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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.

| Not quite divine, but a PREACH-worthy effort! Tracklist: 1.Hallelujah 2.黒い虹 (Black Rainbow) 3.1000年 (1000 Years) 4.美しい火 (Beautiful Fire) 5.愛はなけなし (What Little Love) 6.風 (Wind) 7.時間さえも年老いて (Even Time Ages) 8.!!!!!!!!!!! 9.ただ遠くへ (Just Going Far) 10.あなたを愛したい (I Want To Love You) 11.いこうよ (IKOUYO) THE NOVEMBERS hold a special place in the hearts of many Monochronmiums. I would go as far as saying, the majority of us who have at least a toe dipped in the waters of the ‘J-Rock’ and Japanese indie scenes, are fans of the band in some capacity. What makes THE NOVEMBERS a unique case is their wide appeal. Without going into strict alter egos, their sound can be divided into two major halves: namely, the light, jangly, and shoegaze-y sound and their darker, more aggressive, alternative sound. Or, as I term them, ~dream ver.~ and ~scream ver.~. While 2015’s Elegance leaned heavily toward the dreamy sound, this album, Hallelujah, seeks to restore balance. The title track eases us into the album delivering (us from evil) with a euphoric sound, featuring simple, ‘tribal’ style drumming. It’s an epic theme, if a bit one-note. Immediately changing gears, the band hangs a hard U-turn with “Black Rainbow.” As the first single release of the album, we got to preview this angsty number back in July. Can anyone say, ‘shoegrunge’? The band maintains the forceful momentum on “1000 Years,” perhaps the best received heavy track on the album, according to comments here on MH. There’s something vaguely thrashy about the riffs on this one. Kobayashi’s harsh vocals are also noteworthy, invoking a paradoxically restrained rawness. With a pretty strong start to the album, tracks 3 through 6 form a flawless stretch for me, as someone who predominantly gravitates toward THE NOVEMBERS’ lighter sound. “Beautiful Fire" is gorgeous and the polar opposite to the grittiness of the previous two tracks. It has more conviction than the wispy work on last year's Elegance and it also marks a glorious return to those warm horn arrangements, a nod to 2012's stunning GIFT EP (did you really think I could get through a NOVEMBERS review without namedropping it?), which adds a nostalgic touch. “What Little Love” is a track I slept on at first, but if I had to choose now, I’d probably nominate it as my album fave! I know @togz agrees with me! What’s fascinating about this track is its fusion of the band’s two sides. The dark, but tranquil verses are somewhat reminiscent of 2013's zeitgeist-era tracks like “Meursault.” The choruses, however, are where the band’s dreamier side shows through again. The piercing, ethereal synths are a NOVEMBERS signature, but during the chorus, they creep ever so gingerly towards dissonance, adding a striking tension to this song. Bringing up the rear of my album high is “Wind.” I’m not sure the band has ever produced a number quite like this, with bright riffs that would be at home in 90s/early 2000s ‘white kei.’ If you’re wondering what the hell I ever mean with ‘jangly’ guitar, look no further than “Wind.” Plus, Kobayashi hits an unusually high register in this track that is truly music to my earholes. “Even Time Ages” is where Hallelujah starts to falter. Don’t get me wrong, I actually quite enjoy this gloomier track, but it feels like what we’ve heard before on zeitgeist or mid-album on 2014's Rhapsody in beauty. "!!!!!!!!!!!" is arguably the weakest showing on the album, lacking the distortion to back up how aggressive it wants to be. “Just Going Far” seems to directly cite zeitgeist’s “Flower of life” with its contrasting heavy bass and airy synth approach, though I suppose this one has more of a somber mood. “I Want To Love You” is where the band gets back on track, granting us a droning, unabashedly shoegaze ballad, if such a thing exists. In fact, this track and the closer “IKOUYO” summon the distortion that their last album, Rhapsody in beauty, so selfishly hogged for the ~screamy~ tracks, proving that the ~dreamy~ side can get down and dirty just as well. Dazzling (and colorful) cover art aside, Hallelujah is unlikely to go down as many people’s favorite NOVEMBERS album. Despite unprecedented tracks like “Wind” and “I Want To Love You,” the album is just a little too derivative of work they’ve already released. Having said that, ‘more of the same’ is not necessarily a bad thing. Overall, Hallelujah is still a kickass record and is commendable for balancing the band’s two primary sounds more effectively than on recent releases. THE NOVEMBERS have been around for eleven years and it's not that they are starting to show their age. Rather, it’s simply getting tougher and tougher for them to outdo themselves. Even so, they remain as solid as ever. Perhaps, we just need to reconceptualize Hallelujah as something to hold us over until their inevitable release in 2017. I, for one, am already looking forward to discovering where the band will take us next. And maybe, just maybe, the band will give us a decent promo photo next year so I don't have to resort to a still from a PV! What did you think of Hallelujah? Support the band! Spotify | CDJapan | Amazon Japan

Artist: MEJIBRAY Single: 盈虧 1. 盈虧 2. 人間 3. 蜈蚣 Rating: | It's more pleasant than open face surgery at least. I'm legitimately disturbed by how far MEJIBRAY have fallen. I never expected much from them, but this is yet another step down from Theatrical Blue Black, and I wonder how this band keeps fans and continues their activities. For one, the singing is enough to make anyone run for the hills. The goat bleating is such a chore to listen to, and if it's not that it's either strained falsetto or some weird demented frog guttural yoga hums. Tsuzuku's inability to sing trivializes the skills of the rest of the band to a large extent. Their unorthodox vocalist may have worked for them at one point, but that time has long since passed. Tsuzuku needs to either improve his delivery on all fronts or cede his position to someone who can actually sing, because "sounding unique" is not a good enough excuse to hide the singing inability. 盈虧 is the soundtrack that plays on loop in the room where people go to watch paint dry. The excerpt at the beginning is stupid enough, but then it feeds into this aimless and bland melody that fails at being dark and moody. The repetitive strumming does not build up a convincing enough atmosphere, and that chorus is a train wreck of massive proportions. It's the most unengaging single I've ever heard in my life and it provides nothing to hook the listener in. The band isn't compensating for Tsuzuku's shortcomings by producing catchy music, and they're definitely not playing to his strengths because he sounds out of place, so I'm not understanding how this is supposed to work. The accompanying tracks are only marginally better, but still pretty awful. 人間 is a power ballad with an awkward metalcore section in the middle. It's a bad choice to follow one slow, boring song with a gimmick that they lack the tools to execute. 蜈蚣 is the banger that probably works better live than in studio that doesn't get my blood rushing the way a good core song should. For all it's aggression, it feels just as stagnant as the first two songs. If they fail to be convincing with their mother genre, I don't see much hope for this band. As MEJIBRAY completes their transition from boring to disappointing, I struggle to find any reason why this band should remain relevant. It's frustrating how inconsistent they are. Their last album was met with a lot of unexpected praise, but whatever inspired them then didn't now. This is beyond disappointing; this is almost insultingly bad, and when I remind myself that they pumped this crap out in three different editions my stomach churns. There are claims that MEJIBRAY have potential, but much like Tsuzuku's singing ability I hear none of it. Unharnessed potential is wasted potential and even if the members themselves are individually talented, their music does not reflect on their abilities. In all good faith, I could not recommend this single to anybody. This is by far one of their worst releases in a long time. Even if you're a diehard MEJIBRAY fan, I recommend waiting for the next single. If you're that brave trooper who actually bought this single, ask for your money back.

| Another solid effort but it doesn't stand out as much as it could. With the head of a human, a bird's torso, a long, flowing tail, and a voice said to surpass all the gods and angels in Nirvana, the fantastical creature known as the Kalavinka is the inspiration behind 陰陽座's fourteenth album, 迦陵頻伽 (Karyobinga). 陰陽座's known for taking heavy amounts of inspiration from Japanese folklore and incorporating it into their music - even though they sound more like Iron Maiden than anything else - so this is a positively peculiar route to follow after their recent focus on Japanese deities and folklore. The Japanese interpretation of the Kalavinka is portrayed faithfully on the album cover; vocalist Kuroneko's upper torso is dressed as a winged Bodhisattva and her lower half is birdlike. It's both a gorgeous sight and a lofty proposition. I'm torn on 迦陵頻伽. On one hand, the feel and flow of the album are all too familiar. I peg it as some hybrid of 金剛九尾 (Kongokyuubi) and snippets of their last two albums because of the pacing and atmosphere. 金剛九尾 ranks among my least favorite of their albums, but to its credit, 迦陵頻伽 is much more polished and straightforward, as if MATATABI had a destination in mind when composing. On the other hand, there is lots of carry over from 風神界逅 (Fuujinkaikou) and 雷神創世 (Raijinsousei), which I regard as near perfect. It's not as ambitious as their last effort, and at times it feels like they're marking boxes off a checklist, but this consistency is why they've never released a bad album. An opportunity to incorporate some Indian and East Asian influences into more songs was missed and would have greatly opened up their sound, but I can look past that. If it didn't appeal to you before, this will not change your mind. Where this album impresses me is how the mystic, haunting atmosphere of their earlier eras returns. It's no longer as dark or ominous, but still present and mysterious. Opener "迦陵頻伽" really catches what I'm trying to describe here, and it's got one of the catchiest choruses in their repertoire. Centerpiece "人魚の檻" is a masterful emotional manipulator that's hogged my repeat button for the last few weeks. Those in need of a fix of heavy metal should check out "廿弐匹目は毒蝮" or lead single "愛する者よ、死に候え", and "轆轤首" is the token track where they buck all expectations and try something new. It's tone reminds me of "無風忍法帖" and it's one of my favorites of the album. The canned strings of "轆轤首" were a curious choice, and "御前の瞳に羞いの砂" sounds suspiciously familiar, but I'll admit these are minor quibbles. 陰陽座 is in the midst of a second renaissance after the release of 2012's 鬼子母神 (Kishibojin), breaking a streak of tepid albums with a concept so beautifully realized that it still sounds fresh today. 迦陵頻伽 stabilizes this upward trend, and while it's not the best thing ever it's pretty good. Support the band! CDJapan

Tracklist: 碧落の暁り (Hekiraku no Satori) 鴉食 (Togui) | A visual band interesting enough to pique my interest? Cue one disbanded Tokyo-based visual kei act IIII-Ligro-, active around the turn of the last decade to fill the throngs of indie metalcore bands best remembered as a footnote in the context of newer projects. I've never harbored ill will towards IIII-Ligro-, but they always struck me as a band that lacked a fully fleshed concept. The quartet self-destructed into the ground by losing members and direction despite the small amount of buzz they generated here during their literal fifteen minutes of fame. I was one of many fans disappointed at the outcome and left wanting more. Vocalist ヒナタ(hinata) and guitarist kazari must have felt similar, since it didn't take them long to form a new session band. Nicking a rotating cast of band members from obscure visual kei acts such as Dianslave, ino, and se-ya, 時限式:uadjet (jigenshiki:uadjet) is everything I thought it would be, and by that I mean it's the natural continuation of IIII-Ligro-. This is great news for fans looking for a substitute band, but 碧落の暁り does not address my lack of confidence in the direction these members want to take this project. This criticism does not cloud my enjoyment of what are essentially unused demos. My lack of confidence in IIII-Ligro- is a result of reflecting on their history. They never came as an immature band, but their music always felt constrained by 'what it means' to be visual kei this decade. Tropes are made to be subverted in order to create a memorable experience, and IIII-Ligro- toed the party line too carefully. But where IIII-Ligro- was an official band with a schedule and activities, 時限式:uadjet is a session band with only two stable members. To put them on the same level right from the start indicates that there's more than meets the eye to this session band. 時限式:uadjet is blessed to have hinata as a vocalist. He has interesting gutturals and an instantly recognizable singing tone that manages to be distinctly visual kei while avoiding nails-on-a-chalkboard levels of annoyance, which means this indie band won't immediately crash and burn on undelivered hype. He reminds me a lot of Jey from FIXER. kazari's guitar riffs and musical chops also received a buff; both tracks on this single are described best as standard scene metalcore with a cum shot of progression. For example, the contrasting tone of the main riff of "碧落の暁り" (Hekiraku no Satori) lacks a bit of polish, but otherwise exemplifies the strides in musicianship and adventurous approach to composing that IIII-Ligro- needed more of. I am definitely not the person that you should come to if you want visual kei recommendations, as my honey moon ended in 2011 and most bands get fifteen seconds with me before they meet The Recycling Bin. These guys have persisted through that, so I guess that means I like them. Perhaps it's a little too soon to draw all the comparisons I did between the two bands, but it's as difficult to resist doing as reviewing la la larks without mentioning school food punishment or siraph once. Also, 時限式:uadjet surfaces on the positive side of enough of these comparisons to make worthwhile conclusions from them. I am interested to see this duo develop this idea into a fully functioning unit, but when that happens they need a concept and musical identity to guide their path and differentiate them from their competition. Give them two years, enough hype to kill an elephant in one injection, one really good PV, solid production, and an official mini-album with more than 100 copies available that brings it all together and I can see them rubbing shoulders with the likes of DADAROMA in a few years. * This was a live-distributed release limited to 100 copies *

Tracklist: Okinotayuu (オキノタユウ) Yukiyo Mai Chire Sochira ni Mukete (雪よ舞い散れ其方に向けて) Valkyrie -Senotome- (Valkyrie-戦乙女-) Kishikaisei (起死回生) Mi・Ra・I (ミ・ラ・イ) Strong Fate Ukiyo heavy life (浮世heavy life) Ryuusei (流星) Hotarubi (蛍火) Sora no Kiwami e (空の極みへ) Tori no You ni (鳥のように) Mochizuki (望月) Watashi Shijou Shugi (ワタシ・至上主義) CLEAN Howling MOON SHINE Children Record (チルドレンレコード) (Bonus Track) | Fad fatigue or the overstaying of a shallow, constricting musical direction? You decide. The sophomore slump is a term I've adopted to describe the enormous amount of pressure placed on a musician or band for their second album. The first album is poised as the mountain beyond which lies the valley of greatness, but once an artist reaches the peak what they see is the second album, a mountain in the distance that's just as large. 和楽器バンド (Wagakki-Band) is merely the latest prey to this phenomenon. 四季彩-shikisai- as an album aims to deliver everything 八奏絵巻 (Yasouemaki) did and more, but at some point diminishing returns means the result doesn't scale well. For starters, I don't think going all in helps a band with such a dense sound. Less is more. Listening fatigue is an issue. 四季彩-shikisai- clocks in a hefty 16 tracks and 68 minutes. That is too long for my limited attention span, and at points the album retraces its steps in a way that reeks more of desperation and less at a motif. On top of that, it lacks flow, sounding more like a collection of good tracks than a cohesive concept. "Strong Fate" and "Valkyrie-戦乙女-" are awesome singles, but there is no analogue to "暁ノ糸", and there is no epic track to define the album. The music is still their niche of traditional ethnic themes fused with rock with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the groin. The band holds no punches with opener "起死回生", a four minute summary of their sound that's quickly forgotten as the album hustles forward. This is my primary beef with 四季彩-shikisai-. 和楽器バンド have the capability to completely change their sound from one track to another, but they are unable to differentiate similar sounding tracks. When all tracks go full force with the traditional concept, it feels like one long track with various ideas sprinkled throughout. By the end, I barely remember what I heard. I have to give a shout out to the engineers who produced this album, because it's as good as ever, and is a bright spot on what is otherwise a faceless album to me. For the record, I don't think 四季彩-shikisai- is terrible, but it's definitely too much of one thing at once. If you need a summary, consider this: I've been working on wording my thoughts since this album was released, and not only do I not have any more to add, but I'm not even compelled to return to it! Something is missing from the equation, but it is beyond my capabilities to say what. Despite my initial misgivings, I eventually did warm up to the album. And by that I mean I've changed my opinion from "complete dog shit" to "something listenable". I appreciate them not fleecing wallets the visual kei way, but this could have easily been an eleven track album and a five track mini and both would have been better, more focused cuts for it. Risky propositions like "ワタシ・至上主義", or the infectious digital tune "蛍火" are the tracks I see myself returning to in the future, and maybe with time I'll fall in love with it. But right now, it's just not the type of album I was hoping to experience. Support the band! iTunes | cdJapan

Tracklist: 1. 枯詩 2. Cassis 3. D.L.N 4. CALM ENVY 5. reila 6. UNTITLED 7. WITHOUT A TRACE 8. 紅蓮 9. 白き優鬱 10. PLEDGE 11. 絲 12. 体温 | Is 2017 the year of boss album re-recordings? The initial announcement of Traces Vol. 2 had me cautious. Traces Best of 2005-2009 was an uninspiring grab bag of singles designed to please, but it didn't feel like anything more than a standard compilation. Traces Vol. 2 is a different beast entirely. Once the band announced the album would be completely re-recorded ballads featuring some older songs, it went from a blip on my radar to the most awaited release of the first quarter of 2017. Versailles' The Greatest Hits collection album earlier this year had a very similar goal; take old classics and update them to fit a band's new style and budget. Versailles were more liberal in what songs they selected, but I believe the laser focus on just ballads works out for the GazettE. Ballads are their strong suit, even if I'm not the biggest fan of most of them. The production job is good considering the band did it themselves, but it is not perfect. Small things here and there bring the score down such as the main melody of "CASSIS" being buried under all the other elements, the washed out snares, or the prominence of the drums in all songs. I attribute these choices to the audio equipment they used not being neutral on all fronts. I wish I knew what equipment they used because it would be handy to hear the album the way they intended. However, it's not a deal breaker. I've been craving for the band to put a new take on some of their old classics, and the band has at least taken into consideration some of the songs we really want to hear. Opening the album with the rare throwback "枯詩" (Kareuta) is a good way to curry favor from their more cynical, nostalgic fans like me. In addition to "枯詩", the tracks I was interested in most were "体温" (Taion) and "絲" (Ito), both of which sound amazing. The new heavy sections in "体温" were revised and clear up a lot of the transitional awkwardness of the original. It loses some of that "cowboy western" feel of NIL in exchange for more despair and sadness, but I might prefer the new version with a few more listens! Within the context of Traces, it works. "絲" in particular is a very early ballad I would have never expected them to consider! It sounds like a brand new song and is the best example of musical growth I can muster. Other ballads, such as "D.L.N" and "白き憂鬱", did not resonate with me in their original forms but get a new lease on life on Traces. It irks me that "reila", "Cassis", and "紅蓮" are on both Traces but the effort put into these new versions make their inclusions more than acceptable. Unlike the first Traces, there is no explicit mention of a time frame the songs come from. A lack of "千鶴" (Chizuru), OMINOUS, or an extended version of "余韻" (Yoin) is enough to dock an entire point. In place of more recent ballads like "Without A Trace", "PLEDGE", and "UNTITLED", which in contrast don't sound too different from the original versions, I would have liked to see the aforementioned tracks or even earlier ballads such as "十七歳" (Juunanasai). Then again, the fact that they avoided everything post-TOXIC on Traces 2 is damning in itself, wouldn't you say? Traces Vol. 2 is the most cohesive and focused The GazettE album since DIM. Perhaps the familiarity of the tracks is at play here, or knowing before hand that there would be no forced musical experiments to switch up the flow of the album. It's just the listener, the band, and sixty seven minutes of some classics, some reinterpretations, and at worst pleasant background music. The amount of missed opportunities are minor - if any even exist. Support the band! CDJapan

Tracklist: 01. 入口 02. 不幸の始まり 03. ぐちゃぐちゃ 04. 排水口 05. 気付いて 06. 人殺し 07. ラストダンス 08. 恋人ごっこ 09. 寄り道 10. 落とし穴 11. 交尾をしてよ 12. ユメオチ 13. 最後の歌 14. 出口 | One of the most promising visual kei albums in recent memory. After nominating their mixed bag of a collection album 中毒症状 (Chuudoku Shuujou) as one of the best of last year only to be greeted with a three consecutive singles campaign I would sooner forget about, the announcement of 不幸な迷路 (Fukou na Meiro) didn't strike me as anything particularly noteworthy to check out. I knew that ザアザア (XAA-XAA) had to bring the heat, but I didn't expect an album of this caliber from them. It falls a bit short of becoming a classic for me, but 不幸な迷路 is the most fun I've had listening to visual kei all year. Ask me to define what visual kei is and what you will get is a lot of stammering and gesticulation, and maybe a comment on the style or popular genre of choice. Ask me for an album which embodies all things visual kei, and I'll point to 不幸な迷路 immediately. ザアザア has combined all the visual kei tropes in a familiar but new way, including some unfamiliar ones. For example, the band spared no expense in ensuring their disjointed album opener and closer SE's have nothing to do with the tracks they sandwich. Also for good measure, the album switches gears halfway through in a misguided attempt at showing diversity, starting with the very girugamesh reminiscent "ラストダンス" (Last Dance). They at least stopped short of including their sub par singles just to pad the running time. Some seasoned visual kei veterans would roll their eyes at these, but I embrace them all with open arms. It lends an undeniably last-decade visual kei feel to 不幸な迷路 without leaning on novelty or the band's laurels, and as a result its very easy for me to get lost in it. I can play the whole album without pausing once. One point of contention I had with 中毒症状 was how lazy many of the bridges sounded. Bridges hold a song together, and often it was just one word or one phrase repeated eight times. I'm happy to report that this sin is only committed once on 不幸な迷路 with "落とし穴", and that a large majority of the tracks have well thought out, even memorable choruses at times. Ironically enough, my favorite track, "排水口" - an undeniably MUCC-influenced slow burner that could earn a spot on the aforementioned 2004 album 朽木の灯 - has no chorus to it. I like most of the songs even if the vocalist Kazuki works within a very small tonal range, I don't remember actively hating or skipping through any song, and after five or so listens I consider this to be their best release yet. It's not the greatest thing since sliced bread, and maybe it has a few too many toppings, but it's a damn good sandwich for those with the corresponding taste. Only time will tell if future releases can maintain the same balance of familiarity and inventiveness. I expected nothing at all, but 不幸な迷路 resonated with my stodgy, old soul in a way I haven't felt for some time. It strikes with an intensity and charm that took me back to my nascent years in visual kei almost immediately. I implore them to follow whatever creative workflow resulted in this album and not their consecutive singles release, because this works for them. Most importantly, in a time where there isn't a clear leader in the race to the top of the indie visual kei charts, 不幸な迷路 provides a compelling reason to choose ザアザア. Support the band! Me-Shop

Tracklist: 1. 中野行進曲 (Nakano Koushinkyoku) 2. GOKUMI 3. 路地裏に立つ女 (Rodjiura no Tatsu Onna) 4. 本能 (Honnou) 5. 残響 (Zankyou) 6. 都会迷路 (Tokai Meiro) 7. 人生はマンネリだ (Jinsei wa Maneri Da) 8. 月姫 (Tsukihime) 9. White regret 10. 羞恥遊戯 (Shuuchi Yuugi) 11. 二重人格 (Nijuujinkaku) 12. ユメ風船 (Yume Fuusen) | Everything you wanted from visual kei band including taking out the trash Now generally シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) is known for their off the wall strange antics and a vocalist that dresses with the style of top notch drag queens, but if anyone had forgotten they also every once in a while release some seriously bad-ass music. Something about シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) just hits the bulls-eye of my soul with its visual goodness with 中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku). It's understandable that Izumi's voice isn't for everyone, but for me along with the cacophony of music put together by guitarist marya, bassist Yuuto, and drummer rei it is a mess of perfection. I was ready for this album from the first day they announced it and every single released before it's arrival left me wanting so much more. 中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku) is something that stands out from the mess of visual music and isn't afraid of it's message even featuring a track about the regret of American voters after the recent election. The album is hard to figure regarding that it's a strange infusion of punk, pop rock, and pure visual insanity. Even it's opening track "中野行進曲 (Nakano Koushinkyoku)", is a groovy start for the album and it's dam difficult to fight off the urge to let it's catchy rhythm take hold of you. It's a perfect lead into super infectious "GOKUMI", which is one of the best songs they've ever put together. It's a track that anyone should have a hard time forgetting as it's so well infused with a simple beat and a chorus that you can't get out of your head. "路地裏に立つ女 (Rodjiura ni Tatsu Onna)" a much faster paced track comes up next, and the bass lines provided by Yuuto outshine the rest of the song and show off a lot of his talent. The album starts to become much more twisted with "本能 (Honnou)" which starts to take on the form of シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) that fans are more familiar with as it's more demented and messy, much like the rest of their work. "残響 (Zankyou)" transitions the album takes the album further down the rabbit hole. The twisted guitar, played by marya, is so wonderful and borderline trippy that it feels like something you shouldn't be listening to, yet you want more. And the album continues to impress with musical merit thanks to track "都会迷路 (Tokai Meiro)", which gives you a taste of シビレバシル (Sibilebashir) candy that you feel you need so much more of. "人生はマンネリだ (Jinsei wa Mandela)" definitely sparkles with rhythmical lusciousness with a dash of the great drumming provided by rei. The album carries you straight into "月姫 (Tsukihime)", a previously released song, that is placed so perfectly in the track list. "月姫 (Tsukihime)" is very memorable especially with it's extremely fetching instrumentals and clean vocals. "White regret" is a song filled dissatisfaction over recent world events with current presidential standings. Despite it's topical theme it's a harmonious delight of sorrowfully haunting guitars and anguished vocals that emit pure disappointment. 中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku) shifts to a harder gear with "羞恥遊戯 (Shuuchi Yuugi)" with discordant melodies and chaotic vocals that add a bit more of a deranged spice to the album. The only issue with the album is "二重人格 (Ninjuujinkaku)" which admittedly is a beautiful song all on it's own, but it's placement in the track list feels very out of place as if it they weren't where exactly to put it. The release ends with "ユメ風船 (Yume Fuusen)" which would have felt better like a much better track if it's weren't for the previous song.. Nonetheless, it's a perfect ender to the album, and it's a super upbeat bass line party with guitars providing the drinks, drums throwing confetti everywhere, and vocals taking the night to it's close. 中野合衆国 (Nakano Gasshuukoku) is something that feels so very シビレバシル (Sibilebashir), which is a band that seems to have no definition or clear genre. And that's what's so lovely about the band and their work. If you feel the need for a release that's messy and so close to being well put together then look no further. Support the band! Amazon (JP)

| The spiritual successor to Lyrical Sympathy, hands down. This is what I've been waiting for since 2010. The collection album Versailles released at the tail end of 2016 was necessary but not enough. Self-covers set a low bar for a comeback - even if they blew my expectations out of the water - so I've low key been spinning the two new tracks from The Greatest Hits 2007-2016 on repeat. I've been looking for clues to where this band is headed next, and all roads point to Lineage〜薔薇の末裔〜. Lineage is the first original Versailles release since their disastrous self-titled, and with this release all my apprehensions are eradicated. This is how you redeem yourself. There are three reasons why Lineage is a successful album. The first reason is that it is compact; six to nine tracks seems to be the sweet spot for Versailles albums. Compact albums lend themselves well to multiple listens. This goes along with the second reason, which is that they've restored the regality to their sound. Reflecting on releases such as Holy Grail (2011) and Versailles (2012) made me realize that they were slowly stripping away the aristocratic elements in favor of power metal. With Lineage, Versailles has made a complete 180. "La Musique" opens up the release with an immediacy I haven't heard since "Aristocrat's Symphony", and the interlude before the solo is just ace. Songs feel textured with simple riffs leading into complex solos, fast verses leading into slow choruses, and in general, each moment feels meticulously crafted. Contrast this with their solo efforts, where at times both parties felt one-dimensional in their approach to symphonic metal. This leads into my third point, which is the chemistry between the band members has been found again. It sounds like they are working together far better than they have ever before. What I want most from Versailles is close to what Lineage delivers; a Kamijo solo project in all but name with occasional songs and instrumentation by Kamijo, Teru, Yuki, and Hizaki. I don't have composer notes handy, but if I had to trust in my ears, it still sounds like Kamijo and Hizaki are primary composers, but they're collaborating rather than proposing their individual songs. I used to be able to tell what songs were Kamijo's and what songs were Hizaki's and I can't do that with this particular release, which turns out to be a really good thing. To that end, I would love for Teru and Masashi to contribute even more as well. Tracks like "LIBIDO" and "Thanatos" are amazing additions to Versailles' discography because they stand out in a good way, and a remarkable trait about Lineage is that each track is both unique and memorable. Finally, I should mention the stellar production job. Everything between JUBILEE (2010) and Versailles sounds strange, whether it be a weird filter on KAMIJO's voice or an odd guitar tone. The re-recordings on The Greatest Hits 2007-2016 only clarify the problems for tracks like "MASQUERADE". Thankfully, whoever handled The Greatest... also blessed this release, and I hope Versailles continue to collaborate with these sound engineers in future releases. Lineage marks the beginning of a third stage for Versailles, one where they feel cleanly separated from past activities and expectations. Not only does it speak to the strengths of what a good hiatus can do for a band, but it sends a more subtle message that sometimes less is more. Lineage may only be six tracks but it feels like a full album. I've changed my opinion of this band's activities from cautious to optimistic, and I wouldn't be surprised if that's the case for others too.

| A wonderful resurgence for a band I didn't care for at all. The halfway point of this decade marks a resurgence in Japanese music as a whole. I would have never thought guitarist Die of DIR EN GREY and Kobayashi of THE NOVEMBERS would team together and cross the traditionally solid divide between visual kei and indie rock. However, things that seemed a match in heaven at first were not. It became clear after the first few releases that the band couldn't find their sound. Kobayashi departing soon after was the best move for the band because Die found not one, but two new members to fill out the roster in vocalist Ataru Nakamura and violinist Ayasa. These additions imbued DECAYS with the charisma they previously lacked without changing their core sound. Die's contributions to DIR EN GREY have always been eclectic and he's responsible for penning classics such as "Audrey" and "304号室、白死の桜" (304 goushitsu, hakushi no sakura). Those musical tendencies are everywhere in Baby who wanders. The whole album falls into the shoegaze realm with some punky influences. The crisp production really pushes the wall of sound shoegaze is known for and Die and Nakamura's vocals blend incredibly well. Ayasa's violin opens everything up musically, breathing life into their previously stagnant, almost mechanical sound. This is best shown when contrasting the album version of "愛と哀を遺さず…" with its single version. Supplemented with a healthy dose of electronics and a mesmerizing rhythm section, each song pulsates with a radiant atmosphere. For a band I thought was a flop, DECAYS has done a lot to improve my opinion of them. Baby who wanders remains interesting right up to closer "綺麗な指" and gives off an intoxicating warmth that invites you back again and again. It gets better with every listen too; multiple listens brought me around on some tracks that didn't win me over the first time. Recommended heartily for any fans of pop, rock, or shoegaze looking for something new and captivating. This is so good it makes you forget it's a side project. Support the band! CDJapan | iTunes (Japan)

| An edgy visual kei band I can get behind. BORN went through two name changes and many more concepts, but underneath it all, average riffcraft and a lack of identity painted them into a corner they couldn't compose out of. By the end of their career, BORN lacked presence and looked better than they sounded. In constant, upstart visual band RAZOR has a large presence from the beginning, with opener "ANOTHER" featuring crunchy bass and drums pummeling enough to get the energy going. There's a visceral edge to this band I haven't heard in a while and I welcome it. Ryouga can also be found alternating between his own brand of vocal fry, demented ranting, his comfortable range, and some high pitched singing I haven't heard before. The use of auto-tune toes the line, but it's tastefully applied so I'll let it slide. RED INVISIBLE's core formula will be familiar to fans of BORN, but it is fresh enough to remain exciting. Each song offers something unique and they often take a turn towards the demented right at their most predictable which makes them interesting. "ギブミー不気味" (give me bukimi) is the best example of such a track, but most songs do it in their own fashion. "MISSING PIECE" is my least favorite track; as the token ballad of the mini, it would be better if the vocals weren't layered with unnecessary distortion and that annoying eurobeat synth was removed entirely. It's just a mess. A handful of sudden transitions and mid tempo choruses elsewhere constrains the band a bit, but there's so many ideas packed into six tracks that it will take a few listens before I tire of this. By the end of opener "RED ZONE", I've been presented with more than enough reasons to go back. It's so refreshing to see a visual band with some energy successfully channel it in their first release. RAZOR closes the door on 2016 with a bang. This is a band to keep an eye on. Support the band! CDJapan

| If the gimmick works farm it; don't ditch it for something boring. It's no secret that I fawn over everything Wagakki-Band has done. Let it be known that I also encourage musicians to have side projects and fully express their creative tendencies. But given the timing of it all, I could be forgiven for viewing Yuko Suzuhana's solo career as a power play. My gut reaction was that Wagakki-Band was still too young of a band for her to tire of the traditional aesthetic - even considering her past activities with Hanafugetsu - and deduced that CRADLE OF ETERNITY would break from the aforementioned aesthetic completely. I never doubted Suzuhana's vocal excellence, and she sounds beautiful on every song. But without the traditional bend to her music, something different but equally as compelling has to take its place. CRADLE OF ETERNITY is too safe; a cold, calculated, manufactured slice of unoffensive corporate pop that doesn't stand out. There's a lot of competition in the pop scene. If you want to make it, you have to stand out. At one point in time, Jun Togawa, Shiina Ringo, and most recently Seiko Oomori have broken into the mainstream by bucking the trend, but remaining accessible. CRADLE OF ETERNITY does the complete opposite; it's musically excellent but devoid of spice. There's no excitement, no surprises, and the album plods along at the same pace for ten tracks. At the end there's a piano solo of lead track "永世のクレイドル" and an even slower version of "Remains" - the most interesting songs on the album - because what the album needed to do was go even slower. There was plenty of room for experimentation with darkwave, electronic, the traditional influence she is purposefully shunning, or even classic rock, but CRADLE OF ETERNITY settles for only the safest brand of pop. It's shallow and one-dimensional, if not superficially pretty all the way through, and that's about it. I want to like the release more based purely on who is involved and how good she can be at her best, but CRADLE OF ETERNITY does Yuko Suzuhana no justice. She needs more than tracks that sound like generic anime openers on Prozac. This is a modest start to a solo career that won't take off until the music direction changes. At the very least, it's money for her and I'm happy about that. For me, it's the newest entry to the pile of music that I'll forget about soon. Support the artist! Amazon (JP) | Play-Asia

臓器のノゾキ穴。(Zouki no nozokiana) Track list: 01.チョコレート階段(Chocolate kaidan) 02.「洗脳」(Sennou) 03.液状部屋 (Ekijou heya) 04.絶倫フルコース (Zetsurin full course) 05.「腐乱腐乱」 (Furanfuran) 06.すてきな唄。 (Suteki na uta) 吐瀉物 (Toshabutsu) 01. 吐瀉物 (Toshabutsu) 02. 「便所2」 (benjo2) The great part of being a visual fan is all the unpredictable wackiness that happens behind the scenes. I don't think anyone would have predicted that one of the best visual albums of 2015 would have come from a band that had only a demo-tape before their full album release. This band burst onto the scene with a foul sound: even among their contemporaries who borrow from the early 2000's visual-kei sound, Kuroyuri to Kage were different. Their songs moved along with a hauntingly heavy feel, more akin to the sounds of sludge-metal than the hyper-sanitized metalcore/djent hybrids currently reigning the scene. It was especially wild considering this was the new band of Memento-Mori, a band with a heavy japoneseque leaning. Their image was as dark as their doomy sound, led by the particularly enigmatic and freaky vocalist Karasuna Mei. Themes of perversion, darkness, rape, murder and anything else you wouldn't ever want to see unless it was in a horror movie make up the lyrical themes and concepts of their releases. A period of long inactivity towards the later half of 2015 had stans suspicious, so the news that they'd be dropped from AINS and losing two founding members to retirement wasn't all that big of a shock. That said, they chose to continue independently* on their own label Yamikakumei with a four member lineup, recruiting a support drummer. What did the future hold for a once very promising band on one of the best labels in the scene? Kuroyuri to kage return from flopsville after some label drama and losing two original members, releasing Zouki no nozokiana and Toshabutsu in 2016, slaying our existence. What could have been a recipe for disaster has been whipped into a yummy two course meal by the master chefs behind KTK, albeit made of human flesh and blood. Dinner is the mini-album Zouki no nozokiana, the band's second mini album and first formal release after the departure of guitarist Koyomi and drummer Mutsuki, released on the 10th of August, 2016. Dessert is Toshabutsu, the band's second single, released on the 2nd of November. So without further ado ladies and gentlemen, let's say grace and sink our filthy forks into this! These releases are similar enough stylistically to fall under one review, they could have been recorded in the same sessions—that said, Kuroyuri are quite consistent with their sound. Make no mistake, this is the same band from 2015 for the most part, the differences from their prior output are quite fine, but still prominent. The most notable difference is the more direct sound: all the tracks here follow the same mid-tempo crawl Kuroyuri have been known for, shedding the ballads and faster songs from their debut. The blast beats are entirely gone, and so are the eerie music box ballads. The single guitar setup has pushed more of an emphasis on electronics and less on lead guitar parts, the surprising old-school solos Koyomi whipped up in the past are noticeably absent. To compensate for the missing guitar, along with the newly added bleepbloops, the bass is turned up to 11—and I mean it. The bass pummels like no one's business. I haven't heard basslines this obnoxious since like...ever. The way the bass is mixed is also fascinating, on the surface it's just a lot of clacking, trembly bass work. The magic comes when you crank the volume up; the low end is massive, almost like a subwoofer was dubbed over the bassline. The bass and guitar almost occupy the same amount of space in the mix, so you will hear every bass hit and every note K plays. The end result is a more pummeling sound, less Kagerou and more Slipknot or Korn. It's all less dynamic than their first two releases, which is a bit of a loss for me, but it's an interesting way Kuroyuri have chosen to advance their sound and adapt to the member changes. Onto the individual releases, Nozoki... is a 6 track mini, half featured in the prior mail-order/live-limited singleうろんなチョコ冷凍。(Uronna Choko Reitou.) from April 2016. “Chocolate kaidan”, “Zetsurin full course” and “Suteki na uta” are all remastered from their original demos, sounding noticeably sharper and less lo-fi, while the rest are new tracks. That said, the production job on the mini is far from perfect, it's rather obnoxiously clipped. “Chocolate kaidan” isn't too notable a track but serves as a solid into for the rest of the album. Tt follows from Kuroyuri's original formula of clean, reverb-y guitar parts paired up with a heavy chorus and clean vocals, originally featured to brilliant effect in “Yokusou”. “Sennou” takes no prisoners, melding djent-y riffage (!!) with an alt-metal crawl, dubstep breakdown (??) and insane vocals. The subtle shifting of the track's rhythm and Mei's contrasting vocals make it an album highlight and totally addictive. “Ekijouheya” isn't as interesting as the rest, but is notable for the wild Korn-esque scat vocal breakdown and amazing slap bass solo in the middle. The new emphasis on electronics/manipulation is on full display here, as the buzzy synth duels against the guitar and bass in the verses. “Zetsubou full course” features some disturbing child choir echoing Mei's vocals in the intro and chorus, and is home to the sole guitar solo on the album. The track overstays its welcome at just over five minutes long, but it is one hell of a freaky track. My favourite track, “Furanfuran” follows right after, opening with a barrage of alt-metal riffage and slap bass all while Mei goes insane in the back. I'd like to think this is a really fun live song, as the rhythm goes perfectly with moshing furitsuke, or choreography. The track builds in its noisiness while Mei goes back and forth between a hypnotic vocal melody and utter madness, all before coming to a pretty end. “Suteki na uta” is more or less a different variation of all the flavours already offered on the prior tracks. Toshabutsu is where shit hits the fan (harharhar), by way of the title track; the best song Kuroyuri to Kage have released since “Yokusou”. The track opens up with trippy, oddly manipulated and dissonant chords (Inquisition, anyone?) backing the usual alt-metal crawl. It segways into the typical effects-laden clean guitar+bass passages Kuroyuri have basically trademarked at this point. The tension mounts with some operatic vocals, all before melting back into the same intro passage while Mei delivers the chorus. It's an odd chorus in that it's long and not all that catchy, but the way the guitars drop and Mei comes in with the lyrical delivery is so fucking addictive. Listen to this on blast and I guarantee you'll be slow headbanging like a maniac. This is so, so heavy in a way only Kuroyuri can do. Also notable is how Mei sticks to mostly clean vocals throughout the song, but ends up heavy enough to demolish your head. “Benjo2” is the b-side for “Toshabutsu”, and it sounds nothing like the original “Benjo”; rather serving as the manic release for “Toshabutsu”'s composed heaviness. These releases aren't enough to convert Kuroyuri naysayers, but definitely warrant a listen from people who might have written them off in the past. In that same length, Nozoki... and Toshabutsu are stripped down enough to possibly alienate old fans who might not like their new, meatier sound. That said, if you're tired of the mass spawning of Deluhi clones, try-hard deathcore bands and oshare kei, and you reminisce about the days when MUCC were actually heavy and when Slipknot and Korn ruled MTV, then give this a listen. Dinner and dessert were delicious today, thanks for joining in on today's feast. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to the wipe the blood off the corners of my mouth and get to cleaning up this mess. I think i'll need more bleach. Until next time. Both Nozoki no nozokiana and Toshabutsu are available for sale at CD Japan here and here respectively. 8/10 *the question remains as to whether they were actually dropped by AINS or whether something else is going on behind the scenes that we don't know; so for the intents and purposes of this review assume they're independent

| I couldn't imagine a more amazing return for one of my favorite bands! August was a month of beginnings for our favorite band of Visual Rock Royalty. Hizaki had his solo album come out after being highly anticipated for quite some time and Versailles themselves reunited for a magnificent show on the 7th! This could only be the harbinger of something great to come. In lieu of coming straight back with an album or EP of new material, the boys decided to do a self-cover album featuring two new songs. This is astounding because most visual rock artists historically have done vaguely remastered versions of their classics and stuck a couple new songs on there as an afterthought. Versailles obviously put a lot of thought and effort into this release and made it quite clear that they had their je ne sais quois back after a 4 year hiatus (and a string of releases that lacked their 'it' factor). In all honesty, the release has left me with a certain level of confusion. First of all, where was this passion on Holy Grail and Versailles? Because honestly I'm not certain I've ever heard such amazing music played as though the artists were just going through the motions as I've heard on those albums. Here, we have the boys playing their old songs gracefully (e.g. Zombie, Aristocrat's Symphony, After Cloudia) and their newer songs played with a passion insurmountable (e.g. Masquerade, Phillia, Destiny). Part of me wants to know what they did in the studio to make these songs sound inexplicably 30x better than the originals, part of me doesn't care because I'm glad I have them back. Even with all of Kamijo's practice writing and pronouncing English words, he still seems to have a hard time. Without Zeus's help, I still would have no idea that he's saying "Raise a living corpse" about halfway through "Zombie." Not to mention "Shout & Bites" has all those growls that seem to have not improved at all. Sure the songs are still bangers either way, but one would think he could've gotten a little more used to the "mouth feel" of the English language. In any case, none of that is as baffling as how we manage to now have a third unique version of "The Love From A Dead Orchestra." Not as though I'm complaining, however, this song is an unparalleled masterpiece. Finally, after all the confusion, one must admit the new songs are a brilliant example of two sides of the same coin. Versailles' ability to create a head-banging symphonic rock opera like "Melodic Thorn" and a romantic power-ballad that isn't entirely depressing a la "Chandelier." Opinions may vary on whether they're better together or apart and I think all those opinions have truth to them, but ultimately one must recognize that these musicians are geniuses and really know their way around creating pieces of music that generate discussion. Full marks. Support the band! CDJapan

Tracklist: 1. LAST DAY 2. REVOLVER 3. DOWN 4. GASOLINES 5. HALO | Her Name in Blood? More like Her Name in Treble. Her Name in Blood is a Metal band that offers some metalcore and classic styles in their music. Established in 2006 , the band has released 3 albums, 2 EPs, 1 single and 3 tracks for various artist releases. Evolution From Apes is the newest addition to their discography and provides us with two new and three re-mixed tracks. Given their increase in activity and popularity, it was to be expected that Evolution From Apes would be a strong contribution to their library. However, it leaves you with nothing more than slight disappointment. This release is not terrible but it's a little frustrating that they took great songs and really toned down the most important elements. Such production makes me wonder who directed the changes and what the band had in mind and if they achieved that or just ran out of time. Some may have noticed the new music video for a song titled "LAST DAY " which sounded promising but doesn't sum up the quality of the EP and is the only track that stands out. While "LAST DAY" proves to be upbeat and melodic, the production of the other songs cut the band short of success. "REVOLVER", "GASOLINES", and "HALO" cause a raise of the brow as to why they were reduced in quality. The prominent difference from the originals is the lack of bass and drums. While still great songs, the older versions leave the new versions sounding dry or bland. "GASOLINES "and "REVOLVER" are tolerable as they don't stray too far from their original idea. "HALO", as popular as it is, ended up being the biggest mistake of this release. The levels for the guitars have been so unnecessarily cranked up that it overpowers what little bass and vocal elements were left. Even though the remakes are a struggle to sit through, the new material isn't so bad. Although the mixing is relatively the same as the remakes, there's no previous guideline to taint our expectations of what they should sound like. Aside from "LAST DAY", "DOWN" could be a solid listen. That is, until the lack of a smooth transition to the guitar solo causes the composition to sound disjointed. Hearing some team effort in the vocal department is a nice touch and it's nice to be graced with Makoto's verbal presence. The battle between Ikepy's screams and Makoto's singing does create an enjoyable listen during the chorus. Overall, the EP sounded very rushed despite the announcement of the release being a good amount of time in advanced. Better luck next time. Purchase cdjapan | itunes

| A case study on the effects of diminishing returns. I don't have hopes for new MONO releases as much as I do expectations. I expect dynamic, instrumental post-rock passages with minimalist beginnings and too much going on at the end. It can be anywhere from six to nine tracks, possibly come with a theme about joy, sorrow, or both, and pack anywhere from zero to two instrumentals which edge the listener for six minutes with no pay off. While this describes the entirety of their output since the band "broadened" their musical tastes with 2004's Walking Cloud and Deep Red Sky, Flag Fluttered and the Sun Shined, this should not eclipse their accomplishments. MONO only does one style well, but their brand of post-rock has influenced countless other bands and has become the face of the genre, so to speak. Unfortunately, unwavering steadfastness is not a quality I admire in music. It's strange to see a band once heralded for their mastery of a genre slowly see the life strangled out of them by those same guidelines. Even bands that "don't ever change" do change in minute ways over the years. MONO is the most extreme example of a band that has not progressed since 2004, content to sail the same seas evermore. Nine albums later, you could be forgiven for asking if they know any other way. But it's a sad fact of life that the emotional crescendos and cathartic blasts of noise that punctuated Hymn to the Immortal Wind are the same ones powering Requiem for Hell; such an unabashed clone that calling them cousins of one another still doesn't cover all the similarities. Knowing when to stick to your guns is different from knowing when to bring in different artillery. A year hiatus designed to help them grow as musicians has only pushed them into a corner where all of their songs are cut from the same cloth and fabric is running low. MONO have regressed far enough to call in veteran producer Steve Albini, who was behind their masterpiece Hymn to the Immortal Wind, and as such they reintroduce the crutch of an orchestra, but even this power play is no substitute for captivating melodies. I can tap my foot and know when the strings will cut in, when the song moves into second gear, and when the emotional catharsis is supposed to strike. What should be an emotional experience translates into crossing requirements off a list. I fooled myself into believing that Requiem for Hell would be different and was angry when presented with more of the same. I bargained with my computer screen for just one track to start loud and heavy, or for a dramatic switch in direction and tone, and was deftly ignored. Cue the strums of the closer "The Last Scene", I've accepted the facade of depth behind the beauty and luster. For all the big talk behind the concept of this album, it fails to communicate this theme in a meaningful capacity. It doesn't even sound particularly dark for MONO; it's just more of the same. When they get moving, the meat of each song is intense as it always has been. The rising action and apex of "Death in Rebirth" and "Requiem for Hell" are truly stunning pieces, interjecting noise and guitar distortion for some much needed contrast. "Requiem for Hell" reaches almost "Com(?)" levels of despair, the most captivating track on the release by far. MONO still has the chops to write engaging music, but they insist on twelve minutes of foreplay first. When I can go to any younger band with tighter songs and more focus, hit the climax and get satisfaction in half the time, MONO has to provide a compelling reason to carve out forty minutes for yet another interchangeable experience. They don't. Support the band! Bandcamp

| A promising band creates an instant classic with their first release. I smell a rivalry brewing within the depths of indie pop. It all follows from the implosion of the still revered pop quartet school food punishment. A source of joy for many, internal and external pressures slowly tore the band apart. There was an overt sense that during the latter part of their career some members of the band were restraining their talents. We hoped for the best, but we saw it coming when vocalist and lead composer Yumi Uchimura suddenly left the band to pursue her own vision of music via la la larks. For all intents and purposes, la la larks filtered out what remnants of early school food punishment were left, opting for a ho-hum sleeker major label sound. I looked forward to the solo efforts of Masayuki Hasuo, but I never thought he would team up with Haisuinonasa's Yoshimasa Terui. Undeterred, the duo found Argentina-born vocalist Annabel, who is probably the closest sounding person to Yumi that isn't Yumi, and returned to their roots with siraph. Their self-titled release immediately brings to mind the soundscapes of riff-rain that I fell in love with many years ago. The similarities are more than uncanny. I would call them an almost outright challenge to Yumi's new band, except Terui's compositions take the band into places Yumi would only dip her toes into. siraph sounds as if you teleported air feel, color swim into 2016, with six cuts brimming full of energy and craving to be heard. "時間は告ぐ" (Jikan wa Tsugu) alone is enough to convince me a few of them were composed with a not-so-different vocalist in mind. The mini album is an earworm of catchy tunes for sure. The unpredictable drum rhythms and thick bass suit Annabel's rougher vocals like a glove, so much so that I'm willing to overlook her vocal imperfections as just another element to the track. If the progressive opener "in the margin" doesn't snag you immediately, "時間は告ぐ" follows a more conventional song structure that is sure to please. My personal favorite is "thor", which combines the chillwave and pop elements with a progressive rock touch for one hell of an awesome track, but I'd be lying if I said they all aren't good. Even the mellow closer "想像の雨" (Souzou no Ame) leaves me immediately wanting more. It's rare to find a band establish their sound so firmly with their first release, but it doesn't surprise me that siraph strike gold on their first try. la la larks is cool, but it never filled the hole school food punishment left vacant since 2008. siraph is the band I didn't know I needed. It remains to be seen if la la larks will respond to the challenge or remain in their hemisphere of electro pop. As promising as this is, I believe siraph has enough chops to grow into their own band and expand their sound into places we have not yet seen. For now, this band has my attention. Support the band! ✹ This release is available for purchase online via JP iTunes. Thanks for the information @Pho! ✹

| AVANT GARDE but oh so predictable lynch. has been around for some time when it comes to the history of modern J-rock bands. The band has released 9 albums, 15 singles, and 1 EP since their formation in 2004. The guys have managed to keep a steady and consistent sound despite some line-up changes. This sound revolves mostly around Hazuki's vocal style and melodic phrases. Though Hazuki's vocal strategy has yet to change, the groups instrumental phrasing alters a little with each release. Like any other artists, there's always a small group that doesn't approve of the musical direction. The main argument when it comes to lynch. is that they keep recycling the same formula. In most cases, opinions clash when artists change their sound completely or become a little more experimental with their sound. lynch. has stayed almost too consistent to this point, but somehow it works for them. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. AVANTGARDE is the newest addition to the bands discography and offers 12 new tracks. The title is quite vague and opens some space for creativity and exploration, but falls a little short of these expectations. "AVANT GARDE" is an interesting opening and utilizes a lot of synths and electronic aspects that work great for a stage entrance, but it does not sum up the whole album in any way. Tracks such as "EVIDENCE", "DAMNED", "PRAYER", and "THE OUTRAGE SEXUALITY" sound a little fresher musically and offer a bit more depth in the heaviness department. Although "F.A.K.E" is catchy with the slap bass phrase, it and "PLEDGE" also sounds like they're right off one of their past releases. "UNELMA" and "PHANTOM" show more of a solid direction change in this album. The guitar work in "UNELMA" is more adventurous and it shines best in the guitar solo while the general contrast between instrumentals and vocals in "PHANTOM" tastefully build off each other. "FAREWELL" is a beautifully slow, abstract, and smooth ballad but it sounds disjointed from the rest of the album. Because "AVANT GARDE" doesn't give a clear preview of the rest of the album, I would consider "EVIDENCE" as a better opening track. The first and last song should come full circle and translate a full summary of what the album is but these two tracks ended up being the only two completely fresh-feeling tracks on the album. While the release itself is still very strong if you've never listened to lynch. before, it doesn't stray too far from their previous work. This doesn't go to say that the band is not progressing or trying new things but simply that there wasn't a significant change to really create that wow factor that avid listeners are looking for. Listening for the production quality alone you can tell they've tweaked a few minor things to make the depth of their songs a lot more prominent and they've even adopted a few new djent techniques. This album will translate well to live performances just as their past releases have which brings me to one conclusion. In the words of @Zeus, " If GALLOWS was 100% live lynch. and D.A.R.K. was blending the live side with their studio sensibilities, then to me AVANTGARDE feels 70% of the way between D.A.R.K. and GALLOWS but closer to GALLOWS." Support the band! CDJapan | iTunes (Japan)

| A fitting conclusion to the Moon Saga arc. It has been around 7 years since the king of visual solo artists has released an album. Granted, that album was basically a singles collection, but I digress. This would be enough to excite almost anyone, especially a hardcore fan of the man who worked with some of the most legendary visual artists. Gackt is one to focus a lot on themes in his albums and over the course of his decade-plus long solo career he has created three albums with the moon as the theme and primary focus. Beginning with 'Crescent' and followed up with 'Moon', he brings us the final installment in this series, 'Last Moon.' A pretty stellar thematic series of albums and other work, including the film "Moon Child" with Hyde from L'Arc~en~Ciel and VAMPS! The album is supposed to be set in ancient Japan and the music and related videos have presented that visual quite well. The lead single, having been released 9 years ago, was named 'Returner' and utilized some of the musical stylings from earlier songs such as 'Mind Forest' and definitely continued this theme perfectly. Other singles also brought out the traditional Japanese elements including hard-hitter "斬 ～Zan～", mid-tempo ballad "暁月夜 -Day Breakers-" (Akatsukizukuyo -Day Breakers-), and over-the-top dramatic masterpiece and album-closer "雪月花 -The end of silence-" (Setsugekka -The end of silence-). Even some of the new songs fit in with the elements of composition including "花も散ゆ" (Hanamo Chiyu), "傀儡が如く" (Kugutsu ga Gotoku), and "キミだけのボクでいるから" (Kimi Dake no Boku de Iru Koto), thus making the album largely cohesive and consistent. The remaining songs, while either catchy and fun or dramatic and emotional, don't fit with the theme of ancient Japan. "P.S. I Love You" is romantic and displays incredible vocal prowess but is clearly based on the 2007 film of the same name. It's B-Side "Ride or Die" conjures up the images of modern motorcycles while randomly selected B-side "One More Kiss" deserves no place on this album. These songs both helped and hurt the album at the same time. For example, I'm not sure why a song like "舞哈Baby!!" (Wuha Baby) and "恋のFriday!!!" (Koi no Friday) were included in a concept album as they're clearly just pop-rock songs, but they did help the album from being too much of the same thing. Otherwise, the album is phenomenal and one of the best albums I've heard this year. It proves that Gackt still has vocal ability like you wouldn't believe. I just truly hope this isn't his last musical effort.

| One of the finest rock albums of 2016. downy do it again! downy's decision to return to making music after a very long lull in activity is one of the best things to ever happen to Japanese rock music. They've occupied the three way musical intersection between melancholic shoegaze, experimental post-rock, and musical perfection since their formation in 2000. Oft mentioned in the same breath as 八十八ヶ所巡礼 (88-Kasyo Junrei) or 凛として時雨 (Ling Tosite Sigure), there's a very good reason why all eyes are on downy whenever they announce a new release. 第六作品集『無題』 (dai roku sakuhin shuu 『mudai』) is the album I've been waiting all year to listen to and I didn't even know it. I can't remember the last time an album opener such as "凍る花 (Kooru Hana)" enamored me within seconds. Before I knew it I was four or five tracks in, completely lost in downy's world. Shuffle beats and 9/8 rhythms backed by spacious production give rise to a pulsating musical juggernaut which demands your attention, and it's hard to find a reason to press pause. I'm impressed with the focus and clarity of downy's vision. Transitions between tracks as well as between different segments within tracks flow like water. They elude genre classification of even the loosest standards, breaking all sorts of rules about how rock is "supposed to sound" and opting instead for a hybrid audio/visual experience at live events. The second track "檸檬 (Jukujijun)" is a great example of this: fusing palettes of rock with a healthy does of electronic perturbation among mathy transitions, frantic guitar, and uncommon time signatures would crush lesser bands, but downy nails it without a second thought. What impresses me more is how well it stitches the first and the third tracks together; the former has an almost industrial post-rock vibe to it while the latter has a stronger focus on the rhythm with brass embellishments. 第六作品集『無題』 is so cohesive track names are almost a convenience, and a solid argument can be made that the album should be listened to as a whole. There are a few constants which tie the album together; the cerebral rhythm section, band leader Aoki Robin's breathy vocals, a wall of layered sounds which fills any and all the empty space in the mix, and a tendency to suddenly change gears and throw something new at the listener. All roads point towards the climax in "乱反射 (Ranhansha)", but it's the journey rather than the destination which makes the trip worth it. In an interview with Yoshi from Brown Noise Unit, noted "We aimed to create original stuff, but we take a lot of care in how it is expressed, so if you found gentleness in the sound, I think that's just coming through from the love we have for music. We've always known we had to choose music, so maybe that's what you're feeling.". This is an incredibly bold and powerful statement for a musician to make, and yet when the album ends I immediately want more. This is one of the best albums of 2016. Get on it. Support the band! CDJapan | iTunes (Japan)

| Remembering DIV's finest release—so close to a ONE ZERO /10 Last week, DIV blindsided fans by delivering a crushing blow. After four years, they are calling it quits due to the classic ‘musical differences’ excuse, though in this instance the argument is actually plausible. Their recent releases have been delving ever deeper into a self-coined EDR (‘electronic dance rock’) sound—one that bassist Chobi and drummer Satoshi obviously weren’t too keen on. In their remembrance, I am revisiting my old review of ZERO ONE, their first full album and my favorite CD of theirs back in the day. Released back in October 2013, just a year and a half into DIV’s career, ZERO ONE is mighty impressive for a debut album. In fact, it’s just an excellent rock album, period! And this is coming from someone who started off with a very lukewarm impression of the band. Let me tell you, I did not care for their debut mini-album, 無題のドキュメント (mudai no document). The following four singles thankfully showed progress—albeit inconsistent—but they were enough to string me along and keep me excited enough for whatever they had in store next. Thankfully, I stuck around for ZERO ONE, because it has proven to be the glorious culmination of all the band’s potential. Early on in their career, I remember thinking DIV had some composition issues; single “夏の行方 (natsue no yukue)” and its B-side “蛍火 (hotarubi)” had almost identical choruses. That’s unacceptable, especially on a three song single! This has been addressed over time and I can say that the band is in top form on this release. There’s plenty of variety with well-composed, bright pop-rock tunes like “ZERO ONE” as well as heavier and more melancholic, alternative tracks like “VANISH.” Unlike many other VK bands that actually make it to the full album stage, DIV didn’t feel the need to pad their tracklist with the obligatory ‘experimental’ mainstays we all know like out-of-place ‘jazzy’ track or ‘heavy-repetitive-track-with-growling/screaming-throughout.’ I honestly congratulate that songwriting restraint so hard to come by in this scene. On top of better compositions, DIV have shown some massive progress in their electronic arrangements, which were pretty uninspired and lacking in their earliest releases (especially when compared to Danger Crue labelmates and synth-afficionados, UNiTE.). Whereas 無題のドキュメント featured an unnecessary SE track with aimless chiptune bleeps, there’s a lovely ‘galactic’ synth sound that permeates most of this album. Sometimes, it lends an epic quality to the music, while at other times, it creates a fun, light atmosphere like in the infectious “Chocolate Prayer.” The EDM-instrumental track “interlude” leads gorgeously into “ASTERIOS” and the subsequent chaotic screeching and dubsteppy ‘wub wub’ sounds are well-executed, mainly because they are used very sparingly. That and the autotune (another thing I generally find obnoxious) in “Teddy” are tastefully done. One of the things that really sets DIV apart from most of the VK world is Chisa’s voice. He’s not your typical, nasally, whiny, over-exaggerated VK singer. He has a very ‘normal’ (yet capable) voice and somehow that works for the band and keeps them grounded. He’s able to serenade us with dramatic ballads like “I swear,” to get us moving to catchy tunes like “Chocolate Prayer,” and to evoke hella emotion in heavy tracks like album-opener “VANISH.” If there’s one thing that could still use work, it’s his growling. He sounds like he’s straining himself a little bit, sometimes like he’s ‘barfing’ out his words. But once again, he doesn’t overuse harsh vocals, so this is hardly a problem. If I have one complaint about this album, it’s the choice of old singles to include. “夏の行方” is a solid enough choice (though as unrealistic as it is, I would’ve absolutely preferred the aforementioned B-side), but I find “SEASONS” and “ANSWER” to be two of the bands weakest singles. “SEASONS” has so much that I should love (the twinkly, soft piano throughout), but the ‘hooo-oooh’ background voice annoys me and I find the bouncy guitar riff that leads us into the verse to be so insipid—it’s all too clinical, compared to the slightly messier original version of the song by Chisa’s ex-band NEXX. “TASTE OF LIFE,” a fun little pop-rock ditty would have been a better fit, since there were some other poppy songs on the album and they worked just fine. Not to mention, that would have made 1000% more sense than actually including that single (released before ZERO ONE) on their second album, and, btw, not rerecorded... but I digress. “ANSWER,” their debut song, is a track I find decent at best. It could’ve benefited from an arrangement overhaul, considering the band’s newfound mastery of the synths, but alas… This rerecording doesn’t sound very different. In fact, none of them really do. The only major difference I could detect was the background arrangement of "SEASONS" sounded (unfortunately) more subdued in certain parts. But if the album’s biggest weakness is its old songs, that’s probably a good sign of the pure progress the band is making! Since the success of ZERO ONE, DIV have released even more singles, as well as a second full-album (SECRET: see @doombox's review) and second mini-album (EDR TOKYO: see @CAT5's review). So has this album stood the test of time? There has undoubtedly been some brilliant work released after ZERO ONE, with tracks like the darkly beautiful “BUTTERFLY DREAMER,” the electro-gasmic “東京、熱帯夜につ (tokyo nettaiya ni tsuki),” and my absolute favorite: the unmatched heavenly dreamscape of “漂流彼女 (hyouryuu kanojo).” Moreover, all of these songs have visually stunning PVs, showing further refinement in the band's aesthetic—seriously, go watch them right now. And yet, if I had to choose, I still consider ZERO ONE to be DIV’s flagship release. Why? Because it’s just that, a cohesive release. Comparatively, DIV’s second album was merely a collection of old singles and mostly forgettable new tracks. I've never subscribed to the glorification of the album as the one and only format for ‘real’ music fans, but if I were forced to do a ranking of VK albums, I’m sure ZERO ONE would be up there. No other VK band has been as deft at incorporating electronic arrangements into rock music as DIV and ZERO ONE is the release where they finally realized this sound. They've left an indelible impact on the scene and will truly be missed. PS: If you haven't checked out DIV yet, their discography has recently been made available for streaming on Spotify and other services! Support the band! Spotify | CDJapan | Amazon.jp

Tracklist: 1. 詩踏み (utafumi) 2. 空谷の跫音 (kuukoku no kyuuon) feat. SUGIZO 3. Revelation of mankind [REMIX] | Just your standard Dir en grey single Dir en grey should think hard about not including B-sides with their next single. I haven't heard a convincing original B-side since "腐海 (Fukai)" and that was back in the VULGAR era. I don't want Dir en grey taking great tracks and hiding them in the dark corners of their discography, but I hate feeling like their additional offerings are never worth listening to. Once in a blue moon the band will surprise you with something decent - like the "undecided" remix - only to turn around and punch you in the gut with something like the unplugged version of "AGITATED SCREAMS OF MAGGOTS". A part of me wonders if they even put effort into the coupling tracks, knowing that only hardcore fans would even think of looking there. These complaints don't take away from "詩踏み" being a wonderful single track, but it's a fact that as far as Dir en grey singles are constructed, this is nothing revolutionary. Sounding like a less restrained SUSTAIN THE UNTRUTH, "詩踏み (utafumi)" drops the nuanced groove and focus on atmosphere for pure aggression and it's absolutely amazing. Distilling all the best parts of their last three albums into a three minute songs is a herculean task, but Dir en grey do it right. The loose structure takes a few listens to digest, yet it still manages to create an engaging experience that captures feelings of solitude and anger the band was aiming for. This I attribute to the production; the mix feels full and the bottom end feels heavy and tight as it should, but with a memorable chorus and Kyo's performance overall I get claustrophobic, religious vibes. One thing is for sure is from the distortion laced opening to the creepy interlude, "詩踏み" keeps my attention effortlessly the whole time. The completely mental music video and their accompanying look has quickly become my favorite one of year, perfectly capturing the aggression, energy, and confusion of the song. It is also a clear sign that they're over their rebellious phase as they've taken their visuals back to new and shocking heights. This is one hell of a return to a scene they said they were done with all those years ago! As we approach their 20th anniversary, "詩踏み" is a bold statement that Dir en grey isn't done impressing us yet. If only I had kind words for the rest of the single... I can feel my attention span rapidly depleting as the dull "空谷の跫音 (kuukoku no kyuuon)" makes a reappearance featuring SUGIZO of LUNA SEA fame fiddling on the violin for extra ambience. This is what happens when a good idea hits too late. It's an improvement over the original, but it also doesn't differ by much. Whenever I think of SUGIZO making a guest appearance on a track he usually elevates it to another level. Unfortunately SUGIZO doesn't leave too a large impact on this track. Iit goes in one ear and out the other in five minutes. I'm content to throw out the original album version and slide this in its place because SUGIZO makes it infinitely better, but I'm not going bananas over this. "Revelation of mankind [REMIX]" is very misleading and is the band's newest entry in "garbage remixes no one wanted or asked for". The original track was a passable second attempt at "流転の塔 (ruten no tou)". This sounds like nondescript trance step blasting from burnt out speakers in a seedy Manhattan club, and that's a sentence I never wanted to use to describe Dir en grey music. The upbeat tone, vocoder, and wubs stick out badly in sound and mood. It reminds me a lot of ゆらめき (yurameki) (S.N.Y. Remix) in the worst ways possible, especially in how little it resembles the original song save for some lyrics here and there. Even as the staunchest Dir en grey fan, I say you can do without this. Take the first track and split. Purchase: cdjapan | itunes

| Another effortless masterpiece from one of visual kei's brightest musicians Hizaki has been an absolute fixture in the Visual Kei community for quite a number of years. Spending some time with a number of small indies bands up to his totally-solo EPs "Dance With Grace" and "Maiden Ritual", and his Hizaki Grace Project albums; continuing on with big-name bands Versailles and Jupiter and now back to being temporarily solo: Rosario is an opus of Hizaki's decades-plus knowledge of the guitar and melody combining technical skill with the most beautiful of melodies and the heaviest riffs and beats. It's no secret that his greatest skill is in songs like promo single "Grace & Dignity". In fact, if you had to pick a song in all the songs he's ever composed and performed, "Grace & Dignity" would summarize it effortlessly. Utilizing a mixture of guitar solos and dual-guitar melodies with heavy beats in the background and graceful arpeggios, you have all you need to know about this man's career. But why stop there when you can listen to 13 more songs of it? In all seriousness, about half of the album can be blown through in about ten minutes. Any long-time fan of the man will have heard songs like "Race Wish" on at least one other release prior to this one. I, for one, cannot believe it's actually surfaced again. The rerecorded version is as good as the original with the key elements still intact. The same can be said for recent Jupiter songs "Rose Quartz" and "Church Candle" which show totally opposite sides of Hizaki's ability. Where "Rose Quartz" is actually pretty much an advanced version of "Grace & Dignity", "Church Candle" offers a softer side of Hizaki that is reminiscent of the "Calm" number from Curse of Virgo a few years back. Not so much a dueling-guitar battle, but a single guitar playing a single melody that is both beautiful an captivating. Some Versailles songs even make an appearance: "Silent Knight" and "Desert Apple" also show the same level of contrast in Hizaki's abilities being that "Silent Knight" is incredibly hard-hitting (like "Rose Quartz") with an insane amount of energy and "Desert Apple is slightly less exhilarating, but not quite a ballad. A mid-tempo song with riffs that are incredibly catchy (For example, you find yourself humming the melody because there are no words to sing along to). Those songs out of the way, there are actually a couple of songs that can be considered transitionary or possibly filler, whichever term you prefer. "Eien no Tomoshibi" and "Elizabeth" are both not particularly enthralling, but not altogether bad. "Eien no Tomoshibi" is just a lighter more ethereal version of "Church Candle". One guitar playing a soft, subtle melody that transitions between songs. "Elizabeth" is far more powerful and uplifting, with an anthemic feel that doesn't actually give a lot of credit to Hizaki's guitar skills, but more generally as a composer. One of the key differences that this album has compared to a lot of Hizaki's other compositions is that not all of the songs are incredibly lengthy and showy. "Fly Through the Air" is a pretty good rock song that doesn't insist upon itself, but doesn't do a ton to stand out either. "Beating the Sky" must take it's name from the fact that it's backbone isn't melody but rhythm with a pulsing beat like a club song. "Presto" is one of the best songs on the album and it's less than 3 minutes in lengths, apparently it's a cover of a Vivaldi song. Who knew Hizaki would actually do covers of classical music. The remaining songs have left quite an impression on me: one good, one bad, and one incredible. The good: "Dark Classical", a song with a strong beat and heavy guitar interpolated with melodies that only Hizaki can pull off. As far as original compositions go on this album, this goes the farthest. The bad: "A Ray of Light", while not being an altogether bad song, was just far too.... much it was five minutes of the same theme that was used in the single-guitar, low-tempo ballads "Eien no Tomoshibi" and "Church Candle" but without the drama and emotion of either. A perfectly fine tune, but I did find this one to be a bit insistent upon itself. As though it were saying "Listen to me, I demand that you listen to me even though I'm not that special." Finally, the incredible: "Rosario". The title track has elements of every great song Hizaki has ever composed with the melody of "Created Beauty" from Versailles's self-titled album built right into it. While it has only been a week and I need to digest the song more, one can tell from first listen that a huge amount of thought and planning needs to go into creating a 10-minute epic without words to keep it entertaining and meaningful. It's clear that this was meant to be the title song all along. In short: the album was a huge success and really let Hizaki indulge himself and his fans in his ability while separating himself from other musicians so that if it isn't your thing you can simply bypass it. Another potential upside: Now that he's gotten this out of his system maybe Teru can compose more Versailles songs. Support the band! CDJapan | iTunes

Tracklist: 1. White Breath 2. Divers 3. Through The Deep 4. Heat 5. Anchorless Ship 6. Night Time (Petite Noir Remix) | Brief rain on our parade or a sinking ship? The fin. is one of the few Japanese indie bands that have managed to gain oh-so-coveted international attention. This is not only due to their accessible lyrics (god knows ‘the West’ has an aversion to music that isn’t in English), but also their more Western-oriented musical style (I’ve seen comparisons to Phoenix). They're completely unlike anything from J-indie favorites such as 凛として時雨 (Ling Tosite Sigure) or Cinema Staff. Check my 2015 EOTY list and you’ll find The fin.’s gorgeous first album Days With Uncertainty, proudly featured. Unfortunately, I don’t foresee their latest EP having that privilege on this year’s list. So what went wrong on Through The Deep? Let’s dive in. The EP opens up in strong form with “White Breath” picking up right where Days With Uncertainty left off. The song sports gorgeous bubbling synths and a dreamy, falsetto chorus. Sadly, the band doesn’t capitalize on this momentum and begins their descent on the following track. “Divers” has some funky flair, but overall, the song is repetitive and a bit of a snoozer. “Through The Deep,” ironically the EP’s title single, is where the band truly flounders. Despite a gorgeous video—though we already knew they had a great visual aesthetic with their "Night Time" PV—the song is disappointing. For some reason, Yuto curiously sings one note for 90% of the track. The delivery of this vocal monotony does nothing to highlight the beautiful music; instead, it just makes his Engrish sound clunky and robotic. “Heat” provides a soothing palate cleanser, but clocking in at just over a minute, it hardly leaves an impression, quickly evaporating into nothingness. “Anchorless Ship,” which first leaked last year on the band’s Soundcloud, is a commendable attempt to get the EP afloat again. Compared to the lush synthwork of “White Breath” and “Heat,” this track is distinguished by its sparse chirps. It has a slow buildup like “Divers,” but it is ultimately a welcome ‘new’ direction for the band and the most successful on this particular release, despite the cheap fade out. It has been stormy seas so far, so how does The fin. finish off the EP? With a goddamn remix. Rarely has a remix gotten me excited and “Night Time (Petite Noir Remix)” does absolutely nothing to change my mind. In fact, this is one of the most egregious remixes I’ve heard, simply due to the injustice it inflicts upon one of the band’s flagship tracks. The vocals are reprogrammed in some strange off-beat way and the buoyant guitar riffs are replaced and flattened into repetitive wubbly bass notes. It’s a total throwaway track – the rancid icing on an already underwhelming cake. Though I seem to be in the minority (the EP has been pretty well-received in various English-language press outlets), Through The Deep sadly does not showcase the talent I heard in The fin.'s previous work. With a strong first EP (Glowing Red On The Shore) and debut album, they have occupied the unique liminal space between indie scenes in Japan and abroad. As the make their way through the deep (a.k.a. touring greater Asia and the UK), I hope they’ll gain inspiration and eventually put out another release that is on par with their first two. The fin. are better than this, plain and simple! Support the band: Amazon HMV CDJapan