Popular/Legendary/Respected Japanese bands that you've NEVER listened to...(and probably should)

[Takadanobabaalien 3607]

B'z is fucking great.

Also just realized I never listened to Janne da arc. Anybody got any recommendations?

[DeithX252 1266]

lately I am digging 9mm parabellum bullet's album, and I found they are very good. Oh and I forgot to mention Aqua Timez before, now I am listening to their albums, their song is just good but nothing special (ear catchy and have unique vocal, but too generic IMO)

 

Oh and about Tokyo Jihen, any recommendation what album that I must listen to? Maybe their best works so far?

[Pretsy 1343]

lately I am digging 9mm parabellum bullet's album, and I found they are very good. Oh and I forgot to mention Aqua Timez before, now I am listening to their albums, their song is just good but nothing special (ear catchy and have unique vocal, but too generic IMO)

 

Oh and about Tokyo Jihen, any recommendation what album that I must listen to? Maybe their best works so far?

"Sports" and "Adult" are the best ones - the latter one is a big must for TJ newcomers.

 

Also, I seem to spot certain mentions of Kuroyume, and recommendations in terms of them depend on listeners' taste:

 

1) Mayoeru Yuritachi -Romance of Scarlet- had its place in "top 10 old school vkei albums everyone tries first" and for plain reasons - the concept itself is very...say, visual kei (as in post-punk visual kei) and interesting.

If you want to get familiar with old school, get this

 

2) If you are not really willing to clash with "old school extravaganza" and you want some casual vk (which is less "vk" than vk back then, sounds about right, huh?) a la SID, then try their poppiest record to date - Feminism. It has its vk sound compressed to more radio-friendlier, romantic version.

 

PS. don't try the successor to Feminism though, it's sort of a "culture shock" to those who are trying to go with Kuroyume's notorious "vk sound"...nor should you not try any punk-related records (except if you become a stan)

[Zeus 7997]

To be honest, I've never given Buck-Tick or X JAPAN a fair shake. B-T's massive discography just scares me. Everyone I know gives me the perfect place to start, but I have not worked up the nerve yet. X JAPAN just rubs me the wrong way for reasons I don't fully understand. Part of it is Yoshiki's attitude towards making music. Part of it is how much they jock hide's death to promote themselves.

[Pretsy 1343]

^ depends on what kind of sound you are expecting/wanting to listen to (ask Jig since he knows the best about BT eras and how they would cater to various tastes)

 

Also, I forgot to mention mine:

(Japanese only)

 

B'z

Mr. Children

ORIGINAL LOVE

Bo Ningen

Ging Nang Boys

ART-SCHOOL

The Pillows (I think I have listened to a few songs but I forgot them already)

Soutaiseiriron

Bloodthirsty Butchers

the band apart

HINTO

...

etc.

 

I am one lazy heck of a music enthusiast, lol.

[Furik 832]

Luna Sea is the only one I can think of.

[leafwork 814]

 

Also just realized I never listened to Janne da arc. Anybody got any recommendations?

 

Another Story is a brilliant album.

[violetchain 912]

Mr. Children

 

 

 

[Furik 832]

Please, please listen to Janne da arc.

They were an absolutely incredibly band.

I recommend Another Story and Arcadia (I believe it was called).

[mahoujin 395]

I've heard most of the big influential vk bands, but I never really got that into any of them, somehow. I'm really lacking the the Kuroyume department, or anything Kiyoharu related. I also only know one Pierrot song. Oops. 

[ghost 2687]

Oo. Me:

-bump of chicken

-Plastic Tree

-Vivid

-Diaru. Diara? Diuria.

-Janne de arc

-luna sea

-Hyde

-Buck-Tick

-Merry

-the god and death star

-perfume

-nightmare

-an cafe

-l'arcanciel

-malice mizer

[saishuu 3220]

I'm obviously biased as hell in saying this, but the amount of people in this thread who've never listened to B'z makes me sad. Everyone's missing out on the best (male) vocalist and some of the best and most fun performances I've ever seen from Japan.

[doombox 4421]

Supercar

Ging Nang Boys

BLANKEY JET CITY

Fishmans

54-71

 

- Flower Travellin Band 

- Tomoyasu Hotei

- Mr. Children 

- Keiji Haino 

 

I've never even heard the names of those bands before, let alone listened to any of them. 

 

Some other VK I've never listened to:

Moi Dix Mois

Kagerou

Pierrot/Angelo

[Chi 2624]

I've heard most of the big influential vk bands, but I never really got that into any of them, somehow. I'm really lacking the the Kuroyume department, or anything Kiyoharu related. I also only know one Pierrot song. Oops. 

 

same. 

actually i never tried listening to kuroyume and i remember listening to Pierrot before but it wasnt very memorable lol (i listen to Angelo these days but nothing special either)

 

 

if anyone here hasnt listened to janne da arc, i personally love "Arcadia" and would recommend that album to everyone ;_;

the first song "Acid Breath" is really good

[violetchain 912]

Sad to see Mr.Children coming up so many times in this thread. They have so many classic songs. Plus Sakurai Kazutoshi is an absurdly charming frontman.

 

I've never listened to:

D'espairsRay

Janne da Arc

Moi dix Mois

Kagerou

lynch.

ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION

D'erlanger

Sigh

[emmny 4139]

the amount of kagerou on this thread this slightly sad, but im not necissarily surprised, their music is kinda culty for me, idk how else to explain it. HOWEVER, if there is one song that you should listen to, please listen to their last (and best) song which is one of my fav vk ballads of all time.

[Bear 1817]

Considering the amount of metal fans on this board I am quite surprised not to see bands like Sabbat, Abigail, S.O.B., Unholy Grave, Gnome, Transgressor and Corrupted mentioned. Does that mean that the majority of metal fans on the board have heard them, or does it mean that they haven't even heard of them? Absolute legends and cult as far as Japanese metal goes.

[CAT5 9075]

^ depends on what kind of sound you are expecting/wanting to listen to (ask Jig since he knows the best about BT eras and how they would cater to various tastes)

 

Also, I forgot to mention mine:

(Japanese only)

 

 

Bo Ningen

Ging Nang Boys

ART-SCHOOL

The Pillows (I think I have listened to a few songs but I forgot them already)

Soutaiseiriron

Bloodthirsty Butchers

the band apart

HINTO

 

A lot of these bands are cherished by J-indie heads, but I've never really felt too compelled to try some of these either. HINTO's first 2 albums are pretty good. They're basically SPARTA LOCALS 2.0. ART-SCHOOL have a few nice tracks, but I've never really cared for them. Bloodthirsty Butchers are also hugely respected by countless bands (as evidenced by their ridiculous tribute albums), but I just can't get into them. Most of the stuff I've heard from them flat out bores me if i'm honest. I've been digging some of the band apart's recent material, since the vocalist began singing in Japanese, but I'm too picky about Engrish to get into most of their older stuff.

 

Oo. Me:

-Buck-Tick

 

Bruhh....Halloween is the perfect time to give their album "13kai wa Gekkou (十三階は月光)" a spin!!! Here's one small reason why:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t49UWe3wUfo

 

I've never even heard the names of those bands before, let alone listened to any of them.

 

doom-san, the world of J-rock is vast and infinite! I'm sure you'll get that reference ;p

 

Sad to see Mr.Children coming up so many times in this thread. They have so many classic songs. Plus Sakurai Kazutoshi is an absurdly charming frontman.

 

I've never listened to:

D'espairsRay

 

I'd implore you to listen to "coll:Set" if you're looking for something on the darker, heavier side of VK. It's so well done and produced.

 

Considering the amount of metal fans on this board I am quite surprised not to see bands like Sabbat, Abigail, S.O.B., Unholy Grave, Gnome, Transgressor and Corrupted mentioned. Does that mean that the majority of metal fans on the board have heard them, or does it mean that they haven't even heard of them? Absolute legends and cult as far as Japanese metal goes.

mm. I had a brief fascination with metal in my early 20's, but on the whole, it's not been a genre that has stuck with me. I've not heard any of those bands, but I would not be opposed to it. You could even make a J-metal sampler for the mixtape thread if you wanted. I'd give it a shot.

[violetchain 912]

 

I'd implore you to listen to "coll:Set" if you're looking for something on the darker, heavier side of VK. It's so well done and produced.

Honestly, the main reason I've never listened to them is I don't usually go for the darker/heavier VK bands, but I'll give it a shot at some point since every now and then I find one I like. Thanks!

[saishuu 3220]

Honestly, the main reason I've never listened to them is I don't usually go for the darker/heavier VK bands, but I'll give it a shot at some point since every now and then I find one I like. Thanks!

 

I don't do either, but D'espa is an exception to this and I second CAT5's recommendation 100%. There's more to their music other than just dark/heavy. "MIRROR" could be a good place to start too (although some people dislike it) as it's slightly less heavy than "Coll:set".

[Zeus 7997]

I don't do either, but D'espa is an exception to this and I second CAT5's recommendation 100%. There's more to their music other than just dark/heavy. "MIRROR" could be a good place to start too (although some people dislike it) as it's slightly less heavy than "Coll:set".

Thirding this. Basically the later you go in D'espa's discography the less heavy they get (overall).

[emmny 4139]

im a huge fan of redeemer for the lighter side of d'espa's discography. it rocks pretty hard but is less metal/goth than their prior efforts, its almost vaguely happy sounding but i love it a lot (slightly biased because its the album that got me into d'espairsray LOL)

[doombox 4421]

doom-san, the world of J-rock is vast and infinite! I'm sure you'll get that reference ;p

LOL I missed this. XD But yes, it totally is, Major Catsunagi! There is seriously so much music to listen to these days, it's kinda crazy trying to listen to every definitive band in every single genre/subgenre. I need more days in the week!

[Pretsy 1343]

 

- Hyde

- -l'arcanciel L'Arc~en~Ciel

 

Roentgen (Hyde, his magnum opus)

Tierra (early 90s L'Arc)

Ark (late 90s L'Arc) (ps. HEART is my personal favorite but I started with this anyway)

KISS (00s L'Arc)

 

 

Kagerou

Their self-titled of course (in case you could resist wacky vocalcraft)

 

 

I'm really lacking the the Kuroyume department, or anything Kiyoharu related. I also only know one Pierrot song. Oops

 

I can give a few songs for you to decide whether you are ready to go for anything Kiyoharu (or Kuroyume/SADS/solo in this case) - as a listener who used to stan him so hard:

 

 

He has way too many albums altogether so you just have to go by samples imho

 

 

 

-perfume

 

"Triangle" (⊿) -album.

 

 

Most of their best songs are in this album

 

[saishuu 3220]

Regarding Perfume, it depends. Both GAME and Triangle are good places to start imo depending on your musical taste: if you're more prone to enjoy "cute" and slightly poppier music, I'd go with GAME. However, if you want to go with a more mature album as far as the electro elements go, I'd go with Triangle for sure. I enjoy GAME a little more myself because it has better stand-alone songs if compared to Triangle (which, however, has the best singles).