the over-all decision on whether it is or isn`t up to your interpretation.
 
The term Avalon refers to a place in so-called Arthurian legend, where both the Excalibur was forged, and legendary knights as well as King Arthur himself was buried. Some speculate it to be an island off the coast of Scotland and Wales.
 
The album is laden with sounds reminiscent of Medieval times, and song titles refer to heaven or paradise, which Avalon is a gateway to; that is where the concept album feel plays in, yet the songs actually tell varied tales which can not always be played in to the album`s title, and the inclusion of the previous single A-Side Orb further leads us astray.
 
Concept album or not, this album is definitely not a collection of different tracks or hits thrown together. It plays more like a film cut into different parts, telling different stories, but almost always fitting a certain feel, and that is the experience you get from this album. It has a common title, but the experience is a unique one. The `Opera` touch of the delivery along with a unique vocalist matched with a hard band delivers a one-of-a-kind experience, and I think that is really what you are getting from this album. It`s not another rock album, not another VK album, it is something of its own, and you need to sample the singles from the album to see if you will enjoy this experience. One key thing to keep in consideration is if you like the vocalist and delivery, as this is a comon point of divergence amongst opinion.
 
To me, this more of a sit-down and listen album rather than something you can throw on, although tracks like Orb, 隣に座る太陽 and クロスカウンターを狙え are the tracks I would think you are likely to throw on as stand-alone listens. The album doesn`t use hooks or catches as much as you would expect from a modern album, if you want a comparison, I would say it is more like Versailles from a different era.
 
Track Count: 12
Listens: 15-20
Production Quality: Great sound, yet my personal preference is for a wider sound stage and more clarity in individual intruments, esp. more of the guitars.Though they seem to specifically like putting emphasis on the vocals.
 
Overall Rating: Great album, defined, unique experience, listening on the I will skip some tracks, but if I want to let it play out there are no skip-inducing tracks.
 
Worth the Purchase?
For me, this is definitely worth the purchase. Although it is not an album that will get the most rotation. It is something I will keep in my library and bring out on occasion.

Thanks for posting, later tonight I will be posting the review I wrote yesterday for a little song-by-song coverage

I also agree with your ratings
 
EDIT: okay I forgot that I can't paste to mh so it will take some time

YAY!! They are good!

Last time I heard this, Closet Child, Brand X and other stores like that had the cd, also, CDJapan had an option to get items other stores have, if you request it.

im the last guy from the left xD on a trip in a church durin our military practice


me and a friend on our way to the church ;p

and here durin our trainin ;p
sorry for spammin dats it ;p

I'm in 2 new scenes and enjoying then bamm Lycaon interview, now i'm like i need those new releases right now. *bits lips and moans*

Hi everybody !

First, since english isn't my mother tongue, I apologise for any mistakes !

So, I'm Lustair (from ex.Lamiel Yuina's band), I'm french and in visual kei since quite a long time now...
I spent the last 7years exploring more and more deeply into the visual kei history until the point that I can't find bands I never listened to any more... But they still remain !
There is a lot (all pretty old and absolutely not famous indies bands, like "La fille male garder"), It just became very difficult to find any CDs or demo tape any more.
By the way, I'm not in the current visual kei scene except few bands like emmurée, ・・・。[silence], ALSDEAD (I can't explain why but I like this band since the release of "puzzle"...), Lynch, and the godfathers like DEADEND, Luna sea, Kuroyume.
In my opinion currently there is quite interesting bands too but they all sound the same for me cause' of the chords they use and the vocalists do too much and don't sound natural at all.
But of course I'm still following the visual kei scene's news.

I didn't use english for a long time, I think it will become better with a bit of practice...!
 
Nice to meet you !
 
 

ice full PV
 
 
This song.....
These lyrics...........
This MV.............
 
FUCK YEAH UNiTE I FUCKN LOVE YOU

Yeah thanks to that I made it into the second row (thanks Ryoga) and all I did is 'TOUCH THEM ALL !!'
there was no barrier so I successfully could touch everyone except Ichirou and Zero
 
I still have this smell of Ryoga in my nose (or was ist Yuuki? someone of them wore perfume .. or it was their shampoo? idk xD)

Both were amazing!! BORN played all the songs I wished for *-* and Ryogas smile is adorable ;D
Mio did a great job as bassist and K stage diving without his shirt *~* asdfgshjs, Yuuki should have done the same
but the picture Ryoga posted on twitter.. urgh >< I wasn't fast enough to look to the side but no one would
regonize me on it anyway xD
Sadly, Yuuki only had a small whip with him (he hit my cheek with it but not on purpose I guess
but I'm sure blackdoll would have been happy about it lol  well, I only noticed/felt it after the concert xD)
SHADOW sounds sooo good I'm excited for the single *-* and Yuuki got more panties and handcuffs lmao
 
 
 
They're live much better !

Absolutely loved BORN. Idk why people don't like them tbh... I mean yeah, their older stuff was better but I still enjoy their newer releases as well. They played "Radical Hysteria" and "Satisfaction?", two songs I'm absolutely loving right now, so I'm a happy gurl right now.
The singer was so hot, I can't even, guys.
They "stage dived" like crazy, but considering how far back I was standing, I was unable to steal his leather jacked...
I'm not the biggest Lycaon fan, but they were very entertaining as well.
I'm kinda sad that each band only played a one-song encore, but each band overall played one hour which was great (I've been to coupling tours where each band only played for 45 minutes)

Hello everyone ^^
My friends online and offline usually call me "Kei" 
 
I found this website while searching up Luzmelt, one of my favorite bands. Currently being burned alive in the hot state that is Arizona. 
I've been into Japanese rock for about a year and a half now. The first ever band I herd was girugamesh. They were recommended as a "different" band to listen to by my friends. I instantly became interested with more J-rock after listening to Reason of Crying and MUSIC. Some J-metal here and there
 
Any-who minus the small talk, some of my favorite bands are:
Luzmelt
lix
DELUHI
Nightmare
girugamesh
SuG
UNiTE.
UnRealistic
THE KIDDIE
heidi.
DELACROIX
I hope to have a fun time and meet a variety of great, new and fun people here ^^

so what's next !?

My last days with my "long" hair,I'm gonna miss you TT-TT

+ this is a collab between Takeru and TeddyLoid (who's quite known for example co-producing/arranging handful of songs in Gazette's Division like "Derangement" etc.)

Oh god, please don't tell me people actually use the term "djent" as a genre here.
 
This mini is going to be mindblowing for sure, I agree with Rekzer, this made MONSTER sound like GO. Definitely digging these songs, VORTEX and GO AHEAD having some form of Nokubura headbang feeling to it, Reflection being very fast-paced and slightly aggressive; every member has certainly improved drastically

Sendai indie CD store little HEARTS. will open their Osaka store at 2014/10/01

Thought of making this, since I find it odd that no one ever discussed about their "favorite album openers" here, so yup:
 
Feel free to post your (some of your) favorite openers (max. 4 links and no order needed + doesn't matter if its studio or live) here...and a reminder:
 
Intros are not counted (the definition of "intro" is pretty vague - but I think you get my drift anyway - my excuse would be "just because", sorry!)
 
To start this thread, I will post some of mine (as an example/template if you will):
 
 
1. Tokyo Jihen - Ikiru
http://pann.nate.com/video/215614571
One of those songs I consider to be "the total bangers" of Shiina's repertoire - unusual ("Imogen Heap meets Queen-ish" ), sparsely arranged song ending up with good ol' TJ cast playing up to the max. I see this having a lot potential to surprise even those who are not necessarily fans of this kind of genre - which is why I recommend you to try out the link above (Ultra C live version - not for those who *dislike* Shiina's vocals).
 
2. Capsule - Soratobu Toshikeikaku

Someone might be already saying "but Perez, this is an interlude?!" - no, it's not an interlude. If you are even a bit familiar with house/electro music in general, you know pretty well that "lyricless" full-length songs can be openers as well as sole songs too. I see 'Soratobu' as Capsule's - no, Nakata's most brilliant and creative effort he has ever produced/done during his career. It's not a farce when people say that "good songs make you imagine things more vividly and even "live them" - and 'Soratobu' is worth being the showcase to those opposing the idea. No wonder that it even has a PV done by Ghibli staff (or Ghibli subsidiary staff, JIC)...
 
3. Luna Sea - Loveless

If we have to make a manual on "how to make a good opener", this has to end up there - talk about a way how to introduce the band carefully: the song progresses slowly by not having members appear at the same time but otherwise - and finally ends with all the elements combined together without making certain instruments "drown". Atmospheric, theme-setting number - and perhaps quite legendary too!
 
 

Going to buy this album. I never listened to their last one that much but this one seems more uptempo and hopefully more push and play, as their last was more atmospheric and was more of a sit down and listen kind of experience to me.
Really like the album covers, and the juxtaposition with the title, band look, sound, and presentation.
The use of the word Gangsta as a marketing ploy obviously worked very well, as I see crowds gather to bump threads on different sites, and everyone just has to see the video and hear the song, even if just to criticize. As a VK band it is small-scale, but it develops a crowd of outsiders who love to hate them, and are exposed to their music, and gives fans a mentality that there are naysayers and the band is underrated, etc... Though obv. It only keeps the band on the mind of those already in the VK bubble, and wont translate to any visible increase in foreign sales, esp. when it is mostly serious fans and or collectors who buy much, and purchase of this album is being discouraged in its News thread.
Anyway, just rambling here, but I see Sadie is in the same boat as BORN, where it is cool to make fun of them, and that makes everyone follow them over other bands. I expect this to continue for a while, just like MuCC's following, where they changed their approach to.music years and years ago but people still post in every thread about how they used to be better, yet these people still follow every single release regardless.
(Dont take this post as a negative judgement, just a neutral observation).

I like it too

I like it,i'm impatient to hear the full album ! 

B7Klan has announced the merchandise items sold on the tour! Source here.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
I think the bag and t-shirts are pretty ugly but nevertheless I'll probably buy that Lycaon t-shirt, Lycaon poster, Lycaon photoset & tour bag. Because supporting your favorite band etc.

i can't even express how impressive this sounds - this is absolutely AMAZING! hope they stick to that style.

Preview of their new mini-album.
 

 
This mini-album is gonna be such a beast, can't wait.

I saw doguramagura today and she brought me something.... :3 Prepare yourselves, a few bathroom selfies are coming.