Visutox

I'm pretty sure that Ambitions will make 35xxxv seem like a masterpiece. I still will be checking out the album for the sake of it.

Finally listened Coven. Well, I can't exactly give a proper opinion on the album even though it made me want to re-listen it. I enjoyed it as long as it kept me hooked. It is really a difficult listening due to its length but it's definitely something interesting and worthy of your time. Need to familiarize myself with their sound a little more. Will be back on it in my future posts.

Noticed something interesting when I was exploring worldwide trends for the search term "visual kei" on google - that tiny spike earlier this year just happened to be when youtubers react to visual kei came out:

 
So visual kei is dead. And at the rate it is going now, will be even dead-er; A scene stagnating on the same looks and sounds, rarely venturing out musically if at all. But it wasn't always that way. Although it would be  appropriate to refer to the 90s golden era of vk to remind us of how opulent the scene once was, I want to bring back memories of 2009.
 
In October 2008, Kerrang ran a feature on jrock, publishing an article predicting jrock to go big in Europe in 2009.
And sure enough, google trends highlighted the correlation clearly, confirming that the search terms "j-rock" and "visual kei" did indeed peak between January and March 2009.
 
However, following vk's brief global success was a period of near-exponential decline - to what we see now as the lowest point of popularity vk has ever experienced in a 12 year time-span. Even that spike in August wasn't enough to break above 2004's lowest point.
 
Personally, I'd been a passive fan of visual kei for many years prior to 2009, but it wasn't until 2009 that I became fully engaged. One prominent catalyst was Japanese blogging platform Ameba launching its virtual community ‘Pigg’ that year, becoming a game changer in the way fans and bands could interact. Popular musicians were also given accounts powered by ameba, a la twitter's verified personalities.
 
I remember 2009 as a year that several vk bands were going major and gaining international recognition. It was no surprise that vk reached its global height by being much more accessible through social media and other digital channels. This momentum seemed to be gaining quickly until 2010 brought a sharp turn of unfortunate events within the scene and the emergence of kpop poached a large part of the international vk audience.
 
However, the situation in Japan is a bit different, as vk has been pretty steady since it had already declined by the turn of the century. The search term "ヴィジュアル系" on google trends says as much.
 
A few years ago, major labels published all those visual kei cover albums probably in an attempt to raise the relevance of visual kei, but the hype had pretty much died by then. The drought of talent and variety meant that each band was no better than the other, and was enough for many people to lose interest. Stricter piracy laws also meant that music had become less accessible, with people being reluctant to pay the exorbitant prices of some CDs. Not to mention the discontinuation of many vk magazines as an indication of the scene's current degradation. Marketing and business models that worked in the 90s and early 00s struggle to find significance in the present day, yet management has not evolved to adapt to current trends (or have done so poorly).
 
Now that the last of the influential underground vk labels is defunct, vk doesn't have the backing and budget as it once did. X Japan and Luna Sea are like the only lifeline left for vk - there can't even be a vk festival without either X Japan or Luna Sea in the lineup.
 
I remember reading an interview where Yohio mentioned that he kinda killed western interest in vk, but I don't particularly attribute that to those western vk acts damaging the reputation of this uniquely japanese scene. Bands such as D'espairsRay, girugamesh, the Underneath, Rentrer en Soi, Dio, UnsraW and Black:List etc who laid the groundwork for vk to make its mark in the west are no longer around. I'm surprised lynch. didn't carry the torch.
 
I don't want this thread to sound too much like #resurrectvk, but instead I want ignite a discussion (and maybe create a dialog) - how did the vk boom of '09 affect you in your country, what could've been done differently, or the best things to come out of  that little modern renaissance of vk history.
 
 

This band just knows how to do a cover, don't they? The cover of Grave's Soulless is also really fucking good, although not quite as good as this. This sounds 100% Moonsorrow, but those of us who are familiar with the original will also be able to recognize the track. Just how you're supossed to do a cover. It sounds so huge and epic. Class!
 
Moonsorrow is one of those very fre bands where I'd love to hear a full cover album.

New Dir en grey single which may or may not be great. *
Lynch may or may not drop new Material and Akinori may or may not get the boot.*
KEEL will still be active.*
Ryo (ex. Girugamesh) will hopefully release some original material
More solo/side projects.
SKIN will debut.
Satsuki will give up his solo career.
Yohio/Disreign will be the only Western VK act that people will pay attention to.
New Evanescence single/Album
Mejibray dropping another great single.
The Black swan dropping another great single.
Initial L will disband or fade into irrelevancy.
New Merry album/singles.
 
 
 
 

Day 25: 鵺-chimera- by ギルガメッシュ (girugamesh)

 
Release Date: 2016-01-20
Label: Danger Crue Records
Genre: Visual Kei/Metal
 
 
Impressions from @doombox:
 
 
Impressions from @togz:
 
 
Impressions from @ShanethVarosa:
 
 
 
Impressions from @emmny:
 
 
Impressions from @Ito:
 
 
Sample song:
 
 
Buy the album:
CD Japan | iTunes | Spotify | Amazon

I've been busy doing other graphical stuff lately, but here are few new pieces:
 

Hi!
 
I suppose you gotta promote yourself everywhere if you want something good to happen and get to places and finally have enough money to buy some music from your favourite artists like Avelcain or Mejibray.
 
so anyways I do digital paintings. here are few I try posting more later.
feedback is always welcome! negative/positive whatever! ^^
 
you can see the same stuff mostly on my tumblr: http://slsds.tumblr.com/
 

 

 

 

 

http://www.last.fm/user/baka_neko/listening-report/year
 
sweet!

Do you enjoy 1st wave Bathory, Hellhammer, Sodom, Tormentor, Vulcano, Sarcofago, Holocausto, Poison and the likes? Then do yourself a favour and check out the debut of Sacrificio. Sacrificio plays ancient black metal like they used to long before black metal was a proper genre to describe a certain kind of music. Mostly very primitive and raw in the vein of Bathory and The Return..., but at times they move into a more epic form of black metal. A bit like Bathory did with songs such as Enter the Eternal Fire and Call from the Grave. Fantastic album, and it's way better than the very awesome demo.
 
https://nuclearwarnowproductions.bandcamp.com/album/guerra-eterna
 
 
I love their over the top image too. As ridiculous as it is cool.
 

I'm locked in thrash-mania these days it seems. Been spinning nothing but Kreator, Destruction and some Sodom. I'm not too familar with the latter band, but their new album is just amazing killer stuff! A lot more interesting than Destruction's latest one (which btw is also not too bad, just nothing special). Gonna dive deep into Sodom's back catalogue soon.
 
Also, I've realized yet again that this album still rips like hell:
 
 
(what a brutal year with this and Slayer's Reign in Blood as well!)

As of seeing him live recently, I can assure you, this son of a bitch has no problem with performance.
Fucking A, I thought he could rupture eardrums with his yells. Attacking the stage is an understatement.
I believe his change in music direction has allowed him to master his range and precision for high notes. Even his growls have more power this time.
Almost like a new high for him, and it looks like he likes it too haha.
 
I did miss the younger feel of his vocals before his vocal chord injury as well, but the raw talent is still there.
 
The Black was a slap to the face to not only the true fans, but to the members themselves.
Good god, I am so glad I didn't buy that horseshit.
How about we all forget about that album? haha.
 
Danny looked like he was having fun during the performance, and if the boys will behave, then I'm sure that Danny will give in once again.
The REAL question is: can he juggle his solo career and his other band We are Harlots, who are already fearing that they may disband soon.
 
I listened to Mexico the other day, and as much as country is his current passion, it just doesn't suit him.
It's like listening to a caged bird sing.
 
 

Yup! Need to check it out asap, the singles sounded promising and were really enjoyable.
Will probably post my thoughts about the new album on here.
 
Also listened to SAOR's new album and it's beautiful, need more spins though. 
+ the new Ravencult sounds really great!
 

I've been very into the Quebec black metal scene again lately (which I always am when winter is coming), and this have to be the most unique and interesting scene within black metal for the past 16 years? While a lot of the bands like Forteresse, Csejthe, Grimoire, Ephemer, Brume d'Automne, Déliquescence, Ur Falc'h, Maléfices, Délétère has their own thing going on, they still have that Quebecian feeling to their music. It's very similar to how Poland, Greece, Sweden, Finland, USA, Norway and more had their own, unique style back in the early to mid 90's.
 
 
 
This has to be one of the very best black metal songs ever written. That atmosphere, the feeling, the melodies. Absolute perfection! Well, the entire album is. But oh well...

NoGoD 2-month consecutive digital singles will be released.
 
The first digital single "Passion Play" has been released at 2016/10/16
 
The second digital single (title not yet finalized) will be released at 2016/11/00
 
レコチョク：http://recochoku.com/k0/nogod_passion_play/
iTunes Store：https://itunes.apple.com/jp/album/id1161307093?app=itunes&ls=1
mora：http://mora.jp/package/43000014/NOPA-1296/
 

This thread needs more King-Show love!
 
 
 
 
 
<3 <3

Yes, finally a new album from these guys. Al Azif is very good and Tekeli-li is very, very good, and judging by this song this will be very, very, very good. Lovely cover art as well.

Dragon Ash new single "光りの街" will be released on 2016.11.09 in two types:
 
CD only tracklist (1,000+tax):
1.光りの街
2.Headbang
 
limited edition CD+DVD (1,980+ tax):
1.光りの街
2.Headbang
 
DVD tracklist (live footage from The Lives at 石巻 Blue Resistance 2016.4.24):
1.Art of Delta
2.House of Velocity
3.Run to the Sun
4.Blow Your Mind
5.For divers area
6.Neverland
7.繋がりSUNSET
8.Mixture
9.Headbang
10.Revive
11.百合の咲く場所で
12.The Live
13.Circle（未発表新曲）
14.Fantasista
15.Lily
16.morrow
 
 

CRYSTAL LAKE posted on facebook that they'll be releasing their 4th album "True North" on November 30th through Cube Records/JMS, no word yet on an overseas release

Alcest - Kodama
Hexenslaught - Demo 2016
Abigail - The Final Damnation
Cradle of Filth - Dusk... and Her Embrace - The Original Sin
Satan's Vomit - Back to the Beginning
Ithaqua - The Black Mass Sabbath Pulse
Moonsorrow - Jumalten aika
Blood Ceremony - Lords of Misrule
Ripper - Experiment of Existence
Uada - Devoid of Light
Occult Burial - Hideous Obscure
Vektor - Terminal Redux
Hail Spirit Noir - Mayhem in Blue
Demon Bell - Steel Sorcery
Nuctemeron - Knights of Hell
 
I've probably forgotten a lot of great albums, but I'm pretty sure I'll keep listening to these release for many, many years from now on. Awesome stuff!

Great year in metal so far, I agree.  As it is now, these albums stood out to me the most (and I still haven't listened to a handful of potentially awesome releases!).
 
Spektr – The Art to Disappear
Chthe'ilist – Le Dernier Crépuscule
Gehennah - Too Loud to Live, Too Drunk to Die
Khanus - Rites of Fire
Cobalt - Slow Forever
Bus - The Unknown Secretary
Uada - Devoid of Light
Occult Burial - Hideous Obscure
Vektor - Terminal Redux
Kvelertak - Nattesferd
Nails - You Will Never Be One of Us
Denner/Shermann - Masters of Evil
Sewercide - Immortalized in Suffering
Asphalt Graves - The New Primitive
Hellbringer - Awakened From The Abyss
Meshuggah - The Violent Sleep of Reason
Tortorum - Rotten. Dead. Forgotten.
The Dillinger Escape Plan - Dissociation
Anaal Nathrakh - The Whole of the Law

Was driving around listening to Cassis getting excited for Gazette's NYC show in a couple weekends.... thought I'd record some thoughts. Let me know what you think of this (old) Gazette single!
 
(shoutout to Jrocknyc shoutboxer Ken who made a few videos like this about old school Nagoya Kei that were fun... I couldn't find any of them anymore though.)