chemicalpictures favorites of 2015

[chemicalpictures 1888]

It has been really fun to read all you guys reviews, so I thought, why not?

 

I'll stick to individual songs instead of full releases, in no special order, so let's go!

 

xTRiPx - good trip.

 

Such a heartfelt song, a thank you for all those years. It so on point that really makes me question why disbanding when they were clearly on their best shape. Ena is a BEAST here, I'm afraid D=OUT won't do justice to him. A powerful, bittersweet end note for my favorite band. Let's meet again for sure.

 

 

develop one's faculties - insert memory.

 

This song gives me fucking hope in the future. DOF never ceases to amaze me with their guitarwork, and yuya's voice and quirks really works. And then comes that chorus. Thats utter brilliance in everyone's face, guys! The voice layering on each other, makes a funky, banger song turn into an emotional rollercoaster that you really should not miss. DON'T YOU DARE TO MISS THE OTHER SONGS ON REINCARNATION, THO. 'it is what it is.', 'for', 'Frasco wo Furu to Tenbin Yureta', 'Negative baby', 'hope', 'Shunkanteki Shoudou no Hate ni Ushinatta Shunkan' are all absolutely amazing, enough to make this the album of the year for me.

 

SuG - Kagerou (LOL, thx Tetora)

 

I had to choose one song from their 'BLACK' album, and this is the one. This is SuG in what they do best. Since MISSING, their style has changed for the better, and even if you have any kind of prejudice with them, should totally give 'BLACK' a listen, one of my top contenders of 2015. Which was a fucking shitty year for me, and this song quite helped me going through, love the lyrics here. Other high notes on the album: 'Ichirentakushou', 'MISSING', 'overflow', 'CRY OUT', 'time after time', 'BLACK'.

 

MORRIGAN - Betrayal:Cocytus

 

MORRIGAN is probably my favorite new band of 2015. they shelled out so many songs, and most of them rocks my ass! Was difficult to choose just one, so I've just went with the one I think is the most their most emotional piece. Nice lyrics aswell! Please also check 'Everlasting', 'UNDER WORLD END 'XISS', 'SELFISH RUSSIAN', 'EUTHANASIA', 'UNDERWORLD'.

 

 

MY BACTERIA HEAT ISLAND - Mezameru nifun Mae

 

The whole MIMIC mini-album is AMAEZENG, as most of their disco, truth to be told. Again, had to chose the song that directly talked to me, and this was the one. If I had to choose one song to introduce Tenten to someone, this would be the one (Actually, Praparat 1st ver. but moving on). Now go give that mini a spin and terrorize your neighbours with Tenten bad english shouts on their skull!

 

DIAWOLF - Turbulence

 

DIAWOLF's Rebellion mini was not bad, but Turbulence is on another level. They really stepped up here, the whole mini is really really nice. It was a toss up between 'Turbulence' and 'Afterglow', but the title track gets the prize for its composition. Check the whole release, Shou's improved english, pronunciation and lyric-wise was a nice really touch!

 

PELICAN FANCLUB - Dali

 

This song revived my love for indie. The guitar work here totally reminds me of Two Door Cinema Club, which is a hell of a compliment for them. This song has EVERYTHING to be commercially viable on the west, for radio time, indie festivals and everything. Besides the vocalist. Not that he is bad, not at all, I quite like it, really. It's just not fit for western ears, unfortunately. Other high notes on the mini: 'Variety Mania Talent System', 'Police City'.

 

the GazettE - RAGE

 

Maybe DOGMA wasn't what everyone was expecting, but was good enough for me, much better than some of their previous recent efforts. Following a concept really worked for them, but they really should give up SOME of their formulaic styles of composition. I know, RAGE is not the best song on the album, and really is part of the rehashed formula I mentioned above, but LEAVE ME ALONE, OK? I like it. Other great tunes on the album: 'DOGMA', 'OMINOUS' (which  are both better than 'RAGE'), 'INCUBUS', 'DEUX'.

 

 

REALies - Ano Kage no Naka de

 

One word to describe it. Emotional. Rayka pours his everything in this one. They really saved their best for last. It's another thank-you, bittersweet goodbye note that shows the best REALies could do. Go listen to it, right now. As Rayka said, I hope this song reaches deeper in your chest aswell.

 

Shounenki - WEAKNESS_MY BLOOD

 

Shounenki DELIVERS. They just DELIVER. THEY WILL NAIL IT if not on the A-side, the B-sides come to rescue, as happened with 'BANG ME' (please don't hate me). This wasn't the case tho, WEAKNESS_MY BLOOD is absolutely great, and makes up for the weaker b-side. Kou's shouting, failing voice in the end of this song is so fantastic, make this song sound TRUE. And oh my god, it's CATCHY. You will be all LEEEET ME KNOW MY BLOOOOOD MY BLOOOOD all the way around.

 

amber gris - Absolute Being

 

to end the 'OH COME ON GUYS, WHY THE FUCK YOU ARE DISBANDING?' comes amber gris. Seriously, WHY? Absolute Being is their last effort that proves they still had so much steam to burn. Temari vocals are beautiful as usual, and while it may not be the best on their disco ('wishstar and sunlight and darkness' takes that prize) this song has a sense of grandeur that really gave closure to such an awesome band, that ones that gives you flashbacks of their best moments.

 

BAROQUE - SWALLOW THE NIGHT

 

BAROQUE'S PLANETARY SECRET was quite a disappointment for a lot of people, but not for me. It was what I expected from them, a step forward from the style kei and Ryo followed on the final years of kannivalism. 'SWALLOW THE NIGHT' embraces their new style, while paying respects for their past with kei's intense guitar work. Everything in this song just CLICKS. Don't be afraid to try it, to dive on the atmosphere they brought to you in this album. Other great songs: 'PLANETARY LIGHT', 'DREAMSCAPE', 'SILENT PICTURE'

 

 

Other High notes to make this post shorter: Misanthropist - Solace / xaa-xaa - Tsumetai / lynch - EVOKE / DIV - Ikenai Kiss / IX-NINE - HEAT HAZE / LAMP IN TERREN - Ryokusenkou / Kuroyuri to Kage - Kimi no Kusuriyubi wa Boku no Stew / DOPPEL - ZEPPET CiTY / Fake? - Addicted / ONE OK ROCK - Memories / Roub - Snatcher / TRA TRA TRA - Shosen Onnayadori, Shangri-La / Re;ply - Illumination / Sakanaction - Shin Takarajima / coldrain - Fire in the Sky / GOTCHAROCKA - Marry me, 'cause I hate U / WING WORKS - RAVVE OF MY TRINITY / KRA - Tsuyogari no You na Iroaseta Boku no Hitorigoto, Purple Stone - Aoi Yami / XENON - LIQUID, Hitoshizuku.

[lollipopmonstar 346]

Really good stuff! Great list!

I believe that D=OUT has changed a lot after Ena entered in. The previews of the album's songs are so good! I believe they will do justice to him! They are a really good band

[beni 2149]

Nice stuff, seeing all these VK lists is sweet. BAROQUE has a pretty cover, I want to check that one out. SuG, My BACTERIA HEAT ISLAND, Shounenki  and amber gris, yaaaay. x3

[chemicalpictures 1888]

Really good stuff! Great list!

I believe that D=OUT has changed a lot after Ena entered in. The previews of the album's songs are so good! I believe they will do justice to him! They are a really good band

 

Yeah, I listened to SM preview, sounding really nice! hoping for a good album aswell!

 

beni

 

Nice stuff, seeing all these VK lists is sweet. BAROQUE has a pretty cover, I want to check that one out. SuG, My BACTERIA HEAT ISLAND, Shounenki  and amber gris, yaaaay. x3

 

Don't be afraid to! If you are familiar with kannivalism (helios era mainly), I'm sure you will find something for you there!

 

a sample:

 

[Tetora 625]

I was really surprised that you enjoy so many similar things, didn`t know that.

 

Great, great list, I gotta try more of the Pelican.

 

I really love that SuG track too, hehe, the ending really pushes it to greatness for me, always love listening and waiting for that part, and then the start up of BLACK, oh man. Then just letting the album loop again, etc etc... For me one thing that really adds pleasure to listening to a release is the order of songs, like sometimes you can not like a song so much on a single or in a PV, but on an album it either starts up after an epic song, and the mood is made, or the ending leads into an epic tune, so you always listen to both songs together and it grows on you.

 

Really liked Baroque`s video performances of those songs too.

[doombox 4421]

"good trip" ah man, I was just listening to this today too. I miss this band like crazy already. From what I read they felt burnt out and stuck in their current level so they thought it was time to call it a day. And while I'm glad Ena is still doing something, I agree that I don't see Dauto doing much good for him. But I'd be happy to be proven wrong in that case, tbh. Also yes, yes, yes! to "insert memory" and everything else DOF. Great stuff from them so far! PELICAN FANCLUB were new to me this year but they'll be a staple from here on out, definitely. Also that Xaa-xaa, LAMP IN TERREN, Fake?, ONE OK ROCK, coldrain, and purple stone in your last paragraph. *high fives* 

[chemicalpictures 1888]

I was really surprised that you enjoy so many similar things, didn`t know that.

 

Great, great list, I gotta try more of the Pelican.

 

I really love that SuG track too, hehe, the ending really pushes it to greatness for me, always love listening and waiting for that part, and then the start up of BLACK, oh man. Then just letting the album loop again, etc etc... For me one thing that really adds pleasure to listening to a release is the order of songs, like sometimes you can not like a song so much on a single or in a PV, but on an album it either starts up after an epic song, and the mood is made, or the ending leads into an epic tune, so you always listen to both songs together and it grows on you.

 

Really liked Baroque`s video performances of those songs too.

 

RIGHT? That ending takes the song to a whole other level. It meant so much to me last year, but it didn't work out in the end. Message is great and will stay, though! and BLACK was such a collection of good songs, I really think SuG outdone themselves there!

 

 

"good trip" ah man, I was just listening to this today too. I miss this band like crazy already. From what I read they felt burnt out and stuck in their current level so they thought it was time to call it a day. And while I'm glad Ena is still doing something, I agree that I don't see Dauto doing much good for him. But I'd be happy to be proven wrong in that case, tbh. Also yes, yes, yes! to "insert memory" and everything else DOF. Great stuff from them so far! PELICAN FANCLUB were new to me this year but they'll be a staple from here on out, definitely. Also that Xaa-xaa, LAMP IN TERREN, Fake?, ONE OK ROCK, coldrain, and purple stone in your last paragraph. *high fives* 

 

So, so good to see some xTRiPx love around here! Yeah, I understand what they meant by that. I followed them since 2007, when they probably had their biggest following that slowly faded away, but since the comeback from the hiatus things were really starting to look better for them, finally signing with a label, doing PVs back and forth, great production-wise... But I guess those several member changes and the small following in Japan made them call their quits. Fucking shame, really. 10+1 is a song EVERYONE should at least give a try. Those fucking lyrics, omg. Really hope to see Yoshito back in 2016!

[Chi 2624]

Seeing Pelican Fanclub and SuG here makes me really happy!  plus Kuroyuri to Kage and LAMP IN TERREN! 

Great list! Thanks for sharing your favorite tracks with us!!

[CAT5 9075]

develop one's faculties didn't quite win me over, but I think they're really promising. I also agree about the guitar work - there's a riff in the middle of "hope" that I thought was pretty sweet. I also think it's pretty interesting to see a VK vocalist that plays guitar too, does that happen too often?

I feel like some of the songs on DOGMA will grow on me when I revisit them in the future, outside of the album's context. That happened to me with their previous album, which I also didn't really take to at first.

@seurong raves about PELICAN FANCLUB to me all the time, and I know @Jigsaw9, @fitear1590 @Macro approve too, so I'm gonna have to spend more time with that one!

Anyways, good list and a nice mix you've got!