End of Year List doombox's Favorites of 2015

[doombox 4421]

So it's another year and another list! If any of you read my list last year you'll probably see some familiar faces here. And to those that didn't, well welcome to my laboratory of doombox-core and madness. Seriously, it's madness. 3 pages of Japanese releases for you this year, I decided against including anything international as my list was slowly becoming a novel of epic proportions. And I kept everything to full and mini albums only. My offerings are in no particular order, just separated by categories as best I could to keep relevant releases nearest each other. So please, sit back, watch some videos and let me know what you think! Are there any other releases I should have checked out this year? Do you have opinions on the albums listed below? 

 

 

↓ INDEX ↓

 

♫ VISUAL ♫

♫ ALTERNATIVE ♫

♫ POP & ROCK ♫

[doombox 4421]

VISUAL

 

ザアザア - コワイクライ

xaa-xaa - kowai kurai/kowai cry

I could list just about any Xaa-xaa release from this year and be content with my choice, but kowai cry was the release that originally got me addicted to this band. Maybe it is that crazy, broken, shrieking that reminds me of old Mucc without the heavy nu-metal leanings, but I was a big fan of Kazuki's vocals since Belmosaic so I came in with expectations. And the band met and exceeded with them all with this release. Xaa-xaa became a force to be reckoned with this year and I can only see them getting more popular with each release if the quality they put out this year remains constant. 

 

 

SCAPEGOAT - 「デキソコナイ」の「林檎」

SCAPEGOAT - 「dekisokonai」 no 「ringo」

I was really surprised I saw so little SCAPEGOAT mentioned this year since I found this album to be fantastic. Maybe it's a sense of nostalgia they have in their style, which I tend to be a sucker for, anything that brings me back to the early 00's heyday, really. But I felt the real strength of this album and part of what kept it dear to me this year was the lack of electronics and hardcore breakdowns. SCAPEGOAT kept it cvlt and rocked it out!

 

 

JILUKA - DESTRIEB

On the other hand, DESTRIEB gave me so much metal/core I could scarecly handly it. They give me a lot of what I miss from Deluhi and what direction I really wish Far East Dizain was going. I'm still hoping the latter will grow on me.  JILUKA, however, dug in like a tick with Brave Agnostic Letters... but DESTRIEB solidified them in my playlists. They continue to grow into a visual metal powerhouse and I can only hope 2016 is bigger and better for and from them!

 

 

DIV - SECRET

DIV really pumped up their pop-tendencies on this album, taking their electronic elements to the next level as well as choruses people could sing along to. The boys are hot right now and they know it. As I've said, my only complaint was that so many of the songs from this album were previously released, however, those songs are still all worthy of a place here and with time I've grown to accept the album for what it is. And that's a killer collection of DIV tracks. 

 

 

DADAROMA - 「dadaism♯1」

I can't even begin to say how happy I was to see two NAINE member pop up in a new band after loving the album they said goodbye with last year to insane levels. And DADAROMA didn't let me down! In fact it showed they were more creative than I ever gave them credit for. DDRM's duality between dramatic metalcore breaks and jazzy dance tracks gives them a strong identity in a scene where everyone is busy trying to look and sound like everyone else. I just can't get enough of them!

 

 

コドモドラゴン - 下剋上。

codomo dragon - gekokujyou

The singles leading up to gekokujyou's release were the first time I took notice of Codomo Dragon, but thanks to this album it won't be the last! The album itself is a mix of all the standard modern visual kei tricks, but Codomo do it with style and each of the members have strong presence on their instruments. The variety of styles on the album is also a credit to the writing, there's a little something for everyone on this album. And the songs are simply catchy as hell.

 

 

BugLug - HAPPY BIRTHDAY KILL YOU

Speaking of being well-rounded and catchy as hell, HAPPY BIRTHDAY KILL YOU was one of those albums no matter how much I fought it, it would slowly just become a part of my daily listening habits. I was never much of a ruvie fan in the past so loving Buglug this much was a total surprise for me. But it's one I won't regret any time soon. For having a monster 16 tracks, basically a double album, it's so easy to listen to that the time just flies when you do. 

 

 

Develop One's Faculties - 「reincarnation」

It was pretty hard to deny the appeal of Develop One's Faculties this year. Love them or hate them, they created their own niche in the visual market, be it their drummer's flair for extremely sparse clothing or their busier-than-a-bee dual guitar/vocal meanderings. They have found a way to stand out and I personally feel like it is working like a charm. Bundled with Dadaroma and Xaa-xaa, DOF make up my holy trinity of new vk acts rising from the ashes of old favorites. If I get more of this in 2016 I'll be ridiculously happy.

 

 

sukekiyo - VITIUM

For argument's sake I'll be tucking sukekiyo in this visual category, I know it's debatable, but with the rest of my picks they seem to sit better here. Since every member has a history in this scene, they still feel connected for me both in sound and imagery. With that said, sukekiyo continues to be my auditory acid trip. VITIUM may be a more compressed, live-friendly version of IMMORTALIS, but that is exactly what I needed from them this year. Everything felt more formulated, less self indulgent, and emotionally concise. And the use of formula here isn't my usual negative implication, for these are the guys who drafted the formula in the first place. They are doing more of that they do well, only leaner, meaner, and cleaner.

[doombox 4421]

ALTERNATIVE

 

 

FACT - KTHEAT

Saying goodbye to these guys this year wasn't easy. Hearts were broken, tears were shed. After just recently celebrating a huge 15 year milestone with them, knowing 2015 was their last year... well bittersweet doesn't even begin cut it. FACT were my introduction to the Japanese punk and alternative music scene and with as much as they did for that scene it's hard to imagine it without them. But they left us with one hell of an album. KTHEAT couldn't be more, well... FACT. The album seems to celebrate every era of the band as well as forge a few new last minute explorations with their sound. But what I love most about this album is that it doesn't sound like they made it with anyone else in mind but themselves. They did it their way, all the way.

 

 

Crystal Lake - The Sign

Watching Crystal Lake transform over the years has been interesting to say the least, from the replacement of their previous vocalist and drummer, to switching gears musically in a more contemporary direction, to yet another member change that brought in a new bassist, and last but not least, signing with record labels all over the globe.  These guys have been busy! Fans were waiting for this album with bated breath and no one was prepared for the absolutely behemoth of an album it turned out to be. The Sign collectively melts down "djent", hardcore, and nu-metal to forge the band's new signature metalcore sound. I love it and I think they're gonna have a great run touring for it in 2016 all over the place. 

 

 

coldrain - VENA

I still can't shut up about VENA since its release. coldrain really nailed it with this one, and the songs sound better every single time I listen to them. When you've followed a band a number of years and multiple albums, generally each album has a harder road to impress you. But VENA has surpassed all of its predecessors and become my quintessential coldrain album. The hooks are powerful and catchy, the melodies are bold, and the songs flow seamlessy from headbangers to ballads without ever feeling out of place. If there was ever an album to start listening to them, this is it!

 

 

ONE OK ROCK - 35xxxv

OOR's crossover global debut caused quite a stir this year. And I can understand how a lot of people may not be in it for the new big-budget "hollywood" version of the sentimental rockers. But I am not one of those people. I am 1000% here for this album. I think this producer did wonders for them cleaning up their sound and making it even more approachable to new fans. And I'd bet money that this isn't even ONE OK ROCK's final form. They just got an entire year of touring the world under their belt with all kinds of new experiences for the next album. I can't even begin to imagine what they'll have in store for us next.

 

 

Kidori Kidori - ! [雨だれ]

Kidori Kidori - ! [amadare]

Ah, what can be said for the garage rock glory that is Kidori Kidori? They blessed us this year with multiple releases. While I don't have time to cover them all, I will say the cover of Frank Zappa's "Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?" on El Urbano was probably the most entertaining thing I heard all year, period. But aside from that, ![amadare] was a gem full of songs bursting with personality and spirit. It's a fun ride I thoroughly enjoyed this year and I think everyone else should too!

 

 

WANIMA - Are You Coming?

2015 marked the rise of melodic punk darlings WANIMA. Seeing the reaction they have received in Japan is insane. But a quick spin of Are You Coming? will show you why. Their songs are made of spitfire attitude mixed with a whole lot of heart, and kind of sound like dustbox meets HI-STANDARD with a touch of ska punk for spice. Their classic approach has garnered them an exceedingly warm reception, proving that melodic punk's not dead!

 

 

a crowd of rebellion - Daphne

I've already mentioned how I'm in love with a crowd of rebellion's new streamlined approach to songwriting since going major. They've upped their catchy factor without sacrificing any of their chaotic heaviness. My only gripe about Daphne is it needs more songs! I hope 2016 brings us even more amazing tunes from this band!

 

 

for example you sell the sea - たとえば海を売るなら

for example you sell the sea - tatoeba umi wo urunara

Another huge surprise this year, for example you sell the sea came out of nowhere and dropped this masterpiece of emotional post-rock goodness. @fitear1590 and I said it before, and it bears repeating. If you haven't given this band a chance to rock your world yet, you really should.

 

 

Presence of Soul - All Creation Mourns

In an almost déjà vu happenstance, Presence of Soul fell into my lap almost the exact same way as the previous album from for example you sell the sea; I checked them out on a whim. And though, while being of similar genre the bands couldn't be more different in their atmospheres and approach. All Creation Mourns has a gothic beauty about its building waves of melody that don't crash as much as they fade back into the darkness from whence they came. Akin to a rolling thunderstorm overhead that you can see for miles but must relinquish yourself to its mercy, All Creation Mourns is a beautiful force of nature unleashed for our ears. 

[doombox 4421]

POP & ROCK

 

 

theCharmPark - Reverse & Rebirth

Reverse & Rebirth (a play on the fact both are said/written as リバース in Japanese, and Charm has a history of bilingual wordplay if you follow his song titles) is the last self-released album by theCharmPark, now going by THE CHARM PARK since joining forces with Tower Records. This is a great move forward since he's such a promising solo artist. In fact, he dropped his first release as THE CHARM PARK this year with A Letter just very recently. But it's this longer album full of his reworked demos that I enjoyed much more. This album has a bit wider variation between electronic rock and pop, whereas the A Letter houses more indie and folk elements, though the albums do share a song or two on the tracklists. Both are quite wonderful, but I'm partial to the eclecticism of this one. 

 

 

Language - NECTAR

I've had a long-time love affair with Language, but mostly pick up their singles and mini albums until this year when they released NECTAR. I was happy to hear this album brought in more elements than previous works and pushed them to the forefront of their sound. NECTAR has brilliant lo-fi shoegaze and post-rock leanings that add depth and analog texture to Language's otherwise dreamy synthpop. A must listen!

 

 

SEKAI NO OWARI - TREE

Practically pop royalty in Japan these days, fellow mod @beni and I already did our best to sway the MH masses to the J-pop dark side with SEKAI NO OWARI as they press for world domination. Or was it world destruction? I don't know, that clown guy seems suspicious...

 

 

イツエ - 「今夜絶対」

itsue - konya zettai

Reading the news of Itsue disbanding was heartbreaking enough. Seeing how quickly their name faded out of people's mouths was even more so. Konya zettai is a positively gorgeous album that possesses all the passion and technique of past work, but leaves behind much of the somber atmosphere. If there was one thing that didn't disappoint me about all of this, it is that the band decided to go out on a high note. 

 

 

BRADIO - POWER OF LIFE

The mere mention of this band's name brings a huge smile to my face. Everything about this album is fun. From the cheeky delivery to the infectious energy of the funk grooves song after song. One of them being my favorite anime theme this year for Death Parade! Now don't just stand there, it's time to get your boogie on!

 

 

LOCAL CONNECT - 過去ツナグ未来

LOCAL CONNECT - kako tsunagu mirai

I'll admit it. I'm a huge softy for straightforward pop-rock crooning. I know so many of these bands can sound the same, there really is a new one (or ten) every year, but I can't help it! LOCAL CONNECT is just so damn pleasant to my ears! I just melt when I hear songs like this. And also one of the songs is an ending theme for the anime My Love Story!! (俺物語!!) so there's that. I'd highly recommend them to fans of feel-good bands like MAGiC OF LiFE (ex Dirty Old Men) or BIGMAMA.

 

 

WHITE ASH - THE DARK BLACK GROOVE

WHITE ASH has this wonderful bluesy undertone to everything they do and especially with the songs on THE DARK BLACK GROOVE. The guitar tone is so big it has its own gravitational pull and the vocals contrast so well with their high pitch, yet they lack all of the grating nasal tone that usually comes with Japanese vocalists of this register. WHITE ASH are also masters of keeping their songs short and sweet, and leave you constantly wanting more.

 

 

 

To anyone reading this who completed this crazy list, thank you! You win the internet.

[hiroki 5521]

Very nice list!! i enjoyed reading the blurbs for all the entries, even if i may not be familiar with most of them outside the visual category - so thanks for taking the time to do the mini writeups

 

i liked DIV and Codomo Dragon albums most from your vk list i remember enjoying one of the JILUKA releases as well but i don't remember if it's this particular one.

 

from your other 2 lists, there are some names i seem to remember seeing A LOT (a crowd of rebellion and Crystal Lake in particular). i should probably check out some of their stuff when i have time ^^ oh yeah i also know SEKAI NO OWARI, but only because one of my fave vk vocalists loves to sing Aoi Taiyou when he goes to karaoke haha.

[doombox 4421]

Very nice list!! i enjoyed reading the blurbs for all the entries, even if i may not be familiar with most of them outside the visual category - so thanks for taking the time to do the mini writeups

 

i liked DIV and Codomo Dragon albums most from your vk list i remember enjoying one of the JILUKA releases as well but i don't remember if it's this particular one.

 

from your other 2 lists, there are some names i seem to remember seeing A LOT (a crowd of rebellion and Crystal Lake in particular). i should probably check out some of their stuff when i have time ^^ oh yeah i also know SEKAI NO OWARI, but only because one of my fave vk vocalists loves to sing Aoi Taiyou when he goes to karaoke haha.

 

DIV and Codomo Dragon definitely sound closer to the kind of bands you like, now that I have a better idea after seeing your list. But it's great to see you give things outside of vk a chance, I'll have to ask you sometime about your favorite non-japanese artists. XD I'm always amazed by how popular SEKAI NO OWARI are. 

[Jigsaw9 6783]

Cool list! Nice that you mentioned BugLug and Xaa Xaa, the latter almost made my list too with their 1st mini!

[yakihiko 1480]

I like how you design and did it. Teach me later

 

Visual:

I think this XaaXaa is the one I less appreciate from them this year, I still like more Shinitai than others xD

 

This DIV album is so cool, even with past songs on it

 

As their first release, I expected DADAROMA to sound more like Crazy Shampoo. I become a bit sad to see Yoshiatsu trying to do a thing totally different from Crazy Shampoo. But the album itself doesn't disappoint at all... like C'mon Yoshiatsu and ex.NAINE

 

I'm happy to see DOF made so many fans, as you said "love or hate" and they were able to make a lot of "Love" in here.

 

Alternative:

YOU KNOW I TOTALLY LOVE VENA, and you are truly correct saying "the songs sound better every single time I listen to them", I have the same feeling.

 

J-pop:

I really think DJ LOVE is suspicious on the wish to destroy the world xD but if they continue doing great songs like this, they are allowed to do that

 

theCharmPark crew approved your list

[doombox 4421]

I like how you design and did it. Teach me later

 

Visual:

I think this XaaXaa is the one I less appreciate from them this year, I still like more Shinitai than others xD

 

This DIV album is so cool, even with past songs on it

 

As their first release, I expected DADAROMA to sound more like Crazy Shampoo. I become a bit sad to see Yoshiatsu trying to do a thing totally different from Crazy Shampoo. But the album itself doesn't disappoint at all... like C'mon Yoshiatsu and ex.NAINE

 

I'm happy to see DOF made so many fans, as you said "love or hate" and they were able to make a lot of "Love" in here.

 

Alternative:

YOU KNOW I TOTALLY LOVE VENA, and you are truly correct saying "the songs sound better every single time I listen to them", I have the same feeling.

 

J-pop:

I really think DJ LOVE is suspicious on the wish to destroy the world xD but if they continue doing great songs like this, they are allowed to do that

 

theCharmPark crew approved your list

Sure! I can teach you, it's really simple. 

 

Shinitai is good too! It was hard to pick a favorite. XD 

 

DADAROMA sounds so different from Crazy Shampoo and NAINE. Their first song was really surprising for me too! Maybe in the future they will have a song where Yoshiatsu can sound more like Crazy Shampoo, they still have a pretty small discography so there's room to explore.

 

VENA CREW~! 

 

LOL So you were paying attention! (I wasn't sure if people would read the blurbs so I had some fun lol) I'm glad you like SEKAI NO OWARI too.

 

DAT LLAMA GIF! Too perfect hahaha. <3

[CAT5 9075]

Lovely list, kerii-san! I'm happy to see another mention for SCAPEGOAT! Their album was one of my favorite things from the VK world in 2015, and I agree about that nostalgic quality they have. I hope they stick around. BugLug's album was also quite neat, but I haven't spent much time with it.

Can you believe that '35xxxv' was the first ONE OK ROCK album that I've tried? I can see why they appeal to such a broad audience, they're good at what they do. 'Mighty Long Fall' is nice and the chorus to "Cry out" was actually stuck in my head for a good while, Just ask @beni. XD

Death Parade and a certain someone spamming the OP to "death" (wow, such pun) made me warm up to BRADIO a bit.

I've never heard of LOCAL CONNECT before, but the vocalist has a great voice!

I'm also a bit saddened by itsue's disbandment. Mizuki's vocals are too awesome not to grace our ears! D:

[doombox 4421]

Lovely list, kerii-san! I'm happy to see another mention for SCAPEGOAT! Their album was one of my favorite things from the VK world in 2015, and I agree about that nostalgic quality they have. I hope they stick around. BugLug's album was also quite neat, but I haven't spent much time with it.

Can you believe that '35xxxv' was the first ONE OK ROCK album that I've tried? I can see why they appeal to such a broad audience, they're good at what they do. 'Mighty Long Fall' is nice and the chorus to "Cry out" was actually stuck in my head for a good while, Just ask @beni. XD

Death Parade and a certain someone spamming the OP to "death" (wow, such pun) made me warm up to BRADIO a bit.

I've never heard of LOCAL CONNECT before, but the vocalist has a great voice!

I'm also a bit saddened by itsue's disbandment. Mizuki's vocals are too awesome not to grace our ears! D:

SCAPEGOAT better stick around. They seem fairly active so I'm optimistic we'll hear more from them.

 

It's a great album to start with, tbh! a lot of people got into OOR though this album since they really shopped it outside of Asia for the first time with some big tours over here.

 

BRADIO are fabulous and you need to just give in and love them. lol.

 

I was really happy to hear Mizuki still active in the September BNT! But I'd love to see the rest of the band come back with something too. I thought they all were really talented. 

[anakuro 847]

you know me. I definitely agree on XAA-XAA. And I'm happy to see it was kowai kurai too. I know a lot more people are leaning toward shinitai but imo kowai kurai is their strongest and most cohesive release to date ww

[doombox 4421]

you know me. I definitely agree on XAA-XAA. And I'm happy to see it was kowai kurai too. I know a lot more people are leaning toward shinitai but imo kowai kurai is their strongest and most cohesive release to date ww

I can definitely agree there too. It's a pretty consistent release as far as song quality. I was just in love with it right away. XD