2015 so far

[Pretsy 1343]

As with other BNR threads that @Bear,@Jigsaw9 or myself used to put up, I thought it'd be good to make that good ol' summary thread beforehand (not too early, huh?)

 

You know the drill: no formats, restrictions or templates - post your favs (I'd recommend full-length/EP releases for the sake of keeping lists less tl;dr-y) off this year SO FAR (in case you managed, um, to pinpoint a few favs).

 

 

 

I'll come back later for my cents

[Shmilly 519]

Albums

 

Aimer - DAWN | This woman has one of the most beautiful voices I've heard in recent memory. Powerful ballads, energetic rock riffs and haunting melodies combine in my favourite album from Aimer so far.

 

the GazettE - DOGMA | While not their greatest work, the GazettE have presented us with another great album that leans a lot on their heavier side. Thematic OMINOUS, powerful DERACINE and energetic BLEMISH are my top tracks.

 

MIYAVI - The Others | Expanding on his recent Western influence, MIYAVI's latest album is a stylish, catchy blend of slick guitar riffs and ever improving English vocals. Not to mention the title track is super catchy.

 

21g - GENORATION | The first full album from these guys (and gal) is a decent effort, with GENO's husky vocals really selling the new group for me. The two single tracks are still the best in my opinion though.

 

快進のICHIGEKI - The Period | While not as memorable as some of their past efforts, The Period is another solid release oozing with ICHIGEKI style.

 

Mini-Albums

 

DADAROMA - dadaism♯1 | One of my favourite releases so far this year. I love all the tracks, but I strongly believe that if these guys focused on the brutal side we get to hear in SEX! and ベルカとストレルカ (as well as the B-sides to their two singles) they would be stronger for it. The jazzy stuff is good but they don't really need that aspect in my opinion. That said, their newest PV is basically stylized porn to a visual kei song, so we can't complain too much. Yoshiatsu's impressive marketing skills have done wonders for bringing these guys to the forefront of indie VK in a matter of months from their foundation.

 

Minerva - HEAVENS | Another new band with a very promising start. Vocals and guitar work are strong on this release. I hope their next offering has some better mixing though.

 

「Story of Hope」 - Historia EP | While the clean female vocals struggle to push much further than average for me, what made this release memorable was some phenomenal djent-inspired composition and instrumental work to back them up. If that's your groove, check this one out.

 

グリーヴァ - 妄想主義者ノ背徳。 | What can I say? These guys incredibly seem to pump out release after release with little deterioration in quality. Another solid mini-album, which while not my favourite so far, has a super catchy and energetic opener and a cool music box interlude that emulates that track's memorable chorus. Their singles this year were also great.

 

ザアザア - コワイクライ | While their other mini was also good, this one for me is superior and one of my favourite releases of 2015 so far. Its short length is great for repeat listens and each track is memorable in its own right. I'm looking forward to their upcoming third mini-album now too. 

[Jigsaw9 6783]

If we're only talking Japanese releases, here are 10 records I loved / somewhat enjoyed so far:

 

Pretty great stuff

sukekiyo – VITIUM

THE HAKKIN – Joucho

cali-gari – 12

Grieva – Mousou shugisha no haitoku.

PELICAN FANCLUB – PELICAN FANCLUB

 

Kinda neat stuff

ZIZ – NEIGHBORING CHAOSMOS

Koochewsen – Compact

D’ERLANGER – Spectacular Nite -Kuruoshii yoru ni tsuite-

Towa Tei – Cute

KEEL – Cthulhu

[violetchain 912]

Frederic - OWARASE NIGHT

 

The whole mini-album is super catchy, vaguely funky and a little ridiculous, and I'm still surprised by how much I love it.

 

 

 

Runner-up so far is 04 Limited Sazabys' "CAVU".

 

It's hard to make a whole album of pop punk stay interesting, and I think they were really conscious of that with CAVU. I was pleasantly surprised by how hard they tried to mix things up for their first full-length release. I never expected them to try something like "knife", and while I think their cute and cheerful stuff is way more memorable, the darker songs really need to be there. 

 

 

[Pretsy 1343]

 

If we're only talking Japanese releases

 

 

 

no formats, restrictions or templates

(considering that I put this way early)

[Des 289]

Chelsea Wolfe's album Abyss single-handedly makes up for all the mediocrities I listened to this year.

 

!! 2015 = Abyss !!

 

Beach House's Depression Cherry that was just released (though it first leaked like a month ago) is nice. It's very modest, I'm glad they didn't take the path as most small artists these days who start writing 'big indie festival music' as a routine as soon as they get some attention

 

Japanese music is nothing but disappointments and an occasional album that surprises because it's not total shit like caligari's 12 but I can't say it'll turn out to be a 'keeper'. It's 'just good' but 'just good' is not good enough

[emmny 4139]

current favs (gonna add on more)

lynch. - ETERNITY / EVOKE

two amazing singles with equal nods to the future of lynch. and their past. its seamlessly beautiful, brutal and engaging for every minute.

 

amber gris - 小さな銀貨を左手に

amber gris' goodbye letter, and they packed everything that they do well into 3 short songs to really fuck up the fans.

 

THE BLACK SWAN - 赫音

their most interesting and progressive release, with 2 brutal songs that keep the momentum going through tbs's style of proggy metalcore and NEGA's signature drop-b alt metal riffage respectively, all done with great attention to detail. the song that closes the album is reminiscent of late NEGA's more atmospheric moments, aka its brilliant.

 

the GazettE - DOGMA

divisive and over-hyped for sure, yet its a release i still enjoyed. its kind of a monotonous mess, but when it nails their formula of gothy atmosphere and hyper-agressive metalcore, it slays for sure. based on the merrits of individual songs, its worth listening to

 

KEEL - Cthulhu

yes, i stan nagoya bands to the death. yes this is just amazing as i had hoped. yes, aie's guitar led compositions and ryo's voice work brilliantly. 1/2 songs im not crazy for, but when this album does it right, it tears up everything. watch out, their next releases are going to kill everything.

 

黒百合と影 - 皮肉な種の卑屈な芽。

this album is insanely good, and easily the best debut album in recent years--easily rivaling AvelCain's debut. the band was led by the strength of their first 3 singles, but the other songs are just as strong that you forget that those songs were even on the album. its a long listen, but they do the early 2000's visual worship absolutely perfectly.

 

 

 

[Bear 1817]

There's been way too many albumsof high quality to make a proper list and I can't even remember everything that's been released, but I'll give it a try anyway:

 

1. Alucarda - Raw Howls

Raw, filthy and sleazy doom metal punk in the vein of early Satan's Satyrs that's got great riffs, a top notch production and fantastic vocals. Alucarda brings you an album that would work perfectly as a soundtrack to the occult bikerspoiltation film Psychomania.
2. Tarot - The Warrior's Spell

A compilation of Tarot's three previous EPs with a couple of new songs thrown in. Mystic and epic heavy rock that sounds like a mix of "Rainbow Rising" and "Demons and Wizards", spiced up with the mystic and occult atmosphere and feeling of Pagan Altar.
3. Sigh - Graveward

Another masterpiece from the Japanese avant-garde black metal masters Sigh, and once moore they do something that's completely different from their own, previous albums as well as every other band on the planet. You Oshima isn't a new Shinichi, but he brings something new and fresh to the table, and while I did have some problems with his guitar playing to begin with, I am not a huge fan. He's not Shinichi-good, but he does well. And kudos to him for doing his own thing instead of copying Shinichi.
4. Dødheimsgard - A Umbra Omega

After the huge disappointment that was 2007's Supervillain Outcast, Dødheimsgard returns with an album that can be described as nothing less than massive. It's fresh, it's original, it's playful and it's unpredictable. The entire album is best described as madness.
5. Nocternity - Harps of the Ancient Temples

Harpes of the Ancient Temples sees Nocternity release their first proper release since 2004's EP A Fallen Unicorn. A few splits and EPs has been done in the meantime, but all very short. The new albums sounds like Nocternity, but it's still very different from previous releases. It sounds rawer and more stripped down as well as more minimalistic, but it's still cold and mystic in the traditional Nocternity-way.
6. Macabre Omen - Gods of War - At War

It's been 10 years since Macabre Omen released their previous albums, a masterpiece called The Ancient Returns, and while not quite as good, Macabre Omen hits back with another fantastic release. Epic black metal that mixes the epic viking metal of Bathory and Hades, the cold, mystic grimness og Nocternity with the traditional sound of Hellenic black metal like Rotting Christ and Varathron. Majestic!
7. Czarface - Every Hero Needs a Villain

The debut was fantastic, and this is at least as good, if not better than the debut. The album's got a classic 90's boom bap feel to it, and I can't do nothing but love the album to pieces. Attitude, feeling and everything is awesome. Ka-Bang! is just too cool!
8. Carpenter Brut - Trilogy

A 90 minute compilation of Carpenter Brut's three previous EPs. Dark and pulsating horror disco. It's catchy, yet challenging, and it's cool as fuck. This album will make you dance as you chew on someone's ripped off leg.
9. Peste Noire - La Chaise-Dyable

This is the album that should've followed L'Ordure à l'état Pur, not the self-titled one. While not as mad as L'Ordure..., it still feels like a natural follow-up to L'Ordure... and just continues what they started with Ballade cuntre lo Anemi francor and perfected with L'Ordure... White trash hooligan black metal.
10. Solefald - World Metal. Kosmopolis Sud

If you're familiar with Solefald you know that the band's two solve members Cornelius and Lazare doesn't give a flying fuck. Every since their debut album was released in 1997 they've done whatever the fuck they wanted and shown a massive middle-finger to every "rule" that existed within the realm of black metal. World Metal is just another proof of that, and the title World Metal, as well as song title World Music with Black Edges, more or less tells you all you need to know here. The foundation is still black metal in my ears, but there's all kinds of elements of influences put on top of that. Great album.

 

 

Other worthy releases:

Glaciation - Sur les falaises de marbre

Inculter - Persisting Devolution

Downfall of Nur - Umbras de Barbagia

Spectral Voice - Necrotic Doom

Gruesome - Savage Land

Meleches - Enki

Negura Bunget - Tau

Devouring Star - Through Lung and Heart

Wormridden - Festering Glorification

Luciferian Light Orchestra - Luciferian Light Orchestra

Deathhammer - Evil Power

Acid Witch - Midnight Movies

Abigor - Supreme Immortal Art (Instrumental 1997)

Satan's Wrath - Die Evil

 

 

Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats will probably make the list at one point, and Ghost is getting close as well.

[Pretsy 1343]

Ehh? Let's revive this:

 

Seeing as I am one heck of a lazy listener, I will cite only Japanese ones (and move on to foreign ones muuuuch later):

 

 

I dig a lot:

 

Pelican Fanclub - PELICAN FANCLUB (very promising J-indie band!)

cali≠gari - 12 (CG returned back to their exciting form!)

Uwanosora'67 - Portrait in Rock'n'Roll (retro/shibuya-ish approach that doesn't go too cliche but become tasteful instead, yay!)

Indigo la End - Shiawase ga Afuretara (very laid-back, yet technically very intriguing pop-ish indie record)

Yukawa Shione  - Cellophane no Sora (as Cat summarized it somewhere, very compelling and varied release indeed)

sukekiyo - Vitium (I like what these guys are doing and coming up with + THEY HAVE CHEMISTRY)

THE NOVEMBERS - Elegance (the last track is sooooo out of place but it's forgivable because other jangly tracks ROCK)

Passepied - Shaba-Lover (very stellar synth-pop rock with quirky stuff happening just in right places etc. - wow)

Bonjour Suzuki - Sayonara, Mada Raise de (awesome synth-pop/dream-pop/ambient newcomer - not to mention that she does this all by herself)

möscow çlub - Outfit of the Day (fuck Pitchfork reviews)

 

Hmmm, decent:

 

Chara - Secret Garden (her efforts were much braver but I think I can dig this a lot in the near future though)

Age Factory - Nohara (still solid as ever - I haven't noticed standouts yet though?)

TOWA TEI - CUTE (has a good share of strong tracks but some might feel too fillerish)

Yoshida Ichiro Untouchable World - Apanda (...I might need to get into ZB first in order to realize the gist, lol - otherwise very intriguing release though)

Wagakki Band - Yasouemaki (see: forum reaction)

Cornelius - Constellations of Music (not the best Cornelius release but hmmm)

SuG - BLACK (many strong standalone tracks, but some might have needed a bit more refining - see: the title track is too cheesy for me, sorry)

Ohashi Trio - PARODY (vocals are a bit of acquired taste in terms of being "anemic" - but moderate playfulness works quite well here)

I Love You Orchestra - Stop Your Bitching (songs seemed to go too fast but otherwise very spot-on, dynamic instrumental songcraft)

té - that long-ass kanji title (not too much from ILYO's cons but very energetic BGM anyway)

Yoshie Nakano - Madokei (a real grower - nice bits here and there but kinda throws you off in the middle...for a while though)

 

 

 

Still on the fence:

 

Negicco - Rice&Snow (some nice goodies but VERY incoherent, absurd mix)

Daoko - Dimension (I ditched the s/t seeing as this is how Daoko should really sound (final opinion) but on the other hand, GRAVITY is still nth-fold better)

BOMI - BORN IN THE U.S.A. (very incoherent)

Koochewsen – Compact

Sigh - Graveward

[NICKT 147]

Hm, full releases only?

Damn, well, stuff I've tried and can remember~

 

lynch.'s new album has some interesting notes but it's not fully engrossed me, but it's got me wanting to listen to it at least.

COME AGAIN by Shonan No Kaze has definitely become one of my routine additions for playlists.

ALXD by Alexandros has some keepers that made me keep the album 'round but it's not a whole package I'd write home about.

I really fell into Gackt's GACKTRACKS and listened to it for what seemed like ages but it's slowly slipped down to "Won't skip but won't seek out" status on my mp3 player.

Miyavi's the Others is more the same, in that it was something I really enjoyed wrapping myself in but started to become nothing more than drown-out noise.

It's a compilation of sorts, but Man With A Mission's 5years5wolves5souls does not disappoint, bringing back the best of the catalogue for another listen.

One Ok Rock's 35XXXV was overall a miss for me, but there's been a couple of tracks that have stuck around and are a welcome joy when they come on shuffle.

 

As for not JP stuff,

Blue Stahli's the Devil has worked it's way into my favourites, along with labelmate's

End of an Empire, by Celldweller. Granted it's only the last two 'parts' that were in 2015, but I feel that aside from part 1, the latter half is definitely where it's at.

Voicians also released part 1 of his self-titled, hoping more comes in before the year's out.

 

Other than that, it's just one off singles or good ole' oldies. Writing it all down really brings to point just how much my iPod additions this year is mostly just stuff from the 90s and before.

[DeithX252 1266]

Didn't expect something wow this year, but these releases are stuck in my playlist:

 

Fujiwara Sakura - a la carte

Survive Said The Prophet - Course Of Action

Last Day Dream - My Tragic Phantom

Crystal Lake - The Sign

Mergingmoon - 怨 -eN-

SCOTLAND GIRL - As I am

aquarifa - マーニの秘密

THOUSAND EYES - Endless Nightmare

「Story of Hope」 - Historia EP

Mouse On The Keys - The Flowers

te' - 其れは、繙かれた『結晶』の断片。或いは赫奕たる日輪の残照。

ザ・なつやすみバンド - パラード

waterweed - Ashes

ARUKARA - chigirero