Recommended Tracks: Spring 2018

[Zeus 7997]

 

Welcome! It's been a few months since we did a recap of some quality songs we've been enjoying lately. Lots of great releases have come out this spring, so here's what we recommend checking out if you haven't heard it already. If there's anything we missed, leave it below!

 

 

 

@plastic_rainbow's pick

 

"煙突の街" (Entotsu no machi) by 首振りDolls (Kubuhuri Dolls)

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After putting out only singles, Kubihuri Dolls finally releases their first full album titled 真夜中の徘徊者 ～ ミッドナイトランブラー (Midnight Rambler), and a remarkable one at that. If you're new to them, several people have labeled them as angura-kei for their traditional clothing and face make-up, but their music lies heavily on the garage rock side. Still, Kubihuri Dolls will churn out a few soft and gloomy songs once in a while, one of which is "Entotsu no machi" from their newest album. "Entotsu no machi" tells a whimsical and dark story that opens with a lonely acoustic guitar melody and a sorrowful flute. Nao's raspy vocals are more mellow than usual, but still maintain a roughness even in a ballad. The pipe organ and circus-like beats parade along with hints of old and edgy MUCC. While "Entotsu no machi" is a great track, it doesn't represent Kubihuri Dolls' sound fully so I recommend giving their album a listen if you're interested in knowing what they're all about.

 

@helcchi's picks

"vanitas" by DIMLIM

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Australian luthier Perry Ormsby was impressed by DIMLIM's music, and having endorsed Ryuya as Ormsby Japan's sole domestic artist, his assessment certainly must have substance. I respect these kids who were about half the age former  drummer and kusomen leader Issei to keep the band going and modernize their sound, a move that I think ultimately paid off.
"vanitas" is DIMLIM's first song with new members bassist Taishi and drummer Hiroshi onboard. A departure from Issei-era DIMLIM, it is their most varied song to date and is packed with progressive elements - one can guess that they've been listening to a lot of music in the vein of polyphia and experimented with styles prior to the conception of their upcoming album CHE DO A RA.

This song is both chuggy and clean with riffing that rivals their friends from Earthists, yet unbelievably vibrant and with those bright guitar tones reminiscent of ichika (with similarities to his djentier works like "Lysis" in particular), it's no surprise they were able to invite him to their shusai event. Despite the song's sparse use of distortion, its heaviness is still not lost, with the contrasting sections lending a unique feel to the music listening experience. The musicianship is commendable as each instrument is given equal treatment. Retsu's tapping leads the clean part of the song before Ryuya kills it during the breakdown. Complemented by the new rhythm section - a simple drum setup with a whole lot of groove that transitions to pounding double kicks on top of very audible basslines set the backbone for the song, creating a unifying sound that is no longer derivative of D.I.D. The colorful textures of the instrumentals themselve are enough to keep the listener engaged, yet unlike some of the aforementioned instru-metal artists, DIMLIM is not just an instrumental band, with vocalist Sho being one of the band's greatest assets. He delivers a stellar vocal performance throughout, showing how diverse of a range he has and lest we forget the one thing that most listeners are talking about - that scream. It's long, it's suspenseful and has been met by concern and praise alike. But we can all agree that it is incredible.

On closer inspection however, "vanitas" overall is not groundbreaking, but it is a game-changer for visual kei. DIMLIM have learned a thing or two from the prog/metalcore scenes and are ready to carry it over. Perhaps this song wouldn't get such rave reviews outside of vk circles, but it's one foot in the door to greater recognition and I hope to see them improve more in this direction in the future.

 

"he waits patiently" by ichika

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Solo artist ichika has been making waves ever since bursting into the prog scene 2 years ago. And in this short timeframe, his accolades already run deep - a star in the bandcamp community, countless collaborations with various established artists, as well as an endorsement deal with Ibanez. His works, affectionately dubbed by fans as 'heaven metal', demonstrate fantastic virtuosity with his highly coveted skill in not just guitar, but bass as well. ichika dropped his second and third EPs back-to-back in April, accompanied by two music videos - the guitar track “illusory sense” and my recommended bass track “he waits patiently”.

 

In an age where modern extended range guitar players are racing to the lowest possible tuning, ichika is going against the grain. The way he is able to make his bass sound so melodic, with the richness and clarity of a lead guitar is truly astonishing, creating a beautiful and unique sound that pushes the boundaries of what is musically achievable, and proving once again that he is at a league many musicians strive to be at. The narrative style of songwriting stimulates the imagination, with an atmosphere that is emotionally uplifting, charming the listener with a dreamlike fluidity that seamlessly pours out from the heart.

Anyone who has not checked out ichika's other works, I implore you to do so because I have only one word to describe this young virtuoso - genius.

 

"開花" (Kaika) by DEVILOOF

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Mother of misleading song titles, “Kaika” was one of the most anticipated releases of Spring.The first single after a label deal with Danger Crue 9th Records, this unruly five-piece from Osaka look nothing short of slowing down (or softening up), hauling this hell-sent banger into the mortal realm. The seizure-inducing title track is everything they had promised - labyrinthine structure, appetizing riffs, frequent tempo changes generating breakdown-ception. It's their self-proclaimed fastest and most brutal piece yet.  In other words, everything except 'flowers blooming'.

 

 

”NEW ERA” by DEXCORE

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DEXCORE melted hearts on Christmas Day, when they released the piano ballad "独り言 (hitorigoto)", showing a remarkably sensitive side of them that I never knew they had. Kagami is equally as capable of being harsh as he can be subtle, his cleans are angelic (just look at his twitter habits of posting videos of his acoustic bedroom serenades) yet his gutterals are violently brutal. This is what manifests itself in "NEW ERA". Put simply, it's “Imitation” on steroids, a faaaaaar cry from "独り言", but it has elements of both - verses that alternate between soft and heavy, one of the most ear shattering breakdowns of the year, to be soothed by a melodic bridge. Also, any Japanese singer able to differentiate their Rs from Ls and even being able to enunciate such complicated words like 'motherfucking world' deserves some credit.

 

 

"デリヘル呼んだら君が来た" (Deriheru Yondara Kimi ga Kita) by XYZ production

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The title of this song translates to “When I arranged for a call girl, you appeared”, and this music video is best viewed with closed captions on in order to gain the full 'wtf' experience. Originally composed by vocaloid artist Nanahoshi Orchestra, this rendition of the song which is the brainchild of luz and featuring a cast of nico-nico all-stars with guitar and arrangement courtesy of Far East Dizain's Leda has received a high-octane boost. Leda has gone ham with his arrangement, unnecessarily beefing up an already OTT song. The lyrics to the song are one big inappropriate trip of hilarity, gloriously brought to life by six charismatic vocalists (Don't miss Piko's shining genderbending moment which had the comment section doubling up in hysterics.) These artists have created a monster, and you may either replay this or demand your five minutes of your life back, but you can't deny that it was a roller-coaster ride of side-splitting fun.

 

 

 

@qotka's picks

”のろいうた” (Noroi Uta) by ザアザア

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The past twelve months have been less than kind to ザアザア: their drummer had abruptly left, the whole band got into a car crash and shows had to be cancelled. An actual curse is not too far fetched of an explanation, and some exorcism might definitely be in order. "Noroi Uta" seems like the perfect weapon of choice: this track is hectic, laden with anxiety and is probably capable of, if not expelling, then at least confusing most demons. Speedy drums, heavy guitars and vocals that go from confident and deep singing to cold shrieks, heavy breathing and animal-like screaming - right before swirling into a possessed mantra-like recitation. This is more than a musical track, it’s a compressed theatrical production that tells a story of fear, anguish and some really pissed off demonic beings who are coming to get you. After losing some edge in previous releases "アサガオが泣いてる (Asagao ga Naiteru)" and ”赤色 (Akairo)”, this track seems like a firm declaration that whatever happened in the past year was nothing more than a rough patch.

 

 

"自己嫌悪" (Jikoken'o) by MUCC

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Music is a living, ever-evolving manner of expression, and like in other forms of art, musicians have different approaches when it comes to creating. MUCC, for a large chunk of their career, have been very systematic about writing music, thus creating an extensive body of work. One of the reasons why "自己嫌悪” feels so refreshing is how spontaneously it came to be: whipped up just a few days before first performed live on May 21st in Zepp Tokyo, released as rough demo upon popular demand and then quickly polished and released as a digital single even though it wasn't scheduled. Heartwarming back and forth between listeners and musicians aside, this release will make a lot of sense to anyone who’s listened to "脈拍 (Myakuhaku)", where MUCC tapped into their old material and topped it with some of the new tricks they’ve learned through the years. And just like some of the best tracks on their 2017 release, this single has a nostalgic, raw, rock’n’roll vibe. It’s lighthearted, quirky, engaging (try listening to it without going ‘whoa whoa whoa’ at the chorus! Bonus: killer harmonies in that part) and has one of the most fun guitar solos in Miya’s repertoire. Working in a methodical, almost assembly line-like, manner has helped MUCC stay active for over 20 years, but it’s gems like this that prove that the band still enjoys doing what they do and are more than capable when it comes to getting it across to their audience.

 

 

@emmny's picks

"いつか変われる頃" (Itsuka kawareru koro) by MIZTAVLA

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First thoughts: this new Gossip song bangs. Second thoughts: wait a minute...Gossip were influenced by VelBet...so MIZTAVLA kinda came first? Sometimes in the scene we lose track of who came first, but MIZTAVLA's strong, pre-kaisan showing for "Itsuka kawareru koro" is indicative of the ex-members' rooting in the style. The sound in question is the funky/jazzy/punky style of the early-mid 2000's, with vocalist Riuki's ex-band VelBet being a solid name in that style for the short lived lifespan of the band. This track has two distinct moods, the fun lead guitar and blasting percussion of the intro and the moodier, clean, chorused guitars leading to a distorted breakdown with screeching harmonics. The juxtaposition of the two is what makes the song so engaging, and while it shifts mood, it keeps a coherent atmosphere, typical of quirkier bands of lore. The melodies bang, instrumentation is engaging and musicianship is sharp, maybe now I regret calling for them to disband.

 

"いただきます。" (Itadakimasu.) by マチルダ

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Hot Nagoya newcomers Mathilda (ex-Ramiel, Ribelio, DEVIZE) give us creepy-cute old school oshare a-la Aicle. with their first showing, one-coin single "Itadakimasu". Vocals bite with a Karma (ex-Avelcain) charm, going between whining cleans, manic talking, screaming, and an impassioned, expressive chorus. The dark lyrics and sweet-sour vocals match the mood of the instrumental, shifting from blastbeats to glitchy interludes and flicka-flicka chords over wonky lead guitar lines. It's a strong showing despite the incredibly obvious reference material. The novelty is the band's off-colour revival interest being mid-2000s oshare--a sound more or less forgotten among visual bands, despite forming the core sound of bands like Royz. Mathilda are paying homage to the greats and it's great to have them in an otherwise drab indies scene.

 

"TWO OF A KIND" by  the GazettE

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A band that literally needs no introduction are the legendary Gazette. As DOGMA- era fever died down after a solid two years of machinated, rumbling alternative metal, we were left wondering what would would happen next. We knew it'd be more or less the same, but I don't think anyone could have predicted that NINTH's heavy tracks would actually hit harder than some of DOGMA's bangers. Take "TWO OF A KIND" for example, the spiritual successor of "UGLY", albeit with a bit more swing--seen through the spunky slap bass in the verses and an overall less sober, contrived composition. I found it odd for a band that had a lot of swagger, as seen in their earlier punk and jazz output, to actively suppress it for as long as Gazette did in the DOGMA-era. This is by no means a funky track, but a more nuanced take on the formula they rode with their prior work. The synth work is effortless, the riffs crash with fury, the drumming is challenging and the vocal melodies are varied--not so much relying on that 'comedown' chorus, instead ratcheting up tension with what sounds like an unresolved chord progression before moving onto the bridge and solo. Speaking of tension, if there's one thing we can all agree on about the track, is how the tension ultimately drops with the best end-section on a Gazette song since "DEUX". Ruki closes the track off with a repeat of the chorus, and as it is about to resolve, his voice glitches on the last word--which is then hammered in through a coda of the brutal opening riff as his voice repeats into the abyss. The goosebumps are worth it, if your neck didn't already snap by then and render you unable to see your arms.

 

"アリア-Aria-" by The THIRTEEN

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The THIRTEEN desperately need an introduction. If anything, they're the person at the party who you know has done some shady shit but claim that they're done with that phase and are willing to move on. You hear this from a friend, and based on their word, you go and shake hands, introducing yourself, ready to forgive what may have been. As of now, I'll consider their slate to be clean. The ex-Sadie monstrosity has given us some absolute trash after the demise of aforementioned band--who was also mostly trash, but their direction is turning into something much more promising. "Aria" is their second such showing, after the cautiously fascinating "BITES THE BLACK", a lynch.-esque banger. "Aria"'s closest stylistic comparison is none other than DIR EN GREY's "Uroko", but a more melodic and directly gripping interpretation. Mao's emotive vocals duel against Mizuki's drop A# riffage with ease, while german chanting and shrill organ add to the visual cheese of it all. Support drums propel the track with forward momentum, and the overall effect is shockingly intense and fun. I know I sing along with the chorus every time it comes on, trying to hit the high notes with Mao. As such, the end result is some heavy fun--nothing original, innovative or groundbreaking, just some decent musicians rehashing sounds we've grown to love into an inspired, riveting tracks.

 

@tetsu_sama69's picks

 

"AGUL" by 零[Hz] (Zero[Hz])

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If there is any album that has come out in 2018 that you shouldn't be sleeping on, it would be 零聖戦 (Rei Seisen) from Zero[Hz]. The release as a whole is surprisingly stable and consistently enjoyable throughout and it was extremely difficult to pick a favorite. For the time being my preference lies with "AGUL" since it's a song I cannot get out of my head. There's a lot of talent in Zero[Hz] with previous members of  LONDBOY and Dangan NO LIMIT, it's no shock that the track is extremely catchy and full of energy. Granted it's got a helpful injection of synth which is usually off putting for me but for Zero[Hz] it fits well for their styling and it's not overdone. The vocals from ROY are a treat and hearing the lovely layering of clean vocals and screams injected into the background is a pleasure for the ears. If you haven't checked out 零聖戦 (Rei Seisen)  yet it's an addictive album that deserves more attention overall.

 

 

 

"蜉蝣と僕等." (Kagerou to Bokura.) by Sick.

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When Sick. released "resonance", I was hesitant whether or not I was going to enjoy Sick of you at all but then I stumbled upon "Kagerou to Bokura." and all my concerns were put to rest. If the haunting guitar intro doesn't pull you in then the eruption of screams that calm into whispered vocals should because that did the trick for me. The track overall is beautifully heavy and chilling all at once with its instrumentals that vary from viciously rough to pleasantly smooth with a lovely injection of piano and synths. "Kagerou to Bokura" is a definitely an emotionally  powerful track that gives so much more than I expected. Any worries I had with the recent line-up changes for Sick. were put aside when I heard "Kagerou to Bokura." since now my worries are with how much I put this song on repeat and Sick of you overall.

 

"死因:わからん" (Shiin: Wakaran) by まみれた (Mamireta)

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Mamireta has very quickly settled themselves in as a personal favorite band of mine this year in particular and the case seems to be the same for several others. But there's good reasoning behind it since the band makes the perfect kind of messy visual music that I enjoy more than anything else. I wouldn't say they are "DEZERT kei" style at all but something that reminds me of early Kagerou and other 2000's bands that I love. "Shiin: Wakaran" is short and sweet but full of that kick ass goodness from beginning to end. The trippy guitar during the chorus is infectiously great backed up with solid bass lines and fantastic drumming. The pacing of the track fits it's theme of not understanding the meaning of life with rapidly changing instrumentals and messy vocals. Honestly, my favorite part is when vocalist Batsu lets out a burp before the last half the the song.

 

@fitear1590's picks

"Langage" by 水曜日のカンパネラ & Moodoïd (Wednesday Campanella & Moodoïd)

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Don't you just love collaborations that are not only inter-scene, but also international? When I found out that Moodoïd, one of my favorite projects led by the prince of French psychedelia Pablo Padovani, was teaming up with the Japanese pop weirdo Wednesday Campanella, I was quite surprised. On this bilingual (French and Japanese) track from Moodoïd's new album Cité Champagne, you'll enjoy a nostalgic synth-driven banger that oscillates between Padovani's sultry, aspirated delivery, and a sweeter side offered by KOM_I's bouncier vocals. The music video has a charming retro feel as well, thanks to old-school film grain and slight b-movie aesthetics. If you want more from this unexpected duo, also be sure to check out "Matryoshka" from the new Wednesday Campanella album Galapagos.

"Asphyxia" by Cö Shu Nie

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Cö Shu Nie has been around since at least 2012, when they were up-and-comers in the indie scene. They stood out for the experimental edge often lent to their songs through odd time signatures and blasts of erratic composition. In classic fashion, they streamlined their sound and became considerable poppier as time went on -- eventually, they even shifted their name to katakana, hinting at a new phase. At that point, the band faded from my radar. Flash forward to 2018: the band is now back and producing the theme of anime Tokyo Ghoul:re. Granted, I don't know a damn thing about most current anime, but interestingly enough, being an OP artist actually caused the band to shift back to something comparable to their earlier, more ambitious sound, hinted at by the return of their romaji name. They also seem to have deleted their pre-2018 YouTube presence, so I suppose they are in a soul-searching period. If this latest maxi-single is any indication, they're off to a good restart!

"アヴァリティアリティ"  (Avaritiarity) by グリモア (Grimoire)

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Full disclosure: with UNiTE. really letting me down with their most recent work, GRIMOIRE has easily taken the pedestal as my favorite active visual kei band. After a 2017 with stellar singles and their debut album, the band quickly got back to business this year releasing the new mini-album プシュコマキア (Psychomachia). While not the lead PV single of this release, "アヴァリティアリティ" stood out to me the most by slowing things down and trading in the band's ultra-chuggy riffs for intense emotion. Overall, the song expands on the sound explored in "あましずくとマクガフィン (Ama shizuku to McGuffin)," the dark horse opener from their first album. Gloomy verses give way to powerful, melodramatic choruses and one of the band's most extraordinary guitar interludes -- heartwrenching, rather than heavy.

 

 

@Zeus's picks

"Ash" by Dir en grey

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Finding displeasure with Dir en grey's new direction is how we pass time waiting for their new album, but finding pleasure in one of their modern interpretations of their visual classics is what's surprising. The new recording of "Ash" took some time to warm up to, but compared to previous remakes, I accepted this version in record time. For full disclosure, I still think the 2001 recording of "Ash" is the best yet, but this one doesn't induce loathing and hatred. It helps that the new "Ash" maintains the structure of the original three versions of the song, so that it resembles the track it says it does. What sets it over the top is the acoustic interlude into the solo, which I didn't see coming the first time around and staves off monotony. The new chorus is the biggest hurdle to cross, and I miss the demonic outro of the 2001 脈 re-recording, but these are not deal breakers.  I'm confident in saying this is one of their best coupling tracks in years. Give it a spin if you haven't already.

 

 

"覇王"(Haou) by 陰陽座 (Onmyouza)

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If that kid you told in high school to 'never change' took the form of a Japanese heavy metal band, that would be 陰陽座 (Onmyouza). Their newest album, 覇道明王, sees them double down on the aspects which make them both heavy and metal, and a lot of that is due to the opening track "覇王" (Haou). From the opening low notes of the piano which notes something grand is about to begin, "覇王" (Haou) launches a six minute epic that sets the stage for their most accessibly metal album ever, and the way they go all in confirms that there's more to be had on the following tracks, and that it's more than a one-off experiment. The vocals are powerful, the solo is fantastic, and the riffs could get a nod of approval from both the mallcore crowd and the "trve kvlt" clan. If you love them already, this is the song to renew your vows to. If you don't, this might be the song to make you question that. The last few albums have been a mash of different styles of rock and metal, so I'm really glad they let their hair down to rock out for a change.

 

Thanks for reading!

[emmny 4139]

BUUUMPPP

 

Check this out guys!

[Mamo 1172]

I liked the 3 new "D's" DEXCORE, DIMLIM, and DEVILOOF.

[PIZAZ 238]

Thanks for putting these together, they're super helpful! I had lost interest in vkei for quite a while and checking these out every so often has helped me find new bands to follow.