featured list Zeus' Best of 2016

[Zeus 7997]

 

~Like every year the combination of images and videos is assaulting your web browser. Just give it a minute~

 

2016 was an ... interesting year. I came to grips with my status as a visual kei fan of shit turn of the century disbanded bands and ojisan rock, but found new comers convincing enough to keep me around. Albums I had been waiting on forever finally released and invigorated my passion for music halfway through the year like it always does. A few surprises were sprinkled throughout the year and while I felt that the year was lacking in great music looking back it's not so bad. This year certainly left a better impression on me musically than any year since 2011 - and that's saying a lot for me since that's the year that I started doing these lists.

 

 

Aphex Twin - Cheetah EP

 

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I've been a fan of Aphex Twin since his debut in the 90's, when I came across a few of his tracks on Ares and instantly fell in love.  He commands my attention without playing a single note and his ability to turn noise into music is unrivaled. He's eclectic, diverse, simultaneously prolific and mysterious, and finally returns after a fourteen year hiatus to release more music. I've never been happier. One can doubt if there's room to push the electronic sound further, and if you give Aphex Twin that challenge I guarantee he will find a way to surprise, but that's not the point of CHEETAH. Despite being named after a swift animal, it takes it's time morphing between sonic palettes. A very interesting fact about the CHEETAH mini is that it was recorded using a synthesizer of the same name, notorious for producing a unique sound signature but too complex for most people to figure out. The mini album advertises this fact and it's no marketing gimmick; with a sufficient setup you can definitely feel the music move as much as you can hear it. It's not genre (re)-defining, but it doesn't have to be.

 

 

 

THE BLACK SWAN - OUSIA

 

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You've heard enough praise about OUSIA by now. The progressive behemoth that came from left field that marks the difference between true depression and muted anger, it's something I didn't expect THE BLACK SWAN to be capable of. They found it within themselves to move beyond NEGA's shadow and produced something all their own. It's the album that beckons stalwart NEGA fans such as myself to stop clinging on to the old days, because what's new is so much more polished than the promises of what could have been. This is an album I know I will revisit time and time again; I've lost count of how many times I've listened to the title track "OUSIA" this year alone.

 

 

 

 

BUCK-TICK - アトム 未来派 No.9

 

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There's a sense that bands come with a shelf life and after that point they're phoning it in. Skeptics have been waiting with watches in hand for the legendary BUCK-TICK to overstay their welcome for some time now. Any signs of age or cracking detected with previous albums that weren't up to snuff were put to rest here. With their twentieth album, Imai and company are going at it stronger than I've heard them in years. This is the perfected form of a sound they've been chasing since Razzle Dazzle and Arui wa Anarchy, and with it they go in a direction Japanese bands rarely explore - and yes I'm talking about the Latin influence. From the thick Moroccan-inspired opener "cum uh sol nu -フラスコの別種-" to the darkwave "BOY" to the boisterous "PINOA ICCHIO -躍るアトム-", it's everywhere, it's original, and it's awesome. This successful gamble - it honestly doesn't feel like a gamble but for any other band it would be -defines アトム 未来派 No.9 and really makes me long for more bands in the scene to follow in BUCK-TICK's footsteps. For a band that many see as past their prime, BUCK-TICK have struck back at any would-be detractors with a nuclear bomb of an album. If you are daunted by the sheer amount of music this band has produced, this is a fine place to start.

 

 

 

The Dear Hunter - Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional

 

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Concept albums are hard. Serial concept albums are even harder and at times I imagine the pressure to create ever better music while sticking to the theme is maddening. That's why guitarist Casey Cresenzo left me in awe when he dropped Act V: Hymns with the Devil in Confessional this year under progressive rock band The Dear Hunter. He is a musical genius. This is the kind of rock I search years for before discovering it. The music is so good you don't need to hear Acts I through IV to fall into the rhythm (although I think you should). Act V is a sprawling, progressive behemoth that leaves me in awe every time I listen. Check this progressive rock album out if you're in the mood for something creative, clever, thought provoking and fun.

 

 

 

decays - baby who wanders

 

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For a band I thought was a flop, DECAYS has done a lot to improve my opinion of them. Baby who wanders remains interesting right up to closer "綺麗な指" and gives off an intoxicating warmth that invites you back again and again. It gets better with every listen too; multiple listens brought me around on some tracks that didn't win me over the first time. Recommended heartily for any fans of pop, rock, or shoegaze looking for something new and captivating. This is so good it makes you forget it's a side project.

 

 

 

 

downy - 第六作品集『無題』

 

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第六作品集『無題』 is the album which musically defines 2016 for me. downy's fourth full length album is a musical juggernaut that takes time to truly be appreciated, yet only one other release came close to leaving such a strong musical impression on me with only the first listen. It's very difficult to describe the otherwise paradoxical feelings that characterize 第六作品集『無題』. Transitions are both carefully planned and seemingly spontaneous, ensnaring me within seconds. downy crafts a unique world with each album, chasing a goal they reach on their own time. It takes really great musicians to be able to communicate emotions like these through music and at times I forget that downy is a band and not a collective being exerting their will upon me. I've always liked this band, but this album flipped a switch inside of me that truly turned me into a downy fan. I can't recommend it enough for anyone fans of alternative shoegaze.

 

 

Flatbush Zombies: 3001 A Laced Odyssey

 

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Of course I need to feature at least one rap album on my list, and what album is better than Flatbush Zombies' latest? This came out much earlier this year and had I not been tracking music all year this one would have slipped through the cracks. That's a damn shame, since this is the most trippy album of theirs yet. It also features an interesting production choice, emphasizing the beats and the low end for some heavy goodness, sticky like the end of the blunt that inspired some of these instrumentals. For those not in the know, Flatbush Zombies are part of the BEAST COAST rap revival movement, started by a bunch of rappers on the East Coast as a reactionary movement against lyrically trash artists. Or at least that's how I view the group, since no one associated with them is trash. I can get behind decadence, as long as its lyrically proficient. Anyhow, true to form the lyrical content still centers around drugs, violence, murder, and occasionally sex but the way the themes are woven in is much more subtle than before. Not every song centers around these themes and some of my favorite cuts such as "R.I.P.C.D." (a song about changing music mediums) and "Your Favorite Rap Song" (a dedication to all their fans who followed them) only make passing references to them at best. This isn't going to change your mind about rap, but if you're open to that style of music this is what I've been bumping for the last few weeks.

Also I have to support local talent.

 

 

 

HIZAKI - Rosario

 

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I thought Hizaki was washed up and that JUPITER was him resting on his laurels, selling out like Shiina Ringo. And for all my JUPITER hate I still longed for the day when Hizaki would dust off his neoclassical inspirations and get back to the power and speed metal instrumentals I love. Hizaki must have felt my longing and released the most inspired material of his since JUBILEE. The new tracks are for the most part awesome and I love the new work he did on "Desert Apple" and "Silent Knight", with the lead guitar lifting songs to new heights. I never thought I'd be so glad to hear him crawl back into his comfort zone. Together with a successful Versailles re-recording release, Hizaki finally has his groove back.

 

 

 

IX -NINE- - NIRDVANDVA
 

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@fictioninhope told me recently that she never imagined I would have emotional attachment to an IX song - the song in question being "有終の美" from the second CD of this release - so despite the featured review earlier this year I guess I haven't done a good enough job talking about this band. IX -NINE- is 9GOATS x sukekiyo if one could imagine such a mixture; a unique creature that is a product of both its time and place. They have a refreshing, yet familiar sound that's unlike anything else out currently. The vocalist is a bit of an acquired taste and those looking for some bite to their music is better off sticking with sukekiyo. This is much lighter, almost cerebral in nature. If you're in the mood for something sublime with a thick atmosphere and you don't mind nasal vocals, NIRDVANDVA is a hidden gem of 2016 you need to check out. True originality right here.

 

 

 

 

KEEL - Raison de etre et de sang

 

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The longer I stay in the scene, the more I appreciate what KEEL has to offer. A no-nonsense, mature alternative to the metalcore bands that spring up a dime a dozen, KEEL is the closest thing the alt-rock mask of visual kei is getting to a super band. And for a band that has had this "mega-band" label thrust upon them unwittingly, they've risen to the challenge with equal parts speed and precision. Raison de etre et de sang is a wonderful release. It doesn't push boundaries or try anything new, but it doesn't have to. KEEL have settled into a sound spectrum that works for them. Even as they rubber band between melancholic rockers, upbeat ballads, and lightly distorted mid-tempo rockers, they do it just right. It still brings me back to the early 2000s when I was really excited about visual kei and good bands felt plentiful. To feel that again, especially after the tumultuous year that was 2016, KEEL was everything I needed and more. The inclusion of "SWANS" makes Raison de etre feel like an extension of their Ugly duckling single from earlier in the year - which is the only criticism I can come up with - but even that's not bad. There's a reason why veterans rally around this band and claim they will save visual kei. They just might.

 

 

 

陰陽座 - 迦陵頻伽

 

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It's a damn shame that 陰陽座 aren't considered visual kei, because they slay the entire looks and concept angle better than 95% of bands. I'm amazed they can stick with the same concepts for over seventeen years and find new ways to innovate and keep their music interesting. Vocalist Kuroneko, forever the visual centerpiece of the band, appears as the namesake of their fourteenth album 迦陵頻伽 (Karyoubinga); the mystical immortal creature from Buddhist mythology with the head of a human and the torso of a bird. What keeps me coming back to this band is their consistency; I can always expect heavy metal with powerful vocals, catchy riffs, and great solos and 陰陽座 will always deliver. What it gives up in grandeur it gains in clarity and focus of vision. 迦陵頻伽 is a much easier pill to swallow than their 2015 offerings while still maintaining the energy of their post-2012 renaissance, and is an album I feel comfortable recommending to any lover of heavy metal.

 

 

 

Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels 3

 

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Arriving early on Christmas Day like God's on my side and he answered my Christmas list, Run The Jewels 3 sneaks its way into my list at literally the last minute. It's no secret Killer Mike and El-P are two of the most influential underground rap figures out right now, and Run The Jewels is a killer hip-hop duo that keeps delivering. This is the follow up to their last two albums - guess the names if you're so inclined - but it's markedly different. The concept of "run the jewels" is turned on its head here. On the first two albums, the colors where harsh and clashing, the hands were decaying, and the fist clenched jewelry. This time, it's gold hands on a baby blue background and the fist clenches nothing. I went the entire list without mentioning how shit 2016 was of a year to 85% of the populace, and this is the one album where I can hear 2016 weighing on the musician's psyche and I can see it on the album cover. There's the traditional braggadocio of "we're real bad guys" - except they drop the act more quickly than ever and start talking about overcoming adversity, feelings, societal issues, selling concerts, friends, oppression, racism, and more by track four. The bipolar nature of Run The Jewels is still here, but tapered somewhat and the way each track flows into one another gives it a feel of a concept album. But when it comes down to it, I just enjoy listening to two friends rap about how fucked up the world is and how imperfect they are as human beings.

 

 

 

Russian Circles - Guidance

 

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2016's latest offering from post-metal trio Russian Circles sees them take a darker turn. Albums don't often paint stark impressions on me with just the first listen, but almost immediately with the first track I was assaulted by waves of grief and mourning. This is the soundtrack to funeral and coping, gesticulating emotions wildly without uttering a single word until the end. Often I question how bands find the inspiration to innovate while essentially remaining the same, and the answer for Russian Circles lies in the emotional aspect of their musicianship. A powerful album that takes time to open up to, but is well worth the time sunk into it.

 

 

 

有村 竜太朗 (Ryutaro Arimura) - 「デも／demo」

 

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Plastic Tree is a band I've respected musically and have seen held in high regard in many visual kei circles, but I personally could never get into them. Ryutaro Arimura's vocals are an acquired taste to say the least, and it's turned me off Plastic Tree more than once. Even so, I was still curious about his first solo album if only to see if his solo career goes somewhere unexpected. It turns out his vocals are much better suited to this spacey, wall of sound style shoegaze. I've already raved about "浮融 / fuyuu" in November's Recommended Tracks but I have to stress I can't get enough of this. I find every track enamoring. The entire release lifts me up and takes me away. Take it in doses if extended amounts of shoegaze puts you to sleep, but for me this is the dark horse of 2016.

 

 

 

siraph - siraph

 

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Rising stars of the indie scene, electronic pop band siraph ranked number two on our list this year. I've extolled the virtues of siraph earlier this year, but it needs reiterating that this is the most refreshing, vibrant mini album of the year.  It's rare to find a band establish their sound so firmly with their first release, but with Masayuki Hasuo and Yoshimasa Terui as primary composers it doesn't surprise me that siraph strike gold on their first try. This is the kind of meaty, complex pop music indie heads seek out for years before stumbling upon. The heavily rhythmic opener "in the margin" is the black sheep of the release and with each track the band ease into their roles as if they've been together for years. "時間は告ぐ (Jihan wa Tsugu) feels like a school food punishment track that didn't make the cut, and my favorite track "thor" combines the chillwave and pop elements with a progressive rock flair for a haunting yet entertaining track. There is more to this band than the six tracks have time to show, and their first single "quiet squall" tells me they have lots of ideas waiting to be explored. If you weren't listening to this band at all this year, you should start now.

 

 

Vektor - Terminal Redux

 

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Once again progressive thrash gods Vektor prove why they're the leaders in the revival thrash scene. I've been waiting for Terminal Redux since last year when hints that it was almost complete first surfaced. It was the album that reignited my passion for music. Opener "Charging the Void" is just massive and together with "Recharging the Void" fill 80% of the narrative. The rest makes room for insane riffs, blistering solos, and the first appearance of clean vocals on "Collapse". Vocalist DiSanto noted that he may not able to do the Vektor style vocals forever, and with such a successful first attempt at something new my fears that this band changing would ruin their sound have been subsided. Probably my favorite metal album of 2016.

 

 

 

Versailles - The Greatest Hits 2007-2016

 

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One of the greatest visual kei power metal bands of all time makes a glorious return with a shining example of how self-covers are done! The Greatest Hits 2007-2016 features ten re-recordings with the style turned up to eleven and two new tracks that fit so seamlessly I don't know if they are entirely new compositions or old ones that never made the cut. Versailles chose excellent tracks to tackle; many fans have been clamoring for new versions of "The Love From a Dead Orchestra" and "The Revenant Choir" for ages.  "Destiny" and "Philia" didn't have as many immediately noticeable flourishes to it, and some tracks felt a little strange since I'm used to hearing them a certain way for many years, but given some time I will come to accept these as the definitive versions of many of their songs. KAMIJO's performance was by far the most impressive singular aspect of the album, often granting older tracks the power they needed to reach new heights. I was left impressed by the quality of this release, but it's hard to swing and miss wearing your Sunday best. The new songs were good, but not ground breaking material, and no songs from their self-titled are present, implying that the band knows those songs can't be saved. Only time can tell if Versailles can capitalize on their former momentum and regain the glory of their JUBILEE-era, but the future looks bright.

 

 

 

ザアザア (Xaa-Xaa) - 中毒症状

 

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Visual kei flirts with a gamut of musical styles, but many newer bands don't take an affinity to hard rock. In addition to that, quirkiness as an aesthetic has been on a decline for some time. These two qualities are why up and coming rockers ザアザア impressed me with their LP 中毒症状 (Chuudoku shuujou). This band blends a lot of visual fads together with a penchant for repetition to create something familiar yet refreshing, varied yet always hypnotizing. 中毒症状 does not escape the curse of compilation albums since it feels like a grab bag of their Sunday best but it's a serviceable introduction to one hell of an eclectic band. To think that I only checked this band out because of the clamor and drama over the rarity of their releases! It's not for everyone but you won't know until you try.

 

 

 

Thanks for reading!

[Hakari 282]

I think this is my favorite list! Awesome reviews here and enjoy seeing some 'uncommon' releases.

[CAT5 9075]

oh man, lots of cool sounding stuff here!

 

Naturally, I agree with you on siraph and downy! DECAYS and BUCK-TICK were fun listens too, but I still need to listen to them more.

 

Everything I've heard by THE BLACK SWAN has been good, but Jin is my biggest obstacle in getting into them.

 

I haven't been in a hip hop mood for a long time, but Flatbush Zombies sounds nice and I HAVE TO GET ON THAT NEW RTJ ALBUM PRONTO!

 

Also need to give Russian Circles a shot at some point.

 

Is that Ryutaro album as shoegazy as that track?

 

Great list bruh! (som-bruh???)

 

 

[Zeus 7997]

15 hours ago, CAT5 said:

Everything I've heard by THE BLACK SWAN has been good, but Jin is my biggest obstacle in getting into them.

 

I did my time with NEGA, so I've long since adapted to Jin. This might be Stockholm Syndrome talking, but I think he's improved considerably.

 

15 hours ago, CAT5 said:

I haven't been in a hip hop mood for a long time, but Flatbush Zombies sounds nice and I HAVE TO GET ON THAT NEW RTJ ALBUM PRONTO!

 

Bruh the RTJ album was released on Christmas Day. Total fire I thought you'd be all over that.
 

15 hours ago, CAT5 said:

Also need to give Russian Circles a shot at some point.

 

@Ito we have failed CAT.

 

15 hours ago, CAT5 said:

Is that Ryutaro album as shoegazy as that track?

 

Kinda sorta...not really?

 

 

[Peace Heavy mk II 7200]

2016 - the year Zess gave everyone a second chance

[Ito 2438]

On 1/17/2017 at 6:13 AM, Zeus said:

 

@Ito we have failed CAT.

 

But HOW?!?!?!

 

-______-

 

@CAT5, you need to fix this ASAP

[Bear 1817]

Run the Jewels and Vektor. My man, my  man. Run the Jewels 3 might be Run the Jewels' best yet, or at least on par with their debut and Terminal Redux is a masterpiece that are miles ahead of Vektor's two first albums. Miles ahead!

 

 

You gotta check out Hail Spirit Noir btw. Think that might be something for your liking.

[Mamo 1172]

On 1/9/2017 at 10:34 PM, Zeus said:

There's a reason why veterans rally around this band and claim they will save visual kei. They just might.

 

They will mark my words. 

 

Also @Zeus have you listened to any HOLYCLOCK (ex. LIX. vocalist)? I think that they are one of the best things going in vk.

Edited January 21, 2017 by sume7

[Zeus 7997]

4 hours ago, sume7 said:

 

They will mark my words. 

 

Also @Zeus have you listened to any HOLYCLOCK (ex. LIX. vocalist)? I think that they are one of the best things going in vk.

I have not. HOLYCLOCK is a name I've seen surface in the news section quite often, but usually it's attached to "live distributed release" or news about a release I forget about soon after reading. I heard one preview and it sounded very good (in the vein of DOF if I remember correctly) but not good enough to keep me coming back. It's been a while since I sampled them, and if they're still around perhaps they found some solid footing. Is there a release you would recommend?

 

 

On 1/20/2017 at 0:13 AM, Bear said:

Run the Jewels and Vektor. My man, my  man. Run the Jewels 3 might be Run the Jewels' best yet, or at least on par with their debut and Terminal Redux is a masterpiece that are miles ahead of Vektor's two first albums. Miles ahead!

 

 

You gotta check out Hail Spirit Noir btw. Think that might be something for your liking.

Hail Spirit Noir is something that's been on my list all year and I haven't gotten around to it. Totes remember liking Oi Magoi a lot and I remember you recc'ing that too. Time to bump it up.

[Mamo 1172]

20 hours ago, Zeus said:

I have not. HOLYCLOCK is a name I've seen surface in the news section quite often, but usually it's attached to "live distributed release" or news about a release I forget about soon after reading. I heard one preview and it sounded very good (in the vein of DOF if I remember correctly) but not good enough to keep me coming back. It's been a while since I sampled them, and if they're still around perhaps they found some solid footing. Is there a release you would recommend?

 

Yes actually. You can start with "心象アクアリウム‐終焉の輪に残留する砂時計‐ " a 5 track mini-album and if you like that then listen to their album "Providence."  I believe all of their releases are available here but  if you have trouble finding anything I can help. One of the best vk bands of the last decade if you ask me, right up there with "DEZERT" and  "ザアザア."

 

Btw what's DOF? lol sorry for my ignorance.

Edited January 22, 2017 by sume7