Visutox

Wow.
 
After 9 and then Supernova I became much less of a fan of the band, which was possibly my favorite up until (and including) Gemini.
 
From then on I saw that the band changed a lot, and always seemed overworked while having uncharacteristic output gaps in content (same as SuG before they left).
 
Now I see that they are making a statement about themselves and how they feel, and I not only like the music more, and have that old feeling back where I can`t wait to see what they do next, I also respect them much more.
 
Rebellion is obvious in terms of what they are saying, as is the Phoenix title. But I could also interpret the mask he is wearing as another form of `rebellion` as they started really pushing Shou as a pretty-boy for fans, and started heavily marketing their looks more and coming out with different editions of CD`s with designs based only around each member`s faces (similar marketing started for ViViD, based all around their good looks). So I find it cool that they made a PV not showing his face, putting more emphasis on the music.
 
As for the crowd-funding, I was not sure how to feel, since I know they are still a huge draw in terms of CD sales and tickets as well as merchandise, so I wondered why they needed to do this, and checked out the official page for it as well as some more info.
 
On the page itself, they talk about not agreeing with the way sales are done, getting people to buy the same stuff, and charting etc... And that they were being moved away from what they felt was an emphasis on making good music, to an emphasis on something else. So it seems they are using crowdfunding to have more control over their own work, and develop a new kind of relationship with their fans.
 
My main issues would be that we are kind of paying twice for the product, since we already buy the albums, tickets, etc... And that some fans would pay larger amounts, although it`s their own money and their own decision, and due to the size of their fan-base, if theoretically 50k people put in 100 yen each, then the project is fulfilled. I`ll see how it develops.
 
Just my thoughts on the news.
 
EDIT:
 
Crowd-Fund Project is to fund the recording, PV shoot, and other things like promotional material, so they can do it all independently. When they reach their target they will also make an additional PV. Any additional funds raised will be used to `increase quality` of their works in terms of recording, equipment used, etc... They will show all financial data, and gifts for supporters include early access to tracks, HD tracks, track data (such as vocal only, drum only tracks, etc...) And I just noticed the page has an English option so everyone should be able to read it.

A9(Alice Nine) SHOW OHARA & TORA AMANO new project "DIAWOLF" will hold their first live at Shibuya SOUND MUSEUM VISION at 2015/03/15, and their new one-coin single "Rebellion" will be released at 2015/04/12 (500yen)
 

 

 
http://diawolf.com/
 
 
A9 Crowd Funding Project has formed with target funding amount 5,000,000yen, and their START-UP EP "銀河ノヲト(ginga no oto)" will be released in 2015/08
 

 
http://a9-project.com/

LIN's fierce new look!! ♥♥♥
 
Vote!

Voted for everyone already.
 
Guys, let's make the GazettE's profile page on last.fm look prettier. 
 
http://www.last.fm/music/the+GazettE/+images/103566473

"first" look:

Since when Johnny Depp has joined DIR EN GREY?

I lost my boner as soon as I saw Niklas Kvarfoth mentioned. What the fuck is this cunt doing there. That's probably the worst decicion they've taken during their 25 year long career. Christ allmighty.
 
I can't say I am too excited by seeing the likes of Matthew Heafy and Fred Leclercq there either, but Matthew Heafy is excused just for being the massive Sigh fan he is, and they're both excused just for not being Kvarfoth.
 
 
However, the bold part turns me the fuck on and the artwork is nothing short of brilliant again.

1. The Arcturian Sign
2. Crashland
3. Angst
4. Warp
5. Game Over
6. Demon
7. Pale
8. The Journey
9. Archer
10. Bane

8th may

I like Sideshow Symphonies a lot, so I really look forward to this album. I expected something along the lines of Sideshow Symphonies as well.

Holy shit, Melechesh's new album is a fucking killer. I think I just had an eargasm, what a piece of art! These guys are definitely one of the best bands around, hands down. The Epigenesis was a good album for sure, but this one is miles better imo. The first track sounds a bit like a "Rebirth of the Nemesis (Enuma Elish Rewritten) 2.0" and it's not a bad thing. Plus, I wouldn't even mind if all of their albums started with such a tremendously awesome song. Also, "Enki - Divine Nature Awoken" is a masterpiece. This new album is easily going on my list of the top 2015 albums. Only listened the album once but I plan to listen it again and again. A full review could come if I'm in the mood in the coming days. First impression score:   (I think I just underrated it, if you ask me).   I also tried ATR's new album, and in order to avoid of always repeating the same thing everywhere, I'm just gonna say what I posted in other places: I really enjoyed the new album. It's not as good as they old material, but better than AWYCW and FWAM for sure. I somewhat feel like The Order Of Things is a mix of everything we heard since All That Remains formed, condensed into one album. All in all, it's a DECENT one and I like it. You can think whatever you want but this is how the new All That Remains sounds like, and they won't change, whether you like it or not. Listened it once too, gotta give it a few more spins. First impression score: 

Lycaon grabbed my attention from the get go due to insanely catchy choruses and one hell of a beautiful vocalist (yes, both visually and vocally), and they've given us all of this, once again, in a juicy fifty-six minute album consisting of eighteen tracks. The opener has a sort of Halloween sound with various monster cackles and screams that change into a healthy dose of dubstep, a feature that we've come to expect from the band. The dark sound flows remarkably well into '追憶,' which cleverly includes strings much like the first SE to carry on with this creepy atmosphere. This sullen tone continues into 'Dark Night.' I found this one too chaotic, but 'Liar' makes up for this. This track has that reminiscent choppy sound found very often in their songs. It's the repetitive chugging of guitars I have grown quite fond of. This sound welcomes the catchiest chorus in the whole album. Even though the 'Engrish' inclusion is rather unpleasant to many, the tiny dose of 'Liar' before Yuuki's whispers get to our ears makes for a very appealing chorus. Right after this kick-ass song, we get the first single of the album, 'Shadow.' Their latest batch of singles were my favourite single tracks of 2014, and even in this massive tracklist, their appeal isn't diminished one bit. We come to the mid part of the album with the second SE insertion. The eerie vocalisation continues with, fittingly, a camera clicking in this one, while a young girl's whispers echo. This ends with the camera clicking and film rolling.
 
We then come into track seven, introduced by the little girl's creepy chuckles. The shortest track of the album, 'marionette,' is impressive on many levels. It's heavy, with brilliantly set out drums and guitars chugging together in a violent yet coherent manner. 'marionette' is simple and easy to follow. This is made ever so obvious when thinking back to the previous mess that is 'Dark Night.' It's memorable and a definite stand out point. Unfortunately, this cannot be said for the following track. While its progression is just as fluid as 'marionette,' '君を壊すガラスの衝動' is the least memorable song of the album. It's likely thanks to Yuuki's orgasmic 'ahs' during the climax that I didn't dose off. And the next track doesn't help put the hype train back on track. The rather disagreeably placed third SE follows (after just two songs, really?), which is of a jazzy nature and quickly rides into 'Rouge;' yes, a jazzy tune. It's a very appreciated sound after the bombardment of hard hitters previously. Yuuki's exotic tone really makes this one to pay attention to, much like the final song of this album. The more cleverly placed 'ahs' in this one are much more rocking with the beat itself. Now things are definitely coming back together as we get to the next single track, '馬鹿ね。.' While its loudness will probably put some listeners off, it's a thrilling listen and very fun. It's another track placement I approve of greatly, introducing the only ballad to the album, 'アネモネ.' While not an impressive ballad, it's a lovely ice breaker yet again for its much slower tempo against the quicker tracks. It's also my favourite song when it comes to the tracks that flow into the SE's.
 
Moving onto '売女 -SE-,' it has an almost pirate like sound to it, and mixes the eerieness of the first SE's sound along with the girl whispering again. The last single track, '悪女の微笑,' slaps us in the face and picks us back up with high energy. Who can really deny those whip sounds? Saucy. The album carries on strong with another powerful song, 'ILLUSION.' It's similar to 'marionette' with its straightforward structure, but it may take a couple spins until you're digging it since it's not as impactful. This is very much the same case for the following track, 'メランコリック.' There's just enough diversity in each song to keep these last few tracks from sounding too similar. And we finally get a little shriek from Yuuki after... fifteen tracks. And if you now ignore the overused SE's, the album would've ended on a very positive note with 'ジプシー.' Now this is the type of seductive Lycaon we need more of! With a very passionate tone to it thanks to the tango sound and those lovely, attention-grabbing castanets, this one is actually much more inviting to dance to than when the guys 'drop the bass' in their louder songs. What's more, this newly heard sound of theirs does wonders to Yuuki's already sensual voice. His voice makes for a very exotic track without the guys needing to use the gimmicks they once did before when it comes to trying to achieve this sexy sound. On this best note to end with, let's forget about the fifth SE for now.
 
If you're already a big fan, consider yourself sold on this and addicted for sure (I can see fellow Lycaon lovers doing a great job in pushing this love as already witnessed daily; shoutout to @blackdoll). The track placements are hit and miss, with some very overused interludes. However, each song manages to stand by themself even when being suffocated by a lengthy album. What's even more surprising is that the album seems to end all too quickly! But, if you're new to them, then, steer clear of the hype for now. While this is most definitely an improvement in their musicial direction being more accepted, this is a release with too much of everything they've got to give in it. Enjoyment might not be the main problem with this if you do try, but just managing to get through it all might be asking for too much.
 
Score:

Artist: Lycaon Album: Camera Obscura Score: With a title like Camera Obscura, lots of interesting takes of what the concept would mean for this album came to mind. Sadly, from the first track it was apparent Lycaon went for the most direct translation. I was more than a little disheartened. The first half of this album did very little to raise my spirits, either. First and foremost, the levels in the mix and production are horrific. It's muddy, discordant, and downright unbearable in parts. Case in point, "Dark Night" has obnoxious levels of echo that clash with the high end string backing tracks. It's so bad I can barely follow any of the other instruments in the song until about half way through. I've heard a better mix come out of a 4 track recorder in a teenager's basement.

And while "Dark Night" is the worst offender, it's got company with most of this album suffering the same fate. "追憶 " has a crunchy guitar riff that should be ripping this album wide open, but instead I had to fight through mass amounts of reverb effects to hear just about anything. "Liar", "君を壊すガラスの衝動 ", "Rouge", "ILLUSION", and "メランコリック" are snooze-fests full of recycled garbage that go nowhere and are so painfully bland it hurt to listen to them, yet I still can't find traits to distinguish any of the songs from each other after the album is over. The lack of originality for most of this album is jarring, and when it does have something interesting happening it's suffocated by cheap production.

"悪女の微笑 " is in a battle for my favorite Camera Obscura song next to "ジプシー". And partially because its recording quality is leagues above the rest of the album. You can hear every instrument clearly and no one thing is eclipsing anything else. It's a decent song and the only one that made me even think about headbanging along to it. "馬鹿ね。" , while not as strong in composition, shares the better production value with the other singles. I could do without the chorus driving the song into the ground by the end. It's a fun chorus to start with, but in this case less would have been more. Then there's songs like "marionette" and "アネモネ" that found a way to survive in the pit of bad recordings. Something about both songs is stripped down and less complicated than the others so they end up better for it and loads more memorable.

I stopped checking for this band some years ago, around their 2009 release Chains of collar, because their nasally vocalist doesn't sit well with me. His voice is like a hybrid of Hakuei's (Penicillin) vocal pitch and the nasal tone of Ryutaro (Plastic Tree) without the edge or control of either. And this album makes me that much more grateful I didn't waste my time keeping up with Lycaon. This is, astoundingly, a step down from what they were even back then. Someone should have cut out all of these asinine SEs and saved the money to have the album mastered by a better studio engineer. I am usually more forgiving of visual indie bands for lo-fi sounding works, but this is not Lycaon's first album. This is 3 albums in; this is a band familiar with how a music studio works for the last seven years. And what makes it so annoying is there are select songs on this album that have better production. So why not all?

 

http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/500/103552579/Camera+Obscura.jpg" width="200" /> Artist: Lycaon Album: camera obscura Score: How can you get wet over something so dry?
Lycaon and I have had an icy relationship ever since they lost Mio and eve and went through their rebellious, adolescent phase. The atomic meltdown that was their "erotic phase" (god, I fucking hate that term) came to an end with 「嘘と女と『　　　　』」 全国流通盤」, and I cheered quite loudly when they decided to drop the overt 'sex sells' antics cum-plastered all over their stupid marketing gimmicks. Even so, their music lacked some of the charm and finesse that Mio and eve brought to the band. So apart from the forgettable 「マゾヒストレッドサーカス」, I haven't touched anything by this band in years. We've come to an understanding that they're not the same band they once were, and I'm not the same fan I used to be, and maybe it was better if we parted ways.

So for no particular reason at all, I decided to give "camera obscura" a chance to see where the quintet's heads are at. If I were to describe the sound, I would describe it as a mix of old and new Lycaon in the best way possible. There are some hints of the alternative metal style honed on "Royal Order", the EDM bass drops of 「マゾヒストレッドサーカス」, some of that good 80's rock vibe that I know guitarist Satoshi is fond of, and thankfully none of that erotic bullshit. Even when they decide to get raunchy, they do it in a more palatable manner. It really does offer something for new and old fans alike: tracks like "marionette", "悪女の微笑", and "追憶" remain somewhat memorable far after I finished the album. One of the things they did right with this album was reduction of harsh vocals. That's not where Yuuki's strengths are and by shedding those weaknesses he maintains the most consistent performance across the entire album. This is when Lycaon sticks to their guns and produce the quality rock music I know they can. "marionette" in particular deserves extra mention. I really like these cabaret and oriental influences that are slowly working their way into visual kei and I think more bands should try their hands at it.

There are two main reasons I can't accept "camera obscura" as is. One is the abysmal production. The guitars sound absolutely dead, and there's two of them. There's no punch to them. The treble is also way too crisp and it makes the cymbals sound like wooden blocks ("悪女の微笑"), fuzz ("アネモネ"), and other degrees of sounds I would only describe as "not cymbals". Whether the guitars are oppressive or energetic, it's the main instrument and when it's so dead a lot of potential gems here fall flat.

When the aforementioned production isn't siphoning the life out of the music, and after all those pointless interludes were deleted, the reason why I can't accept this album is because a lot of the songs are just average. "ILLUSION" comes out of left field like an Arlequin reject with that bizarre dubstep breakdown that ruins an otherwise listenable song. That would have/could have/should have been punishing riff near the end of "liar" should have hit one note a bit sharper and sounds off. "メランコリック" feels like filler. I really want to like "Dark Night", and I like the Yousei Teikoku influence they were channeling, but the bad production and the really fake sounding piano ruins it. The similarly fake piano in "Rouge" steps all over the band and doesn't fit in at all. Worst of all is the abomination that is "馬鹿ね。". It starts off interesting and quickly deteriorates to the barest of alternative rock melodies, sprinkled with some electronic effects until the embarrassing trance chorus. I cringe in horror every time it comes on. Couple in the five pointless interludes, and quickly a large chunk of the album does not please me. What about the other tracks? Apart from "アネモネ", I don't remember any of them. It's the token ballad on an album, and reminds me of "結晶華". They somehow managed to procure a real piano for this one, but the ballad is drawn out for no reason and feels forced.

Putting all of this together, I can't really say this is a great album because I didn't enjoy much of it. But I can say that it's good enough when comparing it against the average visual release, and it's head and shoulders above their last album so I guess Lycaon and I can be civil. They're actually trying to be a rock band again and I can respect them for that. Their music is lacking a particular finesse and direction that I felt they once had a long, long time ago, but it doesn't suck. I just don't find it all that compelling. I might not even remember I listened to this by the end of the year.

FACT announced on Facebook that the new album will be released digitally worldwide March 5! So, I'm assuming that means iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Amazon, etc.

New song: http://metalhammer.teamrock.com/news/2015-02-24/ukrainian-black-metal-legends-drudkh-unveil-spectacular-new-track
 
The new song sounds very promising and very good.

DISK 1 preview

 
DISK 2 PREVIEW
http://t.co/nrJq2i2qwF

Voted for everyone already.
 
Guys, let's make the GazettE's profile page on last.fm look prettier. 
 
http://www.last.fm/music/the+GazettE/+images/103566473

Engrish =
 

 

Just look at Ruki and Uruha (especially), damn.

["AAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY" intensifies]

Holy shit. That look is amazing. I don't even care much for looks anymore but that look.

NEW LOOK: I LOVE IT!!