Ito 2438 Posted December 1, 2014 This thread will be used for discussion on the Staff best albums of 2014 list. See the thread HERE. A quick directory to each album: 和楽器バンド - ボカロ三昧 (Wagakki Band - Vocalo Zanmai) カメレオ - ハイカラ (Kameleo - High Collar) Girugamesh - Gravitation アルカラ - CAO (Arukara - CAO) 八十八ヶ所巡礼 - 攻撃的国民的音楽 (88kasyo junrei - kougeki teki kokumin teki ongaku) TK from 凛として時雨 - Fantastic Magic (TK from Ling Tosite Sigure - Fantastic Magic) テスラは泣かない。- TESLA doesn't know how to cry ねごと - "Z"OOM (NEGOTO - "Z"OOM) chouchou merged syrups. - clepsydra asobius - pray & grow Royz - Core 陰陽座 - 風神界逅 / 雷神創世 (Onmyo-za - Fuujinkaikou / Raijinsouse) MY FIRST STORY - 虚言NEUROSE 夜の本気ダンス - DANCE STEP (honki dance - DANCE STEP) FACT - Witness 撃鉄 - NO UNDERGROUND (Gekitetsu - NO UNDERGROUND) ミソッカス - 統一された混沌(カオス) (misokkasu - touitsu sareta chaos) jizue - Shiori THE NOVEMBERS - Rhapsody in beauty Mono - The Last Dawn / Rays of Darkness HOLLOWGRAM - Qualia sukekiyo - IMMORTALIS KAMIJO - Heart Boris - Noise Charisma.com - DIStopping Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ito 2438 Posted December 1, 2014 Day 1 - 和楽器バンド - ボカロ三昧 (Wagakki Band - Vocalo Zanmai) posted! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pretsy 1343 Posted December 1, 2014 Yay for Wagakki! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeus 7997 Posted December 1, 2014 Vocalo Zanmai is one of the best surprises I've found in visual kei all year. Are we alone in thinking this? 3 Spectralion, Pretsy and doombox reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr.0 619 Posted December 1, 2014 Vocalo Zanmai is one of the best surprises I've found in visual kei all year. Are we alone in thinking this? No, definitively one the best albums of 2014! Can't wait for the next one! 1 Zeus reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeus 7997 Posted December 1, 2014 Their single Hanabi has my hopes raised. It's the same style as VZ with it's an original composition and not a rearrangement. They're so consistent that it's hard to pick up on the differences between the two. Plus, for a band that's not strictly visual kei they excel at having music and visuals that complement one another. If their second album is as solid as their first, we might have a force to be reckoned with on our hands. 3 beni, doombox and Pretsy reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
doombox 4421 Posted December 1, 2014 It's amazing how polished they are, musically and visually. I really can't say I know another band doing this style as well as they are and a full album of originals would send me over the moon. Not that I even knew that they were in fact covers in the first place but shhhhh. 2 beni and Zeus reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ito 2438 Posted December 2, 2014 Day 2 - カメレオ - ハイカラ (Kameleo - High Collar) posted! 1 Zeus reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ito 2438 Posted December 3, 2014 Day 3 - Girugamesh - Gravitation posted! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
doombox 4421 Posted December 3, 2014 Gravitation was the best thing I've heard from girugamesh in a while now. I was kind of expecting more of the same from them and it was nice to hear them branching out a little bit and getting kind of heavy again. And it spawned Ryo making those hilarious "covers". That was one of the most entertaining things I've experienced in jrock all year. lol. 1 togz reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeus 7997 Posted December 3, 2014 I haven't listened to girugamesh in a while but that preview alone sounds better than I anticipated. I might check out gravitation when I encounter a slow day in music. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CAT5 9075 Posted December 4, 2014 I never actually listened to a girugamesh album until this year (thx sweetholm). I started off with MONSTER, which I thought was pretty great, so I was definitely interested when this came out. It seems like a continuation of that sound and while it was a bit same-y overall, there are some tracks here that I've incorporated into my normal rotation. ;3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ito 2438 Posted December 4, 2014 Day 4 - アルカラ - CAO (Arukara - CAO) posted! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DeithX252 1266 Posted December 4, 2014 Vocalo Zanmai is one of the best surprises I've found in visual kei all year. Are we alone in thinking this? I think they are not VK, yes, they are dressed like a VK band, but different, to me they are just a doujin band (because their early album released in doujin event) become major avex band. I admit they are good, but there are lot of better vocaloid cover and rearrangement outside there. To be honest, I like the release, but can't get the hype. girugamesh become my fave also, they are completely change to loud music scene, toured with many similar band that carried out the post hardcore/metalcore genre. ARUKARA's release is great too, remind me of 9mm parabellum bullet 1 Zeus reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeus 7997 Posted December 4, 2014 Wagakki-Band is what happens at the intersection of visual kei, doujin, and vocaloid. I can't deny the strong aesthetic presence which weaves itself into their music, which is one of the most defining characteristics of visual kei. The sound of the band itself is another matter entirely. Successfully fusing traditional instruments with modern instruments is a challenge in itself, but for such a young yet large band to get that sound right the first time around is impressive. That's not to say that they're one of the best arrange bands I've ever heard - although they might get there in time - but the fact that they fused so many uncommon elements into their music makes them deserving of a spot here. Arukara is a band I've always heard around indie circles but never got around to listening (same with Owarikara). No real reason why either. 1 DeithX252 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
saishuu 3220 Posted December 4, 2014 Arukara is a band I've always heard around indie circles but never got around to listening (same with Owarikara). No real reason why either. CAO is a great album to start with. I'm glad to see it reviewed as part of the best albums this year - it's easily one of my favorites and has been in constant rotation here since it came out. 1 Zeus reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jigsaw9 6783 Posted December 4, 2014 Yeah, I agree, CAO is pretty neat! Saying this as someone who's not a big Arukara listener (actually this was the first release I tried from them). Anyway, it's a nice mashup of clever indie riffs and catchy vocals hooks, so I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who likes their rawk a little poppy but still with some brains. 1 Zeus reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ito 2438 Posted December 4, 2014 Arukara has actually made it on the list three years in a row now. Out of the past three, CAO has sadly been the one the clicked the least for me. Not that I think it is bad...perhaps I think it is just too similar to their past releases and with an album a year it's not long enough for me to really miss their sound. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Original Saku 1593 Posted December 4, 2014 Personally i think 'CAO' might be my favorite album from them since their 2009 album 'BOY NEXT DOOR', It just feels really good and the songs are always stuck in my head for hours after I listen to them. I don't know what they did this time around that makes this album feel a little bit different from past albums but I hope they keep it up 2 Zeus and saishuu reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ito 2438 Posted December 5, 2014 Looking back at it I actually only spun the album once. I really need to give it another play then. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ito 2438 Posted December 5, 2014 Day 5 - 八十八ヶ所巡礼 - 攻撃的国民的音楽 (88kasyo junrei - kougeki teki kokumin teki ongaku) posted! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CAT5 9075 Posted December 5, 2014 Me listening to 88kasyo's new album 3 Original Saku, Spectralion and Jigsaw9 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Original Saku 1593 Posted December 5, 2014 Me listening to 88kasyo's new album pretty much my sentiment exactly LOL. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ito 2438 Posted December 5, 2014 I haven't listened to 88kasyo much, so take this with a huge grain of salt, but I actually feel like I have found a good comparison band for them. 88kasyo feels like a non VK version of cali≠gari's weirder side. The vocalist of 88kasyo especially reminds me of Ao. 1 Original Saku reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peace Heavy mk II 7200 Posted December 5, 2014 Fantastic album. RIP is like a religious experience for me and 都会の魔界 has some of the coolest basslines ever. Thank you Cat5 for showing me the light. I do enjoy 88 from time to time, but this was their first album in which I could listen to the whole thing in one sitting. Typically, I have to split it up because there's so much going on that it gets tiring for me, but this record has the right balance of technicality and craziness for me. 4 CAT5, Original Saku, Zeus and 1 other reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
